The Royal Mile is one of the most influential streets in British history. It was the home of both the Scottish Enlightenment and the Reformation. Edinburgh was the home of such influential thinkers as David Hume, Erasmus Darwin, Adam Smith and James Hutton and social reformers such as David Naismith, Thomas Chalmers and John Knox. It is the birthplace of modern parliamentary democracy and also has at the heart of the movement for free education. This free online book celebrates Edinburgh’s rich spiritual history.