XI. A short description of five (supposed) new species of the genus Muræna. By the same. XII. Description of two new species of the genus Gadus (cod-fish, found in the fresh water lakes and rivers of North America.) By the same. XIII. Description of a new species of the genus Cyprinus. By the same. XIV. Account of an American species of Tortoise, not noticed in the systems. By the same. This animal was discovered by M. Le Sueur in a marsh on the borders of Lake Erie from its shell being marked with semi-concentric lines of yellow, black, and red, that present the appearance of a geographical map, that intelligent naturalist gives the animal the trivial name of the Geographical Tortoise. XV. Description of the Catostomus, a new genus of fishes, of the order Abdominales, with its characters and species. By the same. A very important addition to icthyology. XVI. Some account of the insect known by the name of the Hessian Fly, and of a parasitic insect that feeds on it. By Thomas Say. XVII. Account of an American species of the genus Tantalus, or Ibis. By George Ord. This is supposed to be the same bird as the Mexican Ibis, described by our accurate ornithologist, the late Dr. Latham. This portion of the Journal of the Philadelphian Academy of Natural Sciences, is illustrated with several neat engravings; the typography is very neat, and the cheap and unassuming manner in which the Society has communicated the result of its labours to the public, enhances the value of its papers, which really are a most valuable contribution to our knowledge of the natural sciences. Magna Britannia; being a Topographical account of the several counties of Great Britain. By the Rev. Daniel Lysons, A. M. F.R.S. &c., and Samuel Lysons, Esq. F.R.S. vol V. containing Derbyshire, large 4to. £3. 10s. Cadell and Davies, London, 1817. Messrs. Lysons have long been known as two of the most intelligent and indefatigable students of British Antiquities; and the esteem, in which their former publications are deservedly held, for their accuracy and for the valuable information which they contain, will not be withheld from the volume now under consideration. It is the fifth of a work that comes forward with peculiar commendations, as filling up an important chasm in English Literature. The larger and most valuable county histories are for the most part of extreme rarity and high in price, so that few can have access to them: even Camden's Britannia, greatly improved as it has been by the labours of Bishop Gibson, and especially of the late Mr. Gough, exhibits only a partial sketch of the topography and antiquities of Britain. The Magna Britannia of Messrs. Lysons obviates every difficulty; and while it represents each county, not in the minute details required in a specific work of topography, yet in more copious manner than Camden and his coutinuators have done, it will be found to contain a full and accurate description of every thing that is really worthy of note. The volume consists of two principal divisions; the first contains the general history of Derbyshire, and the second its parochial history. The General History embraces a view of the early inhabitants of this county, together with the principal events in English history that have taken place The four preceding volumes contain accounts of Bedford, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Cambridge, Cornwall, and Cumberland. And it is worthy of remark, that four first of these counties, before those comno complete histories were published of the municated to the public by Messrs. Lysons, in it; its ecclesiastical and civil divisions, | 6000 tons. Of late years, not above half monasteries, colleges, and antient hospi- that quantity has been raised, many mines tals, borough and market towns, fairs, having ceased working on account of the population, division of property at the low price of lead. The most productive time of the domesday survey, and of the mine of late years has been the Gang-mine in the liberty of Cromford, in the parish nobility, baronets, and gentry of the and Wapentake of Wirksworth. county, together with their principal seats, forests and deer parks. The arms of the nobility and gentry are accurately described; and many of them are very neatly engraved on wood. To those who are curious in family history, this portion of the work cannot fail to presented to Robert del Don by Edward I.: that a large fund of recondite and interesting information. These topics are succeeded by a geographical and geological description of the county, including its boundaries and extent, soils and strata, surface and scenery, rivers, navigable canals, and roads. The natural history and produce of Derbyshire afford materials for an interesting section. The mines in the Peak and in the wapentake of Wirksworth belonged to the crown at an early period. The Survey of Domesday mentions three mines at Wirksworth, and one in each of the manors of The King's mine at Wirksworth was grantCrich, Ashford, Bakewell, and Mestesford. of Crich, which had been granted by King John to Hubert Fitz-Ralph, was confirmed by Edward II. to Roger de Belers in 1825. The Devonshire family have long been lesses of the mines in the hundred of HighPeak. The lease of those in the wapentake of Wirksworth, was in the family of Rowles, and having been lately sold under a decree of chancery, is