Edinburgh Tourism, 1861

While researching nineteenth century tartan books earlier today, I discovered Black's Picturesque Tourist of Scotland: a guidebook to Scotland published in Edinburgh in 1861.  It's full of lovely illustrations and hilarious price guides, but my favorite part are the exploratory walking routes around various cities-especially Edinburgh.  In the introduction to the chapter on Edinburgh, Black's remarks:

"The resemblance between Athens and Edinburgh, has been remarked by most travellers [sic] who have visited both capitals, has conferred upon the Scottish metropolis the title of 'The Modern Athens'....Dr. Clarke remarks that the neighbourhood of Athens is just the Highlands of Scotland enriched with the splendid remains of art...The natural and artificial beauties of the place, however, are not its only attractions.  Many of its localities teem with the recollections of the past, and are associated with the events of deep historical importance; others have been invested with an interest no less engrossing by the transcendent genius of Sir Walter Scott, whose novels have not only refreshed and embellished the incidents of history, but have conferred on many a spot, formerly unknown to fame, a reputation as enduring as the annals of history itself.
In literary eminence, the University of Edinburgh claims a distinguished place.  At the commencement of the present century it displayed an array of contemporaneous talent unequalled before by any similar institution; and we have only to remind our readers of the names of Robertson, Playfair, Leslie, Black, Cullen, Robison, Blair, Dugald Stewart, Brown, Gregory, and Munro, to vindicate this assertion.  This high status has been honorably maintained by successors among whom are numbered some of the most distinguished men of modern times.
...The climate in Edinburgh, although it cannot be called mild or genial, is yet eminently salubrious; and favourable, not only to longevity, but to the development of the mental and physical powers."
(pp. 16-8)

Yay!  The entire book is totally adorable.  If you'd like to read it for yourself, it's available on Google Books in its entirety.  Here it is :)