ELGIN is the capital of Moray or Elginshire. It is a royal burgh, and returns a member to parliament along with Banff, Cullen, Peterhead, Inverury, and Kintore, Elgin being the returning burgh. It is a very thriving and improving town, containing about 5600 inhabitants. In approaching from Fochabers on the east, the traveller, viewing it from the bridge of Llanbryde, is struck with its beautiful appearance and fine situation. The town lies at the foot of the Lady Hill, and is overlooked by an elegant modern building, Gray’s Hospital, with the Quarrywood Hill beyond, clothed with wood to the summit, the lower parts being covered with fine copses. The town chiefly consists of one principal street, named the High Street, with a few smaller ones intersecting it at various distances. The High Street is upwards of a mile in length from the New Institution to Gray’s Hospital, which form beautiful terminations to it on the east and west. It is handsome and well paved, possessing many good houses and some rather elegant shops. Its width in the middle is so considerable, that a fine new church, lately built, stands in the middle of it, on the site of the old church of St Giles, and close to the Jail and Court-House, which are now about to be removed. Besides the new church, Elgin possesses various handsome public buildings, namely, the Academy, Gray’s Hospital, Anderson’s Institution, Trinity Lodge Rooms, Gas Works, &c. The Academy stands on the south side of the town, in a well-aired and central situation, and has become justly celebrated as one of the best in the north of Scotland. This academy is in a highly flourishing state in every respect, and is attended by nearly three hundred scholars of both sexes. A rector presides over the classical department; another master over that of mathematics and arithmetic, geography, &c.; and the third teaches English and elocution; whilst Mr Forbes, the Roman Catholic clergyman, unconnected with the Academy, gives private lessons in French and Italian. Gray’s Hospital is a spacious and handsome edifice, surmounted with a dome, which, however, appears rather heavy and cumbersome. It stands on a gentle eminence at the west end of the High Street; it was built in 1816, and cost upwards of L.6000; and it contains from ten to thirty patients. Adjoining to this hospital a small Lunatic Asylum is now constructing, at the expense of the county; it is to be supported by annual contributions and voluntary donations, and attended by the hospital physicians. Anderson’s Institution, for the education of youth and the support of old age, stands at the east end of the town. Its founder, the late General* Anderson of the East India Company’s service, was a native of Elgin, and at his death, a few years ago, bequeathed the bulk of his fortune, L.70,000, for the erection and support of this magnificent and truly benevolent institution, which was opened in 1833. This is a chaste and elegant pile of building, having a very handsome front, with pillars, and being surmounted by a dome, with an entablature, and piece of sculpture representing the benevolent founder in an attitude corresponding to his character. It contains ample accommodation for all connected with the establishment, and is capable of receiving many more, both old and young, than it now contains, when its revenue shall admit of an increase of numbers. In the construction of this building, as well as the new church, the beautiful free-stone of which they are built, and for which Morayshire is so famed, is shown to the greatest advantage. An infant school has also been lately opened, and is well attended. Trinity Lodge Rooms is a very handsome building in the North Street, and affords excellent accommodation for public meetings. The old Jail and Court-House, standing in the middle of the High Street, only deserves notice as being perhaps one of the worst in the kingdom; but there is at length a prospect of its being speedily removed, and better and more suitable accommodation provided both for the prisoners and courts of justice; notice having been already given that the town and county mean to apply for leave to obtain an act of parliament for the erection of a new one, in a better situation than the present.

The ruins of the cathedral, which was founded in 1224, once the most magnificent, and still one of the finest in the kingdom, is situated at the eastern extremity of the town. This noble cathedral was first destroyed by the Earl of Buchan. It was again rebuilt by the bishops of Moray; but in 1568 it was unroofed by order of the Regent Morton, for the sake of the lead. The ruins of this beautiful edifice have been lately put into excellent keeping, by order of the barons of exchequer. Around the cathedral stands the bishop’s town house, now the property of the Duke of Gordon, whose family burial-place is in the cathedral; and also those of the dean and canons. The ruins of the Grey-Friars are on the south side of the town, and adjoining to the field where those of the old Maison Dieu were to be seen until very lately. At the west end of the town, the pretty green mount called Lady Hill affords an extensive and delightful view over the town and country, almost to Fochabers and the Spey. This hill bears distinct traces of having been an ancient [7:8:668] fortification. It is said to have been used as a hunting seat by one of the Malcolms. The ruins show that it was built of stone and run lime, as used in early ages, and that the walls must have been of considerable thickness.

The trade of this town is at present not very considerable. A flourishing woollen manufactory has been carried on for many years, and employs fifty hands, chiefly in making blankets, plaiding, shawls, and drugget. There are likewise tan-works; and the glovers and sutors of Elgin were in former times famous for their extensive dealings at markets. Shoemakers are still a numerous body, and manufacture largely for the markets, which are held weekly on Fridays, and monthly on Tuesdays, the latter being for cattle and horses. The want of a good harbour at Lossiemouth, which is five miles distant, has long been a drawback to the increase of trade; but measures are now in progress to construct a new harbour, which, if successful, will give a great facility to the merchants in getting their goods directly from London, and to the farmers and corn-merchants in shipping grain, from twenty to thirty thousand bolls of which are exported from Morayshire annually. There is a literary association, combining the formation of a library with a public news-room, to which there are numerous subscribers; and a circulating library, established forty years ago by Mr Forsyth, and still successfully carried on by Forsyth and Young. There is also a mechanics’ library, and one belongiug to the academy, all highly useful establishments; and there is a weekly newspaper, the Elgin Courier, which has been published for five or six years.

Of benevolent institutions, several highly useful ones may be enumerated. A savings bank was instituted some years ago, and has been found to answer admirably. An excellent institution for female industry was lately formed, and has been found of great utility. Besides the Established Church, there is a Scotch Episcopal, an Anti-burgher, and two Relief Chapels, with a few Roman Catholics. The improvements recently carried on in this town are numerous and considerable. A joint-stock company for lighting the streets and houses of the town with gas was formed about three years ago. Of late years several handsome new streets have been built, and on the south and west sides of the town many handsome villas and cottages have also been erected.

The town of Elgin is undoubtedly very ancient. By some historians its name is said to have been derived from Helgy, a Norwegian chief, who in the ninth century overran Morayshire. Other accounts derive it from the Saxon Hely, or Holy, and Dun, a hill. At the present time, perhaps, there are few towns in Scotland which possess equal attractions as a place of residence.