"Immediately beneath the Raits is a flat, of aear three miles long, having large meadows, intermixed with wood and corn, and gentle risings, many of their surfaces covered with trees; others partially so, with weeping birches scattered, either over a fine verdure, or the purple bloom of the heather.

"In the centre of this enchanting vale runs. the winding Spey: a little beyoud Baldnespeck, the beautiful Loch Inch, an expanse of water, three miles long and two broad, through which the Spey runs, bursts at once upon the eye, varied with all the softer beauties which nature can exhibit. Numbers of apparent islands are dispersed over this lake, chiefly of the same elevated forms as little knolls, and wooded in the same manner: there again just peep above the surface, and are tufted with trees; some are so happily disposed, as to form magnificent vistas be

tween.

"Continue our ride over a flat, dusky. moor, half a mile long, the soil a fine red gravel, passing by Loch Alva, so famous for its pike, which we leave on the left; nothing can equal the contrast of the next five miles to Avemore.

"Following the banks of the Spey, a most romantic and beautiful scene unfolds itself; woods of weeping birch, white thorn, aspin, mountain-ash, and oak, intermixed with junipers, grey rocks, but open enough in all parts to admit a sight of the water, wantonly forming itself into apparent lakes; the whole Buch enriched by three pretty, neat, white villas. Sometimes the way was straight for 3 considerable distance, and appeared like a fine and regular avenue; at others, it waved on the sides of the gentle declivities, at a pleasant distance from the water; in one part, as we entered, we were immersed in a wood, so dark, that the very sky was totally hid from us. Nothing here could equal the beauty of the road, which, quite to the water's edge, ran perfectly smooth and even; s borders covered with a fine velvety verdure, while the immense large weeping birches, with their rough, irregular coating, formed a impenetrable arch above; here and there, o the left, is a partial view of the overhang ng rocks, as wild as those of Salvator. To he right, the murmuring Spey glides in urling eddies, and falling into a deep, dark ool, rendered more solemn, if I may use he expression, by the total want of light, gether with the notes of the different chosters in the branches above, force the traeller to stop and minutely admire their conasted beauties. No effect of art can possily equal this terrestrial Paradise. I was quite sorbed, as was Mr. P. and indulging the fferent ideas, created by these various inimible charms, we proceeded on scarcely speak

The road still follows the Spey, which, in out one hundred yards, again changes her a. becoming now as terntic as she was fere pacific. The torrents here breaking

over rugged, detached fragments, which have been whirled from the adjacent mountains, mark, and but too distinctly, the devastation that she commits when swelled and enraged by the melting snows or heavy rains, at which time her width must be equal to a small arm of the sea, no doubt, carrying away all that shall attempt to resist her."

“In about two hundred yards, at the end of this charmning avenue, the inn at Avemore opens to your view, situated at the entrance of a large, wide, even plain, bounded by grey, rocky, stupendous mountains, and interinixed with woods, yellow corn-fields, pastures, and black unprofitable heath."

We will trespass on our readers by giving another short quotation of this kind, as it affords a remarkable instance of the ready submission of a subordinate to the ruling passion.

"As we had no time to spare, Mr. D. was pleased to order his horses, and attend us over a ridge of moors that divides Loch Lomond from the Frith of Clyde. Here, as we ascended, the day continuing fine, and the soil being dry, we got down and walked, and, in a few minutes, gained a peep at the magnificent Loch Lomond, so highly and. deservedly celebrated by all travellers. I now recollected the view behind us, and desired my friends to turn round, when a scene, worthy the pencil of Claude, burst on the eye. Before us lay the Frith of Clyde, crowned wtih shipping; beyond, Port Glasgow, gilded by the rays of the rising sun; then Greenock, Gunock, the Isle of Bute, Roseneath, the seat of the duke of Argyle, with the blue hills in the distance, half wrapt in vapours; a landscape, unequalled almost by any I ever beheld, Carrying the eye round to adinire Loch Lomond again, and not suf.. ficiently satiated with either view, we were about to sit down, in order to examine both more minutely, when we discovered Pero, whom we had not attended to before, pointing. I remembered having shot two brace and a half of black cocks, and several moorgame, some years since, on this very ridge; and I hoped this point would produce blackgame, rather than grouse, though my friends had never seen either, and were extremely auxious to gratify their curiosity. We soon came up to the dog, who still maintained his point; and so interesting was his attitude to Mr. Gerrard, that he immediately set. about preserving it by a sketch. He had just accomplished this, when Pero moved forward, and, after footing a little, we sprang the brood, which consisted of twelve wellgrown grouse.

