Travel Essays · Chapter
New Town—Town and Country explained
Stevenson contrasts the New Town of Edinburgh with the Old, defending its picturesque qualities against architectural critics.
What happens
Stevenson contrasts the New Town of Edinburgh with the Old, defending its picturesque qualities against architectural critics. He reflects on how the city's layout offers surprising views of the countryside, and meditates on the interplay between urban life and nature, the persistence of rural hamlets within the growing city, and the childhood memories that blend town and country.
Themes in this chapter
Nature and the Sublime
Stevenson emphasizes the surprising views of hills, sea, and countryside from within the city, and the ameliorating influence of nature on urban life.
Human Connection and Community
The chapter reflects on the social life of the city, the festival atmosphere of Princes Street, and the lingering rural communities within Edinburgh.
Mortality and the Passage of Time
Stevenson muses on the slow changes of the city, the persistence of old hamlets, and the memories of childhood that blend past and present.
Characters to notice
- Old Edinburgh
The Old Town is contrasted with the New Town, praised for its antique character and picturesque qualities.
- Robert Fergusson
Mentioned as Edinburgh's poet and Burns's model, who once saw a butterfly at the Town Cross.
- Burns
Referenced as having been inspired by Fergusson, his model.
Key passages
“It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.”
Critics routinely praise the Old Town while condemning the New Town as a symbol of poor architecture.
Stevenson sets up the common critical view before offering his own defense of the New Town.
“An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: 'The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind a matter of a point free.'”
A sailor, unburdened by aesthetic theories, described his ideal paradise as the New Town of Edinburgh with a favorable wind.
Stevenson uses the sailor's simple appreciation to contrast with highbrow criticism.
“Into no other city does the sight of the country enter so far; if you do not meet a butterfly, you shall certainly catch a glimpse of faraway trees upon your walk; and the place is full of theatre tricks in the way of scenery.”
No other city offers such frequent and surprising views of the countryside, with theatrical glimpses of distant trees and landscapes.
Stevenson highlights the unique visual interplay between urban and rural in Edinburgh.