Edinburgh - Rouen - York, glimpses, impressions, contrasts.

heroic times of Canada, as oft' I have done, I shall to-night ask your attention and beckon yon to follow me, far from our dear Canadian home.We shall indulge in a ramble, short though it be, over a foreign but not unfriendly land, in that haunted, olden world from whence sprang our fathersWith your permission we shall dwell for a few moments on the performances, follow the foot-prints, treasure up the experience of those who have preceeded us; if possible, benefit by their wisdom, endeavour to learn from them, let us hope, some not useless lessons.A limited but agreable sojourn abroad, which brought me, on many points, to think still higher of my own country, has also ma(}e more manifest to me than it was hitherto, how many useful hints, how many teachings, the records, the monuments, the sights of other cities can furnish.It is my intention to select for our study to- night three conspicuous cities of Europe, in order to seek for contrasts if any, between them and our own ancient town.In the course of my wanderings in England, France, Scotland, Ire.land, Belgium, Holland, &c, no sites, by their historical souve- nirs, edifices, monuments, and scenery, have attracted me more than Edinburgh, Rouen and York; though of course, I have met with cities more wealthy, more extensive, more populous.In fact, there are striking analogies, as well as unmistakable points of contrast, between these antique towns and the capital of this Province, which also happens to be the most picturesque city of North America.A glance at Edinburgh, Eouen.York, may point out how the hand of man can heighten the advantages, add lustre to the charms which nature has conferred and make of a city, " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever."Possibly, we may find that wealth and population in cities, flow through various, sometimes concealed channels; that true progress does not mean a wanton destruction of the externals of a revered past; that whilst a progressive community is expected to throw open its portals to the fertilising wave of commercial activity, it can bo helped to achieve importance, prosperity, nay fame, by preserv- ing intact, for coming generations, as sacred heirlooms, the mo- numents of its history, the landmarks of its patriotic struggles, the remains, in verity, of its former greatness.Let us begin by a short sketch of the " Modern Athens," the Queen City of the North-Edin burg4-whose quaint old, and where in June, 1814, occurred the now famous scene of the " un- wearied hand " which had that night startled William Menzies and his jolly fellow students, convivially engaged, so graphically recalled by Lockhart.(*) The elevated window in the yard oppo&ite, through which the students looked in, on Sir Walter, writing at the table where I now sat, is still the same.My eye scanned it closely, measuring the distance and the extent of the diminutive grass plot, in the little court adjoining Scott's " den " as Lockhart styles it.Alas! how many changes in the Edinburgh world during these sixty-seven intervening years (1814-81) and Scott's memory is still fragrant, nay greener and fresher each year !In this iron age of utiliterianistn.laying aside the intellectual aspect of the question, how much in hard cash have Scott's writings been (*) " Happening to pass through Edinburg, in June 1814, I dined one day with the gentleman in question (now the Honorable William Menzies, one of the Supreme Judges at the Cape of G< od Hope), whose residence was then in George Street, situated very near to, and at right angles with Castle Street.It was a party of very young person-, most of them, like Menzies and myself, destined for the Bar of Scotland, all gay and thoughtless, enjoying the first flush of manhood, with little remembrance of the yesterday, or care of the morrow.When my companion's worthy father and uncle, after seeing two or three bottles go round, left the juveniles to themselves, the weather being hot.we adjourned to a library which had one large window looking northwards.After carousing here for an hour or more, I observed that a shade had come over the aspect of my friend, who happened to be placed immediately opposite to myself and said something that intimated a fear of his being unwell."No," said he, " I shall be well enough presently, if you will only- let me set where you are, and take my chair ; for there is a confounded hand in sight of me here, which has often bothered me before and now it w'ont let me fill my glass with a good will."I rose to change places with him accordingly, and he pointed out to me this hand which, like the writing of Belshazzar's wall, disturbed his hour of hilarity." Since we sat down," he said, " I have been watching it -it fascinates my eye-it never stopspage after page is finished and thrown on that heap of M S , and still it goes on unwearied-and so it will be till candles are brought in, and God knows how long after that.It is the same every nightand I can'not stand a sight of it 1880 Edinburgh-.

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