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a bond for the young and gay. And even they, who in the firft effervefcence of religious zeal, find themselves delighted with fociety, who reflect back the fentiments of their minds; by continued collifion, discover that nothing new can be ftruck out;-uniformity at length tires;-focial feeling grows languid;-and at laft they retire, each within his own domeftic circle, into a state of contemplative and folitary enjoyment.

In this place is a large and refpectable academy for diffenters, where young men are educated for the miniftry. It was established at first under Dr. Gifford, who was the laft diffenter in this country, who fuffered imprisonment for his religious tenets. Many able tutors have prefided over it fince his time; among whom was the Rev. Mr. Newton, who was the antagonift of Harwood, known for his tranflation of the New Teftament, and a treatife on the various editions of the claffics. Mr. Newton was as much a diffenter from principle as any man of his time: large overtures having been made him to enter into the church, which he confcientiously rejected. He was remarkable for mildness of manners, liberality of fentiment, and foundness of judgment, and did honour to human nature. At this academy is an excellent library, enriched by the donations of many benefactors; among whom Dr. Lewellin is the chief. He left alfo two exhibitions to the University of Aberdeen. The library of Mr. Newton was bequeathed to this inftitution. Here is befide, a large philofophical apparatus, with a good obfervatory, and a collection of foffils and coins, well worth the infpection of the virtuofo. Among the curiofities of this library, a miniature picture of Oliver Cromwell should not be forgotten, done by Cooper :-for this it is faid the late Emprefs of Ruffia offered five hundred pounds. The prefent master of the academy is Dr. RYLAND, a man of refpectable talents, and for fimplicity of manners, and urbanity of disposition, univerfally beloved.

In Bristol is to be found every religious fect, from the fober quaker, to the vifionary enthusiast of Swedenborg. Their places of worship exceed in number even the churches of the establishment. Some of them are rather fuperb, particularly that belonging to the prefbyterians, where the Rev. Mr. ESTLIN preaches. To a manly piety this gentleman unites deep erudition; and has thus qualified himfelf to become an able defender of the Chriftian religion, both from the pulpit and the MONTHLY MAG. NO XLV.

prefs. He keeps a very confiderable academy in the vicinity of Bristol.

Within these few years many large additions have been made to the city: but, fince the war began, the building mania has ceafed. Its fquares exceed in beauty and extent any in the kingdom, out of London: and even there it would be difficult to find one equal in beauty to Portland fquare.

But thefe are the abodes of the rich and voluptuous. They are cheerful, airy, and fpacious. What a contrast should we behold, by turning our eyes to the jail of Bristol! where light and air struggle almoft in vain to get admittance. Thofe who are deprived of liberty, should still enjoy the common benefits of nature.

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Nec folem proprium natura, nec aëra fecit.

The abuses in the internal policy of prifons, and errors in their conftruction, have been honeftly expofed in a work called, Complaints of the poor," by Mr. G. Dyer. He has entered into a minute invettigation of the fubject; and those who do not admire his political fentiments, may at least applaud his benevolent labours, & mitigate by his hints, the fufferings of unfortunate delinquency. Mr. Howard indeed, has gone more at large into this subject; but I doubt in many inftances the wifdom of his regulations, though not the benevolence of his intentions.

The fame objections apply to the hofpital for the poor, as to the jail. The building is upon too narrow a scale for the numbers that refide there. Many a Norfolk barn is larger: yet fifteen thoufand pounds are annually collected from the inhabitants of the city, for its fupport. The coarfe woollen manufactory has lately been introduced; which answers two good purposes, that of leffening the poor rates, and giving employment to the idle.

The public charities of the place are very numerous, and speak much the liberality of its inhabitants. Thofe of Colfton are truly princely, and furnish the counting-houfes of the merchants with their belt clerks. One I believe is unique of its kind; it teaches blind perfons to work at trades, which require no other fenfe for their management, but that of touch-such as knitting, basket-making, and netting. By these means, those unfortunate beings are enabled to pafs through life, free from that painful vacuity which the privation of fight muft otherwife neceffarily produce. It is to be wished, that such a truly benevolent in

3 B

ftitution

ftitution were established in every large town in the kingdom*

Spenfer's other portraiture of this being is defigned with more fancy and elegance.

