X PREFACE.
“Traditions.” The author has there struck out an entirely new path, and with the
happiest results. The humour and the pathos of the old-world stories of Edinburgh in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, ere New Town and Old Town improvements were
more substantial than the dreams of future reformers, are secured-not without occasional
heightening touches from the delineator’s own lively fancy. It is only surprising that
the ‘‘ Traditions of Edinburgh ” have not diffused an antiquarian taste far more widely
than is yet to be found among the modern dekizens of -the Scottish capital,
The following Memorials of Old Edinburgh differ perhaps as much from the picturesque
traditions of the latter writer, as from the statelr historic quarto of Amot, or from Maitland’s
ponderous folio. They are pen and pencil sketches, professing, in general, considerable
minuteness of outline, though with it rapid touch that precludes very elaborate
finish. Accuracy has been aimed at throughout, not without knowingly incurring the
risk of occasionally being somewhat dry. I am well aware, however, of having fallen
short of what was-desired in this’ all-important point, notwithstanding an amount of
labour and research in the progress of the work, .only 8 very small portioa of which appears
in its contents. Some hundreds of old charters, title-deeds, and records of various sorts;
‘in all varieties of unreadable manuscript, have been ransacked ‘in its progress ; and had it
been possible to devote more time to such research, I have no doubt that,many curious and,
interesting notices, referring to our local antiquities, would have amply repaid the labour.
Of the somewhat inore accessible materials furnished in the valuable publicatbns of our.
antiquarian . book;clnba, abundant use has been made ; and personal observation . hw.
supplied a good deal more that will probably be appreciated by the very few who find any
attraction in stich researches. In the Appendix some curious matter has been accumulated
which readers-of moderate antiquarian appetites will probably avoid--to their own loss.
I amnot altogether withbut hope, however, that should such readers be induced to wade
through. the work, they.may find antiquarian researches not quite SO dull as they are
affirmed, on common 1 report, to- be ; s h e , in seeking to .embody the Memorials of my
native city, I am fortunate in the possession of a subject; commanding. associations with
nearly all the most picturesque legends and incidents of our national annals.
‘-L
:In selecting the accompanying illustratfona, .the, chief aim .has been -to furnish .and
example ofallfhe varieties ofstyle and character that were: to be found in the wynds and
qloses of OldEdinburgh., .The majority bf them have some curious or valuable associations?
to add to tbeir’.interest, .but some.Fexe:.chosen for ,no..other reison than .to illushat&
