Descriptive account of the principal towns in Scotland

15
the founder over the entrance. The front of the Medi-
cal Society's Hall is in the purest Grecian style, ornament-
ed with a portico of the Ionic order. A similar, though
larger portico, gives a fine appearance to the New As-
sembly rooms. The Bridewell is very spacious, and is
built in the castellated fashion. The only other build-
ings calculated to attract notice are the bridges already
mentioned, the Barracks, Trades' 1 Hall, and Lunatic
Asylum.
Abekdeen is one of the most ancient royal boroughs
in Scotland. Before civic corporations were known in
this country, King Gregory bestowed several special
marks of royal favour on the inhabitants. The most
ancient charter extant is from King William the Lion,
in which he grants to his burgesses of Aberdeen the free
enjoyment of their merchandise, after the manner in
which their ancestors had exercised in the time of Mal-
colm his grandfather. He gave two other charters, by
which the burgesses were exempted from paying tolls
and customs in any market or fair within the kingdom ;
and at the same time established a mint, and erected a
palace, in the Town. The constitution of the burgh was
originally vested in an alderman and four bailies, with a
common-council, elected with the consent and assent of
the community assembled in the Guild Court. In the
middle of the 15th century, an act of Parliament was
passed ordaining the old council annually to choose the
new. The spirit of this enactment has obtained ever
since, although it has frequently excited opposition and
complaint. At present, the magistrates and council
consist of nineteen persons, fifteen of whom must vacate
their seats at the end of the year. The office-bearers are