247 Ye friends of old Albion ye friends of the brave! (Though the slaughter be past---though the battle Who o'er the deep ocean her glory have borne--be o'er, Shall the son of her pride---shall the tar of the The sweet bond of duty is never to cease: "Twas the tars' to defend you in fierce raging

Poetry-Foreign and Domestic Intelligence.

wave--

[lorn?

1

'Tis yours to protect them in soft smiling peace! Ye friends of old Albion! who oft have remov'd The hot tear of anguish for pleasure's gay smile,

Ye friends of old Albion! who often have prov'd
That Charity reigns over Liberty's isle!
See, now tapers high, bright Benevolence' flame!
(So, after dark night, comes the rose-tinted
morn,)

While the sons of Britannia united exclaim---
The bold British tar shall ne'er wander for-
lorn!
H. W..

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

In France the projet for the provisional collection of six-twelfths of the revenue has passed into a law. The other measures proposed by government, the budget, the recruiting of the army, &c. continue to occupy the Chambers.

CHRONICLE OF PUBLIC EVENTS.

DOMESTIC NEWS.

London, February 2.

with the principal officers of state for Scotland, the respective heads of the courts of law and legal bodies, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and On the 27th Parliament was opened by com- other gentlemen recommended by official situamission. The speech alludes to the cont inuance tions of importance, directing them to open the of his Majesty's indisposition; to the lamented crown-room, and proceed to open the chest in death of the Princess Charlotte, with an allusion which the regalia are said to be deposited, to make A proposition has issued from the members of to the approaching nuptials of the Duke of Cam-search for the same, and to report the issue of the Holy Alliance, that every government should bridge; to the friendly dispositions of foreign their inquiries to his Royal Highness the Prince take means to prevent smuggling, and the pas-powers to this country; to the stability of the Regent.---The examination took place on the 4th sage of contraband goods. This is doubtless an great sources of national prosperity, and to the inst, when every part of the regalia was found useful object; but it is easy to foresee, from the improvement which has taken place in the course entire. circumstance here recorded, how much of the fu- of last year in almost every branch of domestic It has been resolved to raise by subscription a ture destinies of Europe are involved in such an industry, and to the propitious state of public cre- capital of L.20,000, in shares of L.25 each, for association of monarchs and states. dit; to the diminishing spirit of disaffection, the purpose of erecting, in Waterloo Place, a thence arising; to the progressive improvement suitable house for a coffee-room, hotel, and tavern. of the revenue in most of its important branches; The Union Canal Company entered into a to the conclusion of treaties with Spain and Por-contract last week for executing the first ten tugal on the abolition of the Slave trade; and it miles of the canal westward from Gilmour-street, concludes with calling the attention of Parlia- Edinburgh, for a sum considerably below the esment to the deficiency which has so long existed timate of the company's engineer. in the number of churches.

The Prince of Orange has been reinstated in all his appointments.

The message of the President of the United States of America, on opening Congress, is a pacific and highly satisfactory document. Amicable relations with Europe, and a strict neutrality between Spain and her colonies, are the topics chiefly enforced. A military force is concentrating in the southern provinces.-The treaty of Ghent, in so far as relates to the settlement respecting the islands in Passamaquoddy Bay, has been amicably adjusted.

The cause of the insurgents of South America has met with several disasters, which must have a fatal effect upon their efforts at independence. General Mina has been defeated by the royalists and taken prisoner.-There are horrible accounts of executions of persons engaged in the late rebellion of Pernambuco.

Further intelligence from the West Indies, though it alters the parts, confirms the general tenor of the American news respecting the hurricane, which seems to have swept quite across the Atlantic. At St Lucie the lady of Governor Seymour and her children were saved; and it does not appear that the soldiery in the barracks perished as originally stated. The governor himself, Major Burdett and wife, and many others, fell a sacrifice to this fearful visitation. Antigua suffered dreadfully; and great apprehensions are entertained of the havoc in the other islands, especially Martinique.

