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time and application, that are neceffary to read his works, in the original, might not be more pleafingly and more ufefully employed, in perufing the productions of thofe, for whom he only prepared the way in the wilderness: it was his fucceffors that made it to bloom.

April 30, 1799:

(To be continued.)

G. T.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

EING upon the north-border of

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BEING
with fome labourers employed in clearing
away a large heap of ftones overgrown
with bushes, &c. fituated upon a hill in
the midst of a wood, where they dug up
a great many hand millftones, fome of
limeftone, but principally of freeftone;
as there are no conjectures respecting this
place either in hiftory or tradition, I should
be glad if any of your correfpondents
would favour your readers with fome ac-
count refpecting the time and way how the
feveral forts of mills for grinding grain,
whether worked by the hand, water, or
wind, came into ufe.
Homerton.

TOUR OF ENGLAND.

J. A.

(Continued from page 374.) Journal of a Tour through almost every county in England, and part of Wales, by Mr. JOHN HOUSMAN, of Corby, near Carlife; who was engaged to make the Tour by a gentlemar of diftinction, for the purpofe of collecting authentic information relative to the state of the poor. The Journal comprizes an account of the general appearance of the country, of the foil, furface, buildings, &c. with obfervations agricultural, commercial, &c.

ECEMBER 14. From Lancafter to

finished. It is intended to be carried on to Kendal, and will be extremely useful to the country, when completed. Its principal object feems to be the conveyance of lime and coal. Weftmoreland abounds with limestone, and Lancashire with coal, confequently the exchange will be convenient and profitable to each county.-Lancafhire is famous for its manufacture of cottons; that manufacture is not confined to large towns, but is spread through every village and hamlet in the greatest part of level, yet You with face in is the county.-The furface in general is

and in the north-west corner is extremely rocky, even on the low grounds; fo much fo, that I have feen fome places covered with rock to fuch a degree, that fcarce a blade of grafs could be produced. - Coal is found in abundance in many parts of Lancashire. In the farming department, cheese is the principal object of the farmer, and that article is generally very good in quality: the cattle of this county are long horned, and allowed by mott judges of that fpecies of animals, to be, at least, equal to any breed in the kingdom; and ftill capable of great improvement, which Mr. Bakewell, who got his breeders from hence, has fhewn. Fields and farms are small, and rather decreafing in fize, in order to accomodate the manufacturers, and increase the rentals. Here are feveral great extents of peat mofs, fome of which have been improved to great advantage, and others are still under the hands of the agriculturift.-Buildings, in general, are very good. The pronunciation of the common people is well known; I thought it the most difagreeable dialect in the kingdom.I have again reached Kendal, which place I vifited at the commencement of my Tour; and Dec. 15, I left that place, and

in Weftmoreland, 22 miles. Went to Penrith, in Cumberland,

-About half of this diftrict is in Lancafhire, and the other in Weftmoreland: that in Lancashire is level, but the other rather uneven, and high hills appear at a little diftance; fome of which are wholly compofed of limestone, particularly that mountain called Failton Knot. The whole extent of this district is a farming country; the farms and fields are fmall; the foil rather gravelly and dry; and the produce wheat, barley, oats, and grafs; but most of the latter, efpecially towards the extremities. On the Westmoreland part of this district the road croffes large, dry, and green commons, which are very fufceptible of improvement. The new canal, which I faw in different parts of Lancashire, appears alfo here, but is far from being MONTHLY MAG. NO XLVI.

Weftmoreland affords the finest flate in the kingdom; a great deal of which is fent to London, and other diftant parts. Moft part of the county confifts of high and barren mountains, but fupporting a few fheep and plenty of groufe. The valleys produce a little wheat and barley, but oats is the principal fort of grain cultivated here. However, the farmer ufually has the greatest part of his farm in grafs, for hay and pafture.-Buildings are very good, and covered with blue flate; farms and fields are finall, and the latter mostly divided with ftone walls. The foil dry and gravelly; rivers, brooks, and fprings in abundance; the air fharp and healthy enough, but fubject to much wet from the mountains attracting the atmosphere. 3 N

December

I afterwards spent a few months in vifiting different parts of Cumberland, Northumberland, Durham, and the North Riding of Yorkshire, on the fame bufinefs, but kept no regular journal. I fhall, however, endeavour, in a few words, to give your readers a general idea of these counties, or districts.

