A final instalment of our visit
to Edinburgh, our capital city, simply
has to have a shot of a piper in full regalia, resplendent in his bearskin
helmet, the busby. Next is St Giles
Cathedral – also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh – with its Gothic
architectural features. It was here in 1559 that John Knox preached the Reformation and was instrumental in
spreading the Presbyterian form of Protestantism throughout Scotland. It was
also the place where, in 1637, Jennie
Geddes, a local street-trader, was said to have thrown her stool at the
head of the minister, James Hannay, Dean of Edinburgh, for daring to introduce
the use of the Anglican-style Book of Common Prayer.
Here we see a statue of David Hume (1711-1776), Scotland’s
greatest philosopher, who was denied a professional chair at any university
because he was a devout atheist! His Treatise
of Human Nature of 1739 was to change the course of European philosophy.
Later he collaborated with Adam Smith,
whose Wealth of Nations of 1776 laid
the foundations for the science of political economy. Hume and Smith were
thinkers of world stature who played significant roles in the Scottish
Enlightenment of the mid-eighteenth century, a phenomenon which, in part, gave
Edinburgh its title The Athens of the North.
These spires seem to express man’s aspirations to
pierce through the cloud-cover of darkness, doubt, uncertainty reaching out
for understanding, knowledge, enlightenment.
The last Scot of note I will
reference is Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94),
the local author of novels such as Kidnapped,
Treasure Island and the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
This is Alexander Stoddart’s sculpture in Corstorphine which holds a plaque of
the author and depicts the final parting of the main characters, Alan Breck and
David Balfour, from Kidnapped.
After all this tourist
stuff, I decided I really wanted us to visit the area of Stockbridge where I lived in St Stephen Street when I began my teaching
career in Penicuik High School. Now by this time I had totally walked the socks off my companions, so it
was only right I should treat them to dinner there.
Quite by chance we stumbled on the Lancers’ Brasserie, a multiple-award
winning Bengali and Indian restaurant in Hamilton Place. It was a welcome haven
for us tired soles – our feet, you see! – friendly service, great value for money
and I had the best chicken kurma, ever! We would highly recommend it.
