THE JUVENILES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 44, 4 November 1893, Page 363

THE JUVENILES.

And now what shall be said of Edinburgh, the modern Athens ; so finely situated, and in the new portion, so clean ? It has very truly been written that every street of the old town is haunted with historic personages of bygone times, and much of the new is entwined in the memory with remembrances of gifted men. The Castle being such a prominent object in sight, almost wherever you travel, seemed to demand our first attention, and, having secured a guide, we were fully informed about the working of the drawbridge and portcullis, and shown the State prison where the Duke of Montrose, the Duke of Argyle, Lord Balcarres, and many others had been confined before execution. In one of the Manchester picture galleries (Peel Park, I believe) there is a very striking picture of the Duke of Argyle’s last sleep before execution—a picture once seen never to be forgotten. The room in which Mary of Guise died in 1560, and in which James VI. was born, was duly examined. The room, according to our modern ideas, looked miserably small and poky, such as no lady would use except perhaps as a dress-ing-room at this time of day. The regalia, consisting of crown, sceptre, sword of State, silver rod of office, etc., are displayed near by. It seems that this regalia was lost to sight from 1707 until 1817. Parliament Hall and Argyle Tower have been recently restored at the expense of the late Wm. Nelson, publisher, and there is a splendid exhibit of all kinds of ancient implements of war not to be excelled I suppose anywhere outside of the Tower of London. A famous monster gnn, called Mons. Meg, stands in the King’s Bastion, and is believed to have been used against Dumbarton Castle in 1489. The chapel of Queen Margaret, who died in 1093, is believed to be the oldest building in Edinburgh, and has also lately been restored. The Castle Esplanade has been the scene of dreadful tragedies, omitting altogether the loss of life through wars. In 1538 Lord Forbes was here executed for treason, and Lady Glammis burnt alive only five days afterwards on a false charge. She is said to have been extremely beautiful. Her husband, in making his escape, fell and was dashed to death on the rocks. Five young men were burnt at the stake for Lutheranism, and a sixth escaped.

LITTLE need be said to induce Aucklanders to patronise Tom Pollard’s Liliputian Opera Company. Stevens and his pretty little sister, Quealy, and the rest are firm public favourites in Auckland, and will draw big business. The rapid changes of programme will ensure big patronage every night. The youngsters are excellent in ‘ Mascotte,’ and we advise everyone to see * Erminie,’ one of the loveliest light operas known.

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And Ben Lomond is ever present—his giant head towering 3,192 ft. above the placid waters at his feet — Whose lake in beauty sleeps serene ’Mid silver birch and purple heath. Many fine residences come into view on the islands and mainland as the little steamer on which you travel rounds the headlands, and a place is pointed out on * the island of women ’ where many generations of Highland chiefs have been interred. And Lomond’s breezes deep Soothe many a chieftain's endless sleep. Just to show my readers how expeditiously the canny Scot is now managing these ‘ circular tours ’ I will mention that to accomplish this round trip we had, all in the space of much less than twenty-four hours, to travel by three different lines of railroad, to get on board and journey by four different steamboats and one omnibus. To getout atthe right piers and places, to scramble on board the right steamboats and railway trains at the right moment was a thing I had never thought would be accomplished without mishap, especially when we consider the dreadful names which the Scotch seem to delight in inflicting upon you. Here is a simple one as a specimen—the Craig en doran Pier. Well, this we got round by thinking of Maggie Doran, a good old servant of ours, and we turned up at our hotel for supper, fortunately without mishap. Having travelled now so far into Scotland, and seen so many castles where blood has been shed without stint over and over again, and read of Bannockburn and Flodden Field and other battle fields as we passed in their neighbourhood, we cannot help thinking the land ought to be covered with a sea of blood. Bloody deeds crop up everywhere, and your own blood curdles as you read sometimes of hundreds and thousands being slaughtered in wars, or clannish quarrels, or simple murders like the following legend of the castle of Rothesay, where a deed of horror was committed on the narrow stair behind the ruined chapel:—

J. Martin, photo.

‘ Yet kiss me luvelie Isabel, And lay your check to mine, Tho’ ye bear the bluid o’ the high Steward I’ll woo nae hand but thine.’ ‘ I canna love, I winna love A murderer for my lord ; For even yet my father’s bluid Lies lappered on your sword.’ The morning woke on the ladye’s bower But no Isabel was there. The morning woke on Rothesay tower And bluid was on the stair. And oft in the mirk and midnight hour. When a’ is silent there, A shriek is heard and a ladye seen On the steps of the bluidy stair.