His affi

December 16, I left Penrith, and ar- ceptions.-Newcastle is the only place rived at Corby in Cumberland, where my where manufactures are carried on to any tour commenced. extent thefe are principally glass works, potteries, founderies, forges, and fail cloth. The population of Newcastle, its fuburbs, and Gateshead, is estimated at 40,000: its trade in coals is immenfe; not only fupplying the capital with that article, but all the country along the eaftern coaft. The lower parts of the town, near the river, are dirty and disagreeable in the extreme; but most of the other streets are clean and well aired. Newcastle contains four churches, is in general well built, but too crowded, a circumstance I have often noticed in feaport towns; and is abundantly fupplied with all forts of provifions. In no part of my tour I ever met with a more fenfible and liberal minded gentleman than I had the good fortune to find in the perfon of Ralph Atkinfon, Efq. of this town: the fingnlar kindness and attention I received from that very public fpirited gentleman, during my stay at Newcastle, I wish to acknowledge in the warmest manner. duity in procuring me every defired information, I am affured was prompted by the most difinterested zeal to promote the general good of the community. --Newcastle is about 7 or 8 miles from the fea at Shields, but the large river Tyne affords an excellent communication therewith.-From Newcastle I went to Shields, along a fine road, and level fertile country, with coal pits fmoking on every fide. This town is divided into North and South Shields by the Tyne. The population of North Shields is estimated at 10,000, and that of South Shields at 15,000 fouls, the greateft part of whom are fupported by the coal trade. The town ftands in a narrow vale, and part of it rifes up the hill on each fide: thofe streets near the water fide must be moft lucrative habitations, as nothing else could poffibly induce people to refide in fuch filthy, ftinking, confined places. It must, however, be allowed, that fome of the higher ftreets afford pleafant dwellings. The ufual diet of the common people in Northumberland, is barley and rye bread; oat meal, made into hafty pudding, or crowdie; potatoes, butter, cheese, milk, and lately butcher's meat, tea, sugar, and beer, have become more commonly made use of.

Northumberland is a very large and mountainous county, but contains feveral fruitful plains and vallies, which produce a great quantity of corn of all forts. Farms are very large, particularly towards the northern extremity, and the farmers very induftrious and excellent agriculturifts, as well as breeders of stock. The vale of Cocket, near Wooler, is extensive, and perhaps the most fertile in the county. Turnips and clover are cultivated to great perfection here; the former is moftly drilled, and horfe and hand hoed.-On ftrong clayey foils, wheat and oats are most attended to by the farmer; but in fandy and gravelly diftricts turnips, clover, barley and fheep are their chief dependance. This laft fyftem is practifed with the greatest advantage, and carried to the highest pitch of excellence by fome farmers, among whom, Mr. Culley, of Eaftfield, near Berwick, fo well known in all the principal farming counties, and author of the "Treatife on live Stock," is among the foremost. That gentleman got his beft fheep from the late Mr. Bakewell, of Difhley in Leicestershire, the original improver of that valuable breed. Mr. Culley's stock continue to gain admirers, and the demand for his tups to increase in proportion. We also find a better fort of Theep on the mountains, than is to be met with on the hills of a fimilar nature in other northern counties. The Northumberland cattle are the large, heavy, fhort horned, or Dutch breed; of the value of which, compared with the Lancashire and Leicestershire cattle, authors and graziers difagree. Single horfe carts, and ploughing with a pair of horses a-breaft, are making their way into this county very faft. The hills afford great quantities of groufe. This county is well watered, has a cold air, but abounds with coals in many parts, particularly about Newcastle. The roads are good, as well as most of the buildings: but the greatest part of the county is very naked; wants wood, and often, instead of thorn hedges, ftone walls are fubftituted. The vale formed by the Tyne, and fome other districts, are ex

The county of Durham enjoys a milder air, its furface is more regular and even than thofe of its northern neighbours; the foil alfo, taken generally, is more fertile; the country better clothed with wood

land,

land, trees, and growing hedges. The sheep and cattle of this county are of the larger fort, and there is a pretty regular mixture of corn and grafs land. Many of the farmers are enterprifing, and are making great improvements in agriculture, breeding ftock, &c. which laudable Spirit is very judiciously encouraged by the gentlemen and great land-owners of the county. Abundance of coals are got in Durham; and in the mountains, near the borders of Cumberland, lead mines are worked.

