PICTURE OF ENGLAND. GREAT BRITAIN. GREAT BRITAIN, one of the most powerful empires on WE present our readers with two new specimens of maps, the globe, comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Ire-' viz., the MAP OF ENGLAND and the County of MID-land, to which may be added its foreign possessions in DLESEX, executed in a different manner from any of those every quarter of the globe. that have yet been offered to the public; and we intend BRITAIN, although situated in a high northern latitude, to give a series of maps after the same plan, not only enjoys a comparatively mild climate, not subject to those of the divisions and counties of the United Kingdom of extremes of heat and cold which are experienced in other Great Britain and Ireland, but also of all the nations, countries of the same latitude, but farther removed from countries, &c., of the known world. The former will ap- the sea. The proximity of the ocean, likewise, gives a pear in the "GUIDE TO KNOWLEDGE," and the latter in moisture to the air which, though perhaps inimical to the our projected work, to be called "A PICTURE OF health of the inhabitants, is highly favourable to vegetaTHE WORLD," of which work prospectuses will speedily tion, covering the trees with a luxuriant foliage, and the' be issued. meadows with a lively green: long-continued droughts,, to which continental states are subject, seldom visit BRITAIN, and it very rarely happens that rain continues so long, without intermission, as materially to injure the fruits of the earth; her rivers are seldom subject to inundations, and her storms and tempests are mild in the extreme, compared with the hurricanes and tornadoes which frequently desolate the fairest countries of the globe. Our motive for making this map the frontispiece of the present number of the "GUIDE TO KNOWLEDGE," is to draw the attention of our readers to the magnificent work in hand, which will be published in weekly numbers, at the small price of threepence each, and when finished will form a most beautiful and complete system of geographical and statistical science. Not only will our readers be pleased to notice our design with respect to the above-mentioned publication, but we also hope they will find pleasure and information in tracing the specimen here laid before them; the communication of KNOWLEDGE is our grand object, and the examination of a plan and picture of our country, its divisions, &c., even without comments, will give much useful instruction. Thousands of persons, when they hear of transactions and occurrences in various parts of Great Britain, are entirely ignorant of the localities and situations of the places to which they refer, and by that defect they are precluded from a right judgment, and a proper idea of the events and circumstances of which they receive intelligence; they do not know whether the places lie north or south, east or west; or in what quarter of the United Kingdom they are situated. So far as regards ENGLAND, separately, the map given herewith will be useful, and afford the opportunity of determining the limits and boundaries of the various counties, showing which are contiguous, and at one view, placing their positions before our eyes, and exhibiting a distinction between such as are inland and such as are maritime, as well as the course of rivers, and many other things of note and importance. Without some knowledge of these particulars all conversation is dark and imperfect, and more than half the pleasure of social communication is lost in the confusion arising from a want of information concerning the important circumstances of various incidental occurrences, and the peculiarities attached to certain places. We therefore hope, the two maps now presented, will be well received by our friends, and that in examining them, they will find some instruction and gratification, as well as amusement from the novelty of the form and execution. We beg further to state that our future MAPS will be much more perspicuous, and greatly improved; and that in the number for December 31st, we intend to give three MAPS OF LONDON, viz.-1st, LONDON as it was in the time of the ROMANS; 2d, a Map of LONDON in the time of QUEEN ELIZABETH; and 3d, LONDON as it is in the present day; the cost of which will exceed 500., together with a brief HISTORY OF LONDON from its origin to the present time; forming a double number; the whole without any additional charge; a thing unparalleled in the whole HISTORY OF THE WORLD. In addition to these natural advantages, BRITAIN is peopled with a race of men, remarkable for their bravery in war, their hospitality in peace, their commercial enterprise, their magnificent liberality, their unshaken loyalty, to their king, their attachment to the constitution, the encouragement they afford to learning and the fine arts, and, their freedom from religious bigotry and superstition. In speaking thus highly of the inhabitants of GREAT BRITAIN, we must be understood to do so generally; no doubt, thousands of individuals may be found within its borders" to whom this panegyric will not apply; but these exceptions are only spots in the national character, too minute to be perceived without a close inspection. BRITAIN, since its history is known, has undergone as many revolutions as any country on the globe, in the same. space of time, yet each contributing to that improvement which has rendered it one of the most powerful and enlightened nations under