Winding by cautious and slow degrees down the declivity of Blackford-hill, we descend into Egypt, through which, after crossing the river Jordan, we pass into Canaan and other regions of the Holy Land; for thus are the circumjacent fields in the neighbourhood of Braid denominated. We may take a short cut by the farm-house of Egypt to the turnpike road leading to Edinburgh by Borrough-moor Head, Merchieston-house, and thence by Bruntsfield Links, and Cage Walk, into the city. Soon after gaining the main road, we pass on the left two or three neat boxes, in one of which the late lord Gardenstone resided. This learned senator of the college of justice is no less worthy of a nitch among the illustrious persons whose virtues entitle them to the veneration of posterity, than of the sacred name of patriot, his claims to which can never be called in question; for his whole life was devoted to acts of kindness where no return was expected, and to forming plans for public utility, and of substantial benefit to the community, with which it was his lot to be more immediately connected. On passing through the village of Borrough-moor Head, where Mr. Steel has long had a manufacture for magnesia alba established, we see to the left Merchieston-house, once the residence of baron Napier, of whom David Hume speaks in the words following: "Napier of Merchieston, the famous inventor "of the logarithims, the person to whom the title of a GREAT MAN is more justly due than to any other whom his country ever produced*.” "His scientifical genius (says another "historian) was first applied to the mysteries of the Apocalypse, "to gratify the protestants by a plain discovery of the pope in * Hume's Hist. vol. viii. p. 35, 8vo. edit. 1775, 66 "Antichrist: but his calculations of the prophesies have been disproved by time, and his name has already outlived the period which his pen assigned for the duration of the world. "His fame is more durably fixed by the logarithmic canon, "the correspondence between arithmetical and geometrical progressions, a sublime invention of universal utility, the "result of patient and intense meditation. He died in 1617, " at the age of sixty-nine*." 66 Approaching Edinburgh by the head of Bruntsfield Links, the city and castle appear pre-eminent and lofty in a peculiar manner; they seem as if rising amid a forest of great extent, towering in mid-air: the forest, however, is neither vast nor aged; it is merely the trees which were planted round the meadow, in the middle of which, at no very remote period, was a pool called the South Loch, which being drained at the town's expence (being part of its property), hedge-rows and trees were planted. These, while they were kept properly in order, afforded shelter to the pasturage of the meadow, and formed agreeable avenues, in which the citizens of Edinburgh were wont to take their evening's recreation. But now these avenues are shamefully neglected; in consequence, there is no longer pleasure in wandering among broken-down hedge-rows, blasted trees, and ditches brimful of stagnant water; nay, what is still worse, there runs through the very middle of this rich and once beautiful meadow a common sewer-un covered too!—from which arises in summer an intolerable stench. It is high time that something were done: why delay it for a single hour†? Laing's Hist. vol. i. p. 460, 8vo. edit. 1800. + The meadow was drained in 1722, and was planted soon after. The pool was called the Borough Loch, and sometimes the South Loch. Maitland's Hist. p. 173. On passing through the Links, we observe on the left a building that is erecting in a somewhat antique style of architecture: it is Gillespie's Hospital, which occupies the site of the ancient structure called Wright's mansion-house. From the date (1376) which was over the eastern window of the former building, it appears to have been founded in the reign of king Robert the second, surnamed Blear-eye, the first of the Stuarts, who ascended the throne in 1370. On entering the avenues of the meadow, the London visitor will be apt to trace some resemblance between this mall and St. James's Park: but lamentable is the difference indeed! From the middle walk, we strike off into George's Square, thence through Charles-street into Bristo-street, pass by the Merchants' Maiden Hospital on the left, straight on to Collegestreet, thence to South Bridge-street, which leads into the heart of the city and thus ends our third day's excursion. : The ground to be gone over in the excursion proposed for the fourth day is of too great an extent for a pedestrian ramble ; wherefore it will be prudent to go on horseback or in a carriage, and to set out soon after breakfast. The circuit which the stranger is to be conducted is from Edinburgh to Pennycuik, thence, following the course of the river Esk, to Roslin, Hawthornden, Laswade, Dalkeith, Inveresk, Musselburgh, and thence back to the city. This will comprehend a range of somewhat more than thirty statute miles, which, for variety of objects and picturesque beauty, can hardly be equalled in any quarter of North Britain; most part of it, too, is classical ground, a circumstance which, to the antiquary and lover of history, will render this day's excursion peculiarly interesting. Leaving Edinburgh through Grange Toll-bar, we keep the road to Roslin, which a small distance beyond Liberton Dams strikes off into the London road by Middleton, to the right, up a pretty steep declivity; on gaining which, and looking back toward Edinburgh, a fine view of that city and the adjacent hills is commanded to great advantage. Ascending, we observe on the right, among the risings of Braid-hills, the tower of Upper Liberton, of a lofty rectangular form with embattlements round its roof. This fortilage is ancient, but no tradition remains respecting its original founder. So early as the year 1453* it belonged to the Dalmahioys of Dalmahoy; and afterwards the whole barony of Upper Liberton came into the family of Little, originally citizens or burgesses of Edinburgh, in whose possession it still remains. The founder of the Edinburgh University library, Clement Little, advocate, was of this family. The village of Upper Liberton is situated in a remarkable elevation, truly mountainous. The hills of Braid stretch far to the westward, and are cultivated to the summit of the highest ridges: most of what was but a few years ago bleak, bare, and almost a barren waste, yields the richest crops to be seen any where around, though late in the season. There is an uncommonly good cross-road over Braid-hills, which is a great convenience to the farmers in the neighbouring districts. The Braid and Blackford hills, to the open country at the foot of the Pentland hills, form a fine and free range for fox and hare hunting. * Trans. Antiq. Soc. of Edin. p. 303. |