The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-01
Where Burns and Scott Met.

One Of the most interesting Of all the ltera-
~ landmarks of Fdinburge naturally. Is the
/ house in which Burns and Scott met for the
| first and ONLY time The story has been often
| told by Scott himself, and 10y others who were
1 present and is familiar TO oil admirers Of both
/ poets. but the question of the identity of the
/ house has been the subj ect of much discussion
/ among the local historians and antiquarlans
! for many years That it was the house of
/ Professor Adam Ferguson there ~ no doubt.
but rs 10 where the professor ut that time
! lived the doctors differ. In Peter william
sons Edinburgh Directory of 1868. his address
j given as Argyle Spuare-which was near
the University and which disappeared on the
construction 0f Chambers street-and this
fact led To theimference that the interview must
have occurred IN that place, as Burns was IN
Edinburgh during the winter of 'S6-7: Bnt
Scott himself speaks of Ferguson as living IN
an insulated house some distance from the
town Argyle Square WAS almost in the heart
Of the city,: in u biographical sketch Of Fer
glison pnntedin The Transactions of the Edln-
burg Royal Society (1761-4). the writer says he
lived of that time I'm suburb called the
SCHEMES: Henry Cockturn in his Memorials
saws odd Adam Ferguson lived juSi east of
my fathers house, which would point clearly
| to the neighbOrhood OF the SCHEMES; and To
! crown all. Mr.. Archibald Munro. IN letter 10
one Of the Edinburghpapers published about
ten years ago. says he found printed record
in the Register office showing that Professor
! Ferguson disposed Of his house IN Argyle
Sduare on the 81 OF October. 17SG-almOst
two months before Burns arrived IN town
and that he got possession OF Schemes House
on the nth of October of the same wear. Tins
must surely settle the question of locality,
Certain antiquaries assert that the stone cot
tagc now called Alice Villa. and numbered ?,
Scheme Hill. was FergusOn's hOme-a clam
which neither the size nor the modern con-
struction Of the house would seem 10 warrant.
So that the old building. or what is left Of II.
still known as SCHEMES House, certainly
appears TO have been
Where Robbie Burns ordained Sir Walter Scott"
Ii stands on the north side Of Braid's Place
which is not numbered-twO doors from the
street called 1.-The SCHEMES" The present
front, entirely rebuilt, was the back Of the
house occupied 10y Ferguson. The original
front. still remaining IN part, looked ont upon
its own grounds. now paved yard full 81
children and of driving clothes This front IS
not visible from the streets about IT. and the
TACT of its existence Is comparatively unknown
even to the inhabitants Of its own immediate
neIghbmhOOd. SCHEMES House IN It's day
must have been an imposing mansion. 1t has
fOlir windows in breadth. aud Is three stories
high. on it, roof Is a Dalustrade and groups
of flowers and frnts carved IN stone are still
to he seen upon it.
The names SCHEMES. by the way. is derived
from the old Convent of ST. Katherine Of ST.
ena which once stood near by. and the word
~ pronounced IN the local Vernacular as If
spelled "Shcens.' The fact that all Of these
points are now for the first time established
and made puplic must be the excuse for the
devotion of 50 much space to this particular
! matter.-FrOm Literary Landmarks Of Edn-
burgh.N by Laurence Hutton, III Harpels
Magazine for March