The Royal Exchange, situated on the north side of the High Street, was begun the 19th of June 1754, and cost 31,4571. It is in the form of a square. The north side is 111 feet in length ; in the centre of this side, there are four Corinthian pillars. The or side next the street, is composed of an and is only one story high.
Of a more recent date, the College, which formerly consisted of mean buildings, was begun to be entirely rebuilt from a design by Robert Adam. It is yet far from being completed; but the street front, and the south western part of the square, have been roofed. We do not consider the site of the edifice as favourable. The noisy streets by which it is surrounded must be equally obnoxious to the professors and students. The justly celebrated architect has added nothing to his fame by the street front. The projections in the centre and at the extremities destroy simplicity. The large semicircu lar openings near the base of the extreme breaks, appear to weaken those parts which ought to appear strongest. The large semicircle over the entrance is objectionable, being too glaring a feature. The portico is too small for the front, and it is also unnecessarily broken by pro jections and recesses. In the interior of the square, the rich Ionic arcade in the angle accords but ill with the meanness of the other part which has been executed.
In the new Courts of Justice now building in the Par liament Square, the Ionic screens of columns are raised upon too high a basement ; and a number of breaks de stroy the unity of the design. Indeed, we much doubt if any arrangement of Greek or Roman architecture could, in this situation, produce an effect equally fine with that of the style which has been superseded.
The buildings we have hitherto noticed are all situated in the old part of the city of Edinburgh; and, beside these, there are several others of no inconsiderable me rit, but our limits preclude all attempts at describing them. For farther information we must therefore refer to Mr A rnot's excellent book. But, previous to quitting the ancient part of the city, we cannot help expressing our regret, that any style of architecture later than the castellated dwelling has been admitted within its pre cincts, The smooth regularity of outline, projecting or open colonnades, corridors, and spacious Venetian win dows, invented in a more southern climate, are little in character with the irregular but magnificent features of an ancient British city. We are aware, that, in regard to the appropriation of private property, all direct inter ference is inadmissible ; but, in public buildings, the pro per character might have been preserved, and by the aid of judicious architects, the style of even private build ings might have been preserved sufficiently correct. The
local boundary of the ancient city is, however, perfectly distinct, and in one evidently wholly new there is less impropriety in a change of style. Even here we doubt if the Greek or Roman modes be the most appropriate ; but these having been generally adopted, we shall, in the present hasty remarks, consider them as subject to those regulations 'and practices.
In the New Town, the first building in point of time or consideration is the Register Office, which contains the public records of the kingdom. It is situated front ing the bridge which connects the new with the old city. It would have appeared to greater advantage if removed farther back, upon the more elevated ground which is immediately behind it. Mr Robert Adam made the de sign, and it was begun on the 27th June 1774. This building, both externally and internally, reflects great credit on the architect. The original design, as given in the works of Robert and James Adam, has in the cen tre a magnificent circular saloon, covered and lighted by a dome. This saloon is surrounded by small apartments, and the whole of these inclosed by buildings in the shape of a parallelogram. By this ingenious, contrivance, the admission to all the apartments, and affording light to the whole, is perfectly accomplished. Only a part of this masterly plan has been executed, but even this composes an apparently complete building. That the external fea tures have also been the result of much attention, is evident from the chasteness of the details. A greater degree of magnificence, we will venture to say, might have been obtained by keeping the basement of the prin cipal front lower, adding to the magnitude of the order, and continuing a full colonnade for the whole distance be tween the breaks at the extremities of the building; also continuing a range of pilasters, with full entablature, along each end ; having no Venetian windows, nor semi circular arches, in the principal front ; making fewer windows, and those nearly double their present size, in the upper range ; having no pediment in the centre, nor small cupolas at the extremities ; and by rendering most part of the roof visible. The tei race in the front has a good effect; but one direct broad flight of steps up to it, would have been preferable to the present small circular ones.