< fur next stopping place was Greenock, a pushing goahead shipping port, with a population of 63,000. Sugarrefining is also extensively carried on here. It is noted as the birthplace of Janies Watt, the inventor of the steam engine in 1736. There is a Watt monument in the town which takes the form of a literary institute and museum. Jean Adams, who wrote the inimitable lyric, ‘ There’s nae luck about the house,' was also born here in 1710 ; and Burns’ Highland Mary lies buried in the West Kirk cemetery. Crowds of pilgrims yearly visit her monument. It is an elegant slab with a group representing the parting of the lovers and the lines by Burns :—

‘ Oh ! Mary, dear, departed shade. Where is thy place of blissful rest?’

She came home to prepare for her wedding,and whilst nursing her sick brother caught the fever. She died, be lived. This neighbourhood is also famous as having been the scene of Henry Bell’s labour to effect steam navigation. In 1812 he launched the Comet, the first vessel built in Europe to be propelled with steam. She was only three-horse power but ran for some time with success between Glasgow and Greenock. There is a model of the vessel in the Glasgow museum. A monument has been erected to his memory near Douglas Castle. Erskine House is a fine residence belonging to the Earl of Blantyre, and Dumbarton Castle, on the north bank, is noted as having been the residence of Sir William Wallace. Mary Queen of Scots resided here for some time. There are sixteen cannon, formerly used in defence of the place, and a collection of ancient arms. A very fine refuge for aged seamen, known as Sir Gabriel Wood’s Asylum, stands on one of the terraces, and shelters seventy aged mariners from all further storms. It is a beautiful stone building with prettily laid-out grounds. The dredging of the Clyde, which has made Glasgow such an important centre of commercial enterprise, was commenced from Greenock, in earnest, in 1768, and has cost up to this time about seven million pounds. Glasgow, that busy hive of human industry, would take a book to itself to describe it thoroughly. I shall trouble my readers with two or three pages only. lam afraid I cannot do it in less space. The new Municipal Buildings, or City Chambers as they are called, are certainly the show of the city. An hour morning and evening is set apart to show visitors round, and truly it was the most beautiful interior we have yet seen. Everything was so new and clean. The main entrance hall and staircases, floors and ceilings are all built in different coloured marbles from Italy, and the scene is fairy-like, enchanting, rich and good —too good for ordinary mortals to use. You feel as if it should be reserved for beings of a higher nature than ordinary common councillors to tread. The erection cost a

quarter of a million of money, so that my readers may guess it is no trumpery erection, and yet, already, the sanitary arrrangements are found defective, and dry rot has shown its horrid presence. A large additional sum will, it is feared, be required to remedy these defects. The receptionrooms and ball-rooms, Council Chambers, library and committee-rooms, are superbly upholstered. The front of the buildings overlook St. George’s Square, which is prettily laid out in flower-beds and lawns. There are numerous statues also around. The Municipal Buildings occupied seven years in building, and were opened by the Queen in 1888. The University Buildings are charmingly situated at the summit of Gilmore Hill, overlooking Kelvin Grove Park. They were commenced in 1866 from plans furnished by the eminent architect, Sir Gilbert Scott, and cost with the grounds over half a million pounds. The foundation stone was laid by the Prince of Wales. The University was not in session, but we went over the buildings and were shown the Randolph addition built ata cost of £60,000, and the Bute addition at a cost of £45,000. There are 2,200 students on the books, but at Edinburgh I believe there are over 4,000. The professors may be equally good and the work done equal, but the fashion predominates in favour of the Edinburgh University titles. The library contains 100,000 volumes.