the sun. If we trace its history from the time of the ancient BRITONS, who, little better than savages, went nearly naked, painted their bodies, lived in huts made of sods, and were unacquainted with the art of cultivating the ground, we shall find that this observation is well-founded. It is true, that the ROMANS, during their occupation of the island, introduced a degree of civilization superior to that of the subsequent masters of the country. They built cities and towns, well-fortified and adorned with palaces and temples; but this was confined almost entirely to the spots which they occupied, and was by no means general throughout the isle; else, how can we account for the helpless state of the BRITONS after the ROMANS had deserted them. Had the latter instructed them in the arts of building and fortification, and in the disciplining of their forces according to the rules of military tactics, a few Saxon pirates could never have subdued them so easilythey would not have been so dastardly in the defence of their property and their native soil. The SAXONS, though almost wholly devoted to war, were probably advanced some degrees higher in the scale of civilization than the BRITONS, of whose country they took possession; and when missionaries from ROME came to preach Christianity amongst these semi-barbarians, they introduced some of those LIBERAL ARTS, which Ovid justly says, "soften men's manners, and prevent them from being completely brutal." Ecclesiastical Architecture was amongst these, and though the style, called Saxon, was heavy and inelegant, it was grand and massive, and much superior to any thing of the kind, except the Roman works, which before existed in Britain. It is not probable that the DANES contributed much to the advancement of civilization among the Britons; they were rude and ignorant pirates, with whom the latter were constantly at war, and who never made a secure and lasting settlement in the island. On the contrary, their inroads retarded the march of improvement, and it was not until they were wholly subdued by Alfred, that that monarch found leisure to cultivate literature and the arts, of which he was so justly fond, and to the advance of which in his dominions he so largely contributed. and while miasmata thus created and confined are poisoning the atmosphere, thousands of human beings are breathing it, and, of course, adding to its impurity. It is impossible that such a state of things should be otherwise than unfavourable to human health, and destructive of human life. In the country, on the other hand, every circumstance is favourable to man. The air, the scenery, the nature of his occupations, the habits of life which those occupations superinduce, and the exemption from the perpetual strife and agitation which are almost inseparable from a town life, render his life not only much more pleasant but much more healthful, and, upon the average, much more extended. Had we all a free choice as to a town or a country life, few, we apprehend, would hesitate as to embracing the former. But such is not, and cannot be the case. Towns are necessary. The resi❤ dents in the country need a thousand things which can only be produced by the association of great numbers of men. Husbandmen are necessary to cultivate the earth; but they must have tools, and apparel, and furniture, and houses, and these can only be produced by the residents in towns. Happily, the dispositions and tastes of men are as various as dwellers in the free air and beautiful scenery of the country would shrink from being compelled to pass their lives amid the smoke and bustle of a populous town. The inhabitants of the town, contrariwise, would tremble at the darkness and stillness which mark the night-time in the country, and would be rendered uneasy by that and inspiring. All this is ordained for the wisest purposes, and very calm, which, to a lover of nature, is so exceedingly delightful for our happiness and welfare. All are thus rendered contented with their condition, and efficient in their employment. But the pure air of the country, and its exceedingly beautiful scenery, have so excellent an effect upon the human health, and upon the human heart, that we recommend our readers never to neglect The busiest and most important avocations afford some few snatches a proper opportunity of inhaling the one and beholding the other. of leisure; and these can never be better or more wisely employed than in seeking the beauties of nature in their native haunts. During three-fourths of the year the country presents a perfect succession of beauties to the eye of taste, and of enjoyments to the wellattuned soul; and there are few indeed who cannot contrive to quit the busy hum and bustle of the town for a brief space, during one or the other of those periods. The NORMANS, though of Saxon origin, were rather more refined than their brethren in England, in consequence of their proximity to the French court. But it was the CRUSADES, although for a time they induced much distress in the Christian nations of Europe, that contributed most largely to their after improvement. What-the circumstances in which they are placed by their Creator. The ever learning had survived the ravages of the barbarians, was to be found in the East, and although the warriors of the Cross cared but little for letters, and the polished manners of their opponents, they insensibly imbibed something of the latter; and there were a few among