which period the magistrates were elected solely from the Guildry, or Corporation of Merchants, to the exclusion of persons belonging to the incorporated trades: this was however, in a great measure remedied by an act of parliament, in the reign of James III., whereby each of the trades was empowered to choose one of its number to vote in the election of officers for the government of the city. The fourteen incorporated trades are, 1. The Surgeons, who have a hall for their meetings in Surgeons-Square, together with a theatre for dissections, and a small museum; 2. The Goldsmiths, whose hall is situated in South Bridge Street; 3. Skinners, the hall of whose corporation is in Skinners Close; 4. Furriers; 5. Hammermen; 6 and 7. Wrights and Masons, whose hall of meeting is called St. Marys chapel, and is situated in Burnets Close; 8. Tailors; 9. Bakers; 10. Fleshers; 11. Cordiners, or Cordwainers; 12. Weavers ; 13. Waukers; and 14. Bonnet-makers. The Candle-makers is also an incorporated trade, but has not the privilege of sending a member to the Common, or Town Council: to this body are attached four advocates under the name of Assessors, who render advice and assistance in deliberations on difficult, or contested cases.

The Town Courts are four in number, viz. the Criminal Court, in which are tried all criminal causes occurring within the city and liberties; the Bailie Court, for the trial of all causes for debt and civil trespass within the city; the Ten Merk Court, for the recovery of debts not exceeding ten merks, Scots, or 11s. 1d. sterling, except servants' wages, which may be recovered to any amount; and the Dean of Guild Court, having cognizance of all the buildings erected within the jurisdiction of the city, none of which can be built without a license from the Dean, who has also the regulation of weights and measures, and sees that no tradesmen exercise their profession unless they be freemen. The Prisons of Edinburgh are three, viz. the New Jail, the Canongate Tolbooth, and the Bridewell. In enumerating the various political and civil establishments, we must not forget to mention the house in which the Scottish parliaments were formerly held, and which is now appropriated to the accommodation of the courts of Session, Justiciary, and Exchequer, as also to the Jury and Consistorial Courts. The places of justice not already mentioned, are the Court of Admiralty, the Commissary Court, Lyon Court, the Sheriff Court, Court of the Justice of Peace, the New County Hall, and Convention of Royal Burghs. These, together with the College and Register Office, to which may be added the Exchange, Boards of Custom and of Excise, and the Post Office, are the principal public edifices.

DESCRIPTION. The buildings of Edinburgh are dispersed over a very irregular surface of ground, and placed partly in valleys, and partly on the tops and sloping sides of hills. In the middle of the Old Town they are mostly arranged on the sides of narrow streets, are very high, and constructed without the least regard to symmetry, beauty, or domestic comforts. The New Town is as unlike its ancestor, as `if belonging to another country, climate, or class of inhabitants; for whilst the former has no pretensions to beauty, or even architectural design,—the latter is systematic, laid out with some

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regard to general effect, and according to an uniform and well-digested plan. It also exhibits several specimens of good architecture in its public buildings and private houses, that emulate the classical models of Italy. This may be inferred from the names of Sir William Chambers, and of the Adams's, who gave the designs for some of these edifices. Wide streets, laid out at right angles with each other, and terminated occasionally by spacious and handsome squares, give an air of beauty, and even of grandeur, to parts of this newly-formed district. In these features it may be said to resemble the famed city of Washington, in America. Built on an eminence, about 200 feet above the level of the sea, and considerably above the Old Town, it not only commands varied and extensive prospects, but is seen towering above the low grounds in the vicinity. At its western side the surface shelves abruptly to a small river called the Water of Leith; whilst near the eastern extremity, is a lofty, craggy, insulated eminence, called the Calton Hill.-More detailed accounts of this district will be given hereafter, in noticing the prints which represent its buildings and natural features.

The present extent of Edinburgh may be said to comprise an area measuring about two miles and a quarter from east to west, by one mile and three-quarters from north to south, whilst its circuit is estimated at eight miles. A large portion of this space is occupied by gardens, fields, the Calton Hill, Kings Meadow, Salisbury Craigs, with Arthurs Seat, the meadows of Hope Park, the gardens and pleasure grounds of Holyrood House, &c. The relative heights of different parts of the town, above the level of the sea, &c. are as follows:-Arthurs Seat, 822 feet; the Cat Nick, on Salisbury Craigs, 550 feet; the Castle Rock, 443 feet; the Calton Hill, 343 feet; St. Leonard's Hill, 285 feet; and Princes Street, 212 feet.

Edinburgh contains thirteen parishes, and, according to the census of 1821, a population of 138,235, which shews an increase since 1811, of 35,248 persons. This includes the town of Leith. Its general site may be described as three eminences, the central part being a high narrow ridge upon which the Old Town is built, and at the western extremity of which, on a lofty, isolated rock, elevated on three sides from a level plain, stands the Castle. The scenery by which Edinburgh is surrounded, is of the most romantic and diversified character. It is bounded on the east by a lofty rocky hill called Arthurs Seat, Salisbury Craigs, and the Calton Hill; on the south by the hills of Braid, Pentland, and Corstorphine, which may be said to form a beautiful screen of eminences rising about three miles from the town; on the north side, however, the ground gently declines to the Frith of Forth. The hill on which the Old Town is placed, is separated from the other districts by two valleys, one formerly a marsh, called the North Loch, but now drained, and connected with the New Town by the North Bridge, the length of which is 1125 feet; and also by an immense earthen mound, composed almost entirely of materials excavated from the foundation of the houses in the New Town, since the year 1783. The buildings to the south are connected, independently of other communications, by another bridge of twenty-two arches, which is now the principal line of con