Dunbar, another royal burgh, and a sea-port, is situated on the east coast of the county at the en trance to the Frith of Forth, twenty-seven miles east from Edinburgh. It is a place of great antiquity, and, with its castle, makes a considerable figure in Scottish history, having been the theatre of many important events before Britain was united under one sovereign; but for the history and antiquities of the county we must refer to Chalmers's Caledonia, Vol. II. Shipbuilding, with the making of sail cloth and cordage, founderies, soap-woaks, and, in its vicinity, spinning mills and a cotton factory, are carried on to a small extent ; and Dunbar has occa sionally taken a share in the northern whale fishery; the herring fishery also employs a number of people in its season ; but the town is chiefly supported by the export of corn, and the import of the articles re quired for the internal consumption of the county. In 1811, the town and parish of Dunbar contained a population of nearly 4000, and at present the num ber is stated at 4500.
The only other royal burgh is North Berwick, a sea-port to the north-west of Dunbar, nine miles from Haddington, and twenty-two from Edinburgh, having a population of about 800, with very little trade. North-Berwick-Law is a noted land-mark to mariners ; two miles eastward, on a high rock sur rounded on three sides by the sea, are the ruins of Metal/an Castle, formerly one of the strongholds of the House of Douglas, which was demolished by the Covenanters in 1639.
The villages are Tranent, Prestonpans, noted for its salt-works and potteries, and formerly for an oyster fishery, Ormiaton, Gladsmuir, Gifford, Sal toun, Aberlady, Cockensie, Linton Bridge, Dirleton, and a few others.
The Bass, Craigleith, Fidra, Lamb, and Idris, are islets on the coast. The most noted of these is 'the Bass, a rock about a mile from the shore, a mile in circuit, and inaccessible on all sides, except the south-west. It has a spring of fresh water near the summit, affords pasture for a few sheep, and is fre quented by great numbers of aolan-geese and other sea birds. The situation of this small island occa sioned it to be at different times a military station, a state prison, and a place of resort for pirates, down to so late a period as the Revolution.
Haddingtonshire has produced men of eminence in various departments, among whom the names of Cockburn, Fletcher, Dalrymple, and several mem bers of the Maitland or Lauderdale family, are con spicuous. Dunbar, the poet, was born at Saltoun in
1465; Burnet, the historian, was five years rector of the same parish. Blair, author of the Grave, and John Home, of the tragedy of Douglas, were mini sters of the parish of Athelstaneford. GeorgeHeriot, the founder of the noble charity in Edinburgh which bears his name, was born in the parish of Gladsmuir ; and here Robertson composed his History of Scot land. John Knox, the reformer, one of the most ex traordinary men that any age or nation has produ ced, was born in the suburbs of Haddington in 1505. The house, the place of his birth, which, with a few acres of land adjoining, belonged to a family of his name till lately, is still pointed out to strangers.
There are twenty-four parishes in this county, of which twenty-three belong to the presbyteries of Haddington and Dunbar, and one to the presbytery of Dalkeith. These presbyteries make a part of the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale. The poor are for the most part relieved by voluntary contributions ; and where assessments have been found necessary, they have seldom exceeded 21 per cent. on the real rent, and this is paid in equal moieties by the land. lord and tenant. There is a charitable establish ment for the education of boys at Preston, which was founded by James Schaw, the proprietor of that estate, who died in 1784 ; and another at Saltoun, for the same and other objects, the work of Bishop Burnet, who bequeathed 20,000 merks for it in 1711.
The county of Haddington sends one member to Parliament, and the three burghs of Haddington, Dunbar, and North Berwick, join with Jedburgh and Lauder in electing another. In 1755, the po pulation, according to the returns made to Dr Web ster, was 29,709; and, in 1811, it was 31,164, be ing an increase of about 4/ per cent. in a period of 56 years. The numbers given by the writers of Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland denote a decrease, between 1755 and the years 1790-1797, of 743, the population at the latter periods being only 28,966. We annex an abstract of the census taken in 1800 and 1811. See Somerville's Survey of East-Lothian ; Beautiesof Scotland, Vol. I. ; General Report of Scotland ; Playfair's Descrip tion of Scotland, Vol. I.; and Chahners's Caledonia,