all os ae 
ea eh sen Rat 
See Sh A ee 
KT. 28.] JOURNAL. 97 
morning, and by which, if I am so fortunate as to 
obtain a seat, I may expect to reach Edinburgh be- 
fore daybreak. 
WATERLOO — EpINBURGH, 
vening, January 3, 1839. 
This is my first day in Auld Reekie ; and my first 
business, on sitting down by my quiet and comfortable 
fireside, shall be to give you a brief account of this 
day’s work. After taking a reasonable modicum of 
tea I spent the whole of last evening at Kinross in 
writing, until two o’clock, at which hour the mail- 
coach punctually made its appearance; and there was 
fortunately room inside. We drew up at the post 
office at Edinburgh at half past six in the morning 
(vaining as usual). I took possession of a very com- 
fortable, even elegant room, very different from the 
six feet by nine bedrooms of most hotels. This is the 
finest hotel I have yet seen; the Adelphi at Liverpool 
is not to be mentioned in comparison. I threw myself 
on the bed and slept for an hour or two. On waking 
I drew up the curtains of my windows, and had all at 
once a magnificent view of this picturesque city, which 
startled me. From descriptions and a few prints I 
have somewhere seen I find I had formed a very cor- 
rect view of this city, as far as it went. It is the finest 
town I have seen or expect soon to see. It owes much 
of its beauty to its peculiar site, and to the manner in 
which the old town acts as a foil to the new. Imme- 
diately after breakfast I sallied forth, walked down the 
street, uncertain which of my letters of introduction I 
should first attempt to deliver; decided for Greville ;1 
Robe . Greville, M 1794-1866; author of Scottish Cryp- 
togamic Flora Flora eae and Alge Britannice. 