Some additional surveys and settlements are about to be made in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope.

Sir Thomas Plumer has been appointed master of the rolls; Sir J. Leach vice-chancellor; and Sergeant Best has been appointed chief-justice of Chester.

Mr Stevenson, civil engineer, bas nearly completed his survey of the line of the Mid-Lothian railway.

The presbytery of Edinburgh have rejected a petition from several gentlemen and heads of faThe Earl of Dalhousie goes to Quebec on the milies who have purchased the episcopal chapel opening of the navigation of the St Lawrence, to at the foot of the Cowgate, praying to erect it relieve Sir John Sherbrooke, the present gover-into a chapel of ease under the acts of the genor-general. Major-general Peregrine Maitland, neral assembly. the new governor for Upper Canada, goes out early in spring.

A meeting has been held, and subscriptions entered into, to remove the disgrace and scandal of street-begging from the metropolis.

On the 50th ult. St Paul's Chapel, York-place, was opened for the purpose of being consecrated. The ceremony was performed by the Right Rev. Bishop Sandford. assisted by the Rev. A. Alison and R. Morehead, ministers of the chapel.

The city of London tavern has lately seen Burgh Reform.---On the 5th ult the burgesses within its walls two very extraordinary meetings, of Jedburgh held a meeting, and resolved to use -a meeting to set afloat a subscription for every legal means of obtaining a new mode of Hone; and a meeting to commemorate the tri- electing their magistrates and council. The macentenary anniversary of the reformation. Mr gistrates of the town have expressed their conWaithman presided at the first, the Duke of Sus-viction of the necessity of such a measure, and sex presided at the second.

Verdicts against the Sheriffs, to the amount of
L.5000, have been obtained at Guildhall by three
tradesmen, whose property was damaged by the
Spittalfields mob.

Edinburgh, Jan. 5.

A commission, under the sign manuel, was recently issued to his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, lord-lieutenant of Mid-Lothian,

agreed to join their fellow-citizens in an application for a new set of the burgh---On the 14th the burgesses of Sanquhar passed resolutions of a similar import.

The Crown has instituted two new professorships in the university of Glasgow, Chemistry and Botany. To the former chair Dr Thomas Thomson has been presented, and Dr Robert Graham to the latter.

·Domestic Occurrences.-Marriages-Deaths.

On the 2d instant, the question relating to the Mr John Lang, merchant, Glasgow, to Jean, new buildings on the North Bridge came on be-only daughter of Andrew Monach, Esq. of Mount fore the Court of Session, when the complainer's Helen. Bill of Suspension was passed. Lords Robertson, Glenlee, and Bannatyne, voted for passing the Bill and Lords Justice Clerk and Craigie for refusing it. The effect of this is, to have the question tried in a Process of Declarator, whether the buildings shall come down or not?

At Fordoun-house, Mr Barclay, farmer in Kirkhill of Halkerton, to Catharine, daughter of the late Thomas Christie, Esq, formerly in Balmanno. A. M'Craken, soapboiler, Glasgow. At Edinburgh, Alexander Stewart, Esq. Fins-W. and T. M'Millan, merchants, Castle-Douglas. bury Square, London, to Agues Marshal, eldest J. Cogill, sen. merchant, Wick. daughter of William Logan, Esq. Queen Street.

No. 11.

THE

EDINBURGH OBSERVER,

OR

TOWN AND COUNTRY MAGAZINE.
COUNTRY

WALKS IN EDINBURGH, &c.

Loquaces

HOR.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1818.

Si sapiat, vitet. Ludicrous accident-The New Buildings on the North Bridge-discussion of diversity of opinion-Reflections of a stranger on the Improvements on the Calton Hill-Sublimity of a Sailor.

