The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-08-24

putting a stop to the discOuntlng of bills
Indeed it was only few years previou
to that in which this letter was writte
by my mothers relative, that the growt
of Edinburgh began, which dates from
the filling up of the North Loeb, aud tn
opening of the South Bridge in 1888
which he refers to. From that date tn,
city began to extend in all directions.
succeeded comparatively easily in locat
ing the spot where this good old repre-
sentative OF the Covenanter blood frs
had his book-printing and book selling
shop, as well as second one he occupied
and to which he was compelled to move
lowing" as he says in his letter, "to the
late improvements in Edinburgh" rem
dering the location of his first shop les,
valuable as place of business" So yor
see, outside of the general interest fell
in visiting city as beautiful in itsel
and as interesting historically as the
modern Athens" ESQ Edinburgh is called
here) had little inspiration of pleas.
ant and at least of a sentimental char.
aoter of my own. l rose early on the
first morning after my arrival here, and
taking my bearings, as we'll as l could
by questioning those l met, | climbed
the steep streets leading to the castle.
had unconsciously taken the right dlrec-
ton when my Yankee inqulsitiveness as
it has often before again did me some
service. Early as it was l noticed a
soldier dressed in Highland uniform on
the opposite side of the street. l guessed
by the leather bag he carries under his
arm that he was probably the mail mes
senger at the Castle, | walked over to
him and asked him if could accompany
him as far as the Castle, and which l be-
lieve proceeded to do, without waiting
to be asked. Like all OF Her Majesty's
military servants he was rather curt in
speech, but 1 succeeded in getting out Of
him, that if l would wait upon the Esp
lanade could see the morning drill, the
hour being too early tor admission to the
castle. hadn't very long to wait, until
saw two companies of Highlanders filing
out over the bridge which spans the
moat, and which guards the front of the
castle. They were put through sort OF
calisthenics drill in addition to the man.
ual of arms. They were to me an un-
calmly looking squad of soldierly not sell
ected apparently with any regard to uni.
formity of height, or any thing else, and
L could not refrain from comparing them
very unfavorably with our militia,
although these men were British regu.
lars. The drill however was pleasant to
see, it being conducted by a effeminate
looking lieutenant, with that mincing
step that marks so many Of the young
officers here, and burly sergeant, who
was really the only we'll shaped man l
saw on the drill grounds. When the
drill was over, during which l had made
in an easy sort of way the acquaintance
of farmer from Yorkshire who was
standing near me, and who told me he
was in Edinburgh for the first time, l
turned down the nearest street to hunt
my hotel. AS usual l asked the direction
of the first man met. He proved 10 be
the janitor of one of the twenty three
large public school buildings of the city,
this was Castle Hill school, its site being
that Of the former residence of the Duke
of Gordon. Carey the janitor was polite
and talkative fellow, and told me lots
about the public schools of Edinburgh
which l haven't the space to repeat. On
inquiry found that the imposing build.
ing had passed on my way up to the
castle was the Bank OF Scotland, which
occupies an elevated and commanding
site overlooking the Princes Street Gar
dens and the new city. After very
substantial breakfast which l ate with
an appetite not by any means impaired
by my early walk, l retraced my step to
the castle and began the serious sight
seeing work of the day. shall not infict
you with any lengthy description of this
old fortress. To me it was not as fas-
cinating as Stirling Castle, because it is
not as grim and ugly and rugged. 1t con-
tains however all that is needed to excite
inquiry and challenge interest in Scottish
history. Most of the buildings within
the castle are modern. St. Margaret's
chapel the smallest place of worship in
the world 10x16 feet and that part of the
castle which contains Queen Mary's room
are all that are older tnan 1873, the lat
ter being to me the mos. interesting
point historically. 1t was in this little
apartment still bearing the royal emblems
of her times where in 1866 her son James
the Sixth of Scotland who was James the
First of England was born. This part of
the castle was built by Mary for a palace
in 1868. Below her room there Is vaulted
dungeon partially excavated out of the
solid rock. Why she should have given
birth to her son James in the castle while
her residence was at Hollywood Palace 80
near at hand, was a question that oc-
Cured to me as stood there re1ectively
gazing at the ceiling of her tiny room,
and which was not we'll enough versed
in Scottish history to answer aud which
| attributed to some special danger Incl.
dent upon the troublous times in which
she lived. No one at all read in the
poetry to say nothing Of the bloody his
tory Of Scotland, can fail to feel peculiar
interest in all the localities associated
with the history Of Mary Queen OF SCOTS
and to me the most touching and inter-
esting of all the relics collected in that
grand library at Abbotsford, by that gol
den hearted man Sir Walter Scott, is the
Ivory inlaid cross held by Mary just be-
fore her execution. As you pass out the
doorway leading from Queen Mary's
room, large stone immediately over it,
is pointed out to you, as having been re
moved while some repairs we're in pro-
gress in 1880. An infants coffin of oak.
with the relics of it's inmate wrapped in
the royal oolors in velvet was discovered,
only to excite the my stery of its CHASTITY
history. The only other point of interest
to the passing tourist in the castle is the
crown room which contains the Royal
Regalia. These insignia of the old mon
archs of Scotland are crown, a sceptre,
a sword of state, and silver rod of office.
They were once supposed to have been
lost, but were recovered after century
had elapsed, mainly through the iustru-
mentality of Sir Walter Scott, who Sc
cured commission to search the crown