Sunderland, a large fea-port in this county, is fituated in a pleafant part of the country: it adjoins Monk-Wearmouth, and Bishop-Wearmouth, and altogether may contain 20,000 inhabitants, who are principally fupported by the coal trade. That part of Sunderland which lies next the river, is a miferable hole indeed; but the higher ftreets are more comfortable, and fome of them agreeable enough. Bishop-Wearmouth is a modern part of the town, ftands high, very pleasantly, and is well built. From this place the aftonishing caft iron bridge extends in one arch across the river Wear. It was almost finished when I was there. The fpan of the arch is 236 feet; height from low water, 100 feet 5 inches; width 32 feet. The city of Durham is pleasantly fituated on the river Wear: it has fix churches and a cathedral, which laft is a magnificent pile of building; it is ancient, but now undergoing a complete repair; the streets are pretty wide and clean, and the buildings good. This city does not feem to increale either in population or buildings. Many people of eafy fortunes refide here.

The North Riding of Yorkshire is quite a farming country; the furface is generally level; foil very fertile, being moftly a deep loam, in fome places gravelly, and in others clayey. All forts of grain, roots, and grafs, are produced in heavy crops. Farms moftly large, and fields pretty regular: the farmers are, in general, very good agriculturifts.

Sheep are moftly a fpecies of the Lincolnfhire fort; cattle partly long, and partly fhort horned, but generally very good of the kind. Two or three horfes are put to a cart, and three or four to a plough. Buildings are very good, made of brick, and covered with tile; neat growing hedges of thorn, with a few trees here and there. Upon the whole, this is a very beautiful and fertile country, and adorned with feveral fine feats; but is at great diftance from coal or other fuel.

Cumberland affords great variety; high mountains, deep valleys, the most barren heaths, and fertile plains; the lighteft fands, and strongest clays; extenfive Reat moffes, and rugged rocky diftricts. This country enjoys a falubrious, but sharp, air; coal, limeftone, freeftone, and peatmofs, are had in different parts in abundance; and, without including the fine lakes about Kefwick, so often described, it is the best watered county in the kingdom. It also contains great quantities of lead, copper, and iron ore; besides gypsum, and the finest blue flate. That very fingular and valuable mineral, called wad, or black-lead, is got from a mountain in Borrowdale, of a quality far furpaffing that found in any other part of the world. But, to all these advantages, Cumberland joins feveral qualities of a contrary nature: its fertile grounds are confined to the borders of its rivers; a few low grounds, and fome plains of fmall extent; the other parts are either mountains, commons, or land made tolerably productive by the greatest industry and exertion of the farmers. Add to that the non-residence of most of the great proprietors; a circumftance which rather checks the fpirit of improvement than otherwife. In fome branches of agriculture this county is not furpaffed, if equalled, by any other: the mode of ploughing, for inftance, which I have frequent. ly mentioned; and the cultivation of turnips, clover, and barley, which is brought to the greatest perfection in fome diftricts bordering on the river Eden. The fheep is generally the black-faced heath fort; but these are now giving way to the improved breed from Northumberland. Cattle are a mixture of Scotch and English; and not many are remarkable for their goodness. Horfes are middle-fized, of all colours, but mostly brown; they have generally lefs or more blood (as breeders term it) in them; are fuitable either for the cart, plough, or faddle, and very active. Farms are generally worth from 5 to 50l. a year; a few reach from that to 2, 3, or 400l. The rents are very high, confidering the quality of the ground. Here feems to be a general want of enterprize, and a fpirit of improvement, among the farmers. A few proprietors, however, are improving their eftates very much; among whom WM. RICHARDSON, of Rickerby, Efq. feems to take the lead that gentleman has not only doubled his rental within a few years, by a judicious improvement of his eftate, but meliorated the condition