PRICE 18. 6d.

and, with fierce ire in his countenance, the accident as a good joke; the ludihe accosted my friend: "Do you mean crousness of the scene, and the striking to insult me, Sir?" "Insult you!" was incongruity which it presented, excited my friend's reply, and expressed with the risible powers of the more delicate ineffable contempt, while he was as un- and kind hearted; and although I inmoved as the new buildings, with which voluntarily joined in the laugh at first, his head was then full. I thought II felt my face suffused with a sympaperceived the youthful hero of the thetic glow when I heard one in the quill shrink within himself, when he crowd say it was Mrs Cont. from 5.18.5. measured with his eye a brawny fellow "Pray," says my friend, as with his PROCEEDING along the North Bridge of nearly six feet, with an oaken saplin arm in mine we walked towards the one fine morning lately, to enjoy my ac- in his hand, which, properly applied, Register-Office, in slow and cautious customed walk on the Calton Hill, and might have performed some of the feats progression. "Pray," says he, after a having met with one interruption from of Hercules. I had little apprehension long pause, from which I foreboded a a talkative friend, I hastened with an of the end of this business, but it was long interruption to my intended expeaccelerated pace to avoid another, of suddenly cut short by what may be cal-dition, "What is your opinion of the which I had some apprehension from led the comic part of the pavement ad- new buildings?" "New buildings," I the glimpse I got of another friend venture. A lady, or at least a well replied, with a stare of astonishment at moving in the opposite direction. To dressed woman, for I must not insist the very mention of that interminable escape the threatened danger of en- on the former appellation, which might topic of public and private discussion. croachment on my time, I endeavoured be liable to dispute from what happen- But without seeming to mind my surto assume an air of important business, ed, was unluckily within the vortex of prise and alarm, he proceeded: " I and just as we approached I gave him this system of bodies, during their pro- think more should be done than has a slight nod, and flattered myself I had gressive and retrograde movements; and been yet proposed in the improvements succeeded in securing my retreat, when, when the disturbing forces began to now going forward. Edinburgh and its by a dexterous spring from one side of operate, either herself or her large muff vicinity are strikingly picturesque. That the pavement to the other, he seized my came in contact with one of them, and character which the northern metropoarm. The rapidity of this movement like one of the planets, which some very lis can boast of in so high a degree, astonished me, for I thought myself profound philosophers suppose, explode ought to be scrupulously preserved. fairly beyond his reach ; but it was not to furnish the earth with a shower of Effect, Sir, effect is not studied; it is accomplished without a double rencon- stones from the clouds, and adorn the never thought of, or rather, it is countre, and a double accident. Three cabinets of the curious with those sin-teracted by injudicious and barbarous dashing bucks, in the very pink of fa-gular productions, the muff suffered an plans. In studying picturesque effect, shion, (one of them, as I learned from explosion, or at least disgorged its pre- Sir, the Calton Hill, with Nelson's Moa passer by, had scarcely finished the cious contents, to the no small surprise nument, the Castle, with its antiquated first year of his apprenticeship to a and merriment of the passing specta- towers, Salisbury Craigs, and Arthur's writer in town,) were walking arm in tors. A good fat hen, ready for the Seat, ought to be seen from every conarm, much to their own comfort I sup- spit, rolled on the pavement in one di-spicuous station in the Old and New pose, but greatly to the annoyance of rection; a nice piece of bacon, intend-Town. Not a building should be alevery passenger they met, who was ob-ed as its companion on the table, mov-lowed to remain or be erected on the liged to give way, and even I observed ed in another; a pound of raisins, some south side of Prince's Street from the some well dressed ladies driven off the of which were scattered by the bursting Mound to the Calton Hill." "Yours," pavement, were close by me when my of the paper, flew off at a tangent, and I remarked, would be a sweeping im friend made his unfortunate movement; lighted among the horses feet on the provement," which I had no sooner utand whether he touched the heel of the street, and were attended in their flight tered, than another admirer of the beaulounger in the middle, or came with with spiceries in smaller packages, all ties of nature and art joined us, and great force against a stick which pro- of which indicated the preparation for hearing the subject of conversation, jected a considerable distance from un-a plumb-pudding. The poor woman joined in it. "If," says he, "the line der his arm, I cannot explain, but the of beauty were studied, all those excresbuck was very nearly thrown down at cences which ill directed art has raised my feet. Recovering himself from this on our eminences ought to be removed. degrading position with no loss of time, Nothing pleases the eye so much as

was overwhelmed with confusion; the
more civil spectators assisted her in
collecting the dispersed materiel of the
dinner; the more unfeeling enjoyed

