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