"Mr. D. much pleased with the dog's performance here, wished us a good inorning, and we descended a little lower down the ridge, to a spot called Keleşter, where, being nearer the lake, we conceived. the view would become more interesting.

While Mr. Gerrard was drawing, I took a ride with Mr. P. to show him the different glens hereabouts, which are so finely situated for woodcock-bawking, that I have killed with my hawks, in one week, no less than forty-nine woodcocks."

The characters and manners of the Highlanders are pleasingly pourtrayed in the account of a ball given by colonel M'Pherson, on his recovering the family estate, which had been forfeited in 1745.

"On our arrival, we found a large party of gentlemen already assembled; and the area full of the lower class of the clan of M'Pherson. Other gentlemen were likewise ushering in from all parts; some of whom came above sixty miles: so happy were they to testify their regard for the present possessor of the estate; in short, no words can express the joy that was exhibited in every counte

nance.

The ladies too, not that I think it singular, seemed to me to enter more heartily, if possible, into the joys of the day than the men: the toute ensemble made this scene interesting enough.

"At most public meetings there are some discontented mortals, who rather check than inspire mirth; the case here was quite the reverse; with that perfect innocence which abounds in the Highlands, joined to the clannish regard, not totally removed by luxury and knowledge of the world, every individual added something, and exerted himself to promote the common cause.

"At five o'clock dinner was announced; and each gentleman, with the utmost gallantry, handed in his tartain-dressed partner. The table was covered with every luxury the vales of Badenock, Spey, and Lochaber could produce, and a very substantial entertainment it was; game of all kinds, and venison in abundance, did honour to Mr. M'Lean, who supplied it.

"I had no conception of any room at Pitmain large enough to dine one-tenth of the party; but found that the apartment we were in, though low, was about fifty feet long, and was only used, being a malt-kiln, on such occasions.

"When seated, no company at St. James's ever exhibited a greater variety of gaudy colours, the ladies being dressed in all their Highland pride, each followicg her own fancy, and wearing a shawl of tartain; this, contrasted by the other parts of the dress, at candle-light, presented a most glaring coup d'œil.

"The dinner being removed, was succeeded by a dessert of Highland fruits, when, I nay venture to say, that "George the Third, and long may he reign," was drank with as much unfeigned loyalty as ever it was at London; several other toasts were likewise drank with three cheers, and re-echoed by

the inferiors of the clan in the area around

us.

The ladies gave us several very delighful Erse songs; nor were the bag-pipes silent: they played many old Highland tunes; and, among others, one which is, I am told, the test of a piper's abilities; for, at the great meeting of the pipers at Falkirk, those who for the annual prize given to the best percannot play it, are not admitted candidates former. After the ladies had retired, the wine went round plentifully; but, to the honour of the conductor of this festive board, every thing was regulated with the utmost propricty, and, as we were in possession of the only room for dancing, we rose the earlier from table, in compliance with the wishes of the ladies, who, in this country, are still more keen dancers than those in the southern parts of Britain.

"After tea, the room being adjusted, and the band ready, we returned; and the minuets being, by common consent, exploded, danced, with true Highland spirit, a great number of different reels, some of which were danced with the genuine Highland fling. -a peculiar kind of cut.

"It is astonishing how true these ladies all dance to time, and not without grace: they would be thought good dancers in any assem bly whatever.

"At ten o'clock the company repaired to the terrace, adjoining to the house, to behold as fine a scene, of its kind, as perhaps ever was exhibited.

"Bonfires in towns are only simple assemblages of inflammable matter, and have nothing but the cause of rejoicing to recom mend them; but here the country people, vying with each other, had gathered large piles of wood, peat, and dry heather, on the tops of the different hills and mountains. which, by means of signals, being all lighted at the same time, formed a most awful and magnificent spectacle, representing so many volcanos, which, owing to their immense height, and the night being totally dark and serene, were distinctly seen at the distance of ten miles; and, while our eyes were granted with this solemn view, our ears were to las delighted with the different bagpipes playing round us; when, after giving three cheers to the king, and the same to Mr. Pitt, &c. we returned into the ball-room.

