There are other two institutions on a smaller scale : one called the Repository, which is a wareroom where the better class of females may privately send their work to be disposed of; the other called the lIouse of Indus try. The latter is for the purpose of affording assistance to aged females wanting employment, and for training the young to industry. It is divided into three branches; spinning, the manufacture of lace, and a school for ser vants. The spinners have sometimes amounteeto 30, and the lace-workers to 24, several under 12 years of age. Each is paid for the work performed, after deduc tion for materials and the expence or the institution.
The charitable institutions of Edinburgh, which have no permanent funds like those already described, or do not make such a prominent figure, are extremely nu merous and useful. There is a Lancastrian School So ciety, having three large schools under its care, where the children of the poor are well taught, partly gratis, and partly at a very cheap rate. Toe Kirk Sessions have also a Lancastrian School under their manage ment, and ten Sunday Schools, attended by alniot 6, poor children, who go regularly to church, and are it, structed by competent masters in the principles of re ligion. A Gratis Sabbath School Societe. instituted many years ago, has done much good. The hu•ibt r of their schools at present is 55, and the number or lat pits 3170. The annual experaliture is about IN 1. or Is. 31. for each individual. 'here are various other charity schools. A school for the deaf and dumb 1; taught by Mr Kinniburgh with much skill and suc cess. A Destitute Sick Sac], ty, and two Female So cieties, for the relief of aged and indigo nt women, have rendered very meritorious services to the lower classes of the community. The Edinburgh Missionary Socie ty, the Auxiliary (to the London) Missionary Society, the Edinburgh Bible Society, with its various subordi nate branches, the Religious Tract Society, the Society for Propagating liehigicus Knowledge in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, the Society for Promoting Re ligious Knowledge among the Poor, the Gaelic School Society, the Society for the Erection and Support of Schools in Ireland, the Society for the Sons of the Clergy, the African and Asiatic Society, may all be mentioned as affording favourable views of the religi ous zeal and benevolent spirit of the metropolis of Scot land.
The commercial establishments of this city, in which the public at large may be said to be concerned, chamber of commerce, (wherein matters connected with the advantage of trade and manufactures are suggested,) banks, and insurance offices. There are three public banks, ten private banking compa.nies, and about twen ty-five agencies for country banks, besides the business done for London. All the public banks issue notes, of from one pound to one hundred in value ; and these are also issued by three of the private companies, but of smaller amount, as we believe none are above 20/. In the year 1695, the Bank of Scotland, commonly called the Old Bank, was constituted by act of parlia ment ; the stock of the proprietors being then only 100,000/. Now it amounts to a million, or more. An elegant and commodious edifice has lately been erected near the south end of the hound, opposite to the High Street, for conducting the business of the hank. The architecture is greatly admired, front unit ing an elegance and simplicity free of needless deco ration ; but this can only be said with regard to the front and one of the sides, for the remainder of the building bears no distant appearance to a great tower of modern structure. Nothing can be more extraordi nary than selecting the spot on which it is founded, the back being exposed to the principal street of Edin burgh, and rising 100 feet perpendicularly ; while the front, being on the top of a declivity, behoved to be restricted to very moderate height. It is ornamental, therefore, only in one point of view ; and from Prince's Street, the extreme disproportion is disguised by a kind of curtain, consisting of a wall with a stone balustrade, about half way from the foundation. On the front there is a coat armorial, with supporters as large as life, which was executed by an artist with only one hand. lobby is very spacious ; the door-ways supported by pillars ; and there is a teller's room, of an octagonal fi gure, fifty fact in length.
The Royal Bank was constituted in 1727, by royal charter, on 111,000/. of original stock ; which was, in 1738, enlarged to 150,000/.; and now it is a million, or more. Business is transacted in a mean looking build ing down a lane of the Street, in a confined airless situation.