cond time. There was an old man in chains, with a wild and piercing eye, who was constantly talking to himself in incoherent language. He had been imprisoned twenty-nine years for murder, and is doomed to drag out the remainder of his life in this wretched condition. Some are From the prison we went to the next door, and examined the Bridewell for the city and county, to which convicts cannot be sentenced for more than two years. It is under the superintendence of the same officer as the prison. Both buildings are of stone, four stories high, and richly finished. The construction of the Bridewell is peculiar. A semicircular tower rises in the centre, through which there are narrow openings, commanding a full view of all the cells of the convicts, ranged in a concentric semicircle. In front are grates and blinds, which prevent the tenants from seeing one another, although their movements may be watched from the observatory in the centre. It is a kind of panorama, where all sorts of mechanical operations are going on. spinning, some weaving, and others sewing, while the males are employed at their several trades. An artist would here find a good subject for a picture. A lassie at her wheel was solacing her labour by a sweet Highland air. Others of a graver turn were reading the bible, a copy of which is appropriated to the use of every convict, and was found lying upon the pillows of the neat and comfortable beds. In the basement, a tread-mill was seen in motion. Its power is entirely wasted. Machinery was once attached to it; but on experiment, it was found to be unprofitable, and has been given up. The construction and police of this penitentiary exceed any thing of the kind that I have seen in Europe. Our next call was at the cemetery adjoining the Bridewell, chiefly for the purpose of visiting the tomb of the historian Hume. The monuments in this burying-ground, as well as in another, on the declivity looking towards Holy-Rood, are upon a large scale, some of them more nearly resembling the abodes of the living than the narrow mansions of the dead. They are all of the same materials as the new part of the town, and being neatly, though not sumptuously finished, have a rich appearance. The inscriptions are generally simple, and speak much in favour of the public taste of Edinburgh. Hume's monument is on an eminence in a conspicuous part of the cemetery, and shows to good advantage from Prince's-street. It is a kind of mausoleum, in the shape of a tower, with a niche in front containing a beautiful urn in memory of the wife of David Hume, a nephew of the historian. The latter died a bachelor. His tomb bears the following inscription, which is all that such a name could need: "David Hume, born April 26th, 1711; died August 25th, 1776." In a little enclosure, at the base of this mausoleum, rest the remains of Professor Playfair, without a stone to designate the spot. He is not, however, to be neglected, as has already been mentioned. His memory is held in universal respect by the citizens of Edinburgh, who duly appreciate his scholarship and fame. Returning to the hotel and taking a guide, we set out on a walk to Jenny Dean's house, at the foot of Salisbury Crag. The route led us by the former residence of John Knox, the Reformer. From one of the windows of the old building, which is yet standing, he preached to the multitude below; and in one of its corners, there is a rude likeness of the holy man, with his finger pointing to the words, "cos, Deus, God," engraven upon the wall. His birth and death are recorded beneath, with some uncouth decorations. A barber now occupies the mansion, who is said to illuminate his shop on the natal day of the Reformer. On the front of a house opposite, are two antique, odd figures in relief, originally without a name; but some successor to the architect, to prevent all further trouble in guessing at the device, has labelled their backs with "Adam and Eve." Curiosity induced us to step for a moment into the Canongate Talbooth, which is a kind of court and prison, united in the same building. It contains a likeness of Nelson, and also of Lord Melville, with the inscription-sic itur ad astra -which would seem to import, that the road to immortality is through the Talbooth. Among the decorations of the hall is a tattered stand of colours, presented by Queen Mary. The church-yard in Canongate detained us half an hour, in looking at its sepulchral monuments. There is one erected at the expense and under the superintendence of Robert Burns, to the memory of his favourite poet Fergusson, who died young and universally lamented. The inscription is from the pen of his eminent successor and friend. In the shade of the wall, near the entrance of the churchyard, is the grave of Adam Smith, the author of the Theory of Moral Sentiments, and of the Wealth of Nations. A tablet records his birth in 1723, and his death in 1790. He was a native of Kirkaldy, in Fifeshire. Close by his side reposé the ashes of the celebrated Dr. Gregory, without the slightest index, except the finger of the old sexton to tell where he lies. The sun never shines upon his grave, which is overgrown with rank grass and plantain. Leaving Canongate, we pursued our way towards the farfamed residence of Jenny Deans. The house was at length found, and a communicative old lady who is its present tenant, conducted us through the several apartments, not forgetting the one whence the heroine was taken. It is a small one story building, with antique mean rooms, and large fire-places. But it is not my intention to furnish illustrations of the Waverly novels, which would be an endless task; for there is scarcely a rood in Scotland, to which the pen of this popular and voluminous writer has not imparted a charm. The aged matron informed us, that Sir Walter paid her frequent visits at the time the Heart of Mid-Lothian made its appearance, and conversed with her as freely as ony ither person. 