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spinster； he had a rare gift of supplication； and was
known among devout admirers by the name of Angelical
Thomas。 'He was a tall； black man； and ordinarily looked
down to the ground； a grim countenance； and a big nose。
His garb was still a cloak； and somewhat dark； and he
never went without his staff。' How it came about that
Angelical Thomas was burned in company with his staff；
and his sister in gentler manner hanged； and whether
these two were simply religious maniacs of the more
furious order； or had real as well as imaginary sins upon
their old…world shoulders； are points happily beyond the
reach of our intention。 At least； it is suitable enough
that out of this superstitious city some such example
should have been put forth： the outcome and fine flower
of dark and vehement religion。 And at least the facts
struck the public fancy and brought forth a remarkable
family of myths。 It would appear that the Major's staff
went upon his errands； and even ran before him with a
lantern on dark nights。 Gigantic females； 'stentoriously
laughing and gaping with tehees of laughter' at
unseasonable hours of night and morning； haunted the
purlieus of his abode。 His house fell under such a load
of infamy that no one dared to sleep in it； until
municipal improvement levelled the structure to the
ground。 And my father has often been told in the nursery
how the devil's coach； drawn by six coal…black horses
with fiery eyes； would drive at night into the West Bow；
and belated people might see the dead Major through the
glasses。
Another legend is that of the two maiden sisters。 A
legend I am afraid it may be； in the most discreditable
meaning of the term； or perhaps something worse … a mere
yesterday's fiction。 But it is a story of some vitality；
and is worthy of a place in the Edinburgh kalendar。 This
pair inhabited a single room； from the facts； it must
have been double…bedded； and it may have been of some
dimensions： but when all is said； it was a single room。
Here our two spinsters fell out … on some point of
controversial divinity belike： but fell out so bitterly
that there was never a word spoken between them； black or
white； from that day forward。 You would have thought
they would separate： but no； whether from lack of means；
or the Scottish fear of scandal； they continued to keep
house together where they were。 A chalk line drawn upon
the floor separated their two domains； it bisected the
doorway and the fireplace； so that each could go out and
in； and do her cooking； without violating the territory
of the other。 So； for years； they coexisted in a hateful
silence； their meals； their ablutions； their friendly
visitors； exposed to an unfriendly scrutiny； and at
night； in the dark watches； each could hear the breathing
of her enemy。 Never did four walls look down upon an
uglier spectacle than these sisters rivalling in
unsisterliness。 Here is a canvas for Hawthorne to have
turned into a cabinet picture … he had a Puritanic vein；
which would have fitted him to treat this Puritanic
horror； he could have shown them to us in their
sicknesses and at their hideous twin devotions； thumbing
a pair of great Bibles； or praying aloud for each other's
penitence with marrowy emphasis； now each； with kilted
petticoat； at her own corner of the fire on some
tempestuous evening； now sitting each at her window；
looking out upon the summer landscape sloping far below
them towards the firth； and the field…paths where they
had wandered hand in hand； or； as age and infirmity grew
upon them and prolonged their toilettes； and their hands
began to tremble and their heads to nod involuntarily；
growing only the more steeled in enmity with years； until
one fine day； at a word； a look； a visit； or the approach
of death； their hearts would melt and the chalk boundary
be overstepped for ever。
Alas！ to those who know the ecclesiastical history
of the race … the most perverse and melancholy in man's
annals … this will seem only a figure of much that is
typical of Scotland and her high…seated capital above the
Forth … a figure so grimly realistic that it may pass
with strangers for a caricature。 We are wonderful
patient haters for conscience sake up here in the North。
I spoke； in the first of these papers； of the Parliaments
of the Established and Free Churches； and how they can
hear each other singing psalms across the street。 There
is but a street between them in space； but a shadow
between them in principle； and yet there they sit；
enchanted； and in damnatory accents pray for each other's
growth in grace。 It would be well if there were no more
than two； but the sects in Scotland form a large family
of sisters； and the chalk lines are thickly drawn； and
run through the midst of many private homes。 Edinburgh
is a city of churches； as though it were a place of
pilgrimage。 You will see four within a stone…cast at the
head of the West Bow。 Some are crowded to the doors；
some are empty like monuments； and yet you will ever find
new ones in the building。 Hence that surprising clamour
of church bells that suddenly breaks out upon the Sabbath
morning from Trinity and the sea…skirts to Morningside on
the borders of the hills。 I have heard the chimes of
Oxford playing their symphony in a golden autumn morning；
and beautiful it was to hear。 But in Edinburgh all
manner of loud bells join； or rather disjoin； in one
swelling； brutal babblement of noise。 Now one overtakes
another； and now lags behind it； now five or six all
strike on the pained tympanum at the same punctual
instant of time； and make together a dismal chord of
discord； and now for a second all seem to have conspired
to hold their peace。 Indeed； there are not many uproars
in this world more dismal than that of the Sabbath bells
in Edinburgh： a harsh ecclesiastical tocsin； the outcry
of incongruous orthodoxies； calling on every separate
conventicler to put up a protest； each in his own
synagogue； against 'right…hand extremes and left…hand
defections。' And surely there are few worse extremes
than this extremity of zeal； and few more deplorable
defections than this disloyalty to Christian love。
Shakespeare wrote a comedy of 'Much Ado about Nothing。'
The Scottish nation made a fantastic tragedy on the same
subject。 And it is for the success of this remarkable
piece that these bells are sounded every Sabbath morning
on the hills above the Forth。 How many of them might
rest silent in the steeple； how many of these ugly
churches might be demolished and turned once more into
useful building material； if people who think almost
exactly the same thoughts about religion would condescend
to worship God under the same roof！ But there are the
chalk lines。 And which is to pocket pride； and speak the
foremost word？
CHAPTER V。
GREYFRIARS。
IT was Queen Mary who threw open the gardens of the
Grey Friars： a new and semi…rural cemetery in those days；
although it has grown an antiquity in its turn and been
superseded by half…a…dozen others。 The Friars must have
had a pleasant time on summer evenings； for their gardens
were situated to a wish； with the tall castle and the
tallest of the castle crags in front。 Even now； it is
one of our famous Edinburgh points of view； and strangers
are led thither to see； by yet another instance； how
strangely the city lies upon her hills。 The enclosure is
of an irregular shape； the double church of Old and New
Greyfriars stands on the level at the top； a few thorns
are dotted here and there； and the ground falls by
terrace and steep slope towards the north。 The open
shows many slabs and table tombstones； and all round the
margin； the place is girt by an array of aristocratic
mausoleums appallingly adorned。
Setting aside the tombs of Roubiliac； which belong
to the heroic order of graveyard art； we Scotch stand； to
my fancy； highest among nations in the matter of grimly
illustrating death。 We seem to love for their own sake
the emblems of time and the great change； and even around
country churches you will find a wonderful exhibition of
skulls； and crossbones； and noseless angels； and trumpets
pealing for the Judgment Day。 Every mason was a
pedestrian Holbein： he had a deep consciousness of death；
and loved to put its terrors pithily before the
churchyard loiterer； he was brimful of rough hints upon
mortality； and any dead farmer was seized upon to be a
text。 The classical examples of this art are in
Greyfriars。 In their time； these were doubtless costly
monuments； and reckoned of a very elegant proportion by
contemporaries； and now； when the elegance is not so
apparent； the significance remains。 You may perhaps look
with