their numbers who had a taste for the former, and brought home many valuable works, which, laid up in monasteries, in due time contributed greatly to the diffusion of that light, which now seems kindling into a full effulgence of glory. But, while BRITAIN continued to profess the Roman Catholic religion, there were many opposed to the advance of wisdom and knowledge. That RELIGION is averse to free enquiry, and requires that unqualified assent to its doctrines, and compliance with its injunctions, which a cultivated mind cannot yield. Since the REFORMATION, however, and the enjoyment of religious freedom, BRITAIN has been rapidly rising to an elevated point of grandeur and dignity among the nations of the world. Universities and seminaries for the higher branches of learning are increasing in numbers and importance ;-her metropolis is now famed, not only as the largest and most commercial city in the world, but as one of the most elegant and commodious; abounding with edifices worthy of ancient SOCRATES did not blush to play with children. Tycho Brahe Greece, producing specimens of sculpture, architecture, the translator of Josephus, amused himself in cultivating trees. diverted himself with polishing glasses for spectacles. D'Andilly, and painting, which may justly vie with those once accounted the wonders of the world, and affording every his hours of relaxation, read any amusing romance that came in Barclay, in his leisure hours, was a florist. The great Arnauld, in luxury both for the body and the mind, which the most his way; as did Warburton, Blair, and the late Lord Camden. fastidious taste, the most refined intellect can desire. Yet Others have found amusement in composing treatises on odd subBRITAIN has not yet reached the acme of her glory.jects. It seems, indeed, according to Johnson, to have been in all Reposing gracefully on her laurels, and at peace with all the world, she is assiduously cultivating those arts which ennoble man, which afford him more real delight, and more truly benefit the country at large, than the most splendid victories, the most extensive conquests.. THE COUNTRY. LITERARY CHARACTERS. ages the pride of art, to show how it could "exalt the low, and employ the little." To this ambition, perhaps, we owe the Frogs of Homer; the Gnat and the Bee of Virgil; the Butterfly of Spencer, &c., &c, He that knows useful things, and not he that knows many things, is the wise man. Death has nothing terrible in it but what life has made so. The useful and the beautiful are never apart.-Periander. Speech is the gift of all, but thought of few. Ir has been very well said by a celebrated author, that "great cities are the graves of the human species." Another author has-Plato. observed that if the havoc committed upon the human race by the unwholesome atmosphere and pernicious habits of great and populous places were equally made in the country, the human kind could only be perpetuated by a continual series of special miracles. Great cities would, in fact, very soon be depopulated, were not the havoc which death makes in them continually repaired by the influx of population from the country. The atmosphere of populous places is, in truth, being perpetually poisoned and corrupted. Putrid animal and vegetable substances necessarily abound in them; high walls and crowded houses obstruct the free passage of the air; It is as hard for the good to suspect evil, as it is for the bad to suspect good.-Cicero. He must be a wise man himself who is capable of distinguishing one.-Diogenes. You may judge of the master by the complaint he makes of his servants Though one of the least counties in England it holds the very first rank both for wealth and importance. It measures twenty-two miles in length, fourteen in breadth, and ninety-five in circumference. busy town, about seven miles from the west of the metropolis. Besides Brentford, this county has several other towns, but they are of minor importance; these are Staines, Uxbridge, and Enfield. Many single parishes near London are fully as large, populous, and wealthy, as the considerable towns of other counties. Among these are Hampstead, Highgate, Islington, Hackney, Stepney, Fulham, Hammersmith, Kensington, &c. To attempt to enumerate the various persons remarkable for genius who owed their birth to London, would be to enter upon a task to which the limits of this work deny even a fortieth part of the necessary space. We shall therefore name only three, the great LORD BACON ; JOIN MILTON; and SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN, the architect of ST. PAUL's, and of no inconsiderable portion of the city itself. This county is situated in the Home circuit, and in the diocese of London. Its chief river is the THAMES, those of less note are the Lea, Coln, and New River. The air is healthy; the soil, in general, a lean gravel, is naturally unproductive, but owing to its vicinity to the metropolis, much of it is converted into rich beds of manure, cloathed with almost a 'perpetual verdure. MIDDLESEX may justly be considered as a sort of demesne to the metropolis, covered with villas, intersected by innumerable roads, and encompassed by ON THE CONSTITUTION OF ENGLAND. gardens, pastures, and enclosures, for its convenience and WHATEVER may be the form or title of a government it has three support. MIDDLESEX Swarms with inhabitants, in its nu- distinct functions; the regulation of the relations of the country in merous and