156 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. . [Queen Street,
always washed and carefully put away by her own
delicate hands, and thus breakage was evaded.
Marketing was then done in the early morning;
and many a time was the stately figure of old Mrs.
Wilson, ? in her elegantly-fitting black satin dress,
Seen to pass to and fro from the old market place
of Edinburgh, followed by some favourite caddie
peace and harmony reigned supreme, and there are
now not a few of her grandchildren who remember
this fine old Scottish matron with affection and
gratitude.
In 1815 John Wilson had been called to the bar,
at the same time with his firm friend Patrick Robertson,
Sir William Hamilton, Andrew Rutherford,
SIR JAMES WUNG SIMPSON.
(or street porter), bearing the well-chosen meats and
vegetables that no skill but her own was permitted
to, select?
She was a high Tory of the old school ; and it is
told of her that on hearing it said that her, son
was contributing to the Edinburgh Revim, she
exclaimed, ?John, if you turn Whig this house is
no longer big enough for us both ! ??
In No. 53 she had under her roof for several
years two married sons, with their wives, children,
.
Archibald Alison, and others ; and in 1819, he, with
his wife and children, then five in number, removed
from his mother?s house in Queen Street to No. 20
Anne Street, Stockbridge. It was in No. 53, however,
that the famous ? Chaldee Manuscript ? was
written, amid such shouts of laughter, says Mrs.
Gordon, ? that the ladies in the room above, sent
to inquire in wonder what the gentlemen below
were about. I am informed that among those who
were met together on that memorable occasion
