In the settled peace that came as a result of the squashing of the rebel Stuart claim to the British throne once and for all at Culloden (1746), there followed an outburst of creative energy in the Scottish lowlands born out of the security of victory.

James Boswell David Hume Thomas Telford James Watt Robert Adam Sir Walter Scott The Nor' Loch

Centred on Edinburgh, it became known as the Scottish Enlightenment.

Europe at the time had many regional capitals which were distinguished for the vitality of their social and intellectual life, but the primacy of Edinburgh in this respect was acknowledged by all. The city supported an astonishing array of learned and scientific societies throughout the eighteenth century, all of which contributed to the exceptional intellectual buzz that characterised the Scottish capital.

Paris, London, Vienna and the rest could only look on in envy as one outstanding talent after another came to international prominence from this small corner of the world.

For a country of Scotland's relatively diminutive size to produce such utterly brilliant figures as David Hume, Thomas Telford, James Boswell, Sir Walter Scott, James Watt and Robert Adam within the space of a couple of generations suggests a certain degree of luck, but there were other factors too which made it possible.

Firstly, there was a great tradition of literacy amongst lowland Scots which grew from the need of a staunchly Protestant people to be able to read the Bible.

Secondly, Scotland could boast four ancient universities of real distinction in St Andrews, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Thirdly, 18th century Scotland supported a cultivated aristocracy and middle class whose energies were given a domestic focus in the country's separate (from England) systems of law, education and church.

Last, but perhaps not least, there was no wholesale drain of talent to England and overseas until well into the 19th century. Everything your average genius required was right here.

The most visible evidence of the Scottish Enlightenment was the construction of Edinburgh's New Town, commenced in 1767 to the plan of architect James Craig. The Nor' Loch, a swamp that lay to the north of the medieval city was drained and built upon, creating the biggest and most coherent Georgian housing estate in the world.

Built to house the ever expanding Scottish elite, there is nothing like it anywhere, and it is quite simply a treasure of architectural magnificence to this day.

The New Town was a visible statement of Scotland's confident new position in the world in the second half of the 18th century. Although uniquely adapted to the imperatives of local landscape and stone, the style it adopted was international and cosmopolitan, with local variations.

Much like Hungary within the Hapsburg Empire, Scotland retained its highly articulated personality within the larger entity that was Great Britain. But that larger entity was nevertheless central to its fortunes, and the Lowland-English alliance that eventually produced the Act of Union also gave Edinburgh New Town its nomenclature, almost as if to remind the inhabitants of "North Britain" where the real power lay.

Princes Street is named for the sons of King George III; Queen Street and Charlotte Street for his wife, and George Street for the king himself. Hanover Street is named after the dynasty that some Scots accepted only grudgingly, but whose legitimacy over the Stuart claim to the throne the lowlanders never really questioned when it came to the crunch.