With him [Fear] went Hope in rank, a
handfome maid,

Of cheerful look, and lovely to behold;
In filken famite the was light array'd,
And her fair locks were woven up in gold:
She alway fmil'd, and in her hand did hold
An holy-water fprinkle, dipt in dew.

F. Q. iii. 12.

Mr. Spence inftances this emblem of the afpergoire, or sprinkler, as one of fufficient diftinctness. It is not, indeed, perfectly obvious; but, I think, not void of propriety; for Hope may juftly be reprefented as fhedding that divine influence on the mind, which enables it to repel the attacks of misfortune, and the fuggeftions of defpair. It is to be noted, that such a fymbol was formerly much more likely to be understood, than at prefent.

thofe which are cenfurable for want of

The commerce of Bristol is faid to be on the decline: this is attributed by fome to the difficult and circuitous navigation of its rivers-the exorbitancy of the town dues-and the decay of enterprifing fpirit in its inhabitants. But perhaps the war is a better folution of this queftion. Formerly it had the Turkey, the Greenland, and African flave trade to fupport its commercial confequence: the two former have long fince cealed, the lait, I am happy to fay, is just expiring: but, like fome fabulous river that I forget, it difappears in one place, only to.rife in another: Liverpool has gained what Briftol loft. The Weft India trade till flourishes here. Several improvements in the arts take their origin from Bristol: the patent hot-the rolling machine for paper-and the method for facilitating the rotation of an axis by means of fubfidiary wheels. I cannot difmifs this imperfect accoun: without condemning the barbarous cuftom of ufing fledges in the public ftreets for the conveyance goods, which are continually endangering the limbs, both of men and cattle. One Thou hovering angel girt with golden wings. would fuppofe that at Bristol they had not mechanics enough to cart a hcgfhead of fugar. I am, &c.

A. B.

of

For the Monthly Magazine. ON PERSONIFICATIONS IN POETRY. (Continued from page 293.)

according to the mythologists, was the gift of heaven, to compenfate for the numerous ills fent on the human race, has not often been reprefented by the poets under a material form. Spenfer has two figures of Hope. One is that of a virgin clad in blue, and chiefly diftinguifhed by the anchor on which he leans. This is the established fymbol by which Hope is rarked out in painting; and may be interpreted as referring to that property of this affection, by which it enables the foul to refift all the forms of adverfity, and preferves it from the shipwreck of defpair. As ufually pictured, however, it is liable to objections. A great anchor is an awk. ward thing for a delicate female to carry about with her; nor is it at all an inftrument for leaning upon. She ought to bear it as a miniature ornament, or to have its figure embroidered on her robe.

There is a fimilar inftitution at Liverpool. Edit,

A figure of Hope is sketched by Milton in his Comus, extremely elegant, but fcarcely distinguished from the other affections friendly to man.

-white handed Hope,

Com. 225.

Yet the epithet hovering has peculiar force in denoting the clofe and unremitting guardianship of this celestial atten

dant.

Collins, in his passions, though he seems to dwell with peculiar pleasure on the mnfic of Hope, has added nothing to her portrait.

Cowley has two pieces, highly wrought, in his peculiar manner, entitled, " fit and against Hope;" in which line every difplays a new image, or figure of comparifon, which is juft ftarted, and then relinquished. Some of thefe are picturesque, but are too flight and tranfient for a diftinct perfonification.

FAITH is, by Spenfer, called the elder fifter of Hope; and is thus defcribed:

-the eldeft, that Fidelia hight, Like funny beams threw from her cryftal face, That could have daz'd the rash beholder's fight,

And round about her head did shine like
heaven's light.

She was arrayed all in lily white,
And in her right hand bore a cup of gold,
With wine and water fill'd up to the height,
In which a ferpent did himself enfold,
That horror made to all that did behold;
But the no whit did change her conftant mood;
And in her other hand fhe faft did hold
A book

A book that was both fign'd and feal'd with blood,

Wherein dark things were writ, hard to be understood. F. ; i. 1o. This is religious Faith. The glory about her head, her pure white garments, and her myfterious book, are all symbols derived from religion. The golden cup of wine and water, containing a wreathed ferpent, is intended, I prefume, as an emblem of the eucharist.

