NORTH BRIDGE-TRON CHURCH-SOUTH BRIDGE-THE UNIVERSITYSURGEONS'HALL-GEORGE IV. BRIDGE-GREYFRIARS' CHURCHYARD -HERIOT'S HOSPITAL-BRUNTSFIELD LINKS-GEORGE SQUARE.

STARTING again from the Register Office, the stranger will now proceed southwards by crossing the North Bridge. This bridge was founded in 1763, and completed in 1769. On the 3d of August in the latter year, the arches of three vaults in the south abutment, in consequence of an error in construction, gave way with a tremendous crash, and filled the whole city with alarm. Five persons were killed by the accident. There is a floating prediction that a similar catastrophe is once more destined to occur. From the parapet, on each side, is an extensive view of the city towards the east and west. For architectural effect, the buildings upon the Calton Hill are perhaps more advantageously grouped in the view from the northern end of the open space of this bridge, than from

any other point. In the spacious area seen immediately below, when looking over the western parapet, is the conjunct station of the North British, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee, Leith and Granton Railways, and from which uninterrupted communication is afforded to all parts of the country. The same area also contains the fruit and vegetable markets, and the fish, butcher, and poultry markets are situated immediately above, upon successive terraces communicating with each other. Proceeding to the upper end of the North Bridge, the stranger again reaches the High Street, part of which he traversed in the preceding walk. Here stands the Tron Church, an edifice of no architectural pretension, which derived its name from a tron or weighing beam in its immediate neighbourhood.

The street that leads straight south from this is called the South Bridge, and consists of a long series of underground arches, one of which spans the Cowgate, about half way, and affords a glimpse into the nether world of Edinburgh society, and with which the tourist will in all probability have no wish to cultivate a closer acquaintance. Proceeding then along the South Bridge, a walk of about five minutes brings us in front of

THE UNIVERSITY.

Edinburgh has long derived celebrity from its educational establishments, of which this is the chief. It was founded by James VI., by charter dated 24th April 1582, and the first professor was appointed in 1583. About the year 1660, by means of benefactions from public bodies and from private individuals, the establishment had attained a respectable rank among similar institutions. As a school of medicine, it first rose into repute under Dr. Alexander Monro, who became professor of anatomy in 1720; and in this branch of science it afterwards attained a distinguished pre-eminence, from possessing professors remarkable for their abilities and success as teachers. In the other branches of knowledge, its reputation was gradually exalted to the highest pitch by Maclaurin, Black, Fergusson, Stewart, Robertson, and other eminent men.

The decay and insufficiency of the old build

ings had long been complained of; and at length, in 1789, the foundation was laid of a new and extensive structure, the plan of which had been furnished by Mr. Robert Adam. But this plan, after it had been partly carried into execution, was altered and modified; and the building was finished in conformity with a very skilful and tasteful design furnished by the late W. H. Playfair, in the form of a parallelogram.

The number of professorships is thirty-four, divided into four faculties, theology, law, medicine, and arts; the latter including literature and general science.

The patronage of the thirty-four chairs, is divided as follows:-The Crown have the patronage of eleven of the chairs, the Curators of seventeen, and the Law bodies of six. The Curators are seven in number, three appointed by the University Court and four by the Town Council, who, until recently, enjoyed the exclusive patronage of most of the Chairs.

The degrees it bestows are the same as in the other Scottish colleges, namely, those of doctor of divinity, doctor of laws, master of arts, and doctor of medicine.* Those who wish to qualify for a degree in arts are required to attend the classes of humanity, Greek, logic, mathematics, moral philosophy, natural philosophy, and rhetoric. There are 34 foundations for bursaries, of the aggregate value of £1172 per annum, for the benefit of 80 students. The number of students averages 800, of whom about 400 join the literary classes, 300 attend the medical faculty, and 100 are students of law.

The Museum occupies two large rooms, each ninety feet by thirty, besides minor apartments, and is particularly rich in objects of natural history, amongst which are specimens of from eight to nine thousand birds, foreign and British. The Mammifera amount to about 950 specimens. The mineral and geological collections are of great extent. In 1855 the Crown instituted a chair of technology, and a sum was voted by Parliament for the erection of a Museum

* The winter session commences on the 1st of November, and closes at the end of April, and the summer session begins on the first Monday of May, and terminates at the end of June. During the latter term the lectures given are confined to botany, natural history, medical jurisprudence, histology, and clinical lectures on medicine and surgery.

+ Open daily except Sundays: summer 10 to 5; winter 10 to 4; charge 6d. Free on Saturdays.

of the Industrial Arts, for which a suitable site has been obtained adjoining the College.

The Library occupies the south side of the building, and contains about 100,000 volumes. It is supported from a fund formed by the contribution of one pound exigible from every student, five pounds payable by every professor on his admission, and a portion of the fees of graduates both in medicine and arts. It was at one time entitled, along with the other libraries belonging to the Scottish universities, to a copy of every work published in Great Britain, but instead of this it now receives an annual grant of £575. There is also an excellent collection of books on theology and church history connected with the class of divinity, and which is supported by certain annual fees paid by the students attending the class. The principal apartment, called the Library Hall, is 198 feet in length by 50 in width, and contains the beautiful statue of Burns by Flaxman.

The Royal College of Surgeons, Nicolson Street, is a little to the south of the College. The portico and pediment, supported by six fluted Ionic columns, are much admired for their classic elegance, although the effect is much impaired by the uncongenial architecture of the surrounding houses. The principal portion of the building is occupied with an extensive museum of anatomical and surgical preparations.

The Phrenological Museum, 1 Surgeon's Square (High School Yards), contains a large collection of busts, skulls, and masks, illustrative of the science of phrenology. It is open to the public every Saturday afternoon from 1 to 6 P. M. free of charge; but strangers may have access any day.

From this locality we shall now follow one of the cross streets which skirts the side of the College to

GEORGE IV. BRIDGE,

which spans the Cowgate,* and forms an important feature in the modern improvements of the city.

* The Cowgate opens into the east side of the Grassmarket, and still contains many old houses of the nobility of Scotland, but these are now inhabited by the lowest class of the population. The corresponding street, opening from the west of the Grassmarket, is called the West Port, from its having been the

GREYFRIARS' CHURCHYARD.

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On the right-hand side, at No. 3 George IV. Bridge, stands the MUSEUM OF THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND, to which strangers have gratuitous access daily (except Mondays) from 11 to 3. It contains an extensive collection of agricultural produce and paintings of the various breeds of domestic animals.* The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland was the first institution of the kind in the United Kingdom, and the parent of the very numerous bodies which now devote special attention to the advancement of agriculture.

At the southern end of the bridge, upon the right hand, is the entrance to THE GREYFRIARS' CHURCHYARD-(in former western entrance to the city. It is now a squalid locality, haunted by associations of the murderers Burke and Hare.

* The collection of agricultural implements, geological specimens illustrative of the soil surface, etc., formerly contained in this museum, have been transferred to the New Industrial Museum.

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