Various improvements in the city and its suburbs are in contemplation. The most important of these is the new access to Edinburgh from the east over the Calton bill. We have not room for any minute description of it. But when we think of the continuation of Prince's Street through Shakspeare Square—the magnificent bridge that is to connect it with the hill,—the elegant and spacious public buildings that are to be erected there—the new town which is to be built on the eastern declivity—and the rich, magnificent, and extensive pros pects which are to be seen from the eminence in every direction, and to which there will now be the greatest fa cility of access—we figure to ourselves one of the most tasteful improvements that have yet taken place about Edinburgh, and one of the grandest and most enchant ing scenes that can be seen in any part of the world. It is but justice to record, that though the plan which embraces so much advantage, and so much beauty, was suggested a long while ago, we believe by more than one individual, we are indebted for the efficient pro duction and application of it to Mr William Trotter, one of the magistrates of the city, into whose spirited views, the Lord Provost, all the members of the Town Council, and the Sheriff of the county, entered with a readiness and ardour which are highly honourable to our municipal rulers.
In respect to the condition and character of the citizens, few observations will suffice. Though some of the inhabitants be in independent circumstances, af fluence is rarely enjoyed, and many have nothing but a precarious income from personal labour. The ex pence of subsistence, and the burdens to which they become liable, are very great. One cannot live in his own house without being subjected to at least 50 per cent. of taxation on its annual value. A considerable portion of this is levied by the magistracy for public pur poses. The charge for subsistence is daily augmenting ; lodging, provisions, public burdens, are all increasing ; nor can those economical means of living be resorted to here, which are said to be practicable in some other great cities. A single gentleman, living in lodgings on the most moderate scale, must spend at least 2001. per an
num ; and a family, of ordinary size, living in a house rented at 801. or 1001. can scarce live, with all due eco nomy, under 5001. a year. The innumerable applica tions for aid to public charities form no inconsiderable item in the accounts of the year, though half are re jected. But the great expence consists in lodging and the common articles of subsistence ; and when the edu cation of a family is added, it requires the utmost fru gality to remain on a par with the same rank of so ciety.
The public amusements are the theatre, concerts, and assemblies. The theatre is small, plain without, but neatly fitted up within ; when very full it produces about 1801. when overflowing, about 2001. On the whole, it is but poorly attended ;—seldom or never crowded, indeed, except when an actor of first rate ta lents happens to perform. Card assemblies can scarcely obtain a company, and dancing assemblies are full but seldom throughout the winter. The rooms are admi rably adapted for this amusement, one being 94 feet long by 42 in width, and 40 high ; besides others suf ficiently spacious. A concert on an excellent principle subsisted near a century, but it was given up about the year 1797, from want of attendance. Another was es tablished in 1809, under the name of the Amateur Con cert, where it was intended the performance should chiefly be by gentlemen. After subsisting two seasons, it also was abandoned, from the city producing too few amateurs to preserve the performance in the style that was desirable. Public places are now very much su perseded by private parties, which are preferred, for reasons that we have not leisure to investigate, nor li mits to detail.
The manners of the inhabitants of Edinburgh are characterised by sobriety and decorum. \Ve meet with elegance among the higher ranks ; respectability and good sense among the middle classes; honesty and in dustry among the common people ; and such a degree of intelligence among all, as the literary metropolis of a well-educated kingdom might have taught us to ez• pect. (c)