The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fair Maid of Perth, by Sir Walter Scott

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Title: The Fair Maid of Perth

Author: Sir Walter Scott

Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7987]
Posting Date: July 27, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIR MAID OF PERTH ***

Produced by Martin Robb

THE FAIR MAID OF PERTH

or

ST. VALENTINE'S DAY

By Sir Walter Scott

INTRODUCTORY.

The ashes here of murder'd kings Beneath my footsteps sleep; And yonder
lies the scene of death, Where Mary learn'd to weep.

CAPTAIN MARJORIBANKS.

Every quarter of Edinburgh has its own peculiar boast, so that the city
together combines within its precincts, if you take the word of the
inhabitants on the subject, as much of historical interest as of natural
beauty. Our claims in behalf of the Canongate are not the slightest.
The Castle may excel us in extent of prospect and sublimity of site; the
Calton had always the superiority of its unrivalled panorama, and has of
late added that of its towers, and triumphal arches, and the pillars of
its Parthenon. The High Street, we acknowledge, had the distinguished
honour of being defended by fortifications, of which we can show no
vestiges. We will not descend to notice the claims of more upstart
districts, called Old New Town and New New Town, not to mention the
favourite Moray Place, which is the Newest New Town of all. We will not
match ourselves except with our equals, and with our equals in age only,
for in dignity we admit of one. We boast being the court end of the
town, possessing the Palace and the sepulchral remains of monarchs,
and that we have the power to excite, in a degree unknown to the less
honoured quarters of the city, the dark and solemn recollections of
ancient grandeur, which occupied the precincts of our venerable Abbey
from the time of St. David till her deserted halls were once more made
glad, and her long silent echoes awakened, by the visit of our present
gracious sovereign.

My long habitation in the neighbourhood, and the quiet respectability of
my habits, have given me a sort of intimacy with good Mrs. Policy, the
housekeepe