The Newtown bee., 1905-03-31
sCOTT'S GOWN ROMANTIC TOWN.'
WRITTEN FOR THE BEE BY PROF ROSS
 JEWELL.

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is city of 26O, ,0OO, beautifully situated in the hilly district south of the Firth of Forth. Thirteen hundred years ago an English king recognized the natural advantages of castle-rock for defensive purposes and built fortress upon it. Even earlier than this the rock is supposed to have been fortified by Celtic tribes and remnants of con- verging Roman roads in the vicinity indicate that the legionaries from the Tiber made this their temporary home.
 Castle Rock is almost perpendicular on three sides but on the east 1t slopes gradually down series of quaint old streets to Holyrood Palace, mile or more away. An esplanade leads up to the gate of the castle, where we cross the old moat by drawbridge and pass under portcullis. James of Eng land was born in Queen Mary's Room and was lowered from window sever- al hundred feet in basket and hurried away to Stirling Castle. The Crown Room contains the ancient regalia of Scotland, including the crown of Rob- ert Bruce and the royal sword and sceptre. In front of St Margaret's chapel, the oldest building in Edin- burgh, is that huge cannon, "Mons Meg"
 Coming down from the castle we soon reach High Street and St Gfles's The present Gothic church dates from the l4th century. The interior was defaced py the Puritans and later divided by partitions into four separ- ate churches, but it has been restored in our own time to it's original appear ance by the publisher Chambers. The pillars of the nave are decorated with old flags of Scottish regiments. A brass tablet marks the spot from which Jenny Geddes hurled her stool at Dean Hanna when he attempted to read the Episcopal service in the reign of Charles I. Dye mean to say mass at my lug (ear) ?" shouted the old'woman, and the Covenanters signed the Solemn League and Covenant here not long afterwards. The stool is preserved in another part of the city along with the sea-cbest of Alexander Selkirk, the original of 'Robinson Crusoe.''
 Outside the church is figure of 8 heart in the pavement of the square marking the site of the Old .Tolbooth or city prison, known as the "Heart of Midlothian" Wagons rumble over it continually, but the thoughtful pause to muse upon the tragedies of other days and specifically upon Fife and Jennie Deans, whose touching story Scott has told in one of the best novels ever written. South of the church is Parliament Square, formerly the churchyard, ana in the pavement is a stone inscribed "I. K. 1572," supposed to marked the grave of St Giles's most famous preacher, John Knox. The
 house in which he lived the last IF
 years of his life stands on High Street
 a little farther down.
 On the south side of Parliament
 Square, and backing upon the Cowgate
 stands the Parliament House, now oc
 cupied by courts of justice and tht
 largest library in Scotland. The Ii
 brary contains sitting figure O
 Scott, the manuscripts of "Waverley'
 and "Marmion," and copy of thu first printed Bible (Fust and Guten berg). The Canongate is continuation of High Street and conducts to Holy rood Palace.
 This famous home of Scottish sover eigns occupies the site of IIolyroo
 Abbey, founded in the 18th century b David I. Only a fragment, though { beautiful one, of the ancient Abbey re mains. Charles I was crowned her
 and in the royal vault repose SC vera
 Scottish monarchs. The most inter
 esting rooms in the palace are the pit }, ture gallery, the aparments of Mar 0 Queen of Scots, and the vestibule, wit r it's real or imaginary blood stain, wher
 Queen Mary's husband, Lord Darnle
 murdered Rizzio, her Italian secre l. tary. The next day it was Darnley e turn to be murdered perhaps by hi r. charming queen and the Earl of Botl o well, whom she soon afterward married u To the south of Holyrood Palace al y Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Graz 1 l xuif1, n1uohiodvloc tho horoo <,f 1ooI