Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 « Kay's Originals Vol. 2 « Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time « Edinburgh Past and Present « Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Title and Plates Ch 21: The High Street (continued from Volume I) Ch 22: The High Street (continued) Ch 23: The High Street (continued) Ch 24: The High Street (continued) Ch 25: The High Street (continued) Ch 26: The High Street (continued) Ch 27: The High Street (continued) Ch 28: The High Street (continued) Ch 29: The High Street (continued) Ch 30: The High Street (continued) Ch 31: Alleys of the High Street (continued) Ch 32: Alleys of the High Street (continued) Ch 33: Alleys of the High Street (concluded) Ch 34: New Streets Within the Area of the Flodden Wall Ch 35: Some of the New Streets Within the Area of the Flodden Wall (concluded) Ch 36: St.Mary's Wynd Ch 37: Leith Wynd Ch 38: The West Bow Ch 39: The West Bow (concluded) Ch 40: Edinburgh in 1745 Ch 41: Edinburgh in 1745 (concluded) Ch 42: The North Bridge Ch 43: East Side of the North Bridge Ch 44: East Side of the North Bridge (continued) Ch 45: East Side of the North Bridge (continued) Ch 46: East Side of the North Bridge (concluded) Ch 47: Moultray's Hill - Her Majesty's General Register House Ch 48: The South Bridge Ch 49: The Pleasance and St.Leonards Contents List of Illustrations » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

282 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [High Street. style, with many ornate gables, dormer windows, %ut was a second time stolen ; and in the strangulation on the scaffold, and the being fouricl in a ditch among water, the superstitious saw retributive justice for the murder of which he was assumed to be guilty. ? I t will be acknowledged,? says the author of the ? Domestic Annals,? ?that in the circumstances related there is not a particle of valid evidence against the young man. The surgeons? opinion as to the fact of strangulation is not entitled to much regard ; but, granting its solidity, it does not prove the guilt of the ac- .cused. The horror of the young man on seeing his father?s blood might be referred to painful recol- Jections of that profligate conduct which he knew had distressed his parent, and brought his grey hairs with sorrow to the grave-especially when we reflect that Stanfield would himself be impressed with the superstitious feelings of the age, and might .accept the hzmorrhage as an accusation by heaven on account of the concern his conduct had in shortening the life of his father. The whole case :seems to be a lively illustration of the effect of superstitious feelings in blinding justice.? We have thus traced the history of the High Street and its closes down once more to the Nether Bow. In the World?s End Close Lady Lawrence was a residenter in 1761, and Lady Huntingdon in 1784, and for some years after the creation of the New Town, people of position continued to linger in the Old Town and in the Canongate. And from Peter Williamson?s curious little ?? Directory ? for 1784, we can glean a few names, thus :- I Scottish gentleman, who, though he did not partici- Lady Mary Carnegie, in Bailie Fyfe?s Close; Lady Colstoun and the Hon. Alexander Gordon, on the Castle Hill; General Douglas, in Baron Maule?s Close; Lady Jean Gordon, in the Hammerman?s Close; Sir James Wemyss, in Riddle?s Close; Sir John Whiteford of that ilk, in the Anchor Close ; Sir Jameg Campbell, in the Old Bank Close; Erskine of Cardross, in the Horse Wynd ; Lady Home, in Lady Stair?s Close. In Monteith?s Close, in 1794, we find in the ? Scottish Hist. Register for 1795 recorded the death of Mr. John Douglas, Albany herald, uncle of Sir Andrew Snape Douglas, who was captain of the Queen CharZoffe, of IIO guns, and who fought her so valiantly in Lord Bridport?s battle on ? the glonous 23rd of June, 1795.? The house occupied ?by Lady Rothiemay in Turk?s Close, below Liberton?s Wynd, was advertised for sale in the Couranf of 1761 ; and there lived, till his death in 1797, James Nelson, collector of the Ministers? Widows? Fund. In Morrison?s Close in 1783, we find one of the most fashionable modisfes of Edinburgh announcing in the Adverfiser of that year, that she is from ?one of the most eminent houses in London,? and that her work is finished in the newest fashions :- ? Chemize de Lorraine, Grecian Robes, Habit Bell, Robe de Coure, and Levites, different kinds, all in the most genteel and approved manner, and on the most reasonable terms.? In the same year, the signboard of James and Francis Jeffrey, father and uncle of Lord Jeffrey, still hung in the Lawnmarket. CHAPTER XXXIV. NEW STREETS WITHIN THE AREA OF THE FLODDEN WALL. h r d ?Cockburn Street-Lord Cockburn-The Scotsmun NewspapeFCharles Maclaren and Alexander Russel-The Queen?s Edinburgh Rifle Brigade-St. Giles Street-Sketch of the Rise d Journalism in Edinburgh-The EdinQxrgk Courunt-The Daily Rnrieur-Jelfrey Street-New Trinity College Church THE principal thoroughfare, which of late years has been run through the dense masses of the ancient alleys we have been describing, is Lord Cockburn Street, which was formed in 1859, and strikes northward from the north-west corner of Hunter?s Square, to connect the centre of the 012 city with -the railway terminus at Waverley Bridge ; it goes curving down a comparatively steep series of slopes, and is mainly edificed in the Scottish baronial lofty tenements in many of the closes that descend from the north side of the High Street, and was very properly named after Lord Cockburn, one entitled to special remembrance on many accounts, and for the deep interest he took in all matters connected with his birthplace. When he died, in April, 1854, he was one of the best and kindliest of the old school of ?Parliameht House Whigs,? and was a thorough, honest, shrewd, and benevolent and conical turrets, high over all of which towers . the dark and mighty mass of the Royal Exchange. This new street expdses aromantic section of the pate to any extent in the literary labours of his contemporaries, has left behind him an interesting volume of ? Memorials.? Many can yet recall his

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