The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-19 00:00:00

THE SCOTT MONUMENT.

(From the Edinburgh Adwrtiser of Tuesday.)
We find, in a handsome little pocket volume, just pub.
lished by Mr. W. H. Lizars, for the benefit of strangers,
under the title of the " Edinburgh Tourist and Itine-
rary," the following description of the Scott Monument,
which will not be inappropriate at the present time,
when public attention is so much engrossed with the
approaching ceremony of the inauguration on Saturday
next. On that occasion the colossal statue of Sir Walter,
which is to be removed to• day from Mr. Steell's studio,
preparatory to its being seated under the groined arch
in the lower portion of the building, will be installed in
its proper place with a profusion of masonic and civic
honours, and amidst a greater concourse of people, we
may safely predict, than has ever assembled in Edin-
burgh since the year of the Queen's visit.
This monument is an elegant and picturesque gothic
structure, in the shape of an open cross or spire, 190
feet in height, and having a stair up to a gallery sur-
rounding the spire, within a few feet of the top, com-
manding a splendid view of all the adjacent country,
and a complete bird's-eye inspection of the whole town.
When the block from which the figure of Sir Walter
Scott is sculptured:arrived in Leith, great difficulty was
experienced in finding apparatus sufficiently powerful
to lift it out of the vessel ; and no slight danger, in addi-
tion to enormous labour, was incurred in effecting its
landing. After being set upon a four-wheeled truck, it
was got to Edinburgh without accident, in a sort of
triumphal procession ; the transit being effected from
Junction-bridge, Leith, to Mr. Steele's studio in Ran-
dolph-place, by the strenuous and admirably directed
exertions of not fewer than twenty powerful horses, in
forty-three minutes although it had taken four days to
bring it from the ships hold through the yard at which
it was landed to the road, a distance not exceeding two
hundred yards. Its weight was variously estimated. at
from thirty to thirty-three tons. It may not be mull-
teresting to state, that while the ponderous mass was an
the act of being shipped at .Leghorn, the shears, by
whicli it had been raised to be swung on board, from the
car conveying it from the mountains, suddenly gave
way, and the future statue was precipitated right through
the bottom of the vessel into the sea; and it was nearly
subjected to a similar accident while being lifted on
shore at Leith. While on the subject of the sculpture,
it is proper to mention, that the figures occupying the
four niches immediately over the principal arch, °were
designed and executed by three Edinburgh artists,
whose admiration of Scott, and approbation of the ge-
neral design, induced them spontaneously to undertake
their execution, at a rate which can hardly be considered
other than aratuitous. The figure on the. north,
representing " Prince Charles Edward," and that of
" Meg Merrilees," looking eastwards, being the work of
Mr. Alexai.der H. Ritchie; the " Last Minstrel," filling
the western niche, was contributed by Mr. James
Ritchie; and the " Lady of the Lake," on the south, by
Mr. Patrick Slater. The gothic structure was designed
by Mr. George Mickle Kemp, a gentleman whose history
is not a little singular. Brought up as an obscure
country carpenter, he, in early life, imbibed an enthu-
siastic admiration for gothic architecture, induced, ac-
cording to his own account, by an accidental visit, while
a mere child, to Roslin Chapel. In the study of that
branch of art, when arrived at manhood, he travelled
on foot, without friends, and unassisted, save by
his own indefatigable industry as a mechanic, and his
enthusiasm as an amateur, over the whole of Great
Britain, and a very considerable portion of continental
Europe. Returning to his native country, he devoted
his energies to an investigation of the principles and
capabilities of gothic architecture ; and on a competi-
tion of designs for a monument to Sir Walter Scott
being advertised, he entered the lists, and, after much
opposition, some of which was of the most ungenerous
description, he was at length declared the victor, and
his design ordered to be proceeded with. When the
structure was about half built, the unfortunate architect
lost his life by an accident. In the course of a dark
night, on his way home, he missed his footing, and fell
into the Union Canal, where he was drowned.

CHINESE WAR.—The Admiralty have just issued an
order for the distribution of the medals to the officers
and
menpoem operations t
months s n on her
the
ships, who served in the
late
coast ofChina. It will be remembered
that
since the Master of the Mint received
osr i oo f
orders from her Majesty to prepare a die, which was shortly
afterwards forwarded to her Majesty, who was pleased to
signify her approval previous. to the medals being struck.
&
The King of the Two Wes has had a beautiful full-
length portrait of MA IX. painted by Mram..... Gdignani.