Some one has spoke of Edinburgh as "the
most picturesque town in all the North,"
and its claims to that distinction are very
strong. High street, the centre of the
"Old Town," runs along the ridge of a hill
eastward from the castle. Just north of
this ridge is a deep valley with another
hill beyond, along which run Princes street
and George street, the business centre of
the "New Town." The railroad depots are
in the valley and much of the unoccupied
land on both sides has been laid out in
pleasure grounds known as Princes Street
Gardens. The buildings of the city are
mostly of stone and very substantial, those
in the " Old Town " having curious gables
and roofs which give them a most unique
appearance. Manyof them are from eight
to twelve stories high with narrow outside
stairs, dangerous apparently to life and
limb. But it is as the " Modern Athens "
that Edinburgh people prefer to have their
city regarded; and here too they have strong
claims, referring with pride to such naems
as Dugald Stewart, Hume, Playfair and
many others well known in the world of
science and literature. To a tourist the
Castle and Holyrood Palace are probably
the principal points of interest, and a majo
rity doubtless visit the castle first, not only
on account of its associations, but also for
the fine view of the city which can be there
obtained. Like Stirling, tlhe Castle Rock
of Edinburgh has been crowned with a
fortress for many years, but the greater
part of the present buildings are only about
300 years old. "St. Margaret" Chapel,
however, a specimen of pure Norman
architecture, dates back to the eleventh
century, having been built by David I. On
the south, west and north the Castle Rock
is accessible and this fact doubtless gave it
much of its importance as a stronghold,
before the invention of cannon. It is still
kept, in a fortified state and several bat
teries frown on the city below. Most of the
buildings of which the castle is composed
are of but little interest to the traveler. 