Milton characterizes Faith by the epithet of pure-eyed, when addreffed by the virgin in Comus, as one of her guardian

attendants.

The antient portraiture of TRUTH was a female figure, beautiful, plainly clad, but fhining with peculiar fplendour. Addison, in his ingenious allegory of" True and Falfe Wit, adheres to this fimple manner of painting. He chiefly diftinguifhes the Goddess of Truth by the "bright light" effufed from her, the effect of which was fuch, that the figure of falsehood gradually melted away to nothing in her prefence.

The fame idea, expreffed with more brilliancy, conftitutes the effence of Mr. Mafon's portraiture of Truth.

So Truth proclaims. I hear the facred found

Burft from the center of her burning throne, Where aye fhe fits with ftar-wreath'd luftre crown'd;

A bright fun clafps her adamantine throne.
Elfrida.

The learned Jonfon, however, has not been contented with this fimplicity of de lineation; for, in one of his mafques, he draws the following picture of Truth, which, as a fpecimen of a particular manner, I think worth prefenting.

Upon her head fhe wears a crown of stars, Through which her orient hair waves to her waist,

By which, believing mortals hold her faft,
And in thofe golden cords are carried even
Till with her breath the blows them up to
heav'n.

She wears a robe enchas'd with eagles eyes,
To fignify her fight in mysteries;
Upon each fhoulder fits a milk-white dove,
And at her feet do wily ferpents move:
Her fpacious arms do reach from east to west,
And you may fee her heart fhine thro' her

breaft:

Herright hand holds a fun with burning rays: Her left a curious bunch of golden keys, With which heaven's gate the locketh and difplays

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LIBERTY has frequently received the homage of poets, especially of British ones; but few have exercifed their fancy in painting the object of their adoration. She is generally reprefented as a goddefs, fair and majestic, but diftinguished by fcarcely any emblematical accompanyments. Formerly the bore the wand and cap, employed by the Romans as fymbols in the emancipation of flaves; but Thomfon, with propriety, rejects these tokens, when he defcribes her as the guardian deity of Britain.

-Methought, the fair majestic power Of Liberty appear'd. Not, as of old, Extended in her hand the cap and rod, Whofe flave-enlarging touch gave double life; But her bright temples bound with British oak,

And mural honours nodded on her brow. Sublime of port; loofe' o'er her shoulder flow'd

Her sea-green robe, with conftellations gay. An ifland-goddess now; and her high care The queen of ifles, the mistrefs of the main. Liberty, i. 25.

This is a ftriking figure, but not fufficiently difcriminated; for in the islandgoddefs, we lofe the peculiar features of Liberty.

A vifion of Addifon's likewife prefents a fublime image of this perfonage, but an indiftin&t one.

"I beheld the goddess fitting upon a throne. She had nothing to enclose her, but the bounds of her own dominions; and nothing over her head but the heavens. Every glance of her eye caft a tract of light where it fell, that revived the fpring, and made all things fmile Tatler, No. 161.

about her."

He afterwards, with claffical propriety, marks out the genius of a commonwealth, by the cap and wand; alluding, as well to the most famous of all republics, as to the characteristic of democratical governments, the levelling of all diftinctions of rank.

When Milton, in his L'Allegro, called Liberty" the mountain-nymph," he rather, I fuppofe, had in his mind, the unreftrained air and fomewhat ruftic fpirit of freedom, as refpecting the intercourfe of fociety, than the tendency of moun tainous fituations to favour political J. A.

A crystal mirror hanging at her breaft, By which mens' confciences are fearch'd and liberty, rack'd, &c.

(To be continued.)

