Prudhoe was the Prodolita of the Romans, and the ftation of the first cohort of Batavians. It afterwards fell into the poffeffion of the Umfrevilles, a family which came into England with the Conqueror.

Next follows a defcription of Ovingham, Wylam, Close Houfe, and Rutchefter; the latter of which, fituated north of the military road, is, according to Horfley, the Vindobala of the Romans, where the Cohors Prima Frixagorum kept garrifon. Our author observes that it is called by Camden Vindolana, and fuppofed by fome antiquaries to have been the ftation of the fourth cohort of the Gauls. Severus's wall runs through the middle of the east rampart, but is not continued through the ftation. About the distance of a chain to the fouthward, Hadrian's vallum may be feen. This fort is faid to have been very confiderable. On the north fide have been fix turrets, one at each corner, one on each fide the gate, v with one between each corner, and thofe adjoining to the gate. On the caft and weft fides there is also a tower between the gate and the angle, in that part of the fort that lies north of the wall. The ramparts are yet clearly visible.

The traveller afterwards conducts us by Cheeseburn Grange, Bywell, Stamfordham, Fenwick Tower, Weft Matfen, Welton Tower, Halton Tower, and Ayden Castle. The fituation of this place is represented as extremely auguft. It stands on the weft fide of a deep gill, on the brink of a precipice, at the foot of which runs a small brook. It appears to have been of confiderable extent and strength, encompaffed by a wall, in which the loop-holes remain. Here is a ftable with an arched roof of stone, without any timber in its structure, and even the mangers confift of ftone troughs. It is fuppofed to have been built for the preferyation of cattle, at the time of any hoftile incurfion. The precipice is faid to have been anciently much ufed as a Lover's leap.

We next meet with an account of Corbridge, and its antiquities, with Corchester, where are the remains of a Roman flation, not mentioned in the Notitia. The travellers route is then directed by Dilfton and Nunfbrough, the latter of which he defcribes in terms of rapture and enthusiasm.

Returning to Hexham, Mr. Hutchinfon afterwards dire&s his course by Beaufront, Portgate, Throckrington, Little Bavington, St. Ofwald's, Hanging Shaws, Halyton Mefnes, Haughton Castle, Swinburn Caftle, Chipchafe Caftle, Wark, Bellingham, Hezleyfide, and Rifingham. This was the Habitancum of the Romans, and is fituated in Watling-street. It is not mentioned in the Itinerary, though, by fome infcriptions and coins which have been found here, there is ground

for

for the conjecture that it was a Roman ftation about the time of Aurelius Antoninus, It ftands on the bank of the Reed, and contains within the vallum, three acres, three roods, and twenty-fix perches."

Near Rifingham lies Elifhaw, a fmall village, fituated on Watling-street, which crossed the river at this place, where the remains of a bridge are yet vifible.

Elfden is a fmall town of great antiquity, fupposed to have had its origin about the time of Aurelius Antoninus. In an adjoining hill, called the Mote Hill, have been found two altars, infcribed to that emperor.

On the banks of the Reed, where was fought the battle of Otterburn, intrenchments are ftill difcernible, and a great number of tumuli or barrows is fcattered over the scene of action.

The place next mentioned is Riechefter, the Bremonium of the Romans, and the moft remote station, as well as the ftrongest, which they had in this part of Northumberland. It was defended by a wall of afhler-work, feven foot thick, with motes and treble rampiers. Here have lately been opened the remains of a hypocaust; and some other antiquities have been found.

The traveller dire&s his route hence by Nunwick, Symondburn, Bavington, Capheaton, Harnham, Belfay Castle, Little Harle, Kirk Hatle, Wallington, Cambo, Rothbury, Hepple, Cartington, Haly Stone, Harbottle Caftle, Whittingham, Callaley, Lemington, and a few other places, to Percy Cross, erected to the memory of fir Ralph Percy, who was flain here by Jord Montacute, in 1463, before the battle of Hexham Levels. On the pillar are rudely engraved the arms of Percy and Lucy.

On Rofedean Edge, in this neighbourhood, is a large fquare intrenchment, whence, at the diftance of three miles, is feen Bewick Hill, a femicircular intrenchment, with a double fofs and vallum, defended on the weft by a steep precipice.-Not far hence is a cataract, called Linhope Spout, which paffing over several pointed rocks, falls fifty fix perpendicular feet.

The fucceeding objects of defcription are, Ilderton, Lilburn, Chillingham Caftle, Fowbury, Horton Caftle, Wooler, and Yevering. From a paffage in Bede it appears that Yevering was a manor of the Saxon kings, and was the refidence of Edwin and his queen Ethelburga, after his converfion by Paulinus; though there are not the smallest remains of any structure, to favour the idea of a royal palace having once existed en the spot.

We

We next meet with the account of a fortification on one of the Cheviot mountains, named Yevering Bell. After which we are prefented with a view of Kirk Newton, and the Castle of Copeland. Within a fmall diftance of the latter, three battles were fought: one at Broomridge, another at Haltwell Sweine, and the third on the plains of Milfield, now a fmall village, but formerly the refidence of the Saxon kings of Bernicia, after the death of Edwin.

The traveller afterwards entering Scotland, continues his route by Kello, Roxburgh Castle, Dryburgh Abbey, and Mailrofs, all which he particularly defcribes.

The narrative of this Tour is enriched with original papers found among the manufcripts of the late Mr. Gale, as well as with engravings of many of the antiquities defcribed. The whole is written in a clear, lively, and entertaining manner. Though we fometimes discover an inaccuracy in the names of perfons and places, Mr. Hutchinson appears to have paid a laudable attention to the various facts which he relates; and his descriptions may afford an adequate idea of the numerous antiquities in Northumberland.