now vested in Richard Arkwright, Esq. the superintendence of an officer called a bar-master, who holds courts twice a year. At these courts, are decided all questions respecting the duties payable to the crown, or the lessee; controversies relating to working the mines, and punishments are inflicted for all offences committed upon mineral property. Debts incurred in working the mines are cognizable also in the bar-mote courts, which are held at Monyash for the Peak, and at Wirksworth for the wapentake. The lead mines of course occupy a The mines and miners of Derbyshire are principal place in this part of the work. governed by certain ancient customs and regulations which were ascertained by a It is well ascertained that the Derby-jury under a commission granted in the shire lead-mines were worked by the Ro-year 1287. The mining concerns are under mans, and probably by the Britons. They are chiefly in the wapentake of Wirks worth, and the lower part of the Peak, as far north as Castleton. There are lead mines also in the parishes of Ashover, Crich, and Calke, and lead-ore has been found in Turndich and Mugginton. The whole number of lead-mines, enumerated by Mr. Farey in his Agricultural Survey, amounts to about 250; of which number, | twenty-two are stated to produce an abundant supply of ore. Pilkington states, that the mines in the wapentake of Wirksworth yielded 1806 tons of lead in 1782, those in the parish of Crich, 200 tons. The Ashover mines, he states, had then produced 2011 tons annually for six years, and the Gregory mine alone, in that parish, from 1758 to 1783, 1511 tons annually.† The annual quantity produced from the High-Peak mines, he estimates at 2000 tons, and the whole of the annual quantity raised in Derbyshire, at between 5 and The productive mines are stated to be in the parishes or chapelries of Ashover, Matlock, Cromford, Wirksworth, Bonsall, Youlgrave, Elton, Winster, Hope, Eyam, Great Longsdon, and Monyash. The lead raised from the Gregory mine, from 1758 to 1806, when the concern was given up, produced a clear profit of 100,000l. after expending upwards of 23,000l. in making trials for the discovery of new veins, &c, The ancient punishment for stealing ore, on the third conviction, was, that the offender's hand should be struck through with a knife into the haft into the stow, where it was to remain until the offender was released by death, unless he loosed himself by cutting off his hand. One of the most remarkable of the ancient mining customs is that by which any adventurer who shall discover a vein of lead, unoccupied in the king's field, has a right to work it on the land of any person, without making any compensation to the proprietor: this custom is still in force, but it is understood that gardens, orchards, and highways, are excepted. It is the of fice of the bar-master, being applied to for In the year 1808 it was from 351. to 401. per Hull-fodder, from which it has gradually fallen to between 15 and 181. that purpose, to put adventurers into possession of such veins by them discovered. The duties or tolls payable to the crown, aud to the lord of the manor are of great antiqnity they vary very much in different parts of the Peak. Tithes are paid for lead-ore in the parishes of Eyam and Wirksworth. The brazen dish, by which the measure of the ore is regulated, is kept at Wirksworth: the records of the barmote court, which was kept in ancient times at the castle of the Peak, are now at Chatsworth. The laws aud customs of the mines vary in different manors, as well as the amount of tolls paid. The lead of Derbyshire was originally smelted by wood-fires on hills, in the open air. Mr. Farey has given a list of the places where this process was carried on. This inconvenient mode was succeeded by what were called hearth furnaces. Pilkington says, that two of these remained in the county at the time of his writing, (about 1789,) but Mr. Farey, in his Agricultural Survey, states, that the last hearthfurnace (which was at Rowsley) was pulled down about the year 1780; and that another at Hazleford-bridge, near Hathersage, had been pulled down some time before. The same writer says, that a company of Quakers introduced the improved cupola furnace, now in use, from Wales, and erected one at Celtsedge in Ashover. The smelting business has of late been on the decline, and there are now only nine cupolas in the county; two of these have two furnaces each. A considerable quantity of lead is sent from Cromford to Derby, where it is used in making white lead, red lead, sheet lead, pipes, and shot: the remainder is for the most part sent down the canal from Chesterfield to coasting vessels in the Trent, for the London and Hull markets. Calamine or oxide of zinc, black jack, oxide of manganese, iron, coals, and several other metals and minerals are also produced in this country; which is particularly celebrated for its fine fluor spar, the more beautiful specimens of which spar called blue john, are wrought into vases and various ornamental articles of furniture, &c. at the manufactory in Derby. Derbyshire holds a distinguished place among the manufacturing counties. The earliest manufacture, noticed in history as connected with this county Is that of wool, which seems to have been established before the reign of King John, when an exclusive privilege of dying The