In November 1833, the Edinburgh committee had collected £5534, a sum sufficient to insure the construction of a substantial cenotaph. The question of a site arose next. Among those suggested were the space in the Lawn Market, bounded on the east by St Giles' Church; the west end of Princes Street opposite to St John's Church; the foot of St David Street near Queen Street Gardens; the open space at Picardy Place; the rocky angle at the north-east corer of the Calton Hill; Charlotte Square, Moray Place, and Randolph Crescent. The committee suspended their decision, and in thirty-two newspapers advertised for designs. These were lodged with the secretary on the 1st September 1836. Fifty-five were offered. For each of the three best the committee adjudged prizes of fifty guineas. One of these bore the signature "John Morvo," the name of a master mason, commemorated in the abbey of Melrose. It was assumed by George Meikle Kemp, then a working joiner. Kemp had studied the peculiarities of Gothic architecture in different parts of the kingdom, and latterly added to his emoluments by architectural sketching.
The committee, not quite satisfied with any of the designs received, advertised a second time. Among those who joined in the new competition were Sir William Allan, David Roberts, R.A., and William H. Playfair, the well-known architect. Kemp lodged his former design, considerably amended. It was adopted by the committee on a majority of twenty-one to ten, in April 1838. At the same time Mr John Steell, the distinguished sculptor, was commissioned to prepare a marble statue of Sir Walter, to be placed under the canopy of the structure. The site was fixed in Princes Street, opposite to South St David Street. The architect had designed the monument to reach the height of 180 feet, but the committee's funds did not justify their proceeding on so large a scale. In May 1840 an auxiliary committee undertook to procure the balance.
An Act of Parliament securing the site having been obtained, the foundation stone was, on the 15th August 1840, laid by Sir James Forrest of Comiston, Bart., Lord Provost of the city, and Grand Master Mason. A metallic plate deposited in the foundation stone bore the following inscription, composed by Lord Jeffrey: "This graven plate, deposited in the base of a votive building on the 15th day of August 1840, and never likely to see the light again till all the surrounding structures are crumbled to dust by the decay of time or by human or elemental violence, may then testify to a distant posterity that his countrymen began on that day to raise an effigy and architectural monument to the memory of Sir Walter Scott, part., whose admirable writings were then allowed to have given more delight and suggested better feeling to a larger class of readers in every rank of society, than those of any other author, with the exception of Shakspeare alone, and which were therefore thought likely to be remembered long after this act of gratitude on the part of the first generation of his admirers should be forgotten. He was born at Edinburgh, 15th August 1771, and died at Abbotsford 21st September 1832."
The monument was, at the cost of upwards of £1500, founded on the solid rock, fifty-two feet under the level of Princes Street. It assumes the form of a Gothic spire, and may be thus described. From each corner of a raised platform of masonry rise elegantly clustered columns, from which spring four grand Early English arches, which converge into a vaulted roof crossing each other by ribbed groinings with beautifully-carved bosses, and terminating in a richly ornamented pendant or drop centre. The arches are successively supported by projecting buttresses also arched upon clustered columns, and after ascending to the first gallery spring into the open air to the height of ninety-eight feet, and terminate in pinnacles carved with crockets and crowned with richly ornamented finials. The connecting buttresses are decorated with large niches adorned with brackets and canopies, and each of the abutment towers at the height of the first gallery has two chaste and tastefully-wrought gargoyles in the form of grotesque griffins. The pilasters which separate the different clustered pillars that support the roof of the structure, are crowned with finely-ornamented capitals, containing likenesses of sixteen Scottish poets.
The lateral towers are connected with the central one by means of flying buttresses, and with spandrils and crockets. The four principal arches and buttresses sustain an open trellis, which extends round the building in front of the first gallery. On a level with this gallery is an apartment used as a Waverley Museum. From the gallery rises the principal tower. On each side is an arched window. A flying staircase leads to the third gallery. Around are towers, buttresses, pinnacles, arches, crockets, corbels and finials-in all the rich profusion of Gothic architecture. On reaching the fourth gallery the view is grand in the extreme. At each successive stage are elegantly-sculptured niches, intended for statues illustrative of the poet's works. The height of the Monument (increased beyond the original design) is two hundred feet six inches above the level of Princes Street. It is ascended by 289 steps.
The monumental statue under the canopy represents Sir Walter in a sitting attitude, with the ample folds of a Scottish plaid hanging loosely about him, and his favourite hound Maida at his feet. Mr Steell has seized the moment when the great novelist has just recorded some of his imperishable thoughts in the volume which is in his hand, and he has communicated to the features a look of complete abstraction, while the dog, as if startled by the closing of the book, is in the act of lifting up its head to catch the expression of its master's countenance. The statue was inaugurated in 1846. The block of marble from which it was chiselled, contained 200 cubic feet, and weighed upwards of 25 tons. The monument is constructed of sandstone from Binny Quarry. The funds raised by the original and auxiliary committees amounted to £17,243, 4s. The sum of £1871, 12s. 8d., was expended in procuring subscriptions. For the statue, Mr Steell received £2000-eight small statues cost £179, 5s. 10d. a sum of £460, 3s. 5d. was lost by a contractor, and a railing was constructed at the expense of £147, 13s. 6d. The balance, amounting to £13,584, 8s. 6d., was expended in the monumental fabric.
Persevering as were their labours, the auxiliary committee were unable to procure funds sufficient to provide statues for all the niches. Thirty niches are still unoccupied, but Mr James Ballantyne, the esteemed Scottish poet, is now exerting himself to complete the work. The sum of £2000, Mr Ballantyne believes, will suffice to provide the remaining statues.
On the memory of Sir Walter Scott is to be conferred a new honour. There is to be a centenary celebration of his birth. All classes, including the most illustrious, have resolved, on the hundredth anniversary of his natal day, co testify their hearty appreciation. His praise will be celebrated in every town—descanted on in every hamlet His poetry will be rehearsed in scenes which his poetical descriptions have rendered famous; and in every spot celebrated by his pen, flying banners and an assembled population will testify to the potency of his' enchantment. The keenest trader will for a time sacrifice before the shrine of genius; abandoning his counting-house and his ledger to do reverence to the memory of one whose writings have cheered his home circle, and amidst corroding cares awakened within him pleasurable emotions.
Nor may the ordinary caviller begrudge the tribute. Of these centenary honours three Britons only have been deemed worthy; Shakspeare, Burns, and Walter Scott. All these have exalted and purified human nature, and, by the force and splendour of their genius, fitted mankind more fully to appreciate and enjoy the forthgivings of a higher and nobler inspiration.