of

of his farmers. The most surprising of his improvements has been on peat-mofs, where land that was not worth 6d. per acre per annum, is now valued at 40s. for a term of years. This fhews the very great advancement which much of the land in this kingdom is capable of.Buildings in the weft and fouth parts of this county are generally good; but many of thofe towards Scotland are moderate, and fome of them mere clay huts. The country people in Cumberland generally manufacture their own linen, ftockings, and common woollen cloth; and the manufactory of cottons has lately been introduced into this county. The city of Carlisle is a remarkably clean, and open town, notwithstanding the walls and gates are ftanding almoft entire: it ftands on a very fine fituation, in the pleafanteft and most fertile part of the county; and near the confluence of the rivers Eden and Caldew, which half furround it. The prefent population of Carlifle is 8716; in 1763 it was 4158: the increafe is chiefly owing to the introduction of manufactures of cotton, &c.

Whitehaven ftands in a small creek on the weft coaft of this county, furrounded with high naked hills, which fhut it up very close the buildings are good, modern, and covered with blue flate; and I have feen no maritime towns formed on fo regular a plan. The principal trade of this place is fending coals to Ireland. Coal-mines are opened on every fide of the town; and even fome have been dug out under it; over which the ground, a few years ago, gave way, and a number of houfes fhrunk in confequence. Whitehaven, in 1633, confifted of nine or ten thatched cottages; in 1663 there were 450 families; and at present the number of inhabitants are fuppofed to be between 16 and 17,000. This port, and colleries adjacent, belong to the Earl of Lonfdale, who has an elegant manfion here.

For the Monthly Magazine. NEGLECTED BIOGRAPHY,

NUMBER III.

1. ZACHARY MUDGE, Divine. F this learned critic and divine, I have been able to glean itincely any particulars. It is faid that he was at first bred in an academy with a view to the ministry among the diffenters in Devonfhire, his native county; but that alter

ing his fentiments, he was ordained in the church of England, and became master of the free grammar fchool at Bideford, in that county. About 1734, he went to Plymouth, where he was chofen minifter of St. Andrew's church, and afterwards obtained a prebend in the cathedral of Exeter, from bishop Wefton, to whom, in gratitude, he dedicated a volume of admirable fermons. He was alfo the author of an" Efay on the Pfalms" in which he displayed great knowledge of the Hebrew language and metre. I am ignorant of the year when he died. Two of his fons attained to confiderable eminence, the one as a watchmaker, and the inventor of a time keeper, and the other as a phyfician, and the author of a treatife on the "Catarrbous Cough." Particulars of the father and fons would be very acceptable.

2. WILLIAM BARRETT, Antiquarian.

THIS worthy and induftrious man was, I believe, a native of Bristol, or its neighbourhood. He was a very refpectable furgeon in that city. As the friend and first patron of the unfortunate Chatterton, and as being the author of the "History of Brifol he deferves to have his name

recorded.

Some account of him, therefore, is earnestly requested for our Maga

zine.

3. SIR JAMES STONEHOUSE, M.D. Divine.

aftic was bred at St. John's College, Oxford, of which he was gentleman-commoner, being of an ancient family in Berkshire. He took his doctor's degree in phyfic at that univerfity, and afterwards fettled at Northampton, and was the phyfician to the infirmary there. At that place he formed a clofe friendship with Dr. Doddridge, Mr. James Henry, Dr. Richard Grey, and other pious and learned men, in confequence of which be acquired a difpofition to religion which led him at laft to enter into the priesthood of the church of England. At Northampton, he loft his first wife, a very exemplary woman, of whom there is a fine character in the first volume of Mr. Hervey's Meditations. He attended the lafmentioned author in his dying moments, and contributed confiderably to his Life and Letters which were foon after published by Dr. Birch. Nor was it long before he complied with the advice of Mr. Hervey, and entered into orders. Dignities he might have had in abundance,

THIS venerable and excellent ecclefi

but

but he contented himself with discharging the duties of a poor parish prieft, at his livings of Great and Little Cheverel, in Wiltshire; and because the state of his health rendered it neceffary for him to be at Bristol the greatest part of the winter, he ferved the afternoon lectureship of AllSaints in that city, for nothing, refolving not to be idle in his master's fervice, though he had entered the minifterial vineyard at a late hour. He was greatly followed at Bristol as a preacher; his manner being folemn and perfuafive, and his difcourfes plain and pathetic.