silk-mill was first introduced into Derbyshire in the beginning of the last century; the improved machinery was brought over from Italy about the year 1717. The silk manufacture has increased, and is still flourishing at Derby. The manufacture of stockings was introduced at Derby about the same time as the silk-mills; and Derby is one of the four towns which are esteemed the chief seat of the stocking manufacture. The manufactures of Derby acquired additional celebrity by the ingenious discovery of Mr. Jedidiah Strutt, who introduced a machine for making ribbed stockings about the year 1755: this species of goods acquired the name of the Derby Rib. The stocking manufacture is chiefly carried on in private dwellings, in the towns and neigbourhood of Derby and Chesterfield, and most of the villages on the eastern side of the county.† The manufacture of cotton, except what was used in making stockings, does not appear to have been introduced into Derbyshire before the year 1771, when Sir Richard Arkwright established one of the first cotton-mills on the improved principles at Cromford. In 1779, those two eminent benefactors to their country, whose industry and talents contributed so largely to the extension of its manufactures, the late Mr. Jedidiah Strutt and Sir Richard Arkwright, in conjunction with Mr. Samuel Need, made at Derby the first successful attempt, to establish the manufacture of calicoes in this kingdom. This county, therefore, as having been the cradle of some of the most important branches of the cotton manufacture, stands in the highest rank in point of interest, and may be reckoned almost the first with respect to In 1787, the the extent of its concerns. number of cotton-mills in England, Wales, and Scotland, are said to have been 149; in England only, 119: of these, 41 were in Lancashire, and 22 in Derbyshire The number of cotton-mills in Derbyshire alone The others are, Leicester, Loughborough, and Nottingham. + All the townships in which this manufacture is carried on are enumerated in the third volume of Farey's Survey. is now 112, of which one half are in the parish of Glossop: there are several others in the Peak, (at Castleton, Chapel-en-leFrith, Tideswell, &c.) There are cottonmills also at Matlock, Crich,Pleasley, Sawley, Measham, &c. Very numerous also are the factories connected with the cotton trade. It is stated by Mr. Farey, that there are in this county 48 factories for calico weaving; 15 bleaching grounds; four ca co-printing works (in the parish of Glossop); three cambric-weaving factories (in the same parish); two for fastian-weaving; eight for muslin weaving (chiefly in Glossop); two for tape weaving; and four mills for making candle-wicks. Machines for the cotton factories, stocking-frames, &c., are made at Derby, Alfreton, Glossop, Belper, Heanor, Matlock, Butterley, &c. The linen manufacture is not of great extent in Derbyshire. Flax spinning is carried on, and there are linen-yarn mills in the parishes of Ashover, Matlock, Glossop, Brampton, and Crich; linen weaving in Ashover, Brampton, Belper, Turnditch, &c.; tape weaving and cambric weaving in Glossop, and lace weaving in Derby and Melbourne. There are 28 tan-yards in various parts of the county; nine skinners, four curriers, and five factories of white leather. At Hartshorn is a mill for oiled and chamois leather. Shoes are made for the wholesale trade at Chesterfield and other places. In this county there are 12 dye-houses, nine paper-mills, 13 rope-walks, and three whip cord manufactories. There are red and white lead works at and near Derby, and red-lead works in the parish of Chesterfield, at Alderwasley, nnd at Lea-wood; there is a shotmill at Derby. Besides the smelting houses for lead already noticed, there are numerous iron furnaces, there are various manufactures connected with the iron trade, which are carried on to a great extent. The cast-iron works at Chesterfield, Butterley, &c., carried on very extensive manufactures of cannon, cannon-balls, &c., during the war. Agricultural tools are manufactured in various parts of the county. Scythes, sickles, hoes, and spades, are made chiefly in the northern part of the county, between Chesterfield and Sheffield; there are three factories of reaping-hooks and seven of sickles, in the parish of Eck ington; eight scythe-smiths in Norton, five in Eckington, and four in Dronfield. Cutlery, and other steel articles are made at Derby, Chesterfield, and in the villages to the north of the last mentioned town. Spurs and bridle-bits are made at Bolsover and New Brampton; needles at Hather sage. There are six chain manufactories, chiefly in the north part of the county. Nailmaking is carried on to a great extent, chiefly at aud in the neighbourhood of Belper; though of late the trade has experienced a considerable check. Nails from cast iron are made at Dronfield and NewBrampton. There are ten grindstone mills in this county, three of which are atUpper Padley and the others in the neighbourhood of Dronfield, Eckington, and Norton. Whetstones and hones are made in great quantities within a few miles north-east of Derby, and sent into the southern counties. There is a large manufactory of spar or fluor ornaments at Derby, and saw-mills for marble and stone, at Bonsall, Leabridge, and Wirksworth. At Derby is a long-established porcelain manufactory: there is