Imatges de pàgina
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Subfcribers Names.

Mrs. Let. Pilkington. Mr. John Pilkington. Mr. William Percival. Mr. John Pearson. Mr. John Pearfon, Surgeon.

Mr. Samuel Paul.

Mr. Patrick Quin.

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Rev. Wm. Robertfon.
Mr. John Reynolds.
Mr. George Reynolds.
Mr. And. Roark.
Mr. John Roe.
Mr. Solomon Round.
Mrs. Mary Ramfay
Mr. Henry Rogers, of
Wicklow.
Mifs Eliz. Reeves..
Mrs. Eliz. Richardfon
Mr. Samuel Ransford.

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Mr. Wm. Shippey. Mr. John Sweeny. Mr. Thomas Smoke. Mr. William Sharply. Mifs Ann Smith. Mr. Ihomas Scot. Mr J. Smith, 2 Bks. Mr. Patrick Supple. Mr. John Sweet. Mr. Samuel Suffolk. Mr. Hance Stephens.

Mr. And. Shannon.

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Mr. Peter Torton. Mr. Thomas Turpin. Mr. Rich. Thornton. Mr. Jofeph Tuttell.. Mr. Francis Tipper.

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Rev. Dr. John Wynne. Rev. James Wilson. Rev. Samuel Whalley. James Wilfon, Efq; William Ward, Efq; Mr. Edmond Weld. Mr. John Whitlock. Mr. James Watson. Mr. Eliazer White.' Mr. Peter Weekes. Mr. Anthony Warren. 2 Books.

Mrs. Ann Weldon. Mr. Edward White. Mr. Jofeph Williams. Mr. Tho. Wilkinson. Mr. John Whitecraft. Mr. Samuel Walker. Mr. John Wilkinson. Mrs. Hannah Wilton. Mr. James Wetheral. Mr. G. Walker 2 Bks. Mr. Thomas Wills.

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Mr. John Yorke.

BRETT'S MISCELLANY.

Question.

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HAT are the principal Causes of the Greatness of Cities? Anfwer. Altho' the Reasons thereof be many in Number, yet they are reduced principally to these Seven. First, a navigable River, by which there will be a continual Concourfe of Merchants, as at Venice, Amfterdam, Conftantinople, and London; which were it not for the River Thames, London would not have fo encreased fince the dreadful Fire in 1666. And if all the new-built Houfes, had then been by Act of Parliament put under a Regifter, as at Amfterdam; whereby they might have been mortgaged as the Proprietors had Occafion for Money; then these Houses would have been worth above thirty Years Purchase, greatly advancing the Trade of the City, and encreafing the Inhabitants thereof. Second, the Palace of the Prince; for where the Court is, there will be continual Store of Nobility and Gentry, which enrich Tradesmen by felling Commodities to them, an Inftance whereof we have of Madrid in Spain, which is grown from a mean Village to a very populous City, only by the King's Court. Third, the Refidence of the Nobility, by whom beautiful Buildings and ftately Structures are railed to the great adorning thereof, as may be

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feen in the Cities of Italy, where their Gentry do conftantly refide. Fourth, the Seat, or Tribunal, of Justice, which invites thither Lawyers and Clients in Abundance, to the great enriching thereof, as may be evidenced by the parliamentary Cities of France, and Spires in Germany. Fifth, Uniyerfities, and publick Schools of Learning, which draw thither the Sons of the Nobility and Gentry from the adjoining Countries, to the great Benefit and Profit thereof, as Paris, Cambridge, Oxford, Dublin, and many other Places witness. Sixth, Immunities from Taxes and Impofitions, with all Encouragements to fet forward Trades, Manufactures, and all industrious Employments whereby Riches, and Wealth may be encreased, as at Florence and Genoa, which being once almost defolated and depopulated by Plagues, yet were again very fuddenly peopled, by granting Immunities to all Comers, as was alfo practis'd at Venice, Hamburgh, Leghorn, and other Places. The laft is, that their Laws be good and few, their Magiftrates grave and sober, always practifing an induftrious Frugality for a good Example to their Citizens, whereby they may carry on their Offices with less Charge, more Eafe, and will not lye under any Neceffity for Bribery and Oppreffion, which otherwife must be to maintain a luxurious Living. Thus the Romans managed their City in their Beginning, whereby they grew to that Height of Power to give Laws to all the World; but afterwards by neglect of their Laws, with their Sloth, and luxurious Living; Bribery, O preffion, and Beggary came in as neceffary Confequents thereof; for as the diligent Hand maketh rich, and preferveth from Vice, fo Luxury and Debauchery tend to all manner of Wickednefs, and at last cloath a Man, Family, City or Nation with Rags.

