THE HIGH STREET. 24 I.
Not far from this, on the west side of the Old Stamp Office Close, stood a large, oldfashioned
mansion, which formed above a century ago the residence of Alexander, ninth
Earl of Eglinton, and his lovely Countess Susannah Kennedy-reputed the handsomest
woman of her time-to whom the Gentle Shepherd is dedicated, both in Ramsay's most
fluent prose, and in some of Hamilton of Bangour's flattering strains. She was brought
to Edinburgh just about the time of the Union by her father, Sir Archibald Kennedy of
Colzean--a rough old caqalier, who had borne a part in the best and worst achievements
of Claverhouse--and her beauty speedily weaned the keenest devotees of politics from its
engrossing attractions. The Earl of Eglinton was already provided with a Countess, whose
protracted ill health had made him hopeless of an heir; and just when he had been smitten
with the universal admiration of the lovely Susannah, and had exhibited some very unequivocal
symptoms of the pangs of a despairing lover, his own Countess died, and the forlorn
widower '' bore off the belle," to the infinite chagrin of many younger, but less attractive
wooers.' The Countess was somewhat of a blue-stocking, and the most conspicuous patroness
of the Scottish muses in her day. Her name appears on other dedication pages besides the
honourable one of the Gentle Shepherd. Ramsay dedicated to her the music of his first
Book of Songs-a little work now very rare-and at a later period he presented to her the
original manuscript of his great pastoral poem, which she afterwards parted with to James
Boswell. It is now preserved in the library at Auchinleck, along with the presentation
letter of the poet.
Euphemia, or Lady Effie, as she was more generally called, a daughter of the Earl by
his first Countess, was married to the celebrated (' Union Lockhart," and proved an able
auxiliary to him in many of his secret intrigues on behalf of the exiled Stuarts. When
not engaged in attending parliament, he resided chiefly at his country seat of Dryden, while
Lady Effie paid frequent visits to Edinburgh, disguised in male attire. She used to frequent
the coffee-houses and other places of public resort, and joining freely in conversation with
the Whig partizans, she oftep obtained important information for her husband. It chanced
on one occasion, that 311' Forbes, a zealous Whig, but a man of profligate habits, had got
hold of some important private papers, implicating Lockhart, and which he had engaged
to forward to Government. Lady Euphemia Lockhart dressed her two sons-who were
fair and somewhat effeminate looking, though handsome youths,-in negligee, fardingale,
and masks; with patches, jewels, and all the finery of accomplished courtezans. Thus
equipped, they sallied out to the Cross, and, watching for the Whig gallant, they speedily
attracted his notice, and so won on him by their attentions that he was induced to accompany
them to a neighbouring tavern, where the pseudo fair ones fairly drank him below
the table, and then rifled him of the dangerous papers. This anecdote, which we have
obtained from a grand-nephew of Lady Lockhart, furnishes, we think, a more graphic
picture of the manners and notions of the age of Queen Anne than any incident we have
met with.
'
Sir John Clerk, Bart., as we have been told by a descendant of the Earl of Eglinton-after much coquetting and
versifying, had actually made a declaration of his passion, which the father, at least, had 80 far under consideration aa
to consult the Earl thereupon. His reply was-" Bide awee, Sir Archie, my wife's very aickly ! I' a hint sufficient to
settle the hopes of the Baronet of Pennycuik. Sir J. Clerk was the author of the fine Scottish song2-'' Oh merry may
the maid be that marries wi' the miller," with the exception of the first verse, which is ancient The Earl wan little
more than forty when he married this, his third Countess.
2 H .
242 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
The mansion of the Earl in the Old Stamp Office Close was celebrated at a subsequent
period as Fortune’s tavern, a favourite resort of men of rank and fashion, while yet some of
the nobles of Scotland dwelt in its old capital. At a still later period, it was the scene of
the annual festivities during the Hittings of the General Assembly of the Kirk, towards the
close of last century. The old Zarl of Leven, who was for many years the representative
of majesty at the High Court of the Church, annually took up his abode at this fashionable
tavern, and received in state the courtiers who crowded to his splendid levees.’ Still more
strangely does it contrast with modern notions, to learn that the celebrated Henry Dundas,
first Viscount Melville, began practice as an advocate while residing on the third flat of the
old land a little further down the street, at the head of the Flesh Market Close, and continued
to occupy his exalted dwelling for a considerable time. Below this close, we again
come to works of more modern date. Milne Square, which bears the date 1689, exhibits
one of the Old Town improvements before its contented citizens dreamt of bursting their
ancient fetters, and rearing a new city beyond the banks of the North Loch. To the
east of this, the first step in that great undertaking demolished some of the old lanes
of the High Street, and among the rest the Cap and Feather Close, a short alley which
stood immediately above Halkerston’s Wynd. The lands that formed the east side of this
close still remain in North Bridge Street, presenting doubtless, to the eye of every tasteful
reformer, offensive blemishes in the modern thoroughfare ; yet this unpicturesque locality
has peculiar claims on the interest of every lover of Scottish poetry, for here, on the 5th
of September 1750, the gifted child of genius, Robert Ferpson, was born. The precise
site of his father’s dwelling is unknown, but now that it has been transformed by the indiscriminating
hands of modern improvers, this description may sufice to suggest to some as
they pass along that crowded thoroughfare such thoughts as the dwellers in cities are most
careless to encourage.’
Availing ourselves of the subdivision of the present subject, effected by the improvements
to which we have adverted, we shall retrace our steps, and glance at such associations
with the olden time as may still be gathered from the scene of the desolating fires that
swept away nearly every ancient feature on the south side of the High Street. Within
the last few years, the sole survivor of all the antique buildings that once reared their
picturesque and lofty fronts between the Lawnmarket and Niddry’s Wynd has been demolished,
to make way for the new Police Office. It had strangely withstood the terrible
conflagration that raged around it in 1824, and, with the curious propensity that still prevails
in Edinburgh for inventing suggestive and appropriate names, it was latterly universally
known as “ the Salamander Land.” ’ Through this a large archway led into the Old
Fish Market Close, on the west side of which, previous to the Great Fire, the huge pile
of buildings in the Parliament Close reared its southern front high over all the neigh-
In 1812 an unwonted spectacle waa exhibited at the head of the Old Stamp Office .Close, in the execution of three
young la& there, as the leadera in a riot that took place un New Year’s Day of that year, in which several citizens were
killed and numerous robberies committed. The judges fixed upon this spot, as having been the scene of the chief bloodshed
that had occurred, in order to mark more impressively the detestation of their crimes. A small work was published
by the Rev. W. Innes, entitled “ Notes of Conversations ’’ with the criminals. ’ In Edgar’s map, the close is shown extending no farther than in a line with Milne’s Court, so that the whole of the
east side etill remains, including, it may be, the poet’s birthplace. ’ We have been told that this land was aaid to have been the residence of Defoe while in Edinburgh ; the tradition,
however, ia entirely unaupported by other testimony.
