8. Boundary Street
[town?]

Oct. 6th 1867.

My Dear Anne,

I received you kind letter last month. I was very glad to hear from you. I thought you rather long in writing, but perhaps I had better not throw the first stone as I myself am rather given to procrastination. however, we must both try to do better in the future.

I am glad to inform you that I am enjoying very good health at present, although I cant say my spirits are very high just now. I am so completely tired of my work. I would have left it before now. but seeing so many off work. I was afraid that I might have to wait a long time before I might get another job. but perhaps I am very much like those poor creatures spoken of in the Bible, who were through fear of death all their lifetime subject to bondage. but I will be out of this. I will try something before long.

I was very glad to hear that you had seen the panorama. It was a very good sight. I saw it when it was in Newcastle.

I have wished many atime that you had been with me to Edinburgh I am sure you would have enjoyed the Trip. It was by far the pleasentest Trip that I have ever had. and Edinh. is by far the grandest sight that I have ever seen.

We went by what is called the Waverley Route. We passed Melrose on our way. I would have liked to have lingered there for awhile. it is a very beautiful spot. but that strong headed Iron Horse of ours would not stay for a moment but galloped past with us against our will No human hand can curb that unruly brute. at least so thought I at the time. but I found out afterwards that it was all done through Kindness. he wanted to get us on to Edin. for Beautiful as Melrose is. It is as nothing compared to Edinburgh.

We landed in to Edin. at about 11 OClock on The Friday morning we had a grand sight of [???] City just as we were approaching the station. on our right was Carlton hill with the Observatory on the Top. and in Front of us was the City, with its grand old Houses rising one above another. while on our [left?] we had a fine view of Holly Rood pallac[e] with Arthurs Seat overlooking it.

My first steps after getting out of the Carriage were directed to the Old Castle. It is built upon a rock Two or Three hundred feet high the rock is almost perpendicular on every side and the walls are built close to the Edge of the Rrock. It must have been impregnable before the invention of Cannon. Even the Old Battering Rams would have been of no use against it. as they could not have reached the walls so they would have had to Batter away at the solid rock.

The principal attractions in the Castle are Queen Mary's Room (The room in which that Old pedantic King James VI was born). and the Regalia of Scotland.

It was very interesting to look upon the old Crown. To think of its history: To think that that which you are looking at once adorned the head of Robert Bruce. And of all the other Scottich Kings & Queens down to that bad, but beautiful women Mary Stuart. What lessons also this Old Crown might teach people if they would only listen to them? how it teaches one the vanity of all earthly honours and all the things which men seek so much after in this world. A Crown is thought to be the most valuable thing which a man can lay hold of. What anxiety? What passions had been aroused? What blood had been shed to obtain possession of And to Keep this Crown? yet here it is chained up within these Iron Railings. but where are they? They all had to leave it. and what good will it do them now? How much better would it have been for them if they had spent half the anxiety & half the labour to have obtained a Crown of Righteousness. which not even death could have taken from them and which would have been as valuable to them now as ever it was. But I must pass on. There are so many Places of interest in Edin. that you cannot spend much time in one.

The Museums Constitute one grand sight in Edin. the Industrial Museum is a most splendid Place. but the Antiquarian Museum most interested me. here you seemed to live in the past: the past as it were became the present. How a horse Shoe from Bannock Burn or a Spur from Flodden Field called up before your mind all the Circumstances and particulars of those Battles. These relics seemed like Keys to our memories. they unlocked all the stores of the Knowledge which one had of those Battles previously. I saw so many things of interest in there that I can only mention a few. I saw Some of the hand writing of Mary Queen of Scots. the pulpit out of which John Knox poured out his Thunderings against the Papacy. I saw a Brace of Pistols that Belonged to Robert Burns. the spurs of Gustavus Adolphus. But that which most interested me was the original paper with all the subscribers names on of the Declaration of the Solemn League And Covenant.

I saw several other interesting Places in Edin But I can only run over a few of Them, I saw the Grass Market. where all the Martyrs were burned. the House in which Burke & Hare carried on their nefarious Trade. I was in Cannongate Churchyard and saw the Burial Places of Dugald Stewart. Adam Smith And of Ferguson, The Poet, over whom there is a monument erected by Robert Burns. I saw the Old Tolbooth, known, as you will see in Walter Scots novel, as The Heart of Mid Lothian. I saw also John Knoxes House & St. Giles Church in which he preached, And a great many other places which I Cannot Mention now, I may merely mention The Old Pallace. and then conclude, as I am afraid that I will have exausted your Patience. at least I have my own. I was in the Old Pallace on the Saturday Morning. The Pallace derives its principal interest from the circumstance of its having been the scene of Rizzios Murder And to me, this was the most interesting Place in Edin. as I had been reading a life of Mary Stuart, by Lamartine, only a short time before. I had thus all the particulars of the Murder fresh in my memory. I found the Rooms in exactly the Same condition as Lamartine describes them to have been at the time of the Murder. Even the very Curtains are still hanging over the door of Queen Mary's Room, which Ruthven was seen to lift when he and the other of the Kings followers rushed in to murder Rizzio. I was in the little room where the Queen & Rizzio were at supper when the murderers entered and I tried to bring to my memory all the particulars of the murder. and I will assure you my impressions were so strong that I almost thought I saw Saw the very deed enacted afresh before me I would have liked to have given you a short account of the Murder but you may have read it yourself and I have not room now but how much more interesting history is, when you can thus visit the very places where the events related occured. Shakespere says that trees have toungues, but I almost thought that the old very walls of The Old Rooms had toungues and seemed to tell me all about the murder

You asked me if I had been to my Uncles. I will assure you I have not and I do not intend to go untill I have been invited again. if then When is your time up at Mrs. Shinwells? is it this month or next. Please to write soon and give me all news hoping you are good health

Give my Kind love to John & Polly.

I am your Affe. Bro.
T. Watson

8. Byron St.
Shielfield.

Aug. 28th /68.

Dear Anne,

You must excuse me for having been so long in answering your kind letter, as I have been kept so busy. & being in Newcastle I did not receive it for a few days after you sent it.

I have been over here about a week. I will return to Seaham to Morrow. I am happy to say I am still keeping better. I would like to come home for a week or so to see how you are getting on, as you wont tell me anything about the business &c. but I must defer it for the present.

I was glad to hear that you had such a pleasent day at the Wedding. I have not the least dout Anne but that you would look the best of any person there. even though (as you says) you had your old clothes on. for, dressed as you may, you always look well. Mind I say not this through Flattery, but through Conviction, but how was it that you had your Old Clothes on? had Phebe not got her jacket made?.

I was sorry to hear that some one had taken the Portraits as I am afraid that I will not be able to get any more. who got Cuthberts?.

Mother & I were seeing my Uncle Tom last Friday. he is a little slender man. less than our Cuthbert. He was very much Pleased to hear that I was called after him. he came and shook my hand several times.

And now I must draw to a close. Mother wishes you to send her a grey Petticoat if you have not sent the Parcel yet, you need not send my coat, as I never wear any but my best. the others are so threadbare.

Mother has been expecting a letter from you but she has not got any, Please to write soon and tell us how Stephen is getting on with the business.

Give my kind love to Phebe. tell her I will write to her next. Remember me to my Friends. Mother & John join in kind love to you all and excuse this scribble from

your Affec.ate Bro
Tom Watson