Edinburgh, Feb. 14
Scotland is peculiarly happy in the number of her sons whose philanthropic instincts, patriotism, and deal for the cause of education have inspired generous gifts and bequests. Every city, and not a few of even the smaller towns, furnishes striking examples. The long list which Edinburgh boasts is headed by the Court jeweller and banker of James the Sixth of Scot-Jand and First of England, George Heriot, the Gingling Geordie" of Szott's "Fortunes of Nigel." Than Heriot's Hospital there is no educational institution in our midst which bulks go largely in the popular imagination, none in which all classes, lettered and unlettered, take so much interest. ''Heriot's Wark" is as perennial as the Castle Rock or Arthur's Seat. And always acted with great discretion and have been fortunate. - From feueduties they draw now about £30,000 a year.
For many years Heriot's was managed after the fashion of Christ's Hospital, but the scholars no longer live in the palatial building designed by Inigo Jones. Foundations are still supported, but the funds of the trust are mainly devoted to the support of the great Heriot Watt College and the provision of University and other bursaries. So, in rich and cverincreasing measure, the bounty of the worthy "Jeweller of His Majesty King James the Sixth" continues to pour forth on success sive generations of the youth of his country, aiding, stimulating and encouraging the advance of educa-to say that wherever there are Scotsm! is there are Herioters axiom of tic. the tercentenary Heriot's death is being celebrated this week in Kdinburgh.
George Heriot succeeded his Jather og a goldsmith in Edinburgh, and occupied a booth, 7 ft. 6 in. squarc—one of those bottle shops which, in Stevenson's phrase, were "plastered like so many swallow's nests among the buttresses of the old Cathedral" of St. Giles. He was the goldsmith to the Court, and with a King who was continually in a state of impecuniosity and a Queen who had an inordinate fondness for jewellery of every discription, it was no wonder that so shrewd a business nan as Heriot found himself on the topmost crest of the wave of prosperity. Heriot's Hospital is an enduring testimony of the foibles of James VI. and his Queen, Anna of Denmark. Had it not been for the gross extravagance of the former and the bejewelled magnificence of the latter, it might never have been built. Soon after King James went to London in the spring of 1603, on his accession to the English Crown, Heriot followed him, and he was at once appointed one of the three Court jewellers, George Heriot died in 1623, and bequeathed the main part of his fortune to his native city of Edinburgh, "for the mainetnamce, re-life, bringing up, and education of the poor fatherless boys, freemen's sonnes of the town of Edinburgh." The institution was "in imitation of the. public, pious, and religious work founded within the City of London called Christ's Hospital." Heriot left -instructions that the Governors were to purchase Jand in close proximity to the city from time to time as opportunity occurred and the funds of the trust would permit. This they did until Heriot's Trust has become the biggest landholder in Edinburgh. The Governors have AYR'S AULD BRIG, _Scotsmen all over the world will rejoice at the favourable conclusion of a movement which has strikingly evinced the hold of Robert Burns over the hearts of his fellow-coun-{trymen. By, the "pressure of Scottish public inion, Ayr Town Council have at. Fast been forced to abandon the proposed scheme to reclaim part of the bed of the River Ayr above the harbour tween the Auld and New Brigs of Ayr. Some time ago, when the matter was first mooted, tne proposals were widely discussed in the Press as likely to interfere with the amenity of the Auld Brig of Ayr, immortalized by Robert Burns. the recommendation, also, of the Ancient Board of Scotland, the Government Office of Works has decide to include the Auld Brg in the list of national monuments. This means that the local authori without giving notice, do anything ies of Ayr cannot in the future,
in the way of demolishing, 1e-moving in whole or parts, structurally altering, or making additions to the monument.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.