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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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188 EIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. manners ; and one or two others are supposed to glide around the door of the Guard-House, assigned to them at the Luckenbooths, when their ancient refuge in the High Street was laid low. But the faith of manuscripts bequeathed to friends and executors is so uncertain, that the narrative containing these frail memorials of the Old Town Guard of Edinburgh, who, with their grim and valiant corporal, John Dhu (the fiercest looking fellow I ever saw), were in my boyhood, the alternate terror and derision of the petulant brood of the High School, may perhaps only come to light when all memory of the institution has faded away, and then serve as an illustration of Kay’s Cakztures, who has preserved the features of some of their heroes.” Towards the close of last century several reductions had taken place in the number of the Guard; and, in 1805, when the New Police Bill for Edinburgh came into operation, the corps was entirely broken up. At the same time, however, partly from reluctance to do away all at once with so venerable a municipal force, and by way of employing, instead of pensioning off, some of the old hands, a new corps, consisting of two sergeants, two corporals, two drummers, and thirty privates, was formed from the wreck of the former. Of this new City Guard, as it was called, the subject of our sketch, Mr. James Burnet-the senior Captain-was appointed to the command, and was the last who held the situation. CAPTAINB URNETw as a native of East-Lothian. He was one of the Captains of the Guard who had not previously been in the army ; and if we except his experience as a member of the First Regiment of Edinburgh Volunteers, may be supposed to have been a novice in military matters. Previous to his appointment, he kept a grocer’s shop at the head of the Fleshmarket Close. The personal appearance of Mr. Burnet is well delineated in the Portrait. He was a man of great bulk ; and when in his best days, weighed upwards of nineteen stone. He was, nevertheless, a person of considerable activity, and of much spirit, as will appear from the following instance. Along with one or two gentlemen, he was one summer day cooling himself with a meridian draught in a well-known tavern, when the late Mr. James Laing, Deputy City Clerk, who was one of the party, took a bet with the Captain that he would not walk to the top of Arthur’s Seat, from the base of the hill, within a quarter of an hour, Mr. Eurnet at once agreed to the wager ; and Mr. Smellie, who happened to be the lightest and most active of the company, was appointed to proceed with the pedestrian in the capacity of umpire. The task, it must be admitted by all who know anything of the locality, was an amazing one for a person of nineteen stone on a hot summer day! The Captain courageously set about his arduous undertaking, steering his way by St. Anthony’s Well, up the ravine. But to describe his progress, as he literally melted and broiled under the rays of the pitiless sun, would require the graphic pen of a Pindar. Never did “ fodgel wight or rosy priest ” perform such a penance. When he reached the most difficult part of his jonrney, the Captain looked as if about to give up
Volume 9 Page 252
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