_Edinburgh._
"The Queen of the North" has contributed five majestic views to Colonel
Batty's important Series. Each of them is engraved "in the first style of
art," as a prospectus would say, and there is no falling off in points of
interest from the Parts of this work which have already been laudatorily
noticed in the _Mirror_.
The Vignette of this Part is Edinburgh Castle, from the Grass Market, in
which the fine old fortress is seen towering in all its picturesqueness
and romantic beauty. Here and there it has some of the indistinctness of
hoar antiquity: its fadings away are beautifully characteristic. The
houses in the Grass Market are boldly contrasted with the Castle, and the
"spirit" inscriptions on the Stablers are as distinct as the most panting
soul could wish them. The Engraver is R. Brandard.
Edinburgh, from the Calton Hill, is the _first_ view. This is, as observed
in the letter-press, "the most comprehensive view of Edinburgh, and we may
add, one of the grandest and most remarkable scenes in any city of
Europe." From this point of view, "both the New and Old Cities, with their
communications, come at once under our observation; the neat and handsome
modern edifices of the New Town on the right hand, contrast with the old
grey piles of building on the left. The bold slopes of the Pentland hills
bound the distance on the left, while the more gently indulated
Corstorphine hills close the horizon on the right." This description is
correct in its shades. The murkiness and smoking chimneys of the
Old Town are admirably relieved by the splendid vistas of Princes-street
and the New Town. Upwards of twenty public buildings, most of them of
great beauty, may be distinctly counted in this scene. It is engraved in
the best style of Mr. George Cooke, one of the best _view_ engravers of
the day.
The Calton Hill forms the _second_ plate, showing those splendid tributes
of Scottish patriotism--the National Monument, Playfair's Monument, and
Nelson's Monument. Would that we had some such site in or near our
metropolis, whereon we might offer up our tributes to departed genius.
What an honourable testimony of national gratitude is the monument to
Nelson! and how emblematic of "the Modern Athens" are the fine classic
columns of the National Monument. Playfair and the Observatory Entrance
remind us of Scotland's meteor-like pride in modern science; and the
beetling brows of Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags over the lower portion
of the Old City in the valley below are well contrasted with these stately
embellishments of art. The plate is well engraved by J.H. Kernot.
The New Royal High School, the _third_ plate, is a superb building, and
merits especial notice, in association with the intellectual character of
the city. The Temple of Theseus, at Athens, has furnished models for its
beautiful columns. "The Regent Road, forming the new and noble entrance to
Edinburgh, serves as a terrace in its front." Here again the
indistinctness of the Old Town aids the fine effect of the new buildings.
This plate is for the most part brilliantly executed by E. Goodall.
Edinburgh, from St. Anthony's Chapel, is the _fourth_ plate, and certainly
not the least striking of the whole, although its chief merit is in the
distance, which, for distinctness and delicacy, is admirable. Holyrood and
its decaying Chapel, seen from this point, are beautifully made out, and
the picturesque but massy form of the Castle fades away in the extreme
distance. The foreground is bold and bright, but the distant details of
the view are the charm of the picture. The engraver is W.I. Cooke. "The
view of Edinburgh from this point will give a correct idea of the relative
situations of the Castle and Calton Hill at opposite extremities of the
city."
Edinburgh from the ascent to Anthony's Seat is the _fifth_ plate. Here we
scarcely know which to admire most, the beautiful work and etchy spirit of
the mountainous foreground, the minuteness and delicacy of the distant
city, or the actual brightness of the Firth of Forth broken by the "noble
breast-work of Salisbury Crags and the point of the Cat's nick." The
Crags, it will be recollected, are about 550 feet above the level of the
Firth of Forth: a few sheep lie scattered about them, and the part of
Arthur's Seat on the left; the straggling pedestrians in the path to the
Cat Nick are of emmet-like proportions. This plate is by W.R. Smith.
By the way, what a delightful Series will be these views of European
cities for the walls of a cheerful breakfast parlour, or to alternate with
well-filled cases of books. How pleasant it will be to sit in one's
arm-chair, and look around upon "the principal cities of Europe." We say
"for the walls," since these Prints are too valuable to be hid in folios,
or pasted in albums. Frame-work, we know, is an expensive affair; but
Colonel Batty's Views are worthy of oak and gold; and a good plan is to
put them in one broad oak or maple frame, with gold moulding, dividing the
views by bar-work. They will be then both elegant and intellectual
furniture.
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