A Manual of Chemistry, or a brief Account of the Operations of Chemistry, and their Products. Tranflated from the French of M. Beaumé.. 12mo. 41. Sewed. Johnfon.

ME

R. Aikin, the tranflator of this volume, informs us that he undertook the work in confequence of a request from fome gentlemen who were going through a courfe of lectures in chemistry, to recommend to them fuch a book as might serve to retain in their memories the most important facts relative to this useful fcience. M. Beaumé's Manual de Chymie was doubtless well adapted to the purpose. It affords a concife view of the most effential fubjects in chemistry, for the ufe of those who have paffed through a regular courfe of lectures, and may likewife ferve as a compendious fyftem to fuch as defire only to attain a general knowledge of the science. The feveral operations and proceffes in the art are introduced with fo much of the theory as may elucidate the various principles on which they are founded, without perplexing the reader with the more minute and abstract subjects of speculation.

After a fhort introduction, the author proceeds to give a general account of the elements or primitive principles of bodies, viz. fire, phlogiston, air, water, and earth; and afterwards treats of fubitances faline, metallic, and earthy; mi

neral

neral and falt waters, with nitre, vegetable fubftances, animal fubftances, and the chemical principles of dying.

As a specimen at once of the tranflation, and the merit of the original, we shall present our readers with the doctrine relative to air.

Air is an invifible, colourlefs, infipid, inodorous, weighty, elaftic fluid, fufceptible of rarefaction and condenfation, and affecting none of our fenfes, unless it be that of the touch.

This fluid environs the terreftrial globe, and ferves to fuftain the life of the animals which exist on its furface. The experiments with the air-pump have fhewn that thefe animals which ceafe to breathe air immediately perish.

Air, as well as fire, is under two different ftates.

1. Pure, detached, and not making a part of any compound body: 2. combined with other fubftances, and ferving as a principle or conftituent part of many compound bodies, particularly of the vegetable and animal kingdoms.

We fhall firft enumerate the most general properties of air in a pure and detached state.

Air is always fluid, like fire; at leaft to the prefent time, philofophers have not been able to render it folid, even by the aid of the highest degrees of artificial cold.

The fluidity of air is abfolutely neceffary for the fupport of animal and vegetable life. It would be extremely melancholy if this element, like water, were capable of being rendered folid by moderate cold. Boerhaave conjectures that the fluidity of air may proceed from the particles of fire which are always mixed with it, and which are abfolutely infeparable from it. The difficulty of producing a fufficient degree of cold is perhaps the only cause why air has never been met with folid: it is a body which requires a very moderate degree of heat to keep it in the ftate of fluidity in which we are accustomed to find it.

Air, as we have already faid, cannot be perceived by the organ of fight it is abfolutely invifible, because colourless. It is likewife abfolutely infipid and inodorous when perfectly pure; but it very readily becomes charged both with good and bad fcents. When it is in agitation, it carries to confiderable diftances the odours with which it is impregnated: it feems ever to be the reservoir of bodies which are in a state of extreme division, and reduced to particles of as great tenuity as itself: for this reafon it is difficult to find air perfectly free from foreign matters. It is always loaded with moisture, which appears even to be effential to its use in refpiration.

Next to fire, air is the lightest matter with which we are acquainted. This is the caufe of its always being on the furface of those bodies with which it is not combined. In general, it penetrates only into those places where it finds no fubftance

heavier

heavier than itfelf. It is on this property of air that all the mechanism of furnaces, is founded.

We might here enumerate a great number of experiments which prove not only the weight of the air, but its relation to the greatest part of known bodies; but for these things, which appear ufelefs in chemistry, we refer to the books of Natural Philofophy.

Air is elaftic; that is to fay, it yields to compreffion, and returns to its former ftate as foon as the compreffing power is removed. It lofes nothing of its elafticity, as other fpringy bodies do, either by being too much compreffed, or kept tooq long in a state of compreffion. Air has been kept in a prodigiously compreffed ftate during fifteen or twenty years, without the leaft perceptible diminution of its elafticity.

The effects of fire on air are to dilate or rarefy it, that is, to make it occupy a greater space than before. The greateft dilatation it can undergo from the most violent fire, is to thirteen or fourteen times its bulk. It can never be fo far rarefied as to leave a perfect vacuum; a part of the air always remains, even when the containing veffel is brought to a white heat. We shall not relate the experiments proving this point; they may be read at large in the books of Natural Philofophy. When the air cools again, it is condenfed, that is, its particles approach each other, fo as to occupy no greater space than before.

Air, as we have faid, enters into the combination of many compound bodies, and even becomes one of their conftituent principles. When thus combined, it lofes all its properties, and becomes what Dr. Hales terms folid air, that is, air rendered folid by affimilating with animal and vegetable bodies *.

Perhaps

The air which thus becomes a principle of bodies, not only during the time of its combination has different properties from common air, but after its feparation appears with different qualities. This kind of air, termed fixed or fixable, contrary to the atmospherical, is deftructive to light and flame. It eafily combines with water, and gives it an acid impregnation. It is feparated from bodies in all fermentative and effervefcent proceffes, and in fome cafes by calcination. It feems not yet clearly determined whether this is a different fpecies of air from the atmospherical, or only a part of it; though the latter opinion appears most pro, bable.

Dr. Priestley, who has added more to the knowledge of aerial bodies than all his predeceffors in this part of chemistry, has at length discovered, that the pureft common air offered us by nature is not a fimple body, or chemical element, but is itself a compound. Its conftituent parts. according to him, are " nitrous acid and earth, with to much phlogifton as is neceffary to its elafticity, and alfo to bring it from its ftate of perfect purity to the mean condition