TOUR

TOUR OF ENGLAND. (Continued from page 291.) Journal of a Tour through almost every

deed all the buildings, are quite modern in appearance and the rigging of the veffels looks like a wood behind the town. county-Many of the streets of this town are

in England, and part of Wales, by Mr. JoнN HOUSMAN, of Corby, near Carlifle; who was engaged to make the Tour by a gentleman of diftinction, for the purpofe of collecting authentic information relative to the ftate of the poor. The Journal comprifes an account of the general appearance of the country, of the foil, furface, buildings, &c. with obfervations agricultural, commercial, &c.

OVEMBER 26, Chefter, to the

very narrow, which is the more remarkable, as they are mostly of a modern date. There likewife feems to have been very little regularity in the planning of the town..--Near the exchange, however, and in the higher parts of the town, there are fome pleafant and airy streets.---Moft of the buildings are very good: the warehoufes near the water fide are fuppofed to be the highest in England.---An account

Nvillage of High' Walton, in Che- of the population, commerce, and ship

thire, eighteen miles.-A level country, and a ftrong foil: roads very bad, particularly in wet weather. I obferved no commons in this diftrict; the inciofures feem old; farms and fields fmall; the average rent of land about 25s. per acre; and the size of farms, moftly between 201. and 1ool. a year. The land is almoft wholly in grafs, and applied to the purpofes of dairying.-A few trees appear in hedges. I paffed fome rocky hills on the right; much red freeftone rock on the road; yet the buildings are moftly of brick, and thatched; but tolerably good. From this road had a view of the river Merfey, which, towards Liverpool is very broad, and divides Chefhire and Lancafhire. The Duke of Bridgwater's canal paffes close by the village of High Wal

ton;

near which place an aqueduct conveys the water and its contents, over the road. This canal goes between Manchefter and Liverpool, and is faid to be a very lucrative ope.-Chefhire is much noted for its fine cheefe, which is fent to all parts of the kingdom; its paftures are very luxuriant and cattle good. I did not fee many sheep in this county; and thofe I faw were of the fmall forts. It is wholly a farming county; and here that character, the farm monopolift, so much complained of in the fouth, is fcarcely to

be heard of.

Nov. 27, went from High Walton to Liverpool in Lancashire, by way of Warrington, 21 miles. ---The road very fine; country low, and quite level; fields finall; much grafs land; a few trees on hedges; buildings pretty good, and population great. The farmers here make much cheefe.-Liverpool ftands low, and clofe to an arm of the fea, which comes up the Merfey, across which one fees fome high ground on the weft corner of Chefhire. From this road a traveller has a good profpect of the town, at the distance of about half a mile: the churches, and in

ping, of Liverpool, would require almost a volume, as well as a long refidence on the spot. Suffice it is to fay, that it now ranks as the fecond commercial port in the kingdom, and it poffeffes a large fhare of the West India, and almost the whole of the African trade.

November 30, I returned from Liverpool to Warrington in Lancashire, eighteen miles.---This is Warrington fair day, or rather the first day of the fair, as it lafts feveral days, and draws here a great concourfe of people. The fhew of cattle was great, and the animals very good: they were of the Lancashire breed, a fpecies of cattle, which I think is not exceeded, if equalled, in England, except in Leicestershire. Warrington is a great thoroughfare, and contains 8790 inhabitants. Sail cloth is much manufactured here. The town ftands on a level fertile plain, by the fide of the Mersey, but most of the ftreets are very narrow and dirty.

December 1. Warrington to Manchefter, 18 miles.---A level country, and a pretty good foil: the fields small, and most of the lands in pafturage for cows. I obferved a few fmall pieces of woodland, chiefly oak: the road excellent. On the left hand fide a peat mofs was in view for 6 or 7 miles: it is now, I underftand, under the hands of the drainer, and is expected to be made very profitable ground, of the fuccefs of which I have no doubt. Peat mofs is fufceptible of greater improvements than any other fpecies of foil.---The cotton manufacture employs thoufands of people along this road: cottages and manufacturing villages are numerous.-Manchester stands on a little rifing ground, in a fine open country: a few of the streets are narrow and dirty, but the town in general is open, airy, clean, and remarkably well built; it feems alfo to have been formed on a much more regular plan than Liverpool. The population is increafing amazingly