a porcelain manufactory also at Pinxton. There are potteries at and near Chesterfield, Alfreton, Belper, Ilkeston, Gresley, Hartshorn, Tickenhall, &c. Tobacco-pipes are made at Chesterfield and at New-Brampton. Hats are made in considerable quantities, for exportation, at Alfreton, Chesterfield, &c. Chesterfield is a carpet manufactory. At Besides the manufactories already mentioned, Mr. Farey enumerates among others one glass-house, one gun-powder mill, a brass-foundery, at Ashborne; mills for grinding colours at Bonsall and Derby; a manufactory of button-moulds at Whittington, and several mills for crushing bones, used for the purposes of manure. The antiquities of Derbyshire are very numerous, and exhibit vestiges of British, Roman, Saxon, and Norman art: an interesting account of the British and Roman stations is communicated by the Bishop of Cloyne, but these, as well as the remains of ecclesiastical and civil architecture, our limits compel us to pass in silence. But, among the singular usages observed in this county, we cannot omit to notice the annual custom observed at Tissington, of dresThese are sing the wells or springs. five in number, situated in different parts of the village, and yield a remarkable clear water. On Holy Thursday they are adorned with flowers, arranged in various devices, and accompanied with inscriptions, by the persons on whose premises they are situated. This is performed with boards cut to the size and form of the subject intended to be represented, and covered with moist clay, in which the flowers are inserted, and the petals of flowers forming a sort of mosaic work. These boards, thus ornamented, are fixed at the back of the spring, which appears to issue from under thein. There is service in the church on that day, and a sermon, after which each of the wells is visited, and the three Psalms for the day, with the Epistle and Gospel, are read, one at each well; after which a psalm is sung by the church singers, accompanied by a band of music. We now come to the periodical history, in which the parishes are arranged alphabetically. The chief descents of landed property, and such particulars as can be collected respecting them, are here presented to the reader with the utmost brevity consistent with perspicuity. Considering the multiplicity of objects which our authors have had occasion to notice, we are surprised at the comprehensive yet full notices which they have been enabled to present. A map and thirty five other beautifully executed engravings illustrate this volume. There are also thirty one views of this county, published in a detatched form, and representing the most beautiful spots in Derbyshire; they are engraven in the best manner, after the drawings of Mr. Farington. We here close our notice of this valuable work; whence, if our limits had permitted, we could have extracted numerous curious and interesting particulars; but the preceding brief account will suffice to shew that it is one of the completest specimens of Topographical history that is extant. tian slaves; at length, weary of this mode of life, he joins a pirate, accumulates wealth, and returns to Venice to spend the remainder of his days in peace, and die in the bosom of the church. Such is the story of Beppo himself. During his absence an underplot is carried on by his wife, who, tired of living in lonely solitude, has recourse to the solace usual with desolate ladies. She associates herself with an Italian Count, a finished coxcomb; with whom she goes to every ball, feast, and amusement in her power. Of this important personage we have the following graphic description And then he was a Count, and then he knew For few Italians speak the right Etruscan ; And knew all niceties of the sock and buskin, And no Venetian audience could endure a Song, scene, or air, when he cried "Seccatura." Hush'd "Academie" sigh'd in silent awe, For fear of some false note's detected flaw; The "prima Donna's" tuneful heart would bound, Dreading the deep damnation of his "bah !" Soprano, basso, even the contrasalto, Wish'd him five fathom under the Rialto. No wonder such accomplishments should turn with scarce a hope that Beppo could return, A female head, however sage and steady, In law he was almost as good as dead, he Nor sent, nor wrote, nor show'd the least concern, And she had waited several years already, And really, if a man won't let us know That he's alive, he's dead, or should be so. Among other places of amusement which they frequent, the carnival is too lively a scene to be passed in silence by the poet; he has accordingly pourtrayed it with much liveliness and fancyThe moment night with dusky mantle covers The time less liked by husbands than by lovers, The skies (and the more duskily the better,) Begins, and prudery flings aside her fetter; And gaiety on restless tiptoe hovers, Giggling with all the gallants who beset her; And there are songs and quavers, roaring, humming, Guitars and every sort of strumming. And there are dresses splendid, but fantastical, Masks of all times and nations, Turks and Jews, [nastical, And Harlequins and Clowns, with feats gymGreeks, Romans, Yankee Doodles and Hindoos, All kinds of dress except the ecclesiastical, All people as their fancies hit may choose; But no one in those parts may quiz the Clergy, Therefore take heed, ye Freethinkers, I charge ye. |