1788.

Royal Society, agreed to and subscribed | a work originally designed for the into the following resolutions. formation of youth, and which, we beWe, having considered the evidence pro-lieve, was first published in the year So numerous and important duced in various publications by Mr. Ste phenson and his friends, in support of his however, are the alterations and addiclaims, and having examined his lamps tions made by the author, that this and inquired into their effects in explosive publication may justly be considered a mixtures, are clearly of opinion new work. We shall therefore present our readers with an analysis of its mul

1. That Mr. G. Stephenson is not the author of the discovery of the fact, that an explosion of inflammable gas will not pass through tubes and apertures of small di

mensions.

tifarious contents.

After a brief sketch of the physical geography of England, Dr. A, gives a 2. That Mr. G. Stephenson was not the concise view of the topography of each first to apply that principle to the con county, including its boundaries, rivers, struction of a Safety Lamp, none of the canal-navigation, towns with their relamps which he made in the year 1815, spective manufactures, trade, and comhaving been safe; and there being no evi-merce, remarkable transactions, antient dence even of their having been made on that principle.

3. That Sir H. Davy not only discovered, independently of all others, and without any knowledge of the unpublished experiments of the late Mr. Tennant's on flame, the principle of the non-communication of explosion through a small aperture, but that he has the SOLE MERIT of having first applied it to the very important purpose of a Safety Lamp, which has evidently been imitated in the latest lamps of Mr. Stephenson. (Signed) JOSEPH BANKS, P. R. S.

and modern buildings, and their civil establishments. These are succeeded

:

by a compendious description of the principal and most distinguished country seats, and of the most remarkable remains of antiquity, both civil and ecclesiastical and to each county is annexed a table of population derived from the last parliamentary enumeration, which, however, is for the most part limited to those places, the inhabitants of which do not fall short of 2000. The map which is prefixed to the volume is neatly executed.

WILLIAM THOMAS BRANDE, CHARLES HATCHETT. W. H. WOLLASTON. THOMAS YOUNG It is but justice to the author to add, In 1817, the Royal Society of Lon- that we can recommend his book, not don conferred the gold and silver medals less as a work of taste, than of informaon Count Rumford's donation on Sir H. tion. His style is pure, unaffected, alDavy; and towards the close of the ways elegant, and not unfrequently picsame year, the coal-owners of the Ri-turesque; while the general knowledge vers Tyne and Wear (who have been most extensively benefitted by his invaluable discovery) presented him with a superb service of plate, nearly worth £2,000. These honourable acknowledgements of public gratitude, we think it our duty to record. Never did science render a more pleasing homage to humanity than in the discovery of the Safety Lamp.

England described; being a concise delineation of every County in England and Wales. By John Aikin, MD. 8vo. with a Map. 148. Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, London, 1818.

This is avowedly an enlargement of Dr. Aikin's "England Delineated,"

|

which it exhibits, shews how agreeably polite literature and the science of the naturalist, may be introduced into the studies of the geographer.

As specimens of the execution of this handsomely printed book, which claims a place in every library, we give our author's descriptions of Bristol, Liverpool, and Manchester, and the county of Anglesey.

The city of Bristol, situated on the north. ern border of the county of Somerset, is most properly referred hither, though the greater part of it lies within the limits of Gloucestershire; since, before it formed a separate jurisdiction, it wasaccounted to belong to Somersetshire. Bristol, in wealth, trade, and population, was long reckoned next to London within this kingdom; but it is now left behind in these respects by other

The were

now

towns where the spirit of adventure and | cyder, perry, and Bristol water. improvement is more active. Its popula- copper and brass manufactures tion, however, is still large; and its mer- of capital importance, but are chants and tradesmen yield to few in credit much declined in consequence of a and opulence. monopoly. Hard white soap of the best quality is made here in large quantities much of which is sent to London, as well as to the colonies abroad. Hats, leather, sadlery, shoes, white lead, gunpowder, and earthen ware, are all considerable articles of domestic and foreign traffic. The city likewise possesses works for smelting lead, and making lead shot, iron foundries, roll. ing and slitting mills, and tin works, all which furnish very valuable commodities for exportation.