In the short sketch of Mifs H. More, in a late publication_entituled "British Public Characters," I obferve two good and entertaining anecdotes of the doctor and his friend Garrick.

Not long before his death he fucceeded to the title of baronet.

He wrote feveral final tracts on religious fubjects, all greatly efteemed by ferious perfons, and I believe most of them are in the lift of books diftributed by the fociety for promoting chriftian knowledge.

I faw fometime fince with pleasure, a notice in the "British Critic" announcing a volume of the doctor's letters for publication, and from a conviction that the collection will be interefting, I earnestly hope that it will soon appear.

4. JOHN SHEBBEARE, M.D. Political

Writer.

NOT the flighteft notice of this acute politician is given in the " General Biographical Dictionary," although his works are very refpectable, and his name is celebrated. He was born at Bideford, in Devonshire, in 1709, and was bred an apothecary in that town, from whence he went to Bristol, where he commenced chemist, and published a tract on the "Hotwell Waters." He left Bristol about the year 1740, and fettled in London. I believe he devoted himfelf in the metropolis principally to writing against the miniftry and reigning family. When the act paffing for preventing clandeftine marriages, Shebbeare published a political novel entituled "The Marriage Act" but being threatened with a profecution for the fame, the publifher thought it prudent to change the title to that of Matrimony." He alfo printed another novel, with lefs of politics in it, foon after, entitled "Lydia, or Fillal Piety." But his two beit performances are "Chryfal, or the Adventures of a Guinea," and "Letters on the English Nation" by Battista Ange

loni, a jefuit." Thefe letters however, which are very curious and entertaining, were never in any other language than English. When that unfortunate victim Admiral Byng was fcrificed, Shebbeare publifhed fome ftrong and cutting pam phlets in his behalf, but the public were too far carried away by prejudices to attend to his remonftrances. He next commenced a feries of " Letters to the People of England," the chief object of which went to fhew that the nation was oppreffed and injured by its connexion with Hanover. For the feventh of thefe, the author was profecuted in the court of king's bench, and fentenced to ftand in the pillory at Charing-crofs, and to be imprifoned for two years. The firft part of the fentence he underwent amidst a large affembly of people, none of whom offered him any infult: but Mr. Beardmore, the fheriff, was fined afterwards, for thewing him improper indulgence. While in prifon he published propofals for a History of England, which he never completed. On the acceffion of his prefent majefty, a penfion of zool. a year was granted to him, and a like fum to Dr. Samuel Johnfon, though both ftrongly addicted to jacobitical principles. On this occafion a wag jocofely obferved that the king had commenced his reign by "penfioning a He-Bear and a She-Bear." From that time the doctor exercifed his pen on the fide of government, but then it must be allowed that it had loft its energy. His publications previous to his becoming a penfioner, were only a few pamphlets, and thofe of little account. Pefides the works abovementioned, he published "The Practice of Phyfic, in 2 vols. 8vo." in the title page of which he ftiles himself Fellow of the Academy of Sciences at Paris. The doctor was hit off by Hogarth in his election-print; by Smollett, under the character of Ferret, in "Sir Launcelot Greaves," and by otherc ontemporary wits

Dr. Johnfon, however, had a high opinion of his talents, and recommended it to Mr. Bofwell to cultivate an acquaintance with him.

He died in August, 1788.

5. FRANCIS BLACKBURN, Divine.

THIS gentleman acquired a great share of celebrity about thirty years ago, by the publication of a work to which he gave the name of the Confeffional," and which, on account of its hoftility to the ecclefiaftical establishment, was answered by a lift of writers. The heft reply te it, was that of Dr. Gloucester Ridley

who

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