Old Houses in Edinburgh. Drawn by Bruce J. Home. Second
Series. (S. Bagster and Sons. 12s. net.)—Some eighteen months ago we noticed the first volume of this work. The completing part is now before us, and thoroughly justifies the good opinion which we expressed of the first instalment. Edinburgh is full of subjects which appeal to the artist, and Mr. Home has made excellent use of his opportunities. There are twenty-eight plates in this volume, as there were in the first. It is difficult to select where all are worthy of praise. Superior historic interest will sometimes turn the scale. As a picture we like " Milne's Court and the Lawn Market" as well as any. It gives us a somewhat wider view. Interesting as are the foregrounds which con- stitute the majority of these "Old House" drawings, a change is sometimes welcome ; and it is this which we get hero. Of the other drawings we may mention two, moved, it may be, by the curious contrast of the names. One is the house of John Knox ; the other is the house of Deacon Brodie, at one time known as Lord Cullen's Close, These houses, it may be noticed, are the only two in, the High Street which still retain the half-timbered style. An interesting detail is mentioned. In 1645 Edinburgh suffered from a very severe visitation of the plague, so severe that work and business of well-nigh all kinds were suspended. It illustrates
this when we find the date 1645 on the ceiling of the inner room skid 1646 on that of the outer. '
Previous page
