“Since I came here I have witnessed a horrible
calamity. A fire broke out on Monday night in the High Street, raged all night,
and great part of the next day, catching to the steeple of the Tron Church,
which being wood was soon in a blaze, and burned like regular fire-works till
all was consumed. All this while the flames were spreading down to the Cowgate
amongst those closes where the narrowness of the access, and the height of the
houses, rendered the approach of engines almost impossible. On Tuesday night a
second fire broke out in the Parliament Square,
greatly endangering the Courts of Justice, and the Advocates’ more than
princely Library. By great exertions it was prevented approaching this public
building; and Sir William Forbes’
bank also escaped. But all the other houses in the Parliament Square are
totally destroyed; and I can conceive no sight more grand or terrible than to
see these lofty buildings on fire from top to bottom, vomiting out flames like
a volcano from every aperture, and finally crashing down one after another into
an abyss of fire, which resembled nothing but hell; for there were vaults of
wine and spirits which sent up huge jets of flame, whenever they were called
into activity by the fall of these massive fragments. Between the corner of the
Parliament Square and the South Bridge all is destroyed, excepting some new
buildings at the lower extremity; and the devastation
| FIRES IN EDINBURGH. | 373 |