248

a smooth gently undulating surface.
Your Nelson's monuments, your bride-
wells, your prisons, and your governor's
houses," he was going to say, ought to
be swept off, when he was interrupted by
the admirer of the picturesque, at hear-
ing the governor's house mentioned,
which he considers as the finest model
of that character of beauty, and could
not with patience hear the slightest ex-
pression of disapprobation. "I would
have the buildings on the Castle level-
led with the ground," resumed the o-
ther," and every jutting rock and irre-
gular surface smoothed and rounded."
"What tameness and insipidity," said
our picturesque friend. As to the
buildings in dispute," added the other,
"I would have a row of shops only."
"How insignificant!" said the admirer
of the picturesque,
"a row of booths,
indicating at the same time want of
taste, and want of money. They must
be removed, Sir."

66

lawyer; but I believe the right of the to be decided by a bet), that if all the
proprietors of the houses already built members of the dilettanti club were
is undoubted, and could not be affected to be consulted, no two of them would
by a projected improvement, either of agree on the same design. Nay, Sir,
the magistrates on the one hand, or of such are the difficulties in carrying on
the inhabitants of the New Town on public works, and such is the diversity
the other. An improvement on the of opinion among men, that the present
west side of the North bridge, it will unanimity which prevails among the
be readily admitted, was imperiously opponents of the buildings would soon
called for; and whatever error in judge- be disturbed, if the remedy to be ap-
ment may have been committed, those plied were left to them individually to
who came forward with the projected propose. It has been called a job of
improvements are entitled to some the magistrates. A job, in the less ho-
credit, after all the clamour that has nourable meaning of the term, implies
been raised and indiscriminate censure some advantage gained, to which the
thrown out. "You must understand, merit of the party is not entitled.
Sir," addressing himself to me, as he Where is the advantage in this case?
grew warm on the subject," that our The community derive scarcely any
city rulers had a serious difficulty to thing from it worthy of being noticed';
struggle with. No improvement could and what servant of the community
be made without taking the proprietors has put a sixpence in his pocket on ac-
of the former buildings along with count of this pretended job? The sum
them; and I am not sure if many men of two hundred pounds presented to
could be found disposed to sacrifice the Lord Provost was merely coinci-
their interest to views of public utility." dent in point of time. The same thing
Nor with all my worthy friend's libera- would have taken place if the new build-
lity, I doubt much whether he would ings had never existed; and perhaps
not hesitate to give up fifty guineas a some of those who are ever
year to have the full advantage of a watch to arraign public measures, and
romantic prospect. I rather think he the conduct of public men, would have
would quietly permit his favourite Ar- charged the magistrates and council
thur's Seat to retire behind a lofty pile with want of liberality and penurious-
of buildings, and console himself withness if that sum had been withheld.
having it in his power to stretch his At the same time, he added, I do not
limbs, and at once enjoy the fresh air blame the respectable inhabitants of the
of the country, and the fine scenery in New Town, who have discovered a lau-
the vicinity of the city. "The princi- dable anxiety for the beauty and ele-
ples of picturesque beauty, says my gance of our northern metropolis, in
friend, are not properly understood. coming forward on the present occa-
They are —' A fit of coughing only sion to remedy the evil, (for an evil I
allowed my friend to make this remark; admit it to be) by all fair and equitable
and when it was over, the other re- means. But is there not something in-
sumed with his former rapidity, which congruous in persons obtruding them-
I could as easily pursue with my pen, selves on the public, and talking of
as I could equal on foot the fleetness their rights being invaded and their
of Eclipse, at one time so famous on the property injured, when they have as
turf.
little property to defend, as either you'
or I," addressing himself to my pictur
esque friend, and at the same moment
looking his watch, he exclaimed, "Oh!
I am too late for the meeting," and off
he darted.

