HARMONY SETTLEMENT, N. AMERICA.

This extraordinary and flourishing German colony was founded by a German enthusiast named Rapp, who, in order to promote harmony among those who settled there, laid certain restrictions upon marriage! These restrictions were to prevent more than a certain quantum of births within a certain number of years; which births (as Mr. Hulme says) generally arrive "in a little flock, like those of a farmer's lambs, all within the same month perhaps." These Harmonists (so called from the name of their settlement) are represented as a remarkably flourishing, pious, and quiet people. See the various recent writers on America.

HINDOSTAN.

Our empire in the East Indies, under this appellation, or Indostan more properly, is derived from the river Indus, which flows throughout the country. Hindostan extends from Cape Comorin to the Himalaya Mountains.

HOLYROOD HOUSE.

The name of an ancient palace and abbey which stands at the eastern extremity of the old town of Edinburgh. The Abbey of Holyrood is contiguous to the Palace of the same name, and according to tradition was founded by David I., in the year 1128. The traditionary accounts which occasioned its erection are thus related:-King David I., being on a hunting match in the forest of Drumselch, near Edinburgh, on a rood-day, was attacked by a large hart, and his life was in the utmost danger.While he was endeavouring to defend himself with his hands against the furious assaults of the animal, a miraculous cross from heaven slipped into his hand, which so frightened the stag that he retreated immediately. This wonderful circumstance having of course put an end to the chase, David repaired to the castle of Edinburgh, where, in a dream, he was instructed to erect an abbey, or house, for canons regular, on the place where the celestial cross was put into his hands. In obedience to this visionary command, the king erected an abbey for the said purpose, and dedicated it to the Holy-Rood, or Holy-Cross, and deposited the same therein, where it is said to have remained till the reign of David II.

HELLESPONT.

These Straits, famed in classic lore, and more especially as the scene of a feat performed by our immortal bard, Lord Byron,* derives its original name (now Dardanelles) from Helle, the * Who himself swam across the widest part.

daughter of Athamas, king of Thebes, who, with her brother Phryxus, flying from their stepmother, ventured to pass a narrow part of this sea, where she was drowned, and left her name to the straits thereof, which was after called the Hellespont.

ST. HELENA.

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This island, which will be particularly noticed in the pages future history as the sepulchre of one of the most extraordinary men the world ever produced, was first discovered by the Portuguese in the year 1502, on St. Helen's day, and her name was given to it, according to the universal practice of early navigators, of naming their discoveries from the Roman Calendar. Helena was daughter of Coilus, wife of Constantius, and mother of Constantine the Great. She first walled the city of London.

ISLE OF MAN.

The name of Man, is supposed to refer to its situation as to the surrounding kingdoms, from the Saxon word mang, signifying among; others suppose the word to originate from Maune, the name of St. Patrick, the apostle of the island, before he assumed that of Patricius. By Caesar, it is called Mona. All late writers agree that Mona Cæsaris is Man; but Mona Taciti belongs to Anglesey. Early writers call it Monada Menavia Secunda (to distinguish it from Anglesey), Eubonia, &c. The monks derive it traditionally from "Manna Man Maclea," an early king, who first conquered the island. By the inhabitants the island is called Manning, and by the people in general Man.

KINGSTON.

So called, from the Kings of England having their residence and being anciently crowned there. The rude stone on which they were anciently crowned formerly stood against the old townhall, and on the rebuilding of the town-hall in 1837, it was removed to the yard of the assize-court; but a few years ago it was placed on a septagonal block of stone, standing in the centre of seven pillars, connected together by an iron railing. The inauguration of the monument took place on the 19th September, 1850, in the presence of the mayor and corporation, and a large number of visiters.

KENT.

The name of Kent is probably Celtic, and is called by the Latins Cantium. Lambarde derives it from the Welsh Caine, a leaf, because the country formerly abounded in woods; but Camden, from Canton, a corner, " because England in this place stretcheth

out itself in a corner to the north-east." Kent being situate nearest the Continent of Europe, has often been the theatre of great actions. It was in this county that Julius Cæsar landed, when he came to invade Britain; it was the place first seized by the Saxons after they had defeated the northern barbarians; and Christianity was first preached at Canterbury by Augustine and his followers. At the period of the arrival of the Romans, it was governed by four British chiefs, and it was the first, although not the largest, kingdom of the heptarchy.

MONTMARTRE.

A village and height near Paris. By some it is supposed to derive its name from a temple of Mars, which formerly stood on its summit; it was afterwards called Mons Mercurii (probably because the temple was converted to his service), and at a later period, in consequence of the death of St. Denis and his disciples here, it acquired its present name.

MAURITIUS.

