University of Virginia Library

Richmond, a Village in Surry, twelve Miles from London, which has been termed the Frescati of England. It was, anciently, the Seat of our Monarchs; and the Palace, from its Splendor, was called Shene, which, in the Saxon Language, signifies bright, or shining.

Turk is one of those stupendous Mountains, which hang over the lower Lough lene [Leana] near Killarney, in the County of Kerry. The Public has been enabled, in some Degree, to form a Judgement of the amazing Beauties of this Scenery, by the elegant Engravings lately published by Mr. Fisher, from his own Drawings: And, a very ingenious Gentleman (whose Modesty the Editor will not offend by the Mention of his Name) means, in the Course of the next Winter, to oblige the World with a Work upon the same Subject, which will probably last as long as the Scene it describes, or the Language in which it is written.

Cumri, or Cymri, the antient Name of the Britons.

The Romans first invaded Britain, under Julius Cæsar, about fifty-five Years before the Birth of Christ; and established an Authority, which they maintained until about the Year of our Lord 448, when (the sudden Irruption of the Northern Nations, who began about this Time to spread themselves over all Europe, making it necessary for them to apply all their Force to the Defence of the Empire) they finally abandoned the Island. Even while their Authority did subsist, it was by no Means absolute, or quietly submitted to: The native Valour, and undisciplined Impetuosity of the Britons, gave them many severe Checks; particularly, about the Year 50, under Caractacus; and, nine Years after, under Boadicia, or Bonduca, Queen of the Iceni.

The Saxons were called in by the Britons, to assist them against the Picts, and Scots; and landed in the Isle of Thanet, about the Year 450: Hengist, and Horsa, their Leaders, are said to have been Great-Grandsons of Woden or Odin, who was worshipped as a God among those Nations.

The Northern Provinces of Germany, and Scandinavia, were the Hive, whence issued those Swarms of Barbarians, which, about the Beginning of the fifth Century, poured like an Inundation over the Southern Parts of Europe; and, in their Progress, well nigh obliterated every Monument of Art, and every Vestige of civil Government. Scarsfield is one of the many Names of that immense Chain of Mountains which crosses Scandinavia from North to South, and divides the Dominions of Sweden and Norway by an almost insurmountable Barrier.

The Danes made their first Attack upon Britain, about the Year 832, in the Reign of Egbert: In 1017 their Power was advanced to such an Height, that, upon the Murder of Edmund Ironside, Canute possessed himself of the Throne. The Danes bear a Raven upon their Standards.

Rollo, a petty Prince of Denmark, having, about the Beginning of the tenth Century, with a Multitude of Followers, attacked, and settled himself in the maritime Parts of France, obtained of Charles the simple a Grant of the Province formerly called Neustria, which he erected into a Dutchy, under the Name of Normandy, from its Northern Conquerors. From this Rollo descended William, who, having, on the 11th of October, 1066, overthrown and slain Harold in the bloody and decisive Battle of Hastings, ascended the English Throne, and thence obtained the Sir-name of The Conqueror.

Runny-Mede, or Runne-Mede, a large Plain between Windsor and Staines, where, on the 19th of June, 1215, the Barons of England compelled John, their King, to sign and seal the Great Charter of their Liberties: Strange! that, in an Age so jealous, and tenacious of their Liberty, as the present, no Building has yet been erected upon the Spot, to perpetuate the Memory of so great an Event; especially, as a late English Classic, some Years since, offered to the Public the following elegant and manly Lines, as an Inscription for such Building.

The Reformation, the Doctrines of which were first preached in England, by Wickliff, and his Followers, in 1399: It had obtained, and was openly professed by, many Proselytes, under Henry VIII. in 1529; and was finally established, nearly upon the same Ground as at present, in the Reign of Edward VI. about the Middle of the sixteenth Century.

The noble Stand made by John Hambden, in 1637, against the illegal and arbitrary Imposition of Ship-Money, has rendered his Name deservedly dear to all the Lovers of Constitutional Liberty.

In the ever-memorable Year 1688, the united Wishes of a free People having forced the bigotted, and tyrannical James to abdicate a Crown of which he was unworthy, placed it upon the Head of William, Prince of Orange, who has justly merited the Title of Our great Deliverer from the Tyranny of Romish Superstition .

It is Matter of serious Concern to every thinking Inhabitant of this Country, that the Irish, although descended, for the most Part, from the same Ancestors, governed by the same Laws, and united under the same King, are (through some unaccountable Prejudice) scarcely considered, at the other Side of St. George's Channel, as Fellow-Subjects, or intitled to the same Privileges as the People of Great Britain: Yet, perhaps, it would not be very difficult to prove that, by such Conduct, they are not more unjust to us, than blind to their own Interests: It would, perhaps, be easy to point out many Branches of our Trade, and Manufactures, which, if barely freed from the Restraints that a narrow, illiberal, and misjudging Policy has laid upon them, would tend equally to our Honour, and the Emolument of our Sister-Kingdom. Britain is naturally the great Mart of our Industry and Commerce; the Channel into which all our Wealth must ultimately flow; the Labour of our Hands is exerted in her Service; and the Experience of Ages proves, beyond a Doubt, that our Hearts are warm in the same Cause: Why, then—let Reason answer—why these partial, these ungenerous Restrictions, demonstrably prejudicial to both? Why are Advantages thrown into the Hands of her Enemies, which her Brethren, her Children, are forbidden to participate?—But, this is not a Place for political Disquisitions.