Now," said a stranger to me at least, but one who was quite familiar with the rest of the party, as he came behind my picturesque friend, and tapped him on the shoulder, "you are at the old business of removing these unfortunate buildings?" "Why, Sir, he replied, I shall never be satisfied till I see the full effect of their removal. I am astonished the proprietors of the New Town have not followed out their rights with more zeal and vigour. The picturesque view, Sir," the picturesque nonsense," replied the other, who took up the discourse, and with great volubility continued his harangue on the history and progress of the buildings, which have been so often the subject of dispute, and finally of legal discussion. I must not venture to follow him in the long detail. The reader 'might be as tired as I was, after several ineffectual attempts to make my escape. But he maintained, most strenuously, several "Such then," he continued, "was things which not a little surprised me, the dilemma,-the magistrates must who knew nothing farther of the mat- either have no improvement on that ter than what I collected from the news-spot, or they must communicate the adpapers and public report. Among vantage of it to the proprietors of the other things he asserted, what I can former buildings; and which is the scarcely believe, that the inhabitants of greatest deformity-things as they the New Town have no right of servi- were, or things as they are? As far tude of any kind on the south side of as I can learn from artists and conPrince's street, at least no such claim noisseurs, (I object to the admirers of is acknowledged or alluded to in their the picturesque in settling this point) title-deeds. How far this claim may the most of them consider a row of be supported in a court of law, on the shops as a paltry expedient; and with general understanding that no houses regard to any other plan that could be were to be erected opposite to Prince's devised, I shall take an even bet (I street, I pretend not to say. I am no was rejoiced to find the argument was

on the

As we moved towards the new bridge, I remarked, that his loquacious friend is a strong advocate for the Magistrates. Is he a member of the Town-council, I inquired. Not at all, he replied, he is the least of a party man of any man I ever knew. Irega:d him as a model of an independent man. In religion, in morals, and in politics, he thinks for himself,-forms his opinions on the matusest deliberation, maintains them with

March 7, 1818.]

dignity and firmness, and never admits what he calls the new-fangled doctrines of the day, without cautiously consider ing their propriety and tendency. You may depend upon it he has examined the subject on which he descanted with so much fluency; and although I have some doubt of the correctness of some of his views and statements, I always hesitate to dissent from his opinions. I dont think he knows much of picturesque beauty, for we never agree on that topic. The word picturesque alarmed me for a second dissertation on

the subject; and I had the good fortune to escape it by the approach of a friend, who reminded him of an engagement, in which both were concerned. They proceeded to arrange their affairs, and I hastened to gain the summit of the Calton hill to enjoy the fine prospect and the refreshing breeze.

Walks in Edinburgh.

explanation, it turned out that he was
impressed with the belief that a battle
royal, as he called it, had actually been
fought a few years ago in the Royal
Society, between the Wernerians and
Huttonians; and this information he
had on the certain authority of a letter
from Edinburgh, which information he
admitted had reached him at third or
fourth hand; and thus a warm dispute,
at which I assured him I was present,
was, in the progress of its circulation,
magnified into a battle. The ridicul-
ousness of the story, I must confess,
lowered the stranger somewhat in my
estimation; but I found him otherwise
an intelligent and well informed man
who had read a great deal, travelled
much, and was not deficient in the art
of observation.

149

To the Editor of the Observer. IN the course of my reading and observation, I have been accustomed to note down whatever seems curious or interesting. Should you think any of these extracts, or the remarks which accompany them, worthy of a place in your Miscellany, I transmit a few as a specimen under the title of

SCRAPS FROM MY POCKET-BOOK.

1. Mountain two miles high in Scotland' Parkes, a strange farrago of notes upon In the Chemical Catechism by Mr notes, poetry, religion, natural history, and natural philosophy, at page 412 of the 7th edition, the following extraor dinary passage is met with.