"At one I withdrew, took some refreshment, and then returned home, bighly de lighted at having passed the day so very agreeably."

We have observed a few mistakes in the names of places, &c. occasioned probably by the length of time since the tour was performed, though there is abundant internal evidence that much of the work was written at the moment, when every impression was distinct and vivid. Crien Larick, between Loch Lo

"The town under the rising ground or hills." Here, as the leading title was history, we expected much information, and some of an important nature we have received. We are told, p. 5, that, " A. D. 1219, in the reign of Henry III. the manor and hundred were granted to William Long Espee, (otherwise Longsword, a natural son of Henry, (we suppose the Third,) by the celebrated Fair Rosamand), who was afterwards earl of Salisbury, in right of his wife Elizabeth, only daughter to William, son of Patrick D'Eurieux, first earl of Salisbury. In the seventh year of Henry's reign, William Long Espee leased the benefit of the markets, fairs, and hundreds of Cheltenham, to the inhabitants of the town, which lease, three years afterwards, was renewed, with certain reserved rents. About the tenth year of the same reign, Long Espce died, and was succeeded by his son William, who forfeited his estates for going out of the realm without leave from the monarch. William was slain abroad by the Saracens; and, his only son dying an infant, the title became extinct, and fell to the crown. Henry, in the twentyseventh of his reign, 1243, granted the manor of Cheltenham, in dower, to his queen Eleanor: thus were the same lands, by a singular train of events, granted to the offspring of his paramour, and to his lawful wife!" We at first thought III. might have been a mistake for II. as we understood that Henry III. was the religious, and Henry II. the gallant, character: but the date of 1219, and twenty-seventh of his reign, 1243, as well as other circumstances, put it beyond all doubt, that III. was the in tended reading. Yet, in vain, we sought to find the labyrinth at Woodstock, or the interesting memoirs of Rosamond, connected with the events of this period. The remains of that unfortunate lady, if report of the place be true, had long silently reposed in the cloisters of Godstow. Nor can we understand how Cheltenham could have been granted to the abbey of Pischam (Fischam) in Normandy, 1252; and, after being in possession of John Limel, 1309, should subsequently belong to an alien monastery in Normandy. We must ask Mr. Ruff, how the manor eould be granted by James I. to William Dutton, esq. when Charles I. sold it at the commencement of his reign to certain feffees for the sum of 12001. to be paid by four installments, as appears by the journals of the house of commons; and

John Dutton, esq. the ancestor of the no ble house of Shirebourne, purchased is the aforesaid feoffees; and, in consequence the purchase, beld his first court here June 1629? We have briefly stated this shew the historical abilities and acc racy of this historian of Cheltenham.

In the general account of the town, have a description of Leckhampton Ci the abrupt termination of the Cotesw Hills, and of a grotesque chimney bu by preternatural hands, which Mr. Rufi forms us in a note he supposes to shepherds. He also states that Glouceste shire farmers worship a Coteswold st more than the Egyptians did their favor idol IBIS; that poultry and cattle are r among the least good things which they cinity of Cheltenham affords; and th the delicate and cheap provision of ra bits bred at Postlip, a neighbouring cr mon, "will not fail to recommend self to the visitor, notwithstanding t absurd law of modern fashion, that :.. rabbits are to be preferred." All this news! But what has a long letter, s posed to have been written by Dr. Job son, relative to Buxton, and which a peared in the Public Advertiser, to with a description of Cheltenham ? M Ruff's account of a fair for hiring se vants may serve to amuse our reade: while it furnishes a specimen of the thor's descriptive and erudite abilitie "There are two statute fairs, called ( cording to the custom of the country) the emphatic name of mops, for the hirin of men and women servants. These fa are held on the Thursday before Micha mas-day, and the Thursday after; at be which, as at the other fairs, there is a pr fuse display of pedlary, toys, and all: paraphernalia requisite to adorn the bo nets and stomachers of country lasse It forms a curious and amusing sigh (and which a philosopher may conte plate with satisfaction), to behold them: ture of London elegance with Glouce tershire fashion; to view the street, dec rated with booths, and those booths d corated in their turn with ribands a trinkets, and the crowding together rustic lads and Bond-street beausrural lasses and Westminster belles. Th union of opposite characters produces singular effect, and gives equal pleas to both parties. The refinement of Lon don is gaped at, and imitated, by t ignorance of the country; and many lass, on her return to the dairy, has lear a new method of decorating her bonnet

which she thinks will surely entrap the seart of some admirer on the following Sunday."