West End Park is very nicely laid out and with diversified scenery. The museum is one of the most complete of its kind we have yet gone through in the way of models of

boats, machinery, etc. A very interesting feature was the exhibition of raw ores and the manufactured article, such as spoons and other articles through the varied stages until the finished goods were ready to place upon the market. Horns of animals and other raw material is treated in the same way, and as an educational medium for the rising generation (swarms of children were there) the museum must be of the utmost value. Three policemen were in attendance to keep the youngsters from doing injury to the exhibits. The Cathedral is a very fine old building, and dates as far back as 1208, when it was commenced by Bishop Joceline. Many noble families have their last resting places here, and the stained glass memorial windows are very fine. The necropolis stands immediately in the rear of the cathedral, and has some grand monuments, notably those to John Knox, Irvin, and merchant princes. John Knox’s house still stands at Netherbow, Edinburgh, and obstructs improvements by its position, but veneration for the name of the great reformer is strong enough to prevent its removal. It is very dirty, and sadly wants renovation in some way or other. Thanks to letters of introduction which we brought with us from Auckland, we were enabled to spend the greater part of a day at the Fairfield Shipbuilding Works at Govan, where the Atlantic record-breaker, the Campania, and her sister ship, the Lucania, were built. These are immense works covering more than sixty acres, and when busy employ 7,000 hands. The Lucania was lying in the stream, having made on her trial trip 23i miles per hour without being pushed. She is 12,950 tons measurement and 30,000 horse-power. I notice she is to make her maiden trip on September 2nd to New York, and great things are expected of her. Our chaperone over the works was more than kind, explaining the details and working of each machine we were interested in, and where machines were not working having them started for our information as to how some particular piece of work was performed. We saw an immense boiler being rivetted by hydraulic pressure with rivets two inches at least in diameter, and the business was

done as quietly and easily as a lady would crack a filbert with nut crackers at dessert. I will not go further with mechanical details, as they would perhaps not interest my readers. For the same reason I will not say anything about the Dumbarton shipworks which we passed. It is here that the Union S.S. boats are built. Lady Elder, of the Fairfield Works, has given a very fine park to the citizens of Govan. At the present moment the Glasgow Corporation is attempting great improvements in portions of the city where the poorer classes mostly do congregate. The buildings in the old ‘ closes ’ and crowded alleys are being pulled down, and larger, better, and cleaner structures put in their place. But in a pecuniary sense the change, I am told, has not been by any means a success. This, it is thought, may be partly owing to having too many agents to collect rents and look after the property, and now a general ‘ factor ’ is likely to be employed, having charge and being directly responsible to the Council. Before I reached Glasgow I had been led to believe that in many ways the Glasgow Municipal Government was a model highly to be commended for imitation by the Auckland Borough Council : but when I saw how the ratepayers had been saddled with taxes on a quarter of a million spent on such—too grand —chambers, I have thought it best not to say a word in praise of such conduct. Another feature which lam told is very noticeable now in cities in Scotland is the fact that Scotchmen are not so close —so careful of spending the timehonoured‘sax pence.’

The Koyal Institution and National Gallery were, unfortunately, closed for renovation during our visit, so 1 cannot describe their contents. The University was not in session, and as we had so lately looked through the lecture halls and schools and class rooms at Glasgow, we did not care to again spend time in treading these * banquet halls deserted ’ —I mean, of course, where there is a feast of reason and a flow of soul, nothing further. The library, it is said, contains 148,000 volumes. Hugh Miller’s collection of geological specimens is displayed in the Museum of Science and Art. The situation of the University cannot compare with Glasgow, but the spot is historic, as it is said to be the place where Darnley was strangled and his lodgings blown up with gunpowder by Bothwell and conspirators, instigated, it is alleged, by Queen Mary. St. Giles’s Church, the first parish church of Edinburgh, is said to have been founded in the 9th century. John Knox afterwards occupied the pulpit, and the Solemn League and Covenant was first subscribed within its walls. In Roman Catholic times it had forty altars and seventy attendant priests ! Many of the Scottish nobility are interred and have monuments here. Dr. Wm. Chambers spent about £30,000 in its restoration in 1883. It has been remarked to me as somewhat singular that so far as we have travelled the cathedrals in Glasgow and Edinburgh are the only cathedrals at which a regular charge for admission has been made, and also in which photographs and descriptive letterpress are sold. In other religious edifices subscription boxes are placed at the entrances, where all visitors are requested to contribute to-

