the expedition of humphry clinker-第70章

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The　civil　regulations　of　this　kingdom　and　metropolis　are　taken
from　very　different　models　from　those　of　England；　except　in　a　few
particular　establishments；　the　necessary　consequences　of　the
union。　　Their　college　of　justice　is　a　bench　of　great　dignity；
filled　with　judges　of　character　and　ability。　　I　have　heard　some
causes　tried　before　this　venerable　tribunal；　and　was　very　much
pleased　with　the　pleadings　of　their　advocates；　who　are　by　no
means　deficient　either　in　argument　or　elocution。　The　Scottish
legislation　is　founded；　in　a　great　measure；　on　the　civil　law；
consequently；　their　proceedings　vary　from　those　of　the　English
tribunals；　but；　I　think；　they　have　the　advantage　of　us　in　their
method　of　examining　witnesses　apart；　and　in　the　constitution　of
their　jury；　by　which　they　certainly　avoid　the　evil　which　I
mentioned　in　my　last　from　Lismahago's　observation。

The　university　of　Edinburgh　is　supplied　with　excellent　professors
in　all　the　sciences；　and　the　medical　school；　in　particular；　is
famous　all　over　Europe。　　The　students　of　this　art　have　the　best
opportunity　of　learning　it　to　perfection；　in　all　its　branches；　as
there　are　different　courses　for　the　theory　of　medicine　and　the
practice　of　medicine；　for　anatomy；　chemistry；　botany；　and　the
materia　medica；　over　and　above　those　of　mathematics　and
experimental　philosophy；　and　all　these　are　given　by　men　of
distinguished　talents。　What　renders　this　part　of　education　still
more　complete；　is　the　advantage　of　attending　the　infirmary；　which
is　the　best　instituted　charitable　foundation　that　I　ever　knew。
Now　we　are　talking　of　charities；　here　are　several　hospitals；
exceedingly　well　endowed；　and　maintained　under　admirable
regulations；　and　these　are　not　only　useful；　but　ornamental　to　the
city。　Among　these；　I　shall　only　mention　the　general　work…house；
in　which　all　the　poor；　not　otherwise　provided　for；　are　employed；
according　to　their　different　abilities；　with　such　judgment　and
effect；　that　they　nearly　maintain　themselves　by　their　labour；　and
there　is　not　a　beggar　to　be　seen　within　the　precincts　of　this
metropolis。　It　was　Glasgow　that　set　the　example　of　this
establishment；　about　thirty　years　ago。　　Even　the　kirk　of
Scotland；　so　long　reproached　with　fanaticism　and　canting；　abounds
at　present　with　ministers　celebrated　for　their　learning；　and
respectable　for　their　moderation。　　I　have　heard　their　sermons
with　equal　astonishment　and　pleasure。　　The　good　people　of
Edinburgh　no　longer　think　dirt　and　cobwebs　essential　to　the　house
of　God。　　Some　of　their　churches　have　admitted　such　ornaments　as
would　have　excited　sedition；　even　in　England；　a　little　more　than
a　century　ago；　and　Psalmody　is　here　practised　and　taught　by　a
professor　from　the　cathedral　of　Durham：　　I　should　not　be
surprised；　in　a　few　years；　to　hear　it　accompanied　with　an　organ。

Edinburgh　is　a　hot…bed　of　genius。　　I　have　had　the　good　fortune　to
be　made　acquainted　with　many　authors　of　the　first　distinction；
such　as　the　two　Humes；　Robertson；　Smith；　Wallace；　Blair；
Ferguson；　Wilkie；　&c。　and　I　have　found　them　all　as　agreeable　in
conversation　as　they　are　instructive　and　entertaining　in　their
writings。　These　acquaintances　I　owe　to　the　friendship　of　Dr
Carlyle；　who　wants　nothing　but　inclination　to　figure　with　the
rest　upon　paper。　The　magistracy　of　Edinburgh　is　changed　every
year　by　election；　and　seems　to　be　very　well　adapted　both　for
state　and　authority。　　The　lord　provost　is　equal　in　dignity　to　the
lord　mayor　of　London；　and　the　four　bailies　are　equivalent　to　the
rank　of　aldermen。　　There　is　a　dean　of　guild；　who　takes　cognizance
of　mercantile　affairs；　a　treasurer；　a　town…clerk；　and　the　council
is　composed　of　deacons；　one　of　whom　is　returned　every　year；　in
rotation；　as　representative　of　every　company　of　artificers　or
handicraftsmen。　Though　this　city；　from　the　nature　of　its
situation；　can　never　be　made　either　very　convenient　or　very
cleanly；　it　has；　nevertheless；　an　air　of　magnificence　that
commands　respect。　　The　castle　is　an　instance　of　the　sublime　in
scite　and　architecture。　　Its　fortifications　are　kept　in　good
order；　and　there　is　always　in　it　a　garrison　of　regular　soldiers；
which　is　relieved　every　year；　but　it　is　incapable　of　sustaining　a
siege　carried　on　according　to　the　modern　operations　of　war。　　The
castle　hill；　which　extends　from　the　outward　gate　to　the　upper　end
of　the　high　street；　is　used　as　a　public　walk　for　the　citizens；
and　commands　a　prospect；　equally　extensive　and　delightful；　over
the　county　of　Fife；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Frith；　and　all　along
the　sea…coast；　which　is　covered　with　a　succession　of　towns　that
would　seem　to　indicate　a　considerable　share　of　commerce；　but；　if
the　truth　must　be　told；　these　towns　have　been　falling　to　decay
ever　since　the　union；　by　which　the　Scots　were　in　a　great　measure
deprived　of　their　trade　with　France。　　The　palace　of　Holyrood…house
is　a　jewel　in　architecture；　thrust　into　a　hollow　where　it
cannot　be　seen；　a　situation　which　was　certainly　not　chosen　by　the
ingenious　architect；　who　must　have　been　confined　to　the　site　of
the　old　palace；　which　was　a　convent。　Edinburgh　is　considerably
extended　on　the　south　side；　where　there　are　divers　little　elegant
squares　built　in　the　English　manner；　and　the　citizens　have
planned　some　improvements　on　the　north；　which；　when　put　in
execution；　will　add　greatly　to　the　beauty　and　convenience　of　this
capital。

