Altogether built of durable sandstone from quarries in the neighborhood, the general aspect of the houses is that of great solidity. Among the most interesting features of the town are the castle, in which are shown the ancient regalia of Scotland; the parlia ment house, used by the Scottish parliament before the union; St. Giles' cathedral, lately restored, with a magnificent crown on the central tower; the abbey and palace of Holyrood (q.v.); the bank of Scotland, recently rebuilt; the Scott monument, designed by a native self-taught artist; Heriot's (q.v.) and Donaldson's (q.v.)hospitals; the general register house, where all heritable titles and state documents are recorded and preserved; the post-office; the royal institution, where the royal' society. and the society of anti quaries of Scotland, meet; national gallery; the university and museum of science and art; the Episcopal churches (St. John's and St. Paul's); and the banks, clubs, insurance offices, and hotels of Princes street and George street. The unfinished national monu ment on the Calton hill is striking from its position. An Anglican a new infirmary have been built. The country round E. is finely varied. From Arthur's seat and Salisbury crags, on the s.e., the eye wanders to the Braid hills on the s., and the richly wooded Corstorphine hill on the w., all within a mile or two of the town; while further off begin the Pentland hills, 4 m. to the s.e.; and to the n. the firth of Forth, and the Fife coast and hills, form a magnificent background. The climate is bracing and healthy, although the situation is exposed, not so much rain falling as on the w. coast, and high winds are very prevalent.
E. is not an important manufacturing town, though it derives considerable commer cial importance from its various banks and insurance offices, round which revolves no mean portion of the monetary capital of Scotland. The principal industries are brew ing (two thirds of all the ale or beer brewed in Scotland 0. made in or near E.), print ing and publishing with the kindred arts (see BOOK-TRADE), distilling, ironfounding, tanning, and coaclibuilding, manufacture of articles in India-rubber, of house-furniture, and of jewelry, and the rearing of young trees in nurseries in and around the town, for which the climate is favorable.
E. is the place of residence of considerable numbers 9f the Scottish landed gentry, and_ its society is regarded as unusually polished from the predominance of the professional and literary elements in its composition. This arises partly from its being a university
town, and partly from the presence of the supreme law courts of Scotland (see COLLEGE OF JUSTICE), all the important legal business being attracted thither on that account; the Edinburgh lawyers have charge of most of the landed estates throughout the northern part of the kingdom, so that there is an unusual number of advocates (barris ters), writers to the signet, and solicitors (attorneys and conveyancers), and accountants. Its medical practitioners—surgeons and physicians—have a high reputation. E. is much resorted to for the sake of education, for its university (q.v.) and medical schools, its high school, and its various other educational institutes. The Free church and 'the United Presbyterian church have each a well-equipped divinity hall in E. The open ing in 1869 of the merchant company's schools, which (by utilizing certain surplus hos pital funds) provide high-class instruction at moderate charges for about 5,000 male and female pupils, has added to the influx of residents desirous of availing themselves of this boon. For the poorer classes, part of the enormous funds of George Heriot's charity have been diverted for cheaper schools throughout the town. Fettes college is a foun dation school on the model of Rugby and Eton, and is a handsome edifice.
E. is largely resorted to by visitors to the Highlands of Scotland, and has an unusual number of hotels. There are two theaters, and abundance of amusement, including a large open-air gymnasium. In the southern environs are fine open links or downs, where the game of golf (q.v.) has been played from time immemorial. Excellent street cabs are to be found, and tramways are laid to the suburbs.
E. is the seat of various Scottish boards (poor-law supervision, lunacy, fisheries, school, northern light-houses, etc.); in it the Established and Free churches hold their annual assemblies and courts, as do the United Presbyterians.
E. is a royal burgh, governed by a town-council composed of 41 members. The town-council elects from its own body a lord provost and six bailies, who constitute the civic E. is represented by two members in parliament.
In 1821, the pop. was 112,235; in 1861, it was 167,851; and in 1871, 196,979. Num ber of inhabited houses, 10,529; parliamentary and municipal constituency (1878-79), 28,342.