To this our author subjoins (in a note) he following profound attempt to define he emphatic term, mops, which is the proincial term in Gloucestershire and Oxordshire for these statute fairs.

"This uncouth term would startle many tiquaries: we do not profess to give the ost accurate definition of it; but we lay aim to the merit of having suggested someing. Might not this term have been orially mob, and the p somehow put for the If mob, we conceive it must have originaEd, not from their being called mobs in the stal acceptation, (as shallow wits would aceit), but from the girls wearing a partilar kind of cap, called mob-caps, "This deition will surprise a man who has seen no ing but London caps. On the contrary, if eword is to stand mop, might it not be termed from the young women being callmop-squeezers ? an appellation well known the country, as attaching to raw unexperi

ced maid-servants."

The church of Cheltenham, Mr. Ruff ys, was built in the year 1011, but he es not state upon what authority. The yle of the building is of the middle es; the turreted spire indicates the thirenth century, and the pointed arch and therine-wheel, or marigold-window, ould lead us to the time of Henry II. lower down, for its erection. And it not improbable but it might have en built by the assistance of Sion nunry, when the manor was granted by enry V. to that religious house. The ss, which, Mr. Ruff says, was set up en so many other crosses were throughtthe kingdom, (in the reign of Edward , still remains: it is probably coeval th the building. But the places where asses were erected by the monarch, in mory of his affectionate consort, were ly where the body rested in its way to erment. The origin of crosses in urch-yards is as high as the origin of nctuary, of which they were sometimes ign; and, in many cases, were coned from the custom of thus publicly y the symbol of the cross) appropriag heathen places of worship to the vice of the true God.

In chap. iii. our author adverts to the usements and accommodations of the ce; among which he enumerates is, boarding and lodging-houses, asbly-rooms, billiard rooms, backgam-rooms, theatre, Sadler's Wells, or

puppet-shew, circulating libraries, musical library, summer concerts, chinashops, jewellers' repositories, and banks. Of the last, Mr. Ruff emphatically ob serves, as "much loose cash is wanting here, we may suppose an accommodation indeed." Here we meet with more information; and being local, we suppose it more accurate. Mr. Harward's library is represented as a grand repository of the most learned treasures; instructions are annexed for the arrangement of a library; and Mr. Selden, in addition to books, possesses all the nick nackery of Bond-street; and above all, that young and old may be gratified to their utmost wish; that when the world ruffles our spirits, the perturbation may be allayed by listening to the rich notes that flow from the hand-organ, and happiness pos sessed by the "instantaneous striking up of what is called an organ-grinder." Mr. Cook's china-warehouse exhibits porce lain, we are told, far superior to foreign; and that the clumsy and insipid productions of China must fall, in comparison with the delicacy of the Dresden, or the splendour of the British manufactory.'

32

Chap. iv. treats of the discovery of the spring; the nature and efficacy of the water, with results of analyses undertaken by several scientific men. Here we noticed the omission of Drs. Linden, Smith, and Hulme. Mr. Ruff, in giving an account of this water, has extracted several pages from the writings of Dr. Saunders; because, as he elegantly observes, that "too much cannot be said on this important part of our work." p. 84. In reading this learned dissertation, we were happy, for the sake of our fair country-women, to be informed, p. 82, "that, notwithstanding the too frequent use of transparent clothing, if timely applica tion was made to Cheltenham Spa, the celebrated waters of the hot well near Bristol might flow unregarded to the Avon." Though the spring yields, on the average, thirty-five pints per hour, yet such is the demand, that many persons often go unserved. A new spring, though not of precisely the same nature, yet a saline-chalybeate, was brought into notice 1802, which yields 130 gallons per hour: so that the future visitors to Cheltenham need not fear they should suffer from a scanty supply of water. We are informed also that the pump-room is opened every morning, and the description given of the appearance of the