The Mauritius, or Isle of France, is 400 miles east of Madagascar. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505; but the first who settled here were the Dutch, in 1640. They called it Mauritius, in honour of Prince Maurice, their Stadtholder; but on their acquisition of the Cape of Good Hope, they deserted it, and it continued unsettled till the French landed here in 1720. They remained in the undisturbed possession of it to the year 1810, when it was taken from them by the British, who since the peace of 1814 have retained it in their possession.

MASSACHUSETS.

One of the States of North America. It was so named from a tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited this quarter. It is 150 miles long and 90 broad; bounded on the north by New Hampshire, and west by New York. The first settlement was formed in 1620, at Plymouth, by about 120 families of Nonconformists. The first constitution was formed in 1780, and was revised and modified in 1820.

MARSEILLES.

The history of Marseilles is full of interest. Its origin borders on romance. Six hundred years before the Christian era, a band of piratical adventurers from Ionia, in Asia Minor, by dint of superior skill in navigation, pushed their discoveries to the mouth of the Rhine. Charmed with the white cliffs, green vales, blue waters, and bright skies, which they here found, they returned to

their native country, and persuaded a colony to follow them to the barbarous shores of Gaul, bearing with them their religion, language, manners, and customs. On the very day of their arrival, so says tradition, the daughter of the native chief was to choose a husband, and her affections were placed upon one of the leaders of the polished emigrants. The friendship of the aborigines was conciliated by marriage, and their rude manners were softened by the refinement of their new allies in war, their new associates in peace. In arts and arms the emigrants soon acquired the ascendency, and the most musical of all the Greek dialects became the prevailing language of the colony.

MEDITERRANEAN.

The Mediterranean Sea is thus denominated, because it flows between Europe and Africa, washing the shores of each. Medi, signifying between, and terra, earth, i. e., between two continents; the latter syllables, ne-an being merely added for the sake of harmony.

MAIDSTONE.

Maidstone was anciently called Medway-town, from its being seated on the river of that name. Nennius, who wrote about the ninth century, calls it Caer Megwad, corruptly, as is supposed, for Medway, or the Medway city, and states, that it was the third considerable city in Britain before the arrival of the Saxons; and it appears from Domesday Book to have been a borough by prescription, although it did not send representatives to parliament till the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when it received a charter of incorporation to be governed by a mayor, assisted by twelve of the principal inhabitants.

MIDDLESEX.

The Saxons under Ella, on their arrival in this country, had continual wars with the Britons, the particulars whereof are unknown, except that they settled on the sea-coast in Sussex, and were called the South Saxons, from whence Sussex was derived. Those that were settled on the east coasts were called East Saxons, from whence came Essex. The country between Essex and Sussex was hence termed Middlesex. Kent retained its ancient name.

NORTHUMBERLAND.

Most of our readers are acquainted with the great divisions of this kingdom in ancient times, and will recollect those which were established north and south of the Humber, under which a large proportion of Yorkshire, and the whole of Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Northumberland, belonged to Edwin, king

of Northumbria. In this country there are several remains of Roman encampments. The most remarkable monument of the Roman dominion is, the great line of defence formed and augmented by the successive labours of Agricola, Adrian, and Severus; and sometimes called the Picts Wall, sometimes the Roman Wall.

OXFORD.

This famous University town derives its name from its being anciently a great cattle or oxen ford; having to pass the river at this point on the way to the London markets. Henry II., whose famed amour with "Rosamond of Woodstock" gave a celebrity to this part of the country, built a bridge over the same ford-now called Oxford.

OTTOMAN EMPIRE.

So called from Othman, the first of the Turkish emperors. The present Turkish empire began in Bithynia, in 1298.

PERSIA.

By the poets, this country is supposed to have derived its appellation from Perseus, the son of Jupiter and Danae; and by the graver, but perhaps, on this occasion, equally unsuccessful inquirers, from the word paras, which signifies a horseman, the Persians or Parthians having been always celebrated for their extraordinary skill in horsemanship.

PERE LA CHAISE.

This far-famed burial-ground, which is the first in Europe, from its size, its picturesque situation, and its fine monuments, derives its name from Father Lachaise, confessor to Louis XIV., from its occupying the site on which stood Lachaise's house.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Pennsylvania was originally settled by the Swedes in 1627, was conquered by the Dutch in 1654, and was ceded to the British in 1664. It was granted to William Penn, a quaker, from whom it derives its name, and, after his death, was sold by the proprietors to the United States.

PETERSBURGH.

This modern capital of Russia derives its name from its royal founder, Peter the Great. It is built in the Gulf of Cronstadt, intersected by artificial channels of the Neva, which limit the districts of the city. This magnificent capital was in 1702 a putrid fen.