The one peculiar glory of this humble place remains to be
mentioned—its being the birthplace of Sir Walter Scott. In the third
floor of the house just described, accessible by an entry leading
to a common stair behind, did this distinguished person first see the
light, August 15, 1771. It was a house of plain aspect, like many of
its old neighbours yet surviving; its truest disadvantage, however,
being in the unhealthiness of the situation, to which Sir Walter
himself used to attribute the early deaths of several brothers and
sisters born before him. When the house was required to give way for
the public conveniency, the elder Scott received a fair price for his
portion of it; he had previously removed to an airier mansion, No. 25
George Square, where Sir Walter spent his boyhood and youth.
[Illustration: 25 George Square.]
In the course of a walk through this part of the town in 1825, Sir
Walter did me the honour to point out the site of the house in which
he had been born. On his mentioning that his father had got a good
price for his share of it, in order that it might be taken down for
the public convenience, I took the liberty of jocularly expressing
my belief that more money might have been made of it, and the public
certainly _much more_ gratified, if it had remained to be shown as the
birthplace of a man who had written so many popular books. ‘Ay, ay,’
said Sir Walter, ‘that is very well; but I am afraid I should have
required to be dead first, and that would not have been so comfortable,
you know.’
In the transition state of the College, from old to new buildings, the
gate at the head of the wynd was shut up by Principal Robertson, who,
however, living within the walls, found this passage convenient as an
access to the town, and used it accordingly. It became the joke of a
day, that from being the principal gate it had become only a gate for
the Principal.[207]