wards the maintenance of the church or the relief of the poor. But the canny Scot must have the fixed admission fee put down in advance. It was a Scotchman himself who drew my attention to this difference. The view from Calton Hill and Nelson’s Monument on a fine day is grand. St. Mary’s (Episcopal) Cathedral isstill incomplete,although £llO,OOO has been up to this time expended upon it. How much more will be required to finish it I could not ascertain. The Botanic Gardens both at Glasgow and Edinburgh are well worthy of inspection, from the care with which they are kept, and the diversity of plants (named) shown. - But it did seem a little strange to us to find all our common trees and plants—cabbage trees, phormium tenax, tree ferns, and nikaus, etc., etc., —so carefully housed and made so much of. In New Zealand where clearings have to be made they are voted a nuisance. Here they are treasures worth much money. So much for climatic differences. A full day may be very well taken up in examining that historic pile of buildings, Holyrood Palace, the erection oi which was commenced so far back as 1501. Cromwell's soldiers set it on fire (accidentally) in 1650, but it was restored in 1671 9. It is astonishing how we have been turning up traces of Cromwell's doings throughout our peregrinations. The Queen has frequently occupied the royal private apartments here. The picture gallery occupies the north side of the quadrangle, and on the walls hang 106 portraits of the Kings of Scotland, Macbeth amongst the number. In looking over them I was particularly struck with the sameness in the style of treatment, and inwardly remarked that they might all have been painted by one hand. I therefore purchased a guide book to see who was the painter who could give us the portraits of kings dating so remotely as six hundred years before Christ, and so forward to James VIL Judge of my surprise when I found that they had all been painted by a Flemish artist named De Witt ! Darnley’s apartments are shown with the original staircase leading to Queen Mary’s rooms, also Queen Mary’s audience chamber, and the room whence Rizzio was dragged and stabbed to death. There are several portraits of kings and queens in this part of the palace, and antique furniture and tapestries. The abbey is now in ruins, but from what remains it is evident it must have been a beautiful structure. Here many kings (too numerous to particularise) were crowned, married, and buried, as well as the nobility ; and all seems now fast going to decay from the ravages of winter frosts and summer sunshine. There are thousands of visitors pay a visit of inspection every day during summer to that wonderful construction, the Forth Bridge. It is a very pleasant drive of nine miles from Edinburgh along the Queensferry Road, across the historical Cramond Brig, and past Lord Rosebery’s fine estate at Dalmeny. The total length of the whole structure is about li miles, the two central spans being 1,710 feet wide. The headway of each arch is 150 feet over a depth of water of about 200 feet, and what is most remarkable, the viaducts were built Without scaffolding of any kind. The erection was commenced in December 1882, and opened by the Prince of Wales on March 4th, 1890. On arrival of the omnibuses small steamers sail with you underneath, when the immensity of the work strikes you as gigantic. If I remember rightly there are about three times the amount of iron girders used as in the great French work—the Eiffel Tower.

I dare not encroach more upon your space, dear Mr Editor, with descriptions of buildings in and around ‘ Auld Eeekie.’or I should have liked much to have said something about George Heriot’s noble hospital, where 120 boys are maintained and educated, besides assisting also a large number in the Board schools ; also of the Donaldson

Hospital, founded by James Donaldson, an Edinburgh bookseller, who left £200,000 for the maintainanee and education of 230 boys and girls. Noble and blessed benefactors, what grand legacies have been left for all time by Edinburgh publishers—Nelson, Chambers, Donaldson, Adams, and others. But we must leave this great seat of learning, hurry back to old England, and take leave, perhaps for ever, of the Land of brown heath, of shaggy wood. Land of the mountain and the flood. (Z’o be Continued.)