Gazetteer of Scotland

E D
EDI
has been justly called the Modern Athens.
This " Romantic Town," situated on three
separated and distinct rising grounds, is
surrounded in all directions, except the
north, by a succession of beautiful hill s. In
the immediate vicinity of the town, on the
east is the Calton Hill, ornamented by a lof-
ty Monument to the memory of Nelson, the
Observatory, New Jail, Bridewell, &c. and,
there is laid the foundation of the grand
National Monument. On the south side of
this Hill, the Royal High School is built,
which was opened by a grand procession,
June 23, 1829 ; and new streets are rising on
the declivities. The various viewsfrom the
•walks are noble and extensive, commanding
both the Old and New Towns, the Frith of
Forth, and adjacentcountry,— the Shipping
in Leith Roads, and the mouth of the Frith,
with the German Ocean, and Fife hills in
the distance; altogether presenting a com-
bination of rich scenery, which has been
compared to the famed view of the Bay of
Naples. Near the City, on the east, rises
Arthur's Seat, to the height of 822 feet a-
bove the level of the sea, and from its pecu-
liar shape called the Lion. On the south
side of this hill, is a perpendicular rock, ex-
hibiting a grand range of Basaltic columns
of a pentagonal or hexagonal form, 50 to
60 feet high, and 5 feet in diameter. Ad-
joining to this hill on the west, Salisbury
Crags present to the city, a green sloping
declivity, crowded by a lofty terrace with a
front of broken rocks and precipices, presen-
ting one of the finest natural ornaments of
this romantic town. The beautiful emi-
nence of Corstorphine Hill, finely wooded,
risingin the midst of rich vallies, rears its
i ummit on the west ; near to this on the
south-west, is the beautifully wooded hill of
Craig Lochart. The hills of Braid and Craig-
millar are in the neighbourhood, on the
south, and south-east ; and the extensive
range of the Pentland Hills, at a distance
of five miles on the south, rear their lofty
summits to the height of 1450 : to 1700 feet
above the level of the sea. These hills form
a magnificent amphitheatre, in which stands
the Metropolis of North Britain. The a-
bundance of building materials found in
the immediate vicinity of the City, particu-
larly stone and lime of superior quality,
have in an eminent degree, given a beauty
and stability to the edifices of Edinburgh,
nowhere excelled, and justifies the appel-
lation bestowed upon it, of the " City of Pa-
laces " From the facility afforded by the
natural declivities of both Old and New
"Eown, in making sewers, and underground
works, for carrying off the soil, the former
has now got free of its old reproach, and
the latter is one of thp cleanest Cities in
Europe. In the year 1 753, Edinburgh oc-
cupied nearly the same extent of ground
which it had done for centuries before.
Since that period, it has been enlarged to
three times its bulk. During the last thirty
years, particularly, the improvements both
in the Old and New Town, have been as-
tonishing. Streets, Squares, Churches, and
public fdifices, have risen in rapid succes-
sion ; old and inconvenient buildings have
been removed, and replaced by elegant
houses ; and the pavements and foot paths
improved and renewed. It would besuper-
fluous to attempt a description of all the
improvements and public buildings that
have been made and finished within the
last fifty years. The Regent Bridge is the
most splendid of the recent improvements
in Edinburgh ; this bridge is in aline with
Princes Street, and by a road cut into the
rock on the east side of the Calton hill, look-
ing down upon the Old Town, forms a new,
elegant, and romantic approach to the City,
from the east. This bridge was founded in
1819. In this street are situated, the
Post Office, Stamp Office, Waterloo Hotel,
&c. built in the first style of architectural
elegance, and affording an easy communica-
tion with the beautiful walks and terraces,
around the Calton Hill. The College when
completed, will be,for elegance and magni-
tude, superior to any building of its kind in
the world. The new buildings for the ac-
commodation of the Courts of Law, in the
Parliament Square, are on a grand scale ;
and when completed, by the additions in-
tended to be made on the space left vacant
by the great fires in 1824, will be the most
magnificent suit of buildings in Edinburgh.
The venerable and stately Church of St
Giles, forming the north side of the Parlia-
ment Square, is also to be improved. The
County Hall, Advocates' Library, &c. is an
extensive and beautiful group of buildings.
Edinburgh is not a Manufacturing Town,.,
in the general meaning of the term. It has
a few manufactures of Silk, Linen, Shawls,
Stockings, &c— these may be stated as em-
ploying six to seven hundred looms. There
are several Castlron Foundries, Brass Foun-
ders, Mill Wrights, Machine Makers, &c.
The Printing and Publishing of Books, are
important branches of trade.---This trade,
with its attendants of Book-binding, Book'-
selling, and Stationary, is now carried oi
to a great extent. In the year 1763 there
were only six Printing Houses in Edirs.