Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-17
AN AMERICAN LETTER FROM SCOTLAND
TO THE EDITORS OF THE RICHMOND WING.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE RICHMOND WING.
GLASGOW, JuSE l6, ls47.
MEssRs EDrToRs You see am in Scotland, the land
OF the mountain and the flood - and of have paid
my devolrs to Edinburgh. 1t is beautiful city, Having
really reflected much about the matter one way or the
other was not prepared realize upon reaching this an
cen metropolis, all the elements of the beautiful and sublime
which rarely finds united save in the legends of
Dut here Is not merely the " vision dream !" is more
ike dream OF the vision There near the city several
commanding heights, such Cation Hill or Arhurs Seat
from which the view is considered particularly fine The lat
ter emnence eight hundred feet or more above the
level OF the sea and, standing hereupon you enjoy pros
pect which, Tor variety pcuresqueness extent doubt
less no where surpassed Edinburgh itself natural piano.
rama The New Town. with its chaste and elegant archi-
lecture its broad and spacious streets and its
poporoned squares contrasts finely with the picturesque
regularity OF the ureed gray piles of the Old. These (r
the town quit upon three parallel ranges of elevated hills
rising hgh N successive heaps one above the other, and
crowded together in confused and dsodered of antique
square, caseaedookng buildings forcby recall to the mind
OF the behoder the wild and rude magncence of nv
age Those, as have said chaste, elegant and tasteful
pear e impress OF later days and look fresh and smiling amid
the gloomy structures of High and Canonqae Pre-
eminent In the picture, solitary and alone" high on
projecting rock towers the and for
tress Of the venerable old Castle Such is the CITY which lies
a. youi eo you can summon the courage to attempt the
serious undertaking of climbing to the Summit of Artbus
Seat Far away to the north spread bright and black the
SHINING waters OF the FORTH bounded by the line Of the Fife
she MIS- 10 the SOUTH and hand rise the green
and pastoral activities Of the Pentand range and more IN
the east the undulang outline Of the stored
whe In varied and fantastic shapes stretch in the distant
west the more shadowy spendors of the Grampan noun
,ains. Proudly eminent and " like tower is seen the
blue top of Ben Lomond and yet again in the the
and rugged crests Of the Ochis
Add to all this country highly cultivated and thckly in
dented with beautiful country seats the ruins
OF memorable old castles well here and there flourish
ing little village little cottage Gas that of eanie
Deans which is but short way the left and to crown
the whole, the water studded with
''A the fairy crowds
Ofislands that together lie
AS quietly as spots of sky
Among the evening clouds"
and you have all that necessary for the completion Of
landscape =
Edinburgh has been apty styled the "Modern Athens y
and this applicable either its general appearance ar to lie
classic associations and its eputed character as highly lite
rafy CITY, have where superior class of budnos
to that to be met with the more modern town. among
may be mentioned the Stamp Office the Post Office the Hph
school, the Royal Institution &C. But for me the O To,c,
had the principal charms You see gay streets paudv
fine houses Handsome equpages in almost
any city, any where. But the long, narrow drtv rude
gloomy avenue OF High streeonce the Regent street of En-
rope where youth and fashion and ROYALTY were wont n &c
sembe-he dark and filthy closes, with their vaued arch
ways and attendant courts formerly entrances TO nobes
houses and places of shelter those turbulent times the
rabe remains OF anquated old structures with nothing mark
selves save Iudely craven a
Iuder inscription IN forgotten English the pointed gables and
steep roofs OF ancient buildings the pride and the beau
" oil the halcyon days of what now but relic the now
silent halls OF Hoygood Palace the of the eve and the
tragedies OF Scoands departed kings the Parliament
House, the old White House Inn John KNOWS hons. NJ
ray House, earl of Argye) the Castle the Tobooh the
urassmake 1.-THE old place of executon HOLLYWOOD Abbey
as well as numberess other places sacred early associations
these, and their connection with The mast a,a naI; =,
Edinburgh. ~ "
Among various other matters of interest detailed to me bv
the guide at Hollywood Palace certain dark
spots on the floor of of the apartments (which doubtless
the application OF fngenul of substantial old yiroin, FIJI
ersearh would speedily eradcate were pointed out bv her
as the yet unremoved stains of the blood of Rzzo Queen Ma
rvs favorte, who will be remembered was here
by Danley Ruthven and the bastard Douglass Il was
these same duy spots that the Cockney from London mon
toned in one of the series of the Chronicles Of
exhibited such anxiety try the efficacy of his unryaed De-
ergen Elixir or Securing Drops and regardless Of the re-
monstrances OF the good Mrs. Policy seriously 10 work
to verify his assertion that if had been there five hundred
years. instead Of two hundred and y he had sometime in
his pocket which would take il out in a minute"
With all the natural charms whereof have spoken in al
udng TO Ednburgh-wh all its attractions as an emineny
literary cy-and with all my prepossessions in favor of the
long venerated Scotch character must saw that in the moro
poverystcken as and closes of the city, there is another
side TO the picture which presents and striking contrast
very extreme of wetchedness and degra
dauon-is here to be Such of filth and reyotng
debasement never before witnessed 1t was literally Gke
swine walowing in the me" the dog returning to his
vom again" saw nothing like in London and stroll
ed all through Mapping. Even the fashionable thorough
fares, was disguised with exhibitions which should be barely
alluded to. -
But, to leave this certainly not interesting stage Of nv
communication LET make short DEPRESSION on the state
OF the fashions herenot any thing the beau monde of
the genfler SER for in distinct conception of the comp
Gated machinery of female ATTIRE yet could realize the
slightest advances But few reflections on Scotchmans
costume One of their completely aayed eeganes paradnp
to the Kirk on the Day" presents to my mind the most
perfectly enacted representation Of person that's STRIVING to
do It, and can't imaginable. II in dress there is consIm
nation OF all that asteess and uncouh is certainly 10 he
seen IN the British empire hat polished like the cylinder
oil sfeam-engine sumouns this moving ridicuEssinao
huge misunderstanding collar bleaching the distant horizon
and giving the first limitations of heros approach be-
eagues IN fghtu proportions the unoccupied though an
propnate haunts OF the hat, which, with poteness snp-
Larry commendab, recs above the on the approacb of
the collar black satin vest usually follows and bv its
concuous developed contempt for the rules of good tailor
ship and the anmatng and edng manner it ceaseessly
struggles to gappe with the pants is highly interesting OBJ
Ject OF contemplation to dsnterested spectator OF the
coat hesitate to volunteer description There is no mad
ding at all In ron-and may say there's no collar or appet
What there OF is of such scanty dimensions and looks
SO amid, skulkng, and ilaease, that one always finds
some how other of underlined vague penerazed
vision OF cloth selling at very high prices and people whis
peng and bargaining together and Of tailor shops and coats
being ngenousy carved of wondrous small areas and d
pieces being saved and all such like funny fantasies aoa,