the several counties, towns, &c., are noticed in
their alphabetical place in this work.

The face 'of the country affords all that beauti-
ful variety which can be found in the most exten-
sive tracts of the globe ; not, however, without
romantic, and even dreary scenes, lofty mountains,
craggy rocks, black barren moors, and wide un-
cultivated heaths; and yet, few countries have a
smaller proportion of land, absolutely sterile and
incapable of culture. The richest parts are, in
genera], the midland and southern. Towards the
N. it partakes of the barrenness of the adjoining
parts of Scotland. The E. coast is in many places,
sandy and marshy. A range of rude and elevated
land, sometimes rising into mountains 3,000 feet in
height, extends from the borders of Scotland to
the very heart of England, forming a natural di-
vision between the E. and W. sides of the king-
dom. Cornwall is also a rough hilly tract; and
a similar character prevails in part of the adjacent
counties These mountainous tracts abound with
various mineral treasures, more particularly coal,
iron, copper, lead, and tin

The rivers of England are numerous, and con-
tribute essentially to the beauty and fertility of
the country, as well as to facilitate the convey-
ance of its products from one part of the kingdom
to another : the four most deserving of notice for
their magnitude and utility, are the Trent, Mer-
sey, Severn, and Thames. These four rivers
rise in the interior of the country, and flow in
contrary directions, the first to the N. E.. the next
to the N. W., the Severn to the S. W.. and the
Thames to the S. E.; and being rendered navi-
gable and united to each other by canals, thev
afford an admirable facility of conveyance over
all parts of the country. In addition to these, the
great Ouse and the Nen, flow from the centre of
the country in a N. E. direction, into the N. sea
between the Thames and the Trent, and the Nen
is united to the line of canal which unites those
two rivers, and thereby with the Mersey and
Severn. Further N. are the Humber, Tees, Wear,
Tyne, and the Tweed, which divides England
from Scotland, all flowing from W. to E. into the
North Sea: and on the other side is the Eden,
Derwent, Ribble and the Dee, flowing into the
Irish Sea : the tributary rivers deserving of notice,
are the Medway and Lea, falling into the Thames,
the Soar and Derwent falling into the Trent, the
Don. Aire, and Ouse falling into the Humber, the
Irwell into the Mersey, and the Upper and Lower
Avon and Wve into the Severn ; all of which are
navigable, and yield a variety of fish : The Tamar,
Torricge. Tame. Exe, Arun, and a few other
rivers of inferior note, intersect the S. and S. W.
parts of the country, falling into the Bristol and
English channels. The lakes are neither numer-
ous nor extersive. and are chiefly in the N. W.
counties : tnose of Westmoreland and Cumber-
land, in part-culir. exhibit such varieties of beau-
tiful scenery, as to become the object of summer
excursions tri m everv part of the country. With
respect to climate. England is situate in the N.
part of the temperate zone, so that it enjoys but a
scanty share of tbe genial influence of the sun.
Its atmosphere is Inclined to chillness and mois-
ture, subject to frequent and^udden changes; and
is more favourable to the growth, than to the
ripening of the products of the earth. No country
is clothed with so beautiful and lasting a verdure ,
but the harvests, especially in the northern parts,
frequently suffer from unseasonable rains. The
xe2x80x98.ountry, nevertheless, generally affords an abun-

36

dant supply of grain, and all the other necessaries
of life, and the rigours of winter, and the heats of
summer, are felt here in a much less degree than
in parallel climates on the continent; a circum-
stance common to all islands. The whole coun-
try, some particular spots excepted, is sufficiently
healthy; and the longevity of its inhabitants is
equal to that of almost any region. All its most val-
uable productions, both animal and vegetable, have
been imported from foreign countries, and have
been kept up and improved by constant attention.
England has now no other wild quadrupeds than
those of the smaller kind; as the fox, badger,
marten, otter, hare, rabbit, squirrel, &c. On the
other hand, every kind of domestic animal,xe2x99xa6inr-
ported from abroad, has been reared to the greatest
degree of perfection. The horse has been trained
up for 'all the various purposes of strength and
swiftness, so as to excel in those qualities the same
animal in every other country. The whole num-
ber kept in Great Britain has been estimated at

1,500,000, including every valuable variety of that
noble animal. The breeds of cattle in various
parts of the kingdom have also been cultivated
with much care, and have been brought to the
largest size and greatest justness of shape. The
different races of sheep are variously distinguish-
ed, either for uncommon size, goodness of flesh,
or plenty or-fineness of wool. The deer of its
parks, which are originally a foreign breed, are
superior in beauty of skin, and delicacy of flesh,
to those of most countries. Even the several
kinds of dogs have been trained to degrees of
courage, strength, and sagacity, rarely to be met
with elsewhere. Domestic poultry, as well as
wild birds, are numerous; the shape and beauty
of plumage of the pheasant, and delicious note of
the nightingale’, cannot be surpassed. The im-
provement in the vegetable products of this island
is not less striking than in the animal. Nats,
acorns, crabs, and a few wild berries, were almost
all the variety of vegetable food which its woods
could boast. To other countries, and to the ef-
forts of culture, it is indebted for corn, esculent
roots, plants, and all its garden fruits. The seas
as well as the rivers of England are stocked with
a great variety of fish, which yield a plentiful ar-
ticle of provision to all ranks of people.

The English are generally of a middle size, and
are upon an average an inch shorter than the
Americans. They are well-formed, handsome,
robust, and though not so fair as the northern
nations generally, of a florid complexion. The
females are distinguished for their grace and
beauty. In the cities a. d among the more fash-