extensive villages, but no large town can exist which it obtains with foreign powers, the enactment of laws for in the vicinity of so powerful a magnet as LONDON, which so the internal government of the country, and the execution of the strongly attracts inhabitants from every part of the country. provisions of those laws. Now, if the same power makes laws and This county sends eight members to parliament; namely, upon the wisdom and equity of that power; for it cannot merely carries them into execution, the safety of the subject rests wholly two for the county, four for London, two for Westminster, prescribe rules without control, but it can enforce them without to which will shortly be added, two for Finsbury, two for responsibility. Accordingly we find, that in those countries where Mary-le-bonne, two for the Tower Hamlets, and two for the princes are the most arbitrary and unsparing, and the subjects the borough of Lambeth. It was calculated many years the most slavish and oppressed, the public affairs are conducted in ago, by DR. PRICE, that LONDON held one-ninth of the en-this wise. In these governments the same power determines in tire population of ENGLAND; and from the vast increase of all public affairs, enacts all public regulations, and decides upon the business of that city, and the immense additions which ments are ferocious, and the people miserable. In Venice and other all individual conduct; and, the consequence is, that the governspeculation and actual demand have caused to be made to republics, and in the Turkish empire, this system obtains and the each of its widely extending suburbs, we can readily ob-effect is the same. The Bridge of Sighs, and the moat of the serve, that that proportion is still kept, which, indeed, the Seraglio testify, with a melancholy and convincing voice, that last census fully testifies. arbitrary power is every where alike, and that it is as terrible when exercised by a doge and council as when vested in a Moslem emother; and the funereal gondola contains as much agony and horror peror. The fiat of the one is as ruinously terrible as that of the as the light and gliding caique. The whispered slander of a servile eunuch is not more terrible, or more certainly fatal, than the anonymous accusation, true or false, deposited in the lion's mouth; either is sufficient to ruin the wretched being at whose destruction it aims and to glut the vengeance of his secret enemy. Owing to the residence of the COURT at Westminster, the immense business of the City of London, and the vast expenditure of the resident population, added to the fact that LONDON is the centre of an enormous commerce with every part of the known WORLD, MIDDLESEX may be considered greatly superior to any other county of the kingdom. This county, as before observed, is remarkable for the salubrity of its air. Even the METROPOLIS, which is so crowded with inhabitants, is as little subject as any other place in ENGLAND to epidemic or infectious diseases, and the duration of human life appears to be no more brief there than elsewhere.* Now, in England, the powers of government are so completely danger of being oppressed by their king, and he is equally secure and so equitably divided, that the subjects are secure from any from any improper interference or restraint of his people. The English constitution secures to each class its rights, and imposes upon each class its duties; and each class is a check upon the am, The king's prerogatives are extensive, but they are defined. Ile receives embassies, and declares war or peace with foreign powers; he appoints his own ministers, and he has the enviable power of mitigating the rigours of the law. But the king cannot spend a shilling of the public money beyond that which is granted to him by parliament; and in all matters of private rights, he and his family are obliged, in common with the meanest subject, to appeal to the courts of law. Nor is this merely theory, as was proved during the last reign. An exalted personage had unwittingly enthe law, and had the encroachment abated, besides receiving comcroached upon the premises of a mere tradesman, who appealed to One of the greatest ornaments and most important pos-bition, profusion, or injustice of the other. sessions of this county is the beautiful and wealthy laden river-the THAMES. This river, indeed, waters several other counties; but it is for LONDON, the capital not only of Middlesex, and not only of England, but of the whole world, that it lavishes its chief riches. The amount of merchandize annually imported to, and exported from the Port of London, almost exceeds belief; and, without any hyperbole, the whole civilized world may be said to be engaged in its trade, and interested in its prosperity, Though London is the capital of Middlesex, the election of knights of the shire is held, not at London, but at Brent-pensation for the injury which he alleged that he had sustained.† ford, a straggling, and irregularly built, but populous and To this it may be added, that London has suffered less, in proportion to its number of inhabitants, by the late awful visita tion of the CHOLERA MORBUS, than any other part of England. The king appoints his own ministers; and as they are respon i. e., so called; for the power is really vested in the hands of a few, + The individual in question was a poulterer, Mr. John Horne, father of the celebrated John Horne Tooke, author of the "Diversions of Purley." |