The　sea…port　is　Leith；　a　flourishing　town；　about　a　mile　from　the
city；　in　the　harbour　of　which　I　have　seen　above　one　hundred　ships
lying　all　together。　You　must　know；　I　had　the　curiosity　to　cross
the　Frith　in　a　passage　boat；　and　stayed　two　days　in　Fife；　which
is　remarkably　fruitful　in　corn；　and　exhibits　a　surprising　number
of　fine　seats；　elegantly　built；　and　magnificently　furnished。
There　is　an　incredible　number　of　noble　houses　in　every　part　of
Scotland　that　I　have　seen。　　Dalkeith；　Pinkie；　Yester；　and　lord
Hopton's　＇Hopetoun's＇；　all　of　them　within　four　or　five　miles　of
Edinburgh；　are　princely　palaces；　in　every　one　of　which　a
sovereign　might　reside　at　his　case。　　I　suppose　the　Scots　affect
these　monuments　of　grandeur。　　If　I　may　be　allowed　to　mingle
censure　with　my　remarks　upon　a　people　I　revere；　I　must　observe；
that　their　weak　side　seems　to　be　vanity。　　I　am　afraid　that　even
their　hospitality　is　not　quite　free　of　ostentation。　I　think　I
have　discovered　among　them　uncommon　pains　taken　to　display　their
fine　linen；　of　which；　indeed；　they　have　great　plenty；　their
furniture；　plate；　housekeeping；　and　variety　of　wines；　in　which
article；　it　must　be　owned；　they　are　profuse；　if　not　prodigal　　A
burgher　of　Edinburgh；　not　content　to　vie　with　a　citizen　of
London；　who　has　ten　times　his　fortune；　must　excel　him　in　the
expence　as　well　as　elegance　of　his　entertainments。

Though　the　villas　of　the　Scotch　nobility　and　gentry　have
generally　an　air　of　grandeur　and　state；　I　think　their　gardens　and
parks　are　not　comparable　to　those　of　England；　a　circumstance　the
more　remarkable；　as　I　was　told　by　the　ingenious　Mr　Phillip　Miller
of　Chelsea；　that　almost　all　the　gardeners　of　South…Britain　were
natives　of　Scotland。　The　verdure　of　this　country　is　not　equal　to
that　of　England。　　The　pleasure…grounds　are；　in　my　opinion；　not　so
well　laid　out　according　to　the　genius　loci；　nor　are　the　lawns；
and　walks；　and　hedges　kept　in　such　delicate　order。　　The　trees　are
planted　in　prudish　rows；　which　have　not　such　an　agreeable　natural
effect；　as　when　they　are　thrown　into　irregular　groupes；　with
intervening　glades；　and　firs；　which　they　generally　raise　around
their　houses；　look　dull　and　funereal　in　the　summer　season。　　I
must　confess；　indeed；　that　they　yield　serviceable　timber；　and
good　shelter　against　the　northern　blasts；　that　they　grow　and
thrive　in　the　most　barren　soil；　and　continually　perspire　a　fine
balsam　of　turpentine；　which　must　render　the　air　very　salutary　and
sanative　to　lungs　of　a　tender　texture。

Tabby　and　I　have　been　both　frightened　in　our　return　by　sea　from
the　coast　of　Fife　　She　was　afraid　of　drowning；　and　I　of　catching
cold；　in　consequence　of　being　drenched　with　sea…water；　but　my
fears　as　well　as　hers；　have　been　happily　disappointed。　She　is　now
in　perfect　health；　I　wish　I　could　say　the　same　of　Liddy　
Somethi