20 Mr. G. Turnbull on Edin's Hall, 



such, in comparison of that time which is unknown to us, as if, 

 whilst thou, with thy generals and ministers, art sitting at sup- 

 per, in the season of winter, having a good fire kindled in the 

 midst, and a warm place for the repast obtained, but storms of 

 rain or snow raging everywhere without, a si)arrow were to 

 come in and fly rapidly through the house, entering by one 

 opening and immediately going out by another. So long as it 

 remains within, it is not affected by the storm ; but the short 

 space of serenity being past, it immediately returns into the 

 wintry air whence it came and vanishes from thy sight. So this 

 life of man appears for a moment ; but what is to follow or what 

 preceded it, we are entirely ignorant of. Therefore, if this new 

 doctrine should bring any thing more certain, it seems to de- 

 serve to be followed*." Other members spoke to the same effect ; 

 and after an oration from Paulinus, even the pagan high priest 

 Coiffi expressed his conviction, and then led the way in destroy- 

 ing the temples and idols. 



The illustration given by the ancient Saxon counsellor could 

 hardly have occurred to a modern orator. Accustomed as we 

 are to closed apartments, it would have been inappropriate and 

 far-fetched to have spoken of a fire in the midst of a banqueting 

 hall, and the entrance and flight of a sparrow through it. But 

 these are circumstances very likely to have occurred in a house 

 having no roof, or only a partial one. 



The circumstances now mentioned render it, we think, more 

 than probable that Edin's Hall was really a palace of Edwin, 

 King of Northumbria. 



Edinburgh. — The affinity of the name of this building to that 

 of the metropolis of Scotland cannot but be remarked. Indeed 

 it is now generally held that Edwin was the founder of that city. 

 If this be true, he probably erected there a Burgh or Dun similar 

 to Edin's Hall. Accordingly the place is called Edinburgh (Ed- 

 win's Burgh) in Saxon, and Dunedin in Gselic. 



* " Talis, inquiens, mihi videtur, Rex, vita hominum praesens in terris, 

 ad comparationem ejus quod nobis incertum est temporis, quale, cum te 

 residente ad coenam cum ducibus et ministris tuis tempore brumali, accenso 

 quidem foco in medio et calido effecto coenaculo, furentibus autem foris per 

 omnia turbinibus hiemalium pluviarum vel nivium, adveniensque unus 

 passerum domum citissime pervolarit, qui cum per unum ostium ingrediens 

 mox per aliud exierit ; ipso quidem tempore quo intus est hiemis tempes- 

 tate non tangitur, sed tamen minimo spatio serenitatis ad momentum ex- 

 curso, mox do hieme in hiemem regrediens tuis oculis elabitur." (Beda, 

 Eccles. Hist. lib. ii. c. 13.) We liave translated "ostium" not by the 

 word '* door," but by " opening," because it cannot be assumed that in a 

 period of constant warfare the Saxon chiefs would hold entertainments with 

 open doors amid a hostile j)opulatiou. 



