The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-15
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR,

EDINBURGH, August 9, 1853.
Everybody talks of London and Paris; but
in picturesque beauty Of position and wealth
of prospect Edinburgh exceeds all cities that
| have seen About two miles from the Firth
of Forth rises a series Of high ridges running
generally from east to west separated by deep,
narrow valleys and gradually ascending west
wardly till they terminate abruptly in precipi-
tOus, Withholding cliffs The highest Of these
Is called Arthur's Seat, which rises to the
height of nearly nine hundred feet above the
level Of the sea, and commands view Of Mid
Lothian, of the portion Of Scotland most re-
plete with historic interest, of fields, on which
have been fought some of its greatest battles,
Of localities rendered immortal by the genius
Of Walter Scotia view, comprehending in its
range, Edinburgh, Leith, the broad Firth, with
the numerous villages on its shoree, the Lomond
Grampian and Lammermnir Hills, the distant
peaks OF BenlOmond and Benedi and the Ger.
man ocean The next ridge is Salisbury
CraggS the next, which is lower, is that on
which stands the Castle of Edinburgh, and on
the next still lower, is the site OF the New
Town
Old Town, with its gloomy ranges Of lofty,
quaint, old houses, is to us peculiarly attract
i've. 1t is built on the narrow ridge above
mentioned which terminates on the west in
the almost inaccessible cliff on which stands
the Castle From this, along the summit Of
the ridge, runs the main street, gently descend
ing eastwardly, till it reaches the Palace OF
HOlyrOod, standing at its foot. Through this,
In oden times moved manga splendid pageant;
aud here were the houses of the nobility, which,
ranging from five to ten stories high, solid and
gloomy, were doubtless looked upon as magni-
hcent in those times. But centuries have done
their work dark dirty, and dilapidated, they
are now the dwellings, of the poor The proud
mobiles are defunct or dcported; and their once
pnncely habitations, now let out in stories OF
single rooms, are crowded with all sorts Of mis-
erable-looking people. Az you pass along the
street. you look in at the narrow stone stair
ways, worn by the tread Of ages and wonder
TO what strange recesses they lead Now, an
Old building bent with the weight of years
rises before you, and you look up up, up, til
your neck cracks, and you see, hung out t
Dry, from that small window, some old clothe,
belonging to poor family, occupying perhaps
the once favorite chamber of the Earl of Dam
lfes Every few yards narrow low entrances
dreary as q dungeons gateway, lead into wha
are called CLOSES" very dark, contracted
courts, packed with houses story piled on sto
~ to dizzy height-damp, filthy, without
spot al verdure, and where Gods SUNSHINE
never comes. Thousands Of human being
i've here-how, it is hard to say but human
nature has marvellous faculty Of adaptation
win capacities for association with angels i
can accommodate itself to the condition O
sundays, these gloomy houses and dungeon
ST.. pour out their contents into the MAR
" ny which u; 1850 thronged that you can hard
d. nv we walked through it twice last Sun
ob;Id" what spectacle! Men, women, snC
of tSou' 10 every variety Of costume, hundred
rblv "' ~; oare-footed bare-legged, ragged, hor
az arty, gossiping in groups, sitting in thu
Why's ranged along the curb. fiat ON thu
1alro~ pavement; squalid women with soual
~ 'niants at the breast pale little v;rls mr.
ahg pitablc little babes noisv bovs Nth In.
clothes enough to cover their naie .,,oss :, al
loving in the dirt sickIy men and ,so,cs,,
come forth from confined noisoms chsmhsrs
70 breathe purer air; red-faoed men AM
Women, reeking from the gin-shops; drunker
men staggering to and fro with idiotic leer
s''u'ers IN their scarlet uniforms, released
rom duty few hours, mingling with tn,
a their gay, Haunting colors giving "a
o,p ect OF strange pictoresquene@ To soen,
"erwise painful. And all this may be seer
ngh street. the great street OF the city, on
ws oa stand many Of il grandest ediices, and
Tulch Is full Of the memorials of gloriou,
Iy1o, ror instance, the famous palace Of Ho
less - at one end Of the street, and the nj
Len ' a Castle, at the other; and, between
round;u cont, aSting strangely with the all-sur
FREQ "ps gloom and dilapidation, VIC nnd thu
the v aaurch college, With its massive towers
eral o y'orls HAL with its imperial spirs, sev
Banl churches OF graceful architecture, III,
u Scotland, the Hall and Museum O