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a little patience and a taste for exercise and bad air。
To breathe dust and bombazine； to feed the mind on
cackling gossip； to hear three parts of a case and drink
a glass of sherry； to long with indescribable longings
for the hour when a man may slip out of his travesty and
devote himself to golf for the rest of the afternoon； and
to do this day by day and year after year； may seem so
small a thing to the inexperienced！ But those who have
made the experiment are of a different way of thinking；
and count it the most arduous form of idleness。
More swing doors open into pigeon…holes where judges
of the First Appeal sit singly； and halls of audience
where the supreme Lords sit by three or four。 Here； you
may see Scott's place within the bar； where he wrote many
a page of Waverley novels to the drone of judicial
proceeding。 You will hear a good deal of shrewdness；
and； as their Lordships do not altogether disdain
pleasantry； a fair proportion of dry fun。 The broadest
of broad Scotch is now banished from the bench； but the
courts still retain a certain national flavour。 We have
a solemn enjoyable way of lingering on a case。 We treat
law as a fine art； and relish and digest a good
distinction。 There is no hurry： point after point must
be rightly examined and reduced to principle； judge after
judge must utter forth his OBITER DICTA to delighted
brethren。
Besides the courts； there are installed under the
same roof no less than three libraries： two of no mean
order； confused and semi…subterranean； full of stairs and
galleries； where you may see the most studious…looking
wigs fishing out novels by lanthorn light； in the very
place where the old Privy Council tortured Covenanters。
As the Parliament House is built upon a slope； although
it presents only one story to the north； it measures
half…a…dozen at least upon the south； and range after
range of vaults extend below the libraries。 Few places
are more characteristic of this hilly capital。 You
descend one stone stair after another； and wander； by the
flicker of a match； in a labyrinth of stone cellars。
Now； you pass below the Outer Hall and hear overhead；
brisk but ghostly； the interminable pattering of legal
feet。 Now； you come upon a strong door with a wicket： on
the other side are the cells of the police office and the
trap…stair that gives admittance to the dock in the
Justiciary Court。 Many a foot that has gone up there
lightly enough； has been dead…heavy in the descent。 Many
a man's life has been argued away from him during long
hours in the court above。 But just now that tragic stage
is empty and silent like a church on a week…day； with the
bench all sheeted up and nothing moving but the sunbeams
on the wall。 A little farther and you strike upon a
room； not empty like the rest； but crowded with
PRODUCTIONS from bygone criminal cases： a grim lumber：
lethal weapons； poisoned organs in a jar； a door with a
shot…hole through the panel； behind which a man fell
dead。 I cannot fancy why they should preserve them
unless it were against the Judgment Day。 At length； as
you continue to descend； you see a peep of yellow
gaslight and hear a jostling； whispering noise ahead；
next moment you turn a corner； and there； in a
whitewashed passage； is a machinery belt industriously
turning on its wheels。 You would think the engine had
grown there of its own accord； like a cellar fungus； and
would soon spin itself out and fill the vaults from end
to end with its mysterious labours。 In truth； it is only
some gear of the steam ventilator； and you will find the
engineers at hand； and may step out of their door into
the sunlight。 For all this while； you have not been
descending towards the earth's centre； but only to the
bottom of the hill and the foundations of the Parliament
House； low down； to be sure； but still under the open
heaven and in a field of grass。 The daylight shines
garishly on the back windows of the Irish quarter； on
broken shutters； wry gables； old palsied houses on the
brink of ruin； a crumbling human pig…sty fit for human
pigs。 There are few signs of life； besides a scanty
washing or a face at a window： the dwellers are abroad；
but they will return at night and stagger to their
pallets。
CHAPTER IV。
LEGENDS。
THE character of a place is often most perfectly
expressed in its associations。 An event strikes root and
grows into a legend； when it has happened amongst
congenial surroundings。 Ugly actions； above all in ugly
places； have the true romantic quality； and become an
undying property of their scene。 To a man like Scott；
the different appearances of nature seemed each to
contain its own legend ready made； which it was his to
call forth： in such or such a place； only such or such
events ought with propriety to happen； and in this spirit
he made the LADY OF THE LAKE for Ben Venue； the HEART OF
MIDLOTHIAN for Edinburgh； and the PIRATE； so
indifferently written but so romantically conceived； for
the desolate islands and roaring tideways of the North。
The common run of mankind have； from generation to
generation； an instinct almost as delicate as that of
Scott； but where he created new things； they only forget
what is unsuitable among the old； and by survival of the
fittest； a body of tradition becomes a work of art。 So；
in the low dens and high…flying garrets of Edinburgh；
people may go back upon dark passages in the town's
adventures； and chill their marrow with winter's tales
about the fire： tales that are singularly apposite and
characteristic； not only of the old life； but of the very
constitution of built nature in that part； and singularly
well qualified to add horror to horror； when the wind
pipes around the tall LANDS； and hoots adown arched
passages； and the far…spread wilderness of city lamps
keeps quavering and flaring in the gusts。
Here； it is the tale of Begbie the bank…porter；
stricken to the heart at a blow and left in his blood
within a step or two of the crowded High Street。 There；
people hush their voices over Burke and Hare； over drugs
and violated graves； and the resurrection…men smothering
their victims with their knees。 Here； again； the fame of
Deacon Brodie is kept piously fresh。 A great man in his
day was the Deacon； well seen in good society； crafty
with his hands as a cabinet…maker； and one who could sing
a song with taste。 Many a citizen was proud to welcome
the Deacon to supper； and dismissed him with regret at a
timeous hour； who would have been vastly disconcerted had
he known how soon； and in what guise； his visitor
returned。 Many stories are told of this redoubtable
Edinburgh burglar； but the one I have in my mind most
vividly gives the key of all the rest。 A friend of
Brodie's； nested some way towards