Bristol is situated at the conflux of the river Avon with the small streams of the Froom, at the distance of about ten miles from the place where the Avon discharges itself into the Severn. The tide rushing with great violence, and rising to a vast height, in these narrow rivers, brings vessels of considerable burthen to the quay of Bristol, which by late improvements, at a great expense, has given much easier admission to them than formerly. The trade of Bristol is supported by its extensive inland communications with the Severn and all its branches, the Avon, the Wye, and various other streams. Hence it enjoys the export and import traffic of a large part of the kingdom, and is enabled to find vent for a great variety of manufactures of its own.

The Cathedral of Bristol, which was originally the collegiate church of a monastery, is a comparatively small edifice, but contains some fine specimens of Gothic architecture. The bishop's palace annexed was nearly rebuilt in 1744: its see is one of the least extensive and valuable in the kingdom. There are, besides, nineteen The principal branch of the foreign churches; one of which, St. Mary Redcommerce of Bristol is that to the West- cliff, is generally regarded as the finest paIndies. In this from seventy to eighty ships rish church in England. Some of the are constantly employed, which carry out others, both ancient and modern, are handevery article necessary for the clothing and some buildings. The places of worship bemaintenance of the white and black inha longing to dissenters from the establishbitants of the islands, as also materials for ment are very numerous. The public buildbuilding, and in particular, great quanti-ings for civil and other purposes are mostly ties of lime burned at St. Vincent's rocks. They bring back sugar, rum, cotton, and all the other products of those countries. The sugar is a great article, and its refinery is one of the capital manufactures of Bristol, serving for the supply of all the western counties of England, and all South Wales.

With the north and south of Europe, Bristol has a general trade, of which that with Spain is the most important, a quantity of wool, consisting of from four to six thousand bags being annually imported from that country (or having been) for the use of the western clothing manufactures. The return is in a variety of goods, particularly tin, lead, and copper. The traffic with Portugal from this port is also considerable. Bristol has likewise a share in the trade to the continent of America and to Newfoundland; and an extensive commerce with Ireland.

The manufactures of this city and its vicinity, furnish it with several important articles of exportation. That of glass making in its varions articles, of crown, flint, and bottle glass, is very considerable, and on the increase. Ireland and America take off great quantities of these goods. especially bottles, of which nearly half the number are sent out filled with beer,

well adapted for utility, but few have any pretensious to architectural splendor. The town is closely built; but, like other opu lent towns, is now extending itself into its suburbs by new and more airy streets.

Lancashire. As a commercial and manu. facturing county, Lancashire, especially of late years, has distinguished itself beyond any other in the kingdom. In absolute population it has become inferior only to Middlesex and Yorkshire, and it much exceeds the latter in the relative proportion of people to extent of surface. Two larger and more flourishing towns than any other county possesses, Manchester and Liver| pool, are mutual aids to each other in the pursuit of opulence.

Manchester, situated in the south eastern part of the county, has for a considerable time been known as a manufacturing place, and at the beginning of the civil war of Charles I. had been considered as of so much importance, that being warmly attached to the parliamentary cause, it was besieged by the earl of Derby, who was foiled in his attempt. Its original trade was in the coarse woollen fabrics which were established in various parts of the north of England; but about the middle of the 17th century it was noted for the making of fustians, mixed stuffs, and small

established sea-coast traffic with the East | ical remains, are yet to be seen amidst these

ludies.

woods. A little way within, however, the whole country changes its aspect into a naked tract, without trees, or eveu hedges, rising in small hills, watered by numerous rills, and fertile in grass and corn.

