[267] Maitland, in his History of Edinburgh, 1753, says that the encouragement given to the diversions at the house ‘is so very great, ’tis to be feared it will terminate in the destruction of the university. Such diversions,’ he adds, ‘are noways becoming a seat of the Muses.’
[268] The Theatre Royal in Shakespeare Square, where the General Post Office now stands.
[269] Letter of Captain Amory, MS.
[270] The north and south sides only of this square now remain. The west was removed to make a thoroughfare—Marshall Street, connecting Nicolson Square and Potterrow.
[271] The site was midway between Edinburgh and Leith, now represented by Shrub Place.
[272] Sir Walter’s brother Thomas was married to a sister of Mr M’Culloch.
[273] It was also along this road that the anxious citizens, watching on the Castle esplanade, saw the royalist cavalry retiring at full gallop from Coltbridge on the approach of Prince Charlie and his Highland army.
[274] In Mr Lockhart’s clever book, Peter’s Letters to his Kinsfolk, the murderer is called Gabriel. A work called Celebrated Trials (6 vols. 1825) gives an erroneous account of the murder, styling the murderer as the Rev. Thomas Hunter.
[275] See Domestic Annals of Scotland, i. 407.