"On the top of a mountain near Lochness in Scotland, whose perpendicular height is nearly two miles, there is a small lake of fresh water, hitherto said to be unfathomable, which never freezes during the coldest winters. Here the depth is so great, that the circulation is not completed before the return of summer; whereas the Lochanwyn, or Green lake, 17 miles distant, is perpetually covered with ice."

It was some gratification to national partiality to hear him compare the sea I had taken a second turn along the view from the Calton-hill with the celecharming walk under Nelson's monu-brated bay of Naples, and point out ment, when I observed a young minera- with seeming accuracy of discrimination logist rapping with his hammer at a the peculiar beauties of each, and on piece of lime-spar on one of the rocks. the whole, as far as I could judge, was Having entered into conversation on the disposed rather to give the preference subject, we were joined in a few minutes to the Scottish scene. But I found he had by a stranger from the southern part of his prejudices; he censured highly the the kingdom. Kindred pursuits soon inroads on the Calton-hill, and being, as tion, it would he impossible to guess. Where the author got his informabrought us into familiar conversation, he said, such a natural production as he But for his instruction, and that of his at least the little smattering which I had nowhere met with, it ought not to be readers, it is worth while to state, that possessed of mineralogy, not indeed cut and carved upon. In short, says Ben Nevis which is about 4300 feet much exceeding the knowledge of a few he, excepting in the improvement of the above the level of the sea, is the highnames, served the same purpose. The walks for the convenience and comfort est mountain in Britain, and is not one stranger seemed to be profound on the of the inhabitants, this remarkable emi-mile in height; and to add farther, that subject, and was not less verbose on nence, almost in the centre of a city, in the latitude of Lochness, at the the Wernerian and Huttonian theories, which will be the case at some future height of more than 10,000 feet above than the friends whom I had just left period from the extension of the build- the sea, the same thing would happen to were on the picturesque and the new ings, ought to he preserved entire, as it the unfathomable lake, which, by the buildings. I shall not venture to follow was presented by the hand of nature. bye, is a vulgar error for a deep lake, him through all his remarks on the sup- Here again was a difference of opinion, as takes place in the Green lake. porters of the fire and water theories, which I thought it prudent to decline Some waggish traveller has, I suspect, as he called them, and neither of which combating. His time was exhausted, imposed on the credulity of the author; I found he adopted; for he asserted and he left me with an invitation to call and it must be very singular if so exthat neither the one nor the other, nor upon him, and I pursued my walk. both put together, could possibly ac- But as the day was advancing, I found seven editions of his book without detravagant an assertion has run through count for the phenomena. A man, he it necessary to abridge its usual length, tection and correction. added, must have surveyed nature with and returning by the lower walk, I pera very cursory glance, or he must have ceived a sailor surveying the varied ob. commenced the study with a strong pre-jects that met his view, and making oc possession in favour of some theory, otherwise he would be extremely reluctant to embrace any one yet proposed. But, says he, you are mad on that subject here. I am told you employ the argumenta ad hominem to bend the stubborn inflexibility of your antagonists. I could easily perceive what meaning he wished to convey by the expression; but I could not understand to what he alluded, when, after a little

2. Remarkable History of an Agate.

A gentleman in Edinburgh, who is casional remarks to those who were near curious in collecting rare and interesthim. Just as I approached, I heard him ing productions, both of nature and art, address himself in a rough voice to one and has not been unsuccessful in the purof the spectators, while he looked up to suit, purchased in London, a polished the monument above. "You call that slice of an agate, which bore a pretty Nelson's monument," says he, "Nel-correct representation of a human head. son's monument!" he exclaimed, raising his voice, a mere toy! "Nelson ought to have been there himself, (meaning I suppose his statue,) with one hand adrift in the air, and a cannon ball in the other."

He had been twenty years in possession of the prize, which was much valued, when during a visit to London, as he was going about, perhaps to indulge his curiosity in the same way, in a