The chief products of Anglesey are corn and cattle. In favourable years large quantities of Barley and oats are exported, either to the mainland or to Liverpool; and several thousand head of horned cattle, besides multitudes of sheep and hogs, annually cross the different ferries of the Menai. Its fertility is of ancient reputation, for it had long ago acquired the title of the nursing Mother of Wales.

The internal communications of Liverpool are now very widely spread. By the Mersey, it has direct access to Warrington, Manchester, and all the places in the limits of the navigation of that river and the Irwell; and by the Weever, to the salt works of Cheshire, a very important advantage, as affording a valuable article of exportation the salt-rock having been much used at a cheap rate as ballast for vessels. The connexion with Manchester, both by river, and by the Bridgewater canal, gives Liverpool a participation in the grand canal system now extended almost through the whole interior of England. A vast design of cutting a caua!neral kingdom has become a great source from this port quite to Leeds, across the hilly country separating the two counties, has also been brought to execution after long delays. One part of this, which was carried to Wigan several years since, afforded to Liverpool a large addition to its supply of coal.

This great town being almost entirely a new creation, it cannot be supposed that it should offer objects to gratify the curiosity of the lovers of autiquity; but its public | buildings, now adapted to every purpose of convenience, utility,and amusement, have been planned in a style of liberal expense and tasteful decoration, superior to those of almost any provincial town in England. Several of its new institutions are houour able testimonials of the enlightened spirit by which commercial prosperity has been accompanied in this place; among which may be mentioned, two public libraries upon a large scale, and a botanical garden richly furnished with rare and valuable articles from different quarters of the globe.

Anglesey.-This island, which constitutes one of the counties of North Wales, is situated to the north-west of Caernarvonshire, from which it is separated by the long and narrow straight called the Menai. It is of a rhomboidal shape, but deeply cut and indented on three of th sides. Its northern, eastern, and western sides are sharp and narrow the southern angle is more rounded. From point to point the distance from north to south is near twenty miles, from east to west about twenty-two. Its area in miles is stated at 402; and it is divided into six hundreds.

The part of the island bordering the Menai is finely wooded, recalling to the mind its antient state when it was the celebrated seat of the Druids, the terrific rites of whose religion were performed in the gloom of the thickest groves. Rude mounds and heaps of stones, supposed to be Druid

Within thirty or forty years past the mi

of profit to this country, owing to the discovery of the famous copper mines of Pary's mountain. The history of this event is briefly as follows. In 1762 a person who travelled over the kingdom for the purpose of visiting mines, gave to sir Nicholas Bayle, so flattering an account of his property at Pary's mountain, as induced him to sink shafts and seek for ore, but the work was stopt by an inundation of water. Two years after, a company at Macclesfield taking a lease of a mine in Caernarvonshire, were under obligations to make trial of Pary's mountain, which turned out so unfavourably, that their agent was directed to cease from the pursuit. As a last trial he divided his men into different companies, one of which was placed near a spot whence a spring broke out strongly impregnated with copper. The expectations drawn from this circumstance were verified in the event; and at the distance of only seven feet from the surface, a vein of ore was struck upou, which led to the vast mass that lay below. This bed of ore is probably the largest of that kind of metal known in the world; and being shared by the Rev. Edward Hughes, who owned a part of the mountainous ridge in right of his wife, the riches acquired by the concern were almost beyond belief. The ore began with being worked not in the manner of subterraneous mines, but like a stone quarry, opeu to-day; and in some places its thickness was more than sixty feet. The metal, however, is poor in quality, and very abundant in sulphur. The purest part is exported raw to Śwansea, and other places; the more impure is first calcined and deprived of most of its sulphur on the spot. Quantities of nearly pure copper are obtained from the waters lodged beneath the bed of ore, by exposing it to iron.

Since the preceding account was drawn up, the mines have much fallen off, the

most productive veins having been worked out, and the property of the ore not repaying the expense of a scanty produce. A lead ore rich in silver has been found in the same mountain.

