y through the quaint old
village, and visit, with thrilling interest, the house in which
Shakespeare was born.

From this remarkable vicinity we take passage over the Great Northern
Railroad, by way of Preston and Carlisle, finally reaching Edinburgh,
the thriving and pleasant capital of Scotland.

It is a peculiarly formed city, being built on three parallel ridges of
considerable elevation, and is remarkable for the general excellence and
elegance of its architecture. The older portion of the city is situated
upon the loftiest of the ridges, and on which the houses rise to the
height of nine and ten stories along the edges and on the steep slopes.
The streets in the old town are narrow and irregular. The newer section
occupies a lower ridge, being separated from the old by a valley which
is improved as a public garden and for business purposes. The public
and private buildings are mostly constructed of a white stone resembling
marble, which is quarried in the neighborhood. The population numbers
about three hundred thousand, occupying a territory which measures just
about two square miles. The longest street commences at the Palace of
Holyrood and ends at Castle Hill, upon the summit of which is Edinburgh
Castle, standing four hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea.

[Illustration: EDINBURGH CASTLE.]

This might appropriately be called the city of monuments. Among the most
prominent are statues to Sir Walter Scott, Nelson, Playfair, Professor
Wilson, Allan Ramsay, the Duke of Wellington, and Robert Burns. Scott's
monument stands quite by itself on Princes Street, and rises to two
hundred feet in height. Few monuments in the world equal this Gothic
structure in architectural beauty. The citizens of Edinburgh may well be
proud of their numerous educational institutions and charitable
establishments, in which departments of noble liberality no city in
Great Britain can surpass the Scotch metropolis. Near by Holyrood Palace
are the ruins of the ancient abbey of the same name, founded by David I.
nearly eight hundred years ago. In its chapel Queen Mary was married to
Lord Darnley. In visiting the castle on the hill we are shown the small
room wherein Queen Mary became the mother of James VI., who was
afterwards king of England. The royal infant was lowered from the window
of the little chamber in a basket, when friends received it and thus
saved it from its scheming enemies.

In the High Street we visit the