as

as well as buildings. Manchester is connected with molt parts of the kingdom by means of canals: at the commencement of the prefent war, it feems to have had more inhabitants than Liverpool. In 1791, it was calculated to contain about 66,000 people; of whom 20,000 were employed in preparing warp and weft cotton: this calculation includes the parish of Salford, which stands on the'weft fide of the river, and is connected with Manchefter by good bridges. However, the population is now greatly decreased, by the failure of trade, and the very great number of men, who enlifted into the army.The manufacturers earn very high wages; but are feldom provident enough to lay up a fufficient stock for old age. There is often one great inconveniency attending the large manufacturing towns, whofe population has increased rapidly: the quantity of burying grounds foon becomes too finall for the mortality of the place, and renders it neceffary to open the earth before it ought to be dug up. This has been the cafe at Manchester; a grave is made pretty deep, and one corpfe is laid above another till it is fufficiently full, and then covered up. But even that method being found not to make room enough in the church yard, another parcel of ground, a little distance from the town, was procured for the pur pofe of interring the dead: the manner of depofiting the bodies in this receptacle is, however, ftill more fhocking. A large fquare hole is dug, and one coffin laid upon and befide another, till it is full, and then covered with fand: a few boards are faftened over this hole during the night and part of the day, till the time of the funerals, when they are again removed; but I have been told, fuch is the careleffnefs of the fextons, that the pigs have fometimes uncovered the coffins. The land in this neighbourhood is rather heavy and ftrong, and lets for about 41. per ftatute acre.-Upon the whole, this town, in my opinion, affords as defirable a refidence as any large manufacturing town I have feen; and the employ it affords, is in general lucrative; but the business, as in other manufactures, is subject to great fluctuation.

December 6. Manchefter to Bury in Lancashire, 9 miles.-This district is fomething like the last I passed: It is level; the fields small, and moftly in grafs; and the country extremely populous in cotton manufacturers. Bury is a fmall, but neat and pleasant manufacturing town, containing about 2000 fouls. They manufacture fome cloth, but chiefly cotton,

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in all its branches.-The population in this neighbourhood is very much upon the increafe.-Farms are finall; from 141. to 30l. a year, and rent of land, 158. to 41. 10s. per acre, the average about

305.

December 8. Went from Bury to Prefton in Lancashire, 27 miles.-The road, for the most part, very bad: the furface generally level, but not without fome exceptions; the foil inferior to the other parts of Lancashire I have feen; the country rather naked, and few trees appear. I paffed feveral tracts of poor common, and obferved fome diftri&ts apparently inclofed not long ago.-This road croffes the new canal different times; the people 1eem to make a very flow progress in cutting it; which, report fays, is occafioned by a want of money. In this day's journey, I paffed through Bolton and Chorley, both of which are pleasant towns, and carry on the cotton manufactory to a great extent: indeed the country all along warms with houfes and people.-Pretton ftands pleafantly, is exceedingly well built, most of the houles modern; many of the ftreets, and efpecially the market place, are wide and clean: in fhort, I have not. feen many towns in the kingdom fo agreeable, taken altogether, as this. It contains about 7000 inhabitants, two thirds of whom are employed in fpinning, weav ing, printing cottons, muslins, &c. The rent of land in this neighbourhood is about 21. to 44. per ftatute acre; and fize of farms, 151. to 50l. a year: the land is moftly in pafturage, and cows kept thereon.

December 10. Prefton to Lancaster, 22 miles.---The country is level in general; pals fome tracts of common; the fields are fmall, and much in grafs. The road better than in my last day's journey. Some parts of this diftrict produces furze plentifully, which is fuffered to remain, and fhews that manufacture is more attended to than agriculture.-The population all along is till very great, but rather decreases toward Laucafter. The new canal proceeds very flowly, either for want of hands or money.--Lancafter, or a part of it, ftands on a floping ground by the river Loyne: it is well built, and generally clean; but most of the streets are narrow, and want regularity. The church and castle, or goal, ftand together, on a hill at the weft end of the town; the latter has lately undergone a thorough repair. From this place, an extenfive prospect is had, particularly to the northward, over the Lancaster, Milthrop, and Ulverstone fands, Small veffels come up the Loyne

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