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Tour in England and
Scotland
Review of New Publications
... ...
157. A Tour in England and Scotland, in 1785.
By an English Gentleman.
'THERE is not one hour in the life of any man that is
exactly the same with another during the whole course of his
existence, from the cradle to the grave.' This first
observation and first sentence of this Tour, we venture our
reputation as Reviewers, is sufficient to ensure its sale
among the generality of readers, whether under the
denomination of London Riders, Phaeton Riders, Tabbies, and
Reading Ladies of all ages in market-towns; whether they
wear large oval rings on the lower joints of their fore
fingers, or velvet bracelets round their tawny and skinny
arms. All will join in the truth of the great general
observation, which they will repeat before they say, How
delightful a morning! or, What sad weather it is! or the
hundred other pertinent remarks which diversify the hours of
man and woman.
Reflections like this hover about our English Gentleman,
from Oxford Chapel-house, as they have done, and will do,
round hundreds of his jolly and fair fellow-saunterers from
London to every good inn on the road to the East, the West,
the North, or the South points of the kingdom. He dined at a
very good inn, saw a very good house, gleaned two silly
stories about Sam Johnson at Lichfield, stared at a canal
carried over a river, and a country remarkabley full of
thorn hedges.
P.50. 'Lancaster Castle, built by Agricola, though it
bears all the marks of antiquity, yet seems to be in a
perfect state.' We never before heard its date
carried further back than to Constantiius. Mr. Camden
fixes it to no particular period.
P.55. 'The Cumberland and Westmoreland lakes afford most
soothing ideas and exquisite gratifications;'
except when interrupted by a thick fog, which was this poor
gentleman's case ar Corriston (sic) Lake; but when he did
see it, he could not look down; i.e. pick his way for
staring at it.
P.67. 'Antiquarians have not been able to decypher the
inscription on the
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