Q. What City was that Ariftotle fo magnified above others for Beauty, Largenefs and Strength. A. The

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A. The City of Babylon, the Walls whereof were fifty Cubits thick, two hundred and two Cubits high: this City was four fquare, fifteen Miles from Corner to Corner, fixty Miles in compafs; it had an hundred Gates, with Thresholds and Posts of Braís, which when it was taken by Darius by drawing the River Euphrates dry, those that dwelt in the fartheft Parts of it, heard not of it 'till three Days. It was deftroyed according to the Prophecy of Jeremy, and is now a Defert for wild Beafts.

Q. What City is that which is founded upon the Waters, compaffed in with Waters, and hath no other Walls but the Sea ?

A Venice: Scituate and encompaffed with the Adriatick Sea. It hath continued unfhaken or unconquered fince the first Building, A. D. 1152, and is at this prefent famous for Buildings, Riches and Government.

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Q. Which is the chief City in England?

A. London: Which is accounted to contain in length, from Lime-Hill to Mill-Bank, feven Miles and a Half, and contains above 5400 Streets, Lanes, and Courts; it is enrich'd with a navigable River, the Palace of the King, and many Houfes of the Nobility; with many Colleges for the Study of the Laws, and other Arts and Sciences.

September the 2d 1666, about one of the Clock in the Morning, a fudden and lamentable fire broke out in the City of London, and held 'till the 6th of fame Month, and over-run the space of 373 Acres within the Walls of the City, and 63 Acres without the Walls; and there were burnt 89 Parish Churches, 6 Chapels, the Cathedral of St. Paul, the Royal Exchange, Guild-hall, the CuftomHoufe, many Magnificent Halls, feveral City-Gates, 13200 Houses, 400 Streets: and vaft Quantities of Houfhold Goods of all forts; of Books alone were loft to the value of about 150000 Pounds, fo that the whole Lofs is computed to be 9900000

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Pounds

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Pounds, and yet, by God's Providence, not above fix or eight Perfons were loft.

London is England's chiefeft Place, well known.
The fecond Place York claimeth as its own.

Q. Who was the firft Builder of Londen? A. The common Opinion is, that it was Brutus, the Son of Silvius, and Grand-child to Æneas; who, accompanied with many worthy Perfonages, as Partakers of his Fortunes; after many Wandrings and Difficulties, at laft arrived in England at a Place called Totnefs in Devonshire, as the Poet Neckam fings.

The Gods did guide his Sail,

And Course, the Winds were at Command, And Totness was the happy Shore,

Where firft he came on Land.

Thus Brutus, having got the Land, erected a City on the Thames, and named it after the Seat of his Ancestors, New Troy: which is the fame now called London.

He cafting a difcerning Eye
Where Thames did fairly glide,
Refolved to erect the fame,
Upon that River Side.

He many Houses built therein,

And clos'd it in with Wall,
Which Lud did after beautify,
And Luds-town did it call.

It may truly be faid of London, that it is a City of great Antiquity, fome fay more antient than Rome itself; Cornelius Tacitus writes, that in his Time, now above 1650 Years ago, it was famous for Multitudes of Merchants and Traffick; it is a well built City, fcituate in a good wholesome Air, on

the

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