EDINBURGH. 



337 



Excise Of- 

 fice and 

 Custom 

 House. 



Charitable 



Edinburgh, whole house is under excellent management ; and pri- 

 ^ ~~ ' soners, except for the infamy, find it a lighter punish- 

 ment to be sent there a second time than at first. 



There are an excise-office and a custom-house in this 

 city, not far from each other ; both of which were ori- 

 ginally built by priyate gentlemen for their own accom- 

 modation. The former is a neat plain edifice, stand- 

 ing in St Andrew's Square, receding from the street. 

 The other is inferior in appearance, and stands on low- 

 er ground, in London Street. A great deal of business 

 is done in these offices, particularly in the former. 



Having described the principal buildings, and their 

 institutions, uses, which, in a civil light, are the concern of the com- 

 munity at large, we shall now say a few words on the 

 charitable institutions of this city, and then proceed to 

 consider the literary establishments. 



These institutions are either for the relief of the sick 

 and infirm, for the education of unprotected youth, or 

 for the poor and aged. That on the largest and most 

 Hospitals important scale is the Royal Infirmary, which is a spa- 

 lor the sick, cious building, near the University, consisting of a 

 main body 2 10 feet in length, by 36 wide, and two 

 wings, 74 feet long, by 24 in breadth . A statue of 

 George the Second, in a Roman dress, stands in anich 

 in the front, with an inscription on either side, " I was 

 naked, and ye clothed me ;" " I was sick, and ye vi- 

 sited me." The building is laid out in ditFerent wards; 

 and there is a large room at the top, lighted from above, 

 wherein operations are performed ; hot and cold baths 

 below ; and cells for the restraint of persons insane. 

 A spacious court, where a centinel is always posted, 

 fronts the whole. This institution is now under a sy.-tem 

 of management, which meets with much approbation : 

 it is attended by two ordinary physicians, anil six sur- 

 geons, the two senior of whom take cliarge of the pa- 

 tients and operations. An exact register is kept of the 

 different diseases, their progress, and symptoms ; and, 

 as the students at the university have an opportunity 

 of attending the Infirmary, it may be said to constitute 

 .1 medical school of itself. The different patients are 

 classed according to the diseases with which they are 

 afflicted ; and two wards are allotted to the professor 

 ot' clinical surgery in the University, on the cases of 

 which he delivers lectures. The Infirmary can accom- 

 modate 250 patients at a time, or a greater number on 

 urgent occasions ; and about 2000 individuals are ad- 

 mitted yearly. Of these, between Q5 and 110 die; 

 so that the average of deaths scarce exceeds the propor- 

 tion of one to twenty ; which is extremely small, con- 

 sidering the number of desperate cases which must 

 constantly occur. Patients are admitted on recommen- 

 dation of respectable persons, -who engage, in event of 

 their decease, to become liable for the funeral charges. 

 The funds of this institution are partly certain, partly 

 casual ; and the expenditure is dependent on the price 

 of commodities, and the number of patients in parti- 

 cular years ; but the charge*, at an average, do not 

 exceed I..:; -tcrling for the relief and maintenance of 

 each, which is a satisfactory proof ot the mode in which 

 the funds are administered. 



Queensberry House, a large old mansion in the Ca- 

 nongate, has lately been acquired by government, and 

 converted to a military hospital exclusively. 



A lying-in hospital, formerly a private dwelling- 

 house, in Park Place, is appropriated for the reception 

 of females in indigent circumstances, who are there 

 attended and maintained until recovery. In the year 

 1776, a public dispensary was planned by Dr Duncan, 



VOL. V1JI. PAHT I. 



afessor of the, theory of physic, which has Edinbiu-i. : - 

 eat utility in affording advice, and supplying """V" " ' 



senior, pro 

 been of great 



medicines to the poor. Numerous patients are relieved, 

 and accounts of the progress of the different diseases 

 are preserved. The Dispensary stands in North Rich- 

 mond Street. 



The principal hospital in Edinburgh for the mainte- Heri 

 nance and education of youth, owes its origin to the 

 benevolence of George Heriot, jeweller to King James 

 VI. who died the year preceding that monarch. After 

 various interruptions, his intentions were fulfilled, by 

 completion of the edifice since called by his name, in 

 1()50, and at an expence of L.30,000 ; a very large sum 

 at that period. Instead of being then applied to its 

 original purpose, Oliver Cromwell having taken pos- 

 M'-sion of the city of Edinburgh, converted it into a mi- 

 litary hospital ; but General Monk, several years after, 

 in 1659, at request of the managers, agreed to with- 

 draw his troops. This is a great quadrangular edifice, 

 of irregular Gothic architecture, with a court within, 

 and a well in the centre. On one side of the court is 

 a statue of the founder, which is carefully decorated 

 with flowers on the anniversary of his birth, when all 

 the objects of his benevolence walk in procession to the 

 Greyfriars' church in the neighbourhood, to hear pub- 

 lic service ; on which occasion the magistrates of the 

 city are present. Each side of the building is 162 feet 

 long, and the court within 91-, both being square. 

 There are 200 windows, almost, all of which, to grati- 

 fy one of the executors of the founder, are ornamented 

 with different devices ; and the high angles of the edi- 

 fice are crowned by turrets. The chapel is rather more 

 than 61 feet by 24, and paved with black and white 

 marble. There are different schools ; apartments for 

 the governor and attendants ; and a kitchen, which was 

 partly fitted up under the inspection of Count Rum- 

 ford, during his residence in this country. The situa- 

 tion of Heriot'* Hospital is extremely favourable : it 

 stands in die middle of a small field, with some fine old 

 trees around it : on the north it communicates with the 

 city, though quite detached from all other buildings; and 

 a path from the south leads to the country. The pur- 

 pose of the endowment is for the maintenance and edu- 

 cation of indigent children, the sons of the burgesses and 

 freemen of Edinburgh ; and the numbers depend on the 

 state of the funds, conjoined with applications for admis- 

 sion. At first only Sy were received, in the year 1659 ; 

 in 1753 there were 130; in 1778, 110; but now, in July 

 1814, there are no less than 1 75. The average expence 

 of maintaining each, including the necessary expenditure 

 of the institution, is about L. is yearly. On youths lea- 

 ving the hospital to follow trades, L.50 is paid as appren- 

 tice-fee for them ; and those attending a university, with 

 the view of preparing themselves for learned profes- 

 sions, are allowed u bounty of I. .150. Thus, there is 

 much liberality practised to promote their welfare-. The 

 funds of this hospital are ample; and, as a large pro- 

 jxjrtioii consists in land in the immediate vicinity of 

 Edinburgh, they have increased wonderfully of late, 

 and are likely to augment still farther. At present, the 

 annual revenue is reputed to be about L.8500. Re- 

 cent reforms have greatly improved the whole establish- 

 ment : the salary of a treasurer newly appointed, is 

 raised to L.500, which is found to be more economical 

 than under former arrangements, permitting him to 

 furnish certain necessary articles for common use. 



Not far from this hospital, and still more without Watson's 

 the precincts of the city, is another endowed by George Hospitat 

 3 T 