In the north-western part of the island is a quarry of green marble, intermixed with that curious substance, asbestus.

by vast shoals of fish, and seals which prey upon them.

Of the few family seats in Anglesey, those which border the Menai will naturally be expected to take precedence.

Baron Hill, the seat of Lord Bulkeley, situated on an eminence above Beaumaris, was built in 1618 by Sir Richard Bulkeley, and has been much enlarged and improved under the direction of Wyatt. Its grounds, naturally beautiful, have been embellished by art; and its views of the bay of Beaus maris and the Menai, and of the region of Snowdon beyond, are extremely striking. Plas Llanidlan, a seat formerly belong

The principal town in Anglesey is Beau maris, built on a shore of the south-eastern part of the island, where king Edward I. founded a castle, still in existence. The place is small, but neat: its principal ornament is an elegant town-hall, erected at the expense of lord Bulkeley. It has no trade; but the bay before it affords good anchor-ing to Lord Boston, and now to Owen age, and is a frequent refuge for shipping in stormy weather. Many genteel families make it their residence in the summer months, on account of its agreeable situa tion, and conveniency for sea-bathing.

The decayed town of Newborough, anciently called Rhosvoir, subsists only by a manufacture of mats and ropes made of the sea reed-grass, which binds together the sandy hills on the coast.

Holyhead is an island forming the western point of Anglesey, to which it is joined by a bridge. Its town is well known as the most commodious place of embark ment for Dublin, and has become mode rately populous from the resort to it on that account, its harbour being the station of the government packets. The head protecting the port, forms a vast precipice above the sea, hollowed by caverns, and frequented by falcons and sea-fowl. A light-house has lately been erected on a rock near the head; and other improvements in the harbour are executing.

Amlwch, originally a small hamlet occupied by fishermen, has, from its conuection with Pary's mine, become a town of considerable population. It has a port consisting of a large chasm between two lofty rocks, which will only permit two small vessels to ride in abreast, but furnishes length and depth sufficient to accommodate thirty sloops and brigs.

Aberfraw, upon a bay of that name, is a harbour for small vessels, whence are exported large quantities of barley.

The steep rocky islet of Priestholme, off the eastern point, is a noted resort of seafowl, especially the puffin, which breeds here in the rabbit burrows. This bird, though very oily and fishy, is by some thought a delicacy when pickled.

The Skerries, or Isle of Seals, at the northern point, is a rocky little island, possessed by a few sheep, rabbits, and puffins, and having upon it a light-house of great use to mariners. Its sides are frequented

VOL. VIII. No. 48. Lit. Pan. N. S. Sept. 1.

Williams, Esq. is finely situated above the Menai, commanding a view to Caernarvon and the mountains of Snowdon.

Plas Newydd, formerly the seat of Sir Nicholas Bayley, but now of the Earl of Uxbridge, (since created marquis of Anglesey), is an elegant modern structure, composed of a center and two wings, from the junction of each of which an octagonal turret rises from the basement above the parapet and terminates in a spire with a gilded vane. The house, as seen from the water, appears to rise out of a thick wood, which extends some distauce along the shore. The park, though not large, is so laid out as to afford considerable variety. The prospects of the Menai and the opposite shore are highly pleasing.

Gorphioysfu, a handsome modern mansion, erected a few years since, and pleasantly situated on an eminence above the principal ferry over the Menai, is the oc casional residence of Lord Lucan.

Population, 1811. The County 88,300 Holyhead 3,005, Beaumaris 1,810.

A Short Introduction to the Study of Geology; comprising a New Theory of the Elevation of the Mountains and the Stratification of the Earth; in which the Mosaic Account of the Creation and the Deluge is vindicated. By Joseph Sutcliffe, A.M. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Cadell and Davies, London, 1818,

This is a well written and ingenious tract, in which the discoveries of science are rendered subservient to the il

lustration of divine Revelation. The following are the prominent characters of our Author's New Theory: they are illustrated and confirmed by a series of well selected geological facts.

2 L