66 On our way back, we visited the University, although under great disadvantages, as it is at this season deserted by its officers and students, and every thing was in confusion, in consequence of a splendid addition which is making to the pile of buildings, for the accommodation of the Library and other purposes. The new hall is two stories high, with colonnades in the richest style of Grecian architecture. It will soon be completed, and the books belonging to the University be collected from the several apartments, through which they are now scattered. The old part of the college edifice is a stately pile, and presents a magnificent front, with lofty arches leading to an open court in the centre. There is a curious inscription on the wall, stating the year in which the building was erected, and dedicating it “ Christo et Musis." The Professor of Natural History here joined us, and was so obliging as to take us to the large Hall, where the government of the University hold their meetings. It is neatly finished, and its walls are adorned with portraits of Napier, Hume, Robertson, and other great men of Scotland. From hence he accompanied us to the Library, containing about two hundred thousand volumes. At his request, the librarian opened a large chest, filled with a variety of antiquities and rare curiosities. Among other things, he showed us a copy of the Bible in the Hindoo language-several old and valuable manuscripts—a large number of beautiful illuminations -a transcript of the Koran, written on a slip of parchment an inch and a half wide, and fifteen feet in length-and the original Protest against the burning of John Hesse for heresy, signed by the German nobility, and sealed in a singular manner by a string of wax knobs, extending quite round the border of the parchment. To these favours, the Professor added the very acceptable one of giving us a note to the superintendent of the Botanic Garden, which is about a mile from town on the road towards Leith, and for which we immediately set out. It contains ten and a half acres of ground, situated on a gentle declivity, and commanding a full view of the new town of Edinburgh, the Castle, and the romantic scenery in the suburbs. A substantial wall eight or ten feet high surrounds the whole area. The several compartments are tastefully laid out, and filled with plants, shrubbery, and trees, collected from all parts of the world. There is an artificial lake in a central part of the garden, for the cultivation of the waterlily and other aquatic plants. Eight large hot-houses are warmed to a proper temperature, by pipes leading from a common chimney. We went through all of them, and saw a great variety of exotics, among which was an extensive collection of heaths from the Cape of Good-Hope. Several species of the fig-tree were observed, one of which possessing a parisitical and chamelion-like nature, clings to a perpendicular wall, and has flourished for many years without any other nutriment than air. Besides the usual appurtenances, a convenient lecture-room is attached to the Garden, where a Professor gives a course of instructions at the proper season. Our walk back to town afforded us another opportunity of admiring the streets, squares, crescents, and monuments, which cover the declivity descending towards the waters of the Forth, and constituting the new part of Edinburgh. Unlike the other sections of the city, it improves on a close inspection. Several churches have recently gone up, and the Gothic structure, in imitation of the chapel of King's College at Cambridge, is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. By way of variety, we walked up the street which leads under the bridge on Prince-street, and saw horses, carriages, and people passing a hundred feet above our heads. A noble arch spans the passage below, and affords a firm support to the incumbent road. Our rambles were continued under the North Bridge, to the Loch which is now occupied as the principal market, abundantly supplying a population of 150,000 with meats, vegetables, and fruits of good quality. West of the market-place there is a large open area, laid out in gardens, and beyond these, an artificial mound extending across the ravine, and containing a million and a half loads of sand. It forms one of the links to connect the old and new town, and is crowned with several buildings. Ascending through the market to High-street, we traversed Cowgate, occupying the deep valley between the central hill, and the southern district, to Grey Friars Church, for the purpose of looking at the monuments in memory of Allan Ramsay and other eminent men entombed here. The poet's tablet is placed on the external wall of the church, eight or ten feet from the ground, and bears the following inscription:"In this cemetery was interred the mortal part of an immortal poet, Allan Ramsay, author of the Gentle Shepherd and other admirable poems in the Scottish dialect. He was born in 1686, and died in 1758." 68 Though here you're buried, worthy Allan, Your Gentle Shepherd ne'er can die." Near this memorial, is a handsome tablet in memory of Dr. Blair, the eloquent divine, and author of Lectures on Rhetoric. He was born in 1718, and died in 1800. A classical inscription adorns his tomb. Hard by reposes, another distinguished man, Colin Maclaurin, Professor of Mathematics in the University, and a profound scholar. This walk afforded us a view of Heriot's Hospital, which is one of the largest and most venerable edifices in the city. It was built and founded by the munificence of the individual, whose name it bears, and has been the means of administering comfort to thousands of inmates. The charitable, as well as other public institutions of Edinburgh, are upon a large scale, and reflect the highest credit upon its citizens. Notwithstanding the fatigues of the day, which was so busily employed as to leave no time for dining till dark, the splendours of an unclouded sky tempted us to pay another |