OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Canonmills. 86
modation than external display, and yet is not
unsuited to the architecturally opulent district in
its neighbourhood. The society which founded it
had, by proprietary shares of E50 each, a capital
of L ~ z , g o o , capable of being augmented to AI 6,000.
Though similar in scope to the High School, it
was at first more aristocratic in its plan or princiciples,
which for a time rendered it less accessible
to children of the middle classes, and has a longer
period of study, and larger fees. There are a
rector, masters for classics, French, and German,
writing, mathematics, and English literature, and
every other necessary branch. The Academy was
incorporated by a royal charter from George IV.,
and is under the superintendence of a board of
fifteen directors, three of whom are elected annually
from the body of subscribers. The complete
course of instruction given extends over seven
years.
The institution, which possesses a handsome
public hall, a library, spacious class-rooms, and a
large enclosed play-ground, is divided into two
schools-the classical, adapted for boys destined
for the learned professions, or who desire to possess
a thorough classical training ; and the modem, intended
for such as mean to take civil or military
service, or enter on mercantile pursuits. In addition
to special professional subjects of study, the
complete course embraces every branch of knowledge
now recognised as necessary for a liberal
education.
Though the Academy is little more than half;
century old, yet so admirable has been the system
pursued here, and so able have been the teachers
in every department, that it has sent forth several
of the most eminent men of the present day.
Among them we may enumerate Dr. A. Campbell
Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury ; Bishop Anderson
of Rupert?s Land ; Sir Colin Blackburn, Justice of
the Queen?s Bench ; Professor Edmonstone Aytoun;
the late Earl of Fife; the Right Hon.
Mountstuart E. Grant-Duff, M.P. for Elgin, and
afterwards Governor of Madras.
Among those who instituted this Academy in
1832 were Sir Walter Scott, Lord Cockburn, Skene
of Rubislaw, Sir Robert Dundas, Bart., of Beechwood,
and many other citizens of distinction.
CHAPTER IX.
CANONMILLS AND INVERLEITH.
Canonmills-The Loch-Riots of &+-The Gymnasium-Tanfield Hall-German Church-Zmlogical Gardens-Powder Hall-Rosehank
Cemetery-Red Rraes-The Crawfords of Jordanhill-Bonnington-BEhop Keith-The Sugar Refinery--Pilrig-The Balfour Family-
Inverleith-Ancient Proprietors-The Tonri-The RocheidAld Lady Inverleith-General Crocket-Royal Botanical Gardens-Mr.
James MacNab.
THE ancient village of Canonmills lies within the
old Barony of Broughton, and owes its origin to
the same source as the Burgh of the Canoagate,
having been founded by the Augustine canons of
Holyrood, no doubt for the use of their vassals in
Broughton and adjacent possessions ; but King
David I. built for them, and the use of the inhabitants,
a mill, the nucleus of the future village,
which still retains marks of its very early origin,
though rapidly being absorbed or surrounded by
medern improvements. This mill is supposed to
have been the massive and enormously buttressed
edifice of which Wilson has preserved a view, at
the foot ofthe brae, near Heriot?s Hill.
It stood on the south side of the Water of
Leith, being driven by a lade diverted from the
former. By the agreement between the city and
the directors of Heriot?s Hospital, when the mills
were partly disposed of to the former, the city was
?bound not to prejudice the mills, but to allow
those resident in the Barony to repair to them, and
grind thereat, according to use and wont, and to
help them to ane thirlage, so far as they can, and
the same remain in their possession.?
The Incorporation of Bakers in the Canongate
were ?? thirled ? thither-that is, compelled to have
their corn ground there, or pay a certain sum.
About the lower end of the hollow, overlooked
by the Royal Crescent now, there lay for ages the
Canonmills Loch, where the coot and water-hen
built their nests in the sedges, as at the North Loch ? and Duddingston ; it was a fair-sued sheet of water, ? the last portion of which was only drained recently,
or shortly before the Gymnasium was formed.
In 1682 there was a case before the Privy
Council, when Alexander Hunter, tacksman of the
Canonmills, was pursued by Peter de Bruis for
demolishing a paper-mill he had erected there for
the manufacture of playing-cards, of which he had
a gift from the Council on 20th December, 1681,
? strictly prohibiting the importation of any such
cards,? and allowing him a most exorbitant powm
