THE "Fiddler's Close," 75 High Street, of which two views are presented, afforded perhaps the best specimen extant of the style of building followed in the seventeenth century in the Glasgow closes, with its gable-like fronts, steep thatched roofs, and "crow steps," outside stairs, and wooden projections to extend the space within, but diminish the already too narrow breathing space of the lane without Up till the close of the last century this locality afforded residences to a highly respectable middle class of people, some of them possessed of considerable means, and whose descendants now occupy a prominent position amongst our mercantile aristocracy, and reside in the spacious west-end mansions. For many years before its re-construction, however the dwellings fell into the possession of the lower class of Irish. As they paid no rent, and could not easily be ejected, the houses became delapidated, and finally so ruinous and insecure, that they were ordered down, by decrees of the Dean of Guild Court, in the end of 1848 and beginning of 1849. No part, therefore, of the picturesque old dwellings represented in the drawings now exists. A respected teacher in George's Square, who passed his early years in this close, informs us that in his time, when the locality was tenanted by the sedate natives of the city, the voice of prayer morning and evening, was heard from every dwelling. He remembers when the first Irishman wriggled himself into the locality. The man was tolerated by the Scotch inhabitants by reason of his agreeing to keep the close clean; and accordingly, for a small pittance, Paddy did duty with his besom daily. He and his family, however, were looked on as a kind of pariahs, and had no intercourse with the rest of the neighbours. The wedge thus introduced, the Irish in due course got possession of the Fiddler's Close altogether, and eventually they "finished" it. The friend to whom we have alluded kindly supplies the following:-

"I was born in the Fiddler's close previous to the commencement of the present century, and resided in it for several years. The change that has come over it is sad indeed. At the time alluded to all the families residing in it were highly respectable. I recollect of one gentleman of the name of Donaldson, who wore a cocked hat, hand-ruffles, and powdered hair He held a good state in this now delapidated lane, and I have seen all the carriages and sedan chairs at that time for hire in the town waiting to take a party of ladies and gentlemen home from Laird Donaldson's rout I have the honour to be acquainted with a lady, now residing in Ayrshire, who keeps her carriage and lives in good style, and is not ashamed to tell that she first saw the light in the Fiddler's Close. I cannot speak positively as to the origin of the name "Fiddler's Close," but I think it has arisen from being at one time the head-quarters of the principal teasers of catgut in the west of Scotland. In my young days several fiddlers resided in the close. They were all respectable men, and some of them were possessed of property. In the winter season they were engaged performing at parties at the noblemen's and gentlemen's families in the neighbourhood - such as Sir John Maxwell's of Pollok, Sir John Stewart's of Castlemilk, etc.; and they had also lucrative employment in teaching the violin. Old people then residing there have told me that, from their earliest remembrance, there were always fiddlers living in this spot Cunningham, the famous Glasgow musician, kept up the connection by marrying a fine young lady who was born in this close.