The most comprehensive view of Edinburgh, and, we may add, one of the grandest and most remarkable scenes in any city of Europe, is the view from the Calton Hill.
This eminence is situated at the eastern extremity of the city, and seems to have the same relative bearing to the New Town that the Castle Hill has to the Old Town: a valley formerly occupied by a lake, and still called the North Loch, separates the two; the Old City being built on a narrow ridge of hill on its south side, and the New Town spreading over the more expanded heights opposite to it on the north side.
The chief communications between the New and Old Town are by the North Bridge, which crosses the valley about the centre, and the earthen mound, farther to the west. From the point of view selected, both the New and Old Cities, with their communications, come at once under our observation; the neat and handsome modern edifices of the New Town on the right-hand, contrast with the old grey piles of building on the left.
The bold slopes of the Pentland hills bound the distance on the left, while the more gently undulated Corstorphine hills close the horizon on the right.
We must refer to the key plate for an explanation of the various objects comprised in this scene; the enumeration of them, and a description of their relative positions, would far exceed our limits.
