INTRODUCTION. 373 
ness; is still less qualified to excite much interest, except in those who are personally 
acquainted with the districts and places thus noticed: hence the topographer is 
indulged in a wider licence, and is allowed to ornament his collections by inter- 
weaving family history, biography, antiquarian research, architectural details, 
and alimost every particular that he chuses, however slightly connected with the 
main subject. These digressions, if restrained within reasonable limits, and judi- 
ciously selected, confer a real additional value on topographical investigations. 
But when; from the minuteness or insignificance of the district which the historian 
selects for his illustration, a deficiency is experienced of proper topographical 
matter, (which is almost always the case in descriptions of single parishes,) it is 
scarcely possible to avoid giving an undue weight to these irrelevant topics: of 
which Mr. Gough’s History of Pleshy, noticed in this chapter, is a very glaring 
example. In addition to the want of judgment exhibited by many of our topo- 
graphers, in circumscribing themselves within too narrow a district, may be 
oned the exclusive and undue preference bestowed upon antiquarian subjects: 
anecdote, because it is old, is not necessarily on that account worth relating ; 
the half-defaced inscription on a tomb-stone, two hundred years old, acquires no 
greater value from this circumstance than one of modern date and perfectly 
legible; nor does the authenticated succession of churchwardens, parish-clerks, 
and sextons, contribute any thing to the illustration of our ecclesiastical history. 
The general want of maps, and the extreme inaccuracy of those few which are . 
annexed to our’ topographical histories, is another serious ground of complaint. 
Almost all the counties of England have been surveyed within the last forty years, 
_and the maps drawn up from these documents, erroneous as they are in many 
respects, would, by the help of plans of estates, which are for the most part easily 
procurable, furnish ample materials for the construction of parish or hundred 
maps, adapted to the use of the topographer, and susceptible of gradual improve- 
Fhents as opportunities mightoccur. Thesplendid and accurate maps from trigono- 
_ metrical measurements, executing under the direction .of government, will take 
away all excuse from future topographers, who may neglect to avail themselves of 
- such valuable assistance. The survey of Kent is actually published; that of Essex 
‘ts compleated, and is only kept back, for obvious reasons, till the termination of the 
otal Devonshire and Hampshire are in a state of forwardness. 
~ Engravings are too often reckoned mere articles of decoration; but when in- 
Meoicd in topographical works, they profess to be representations of real objects 
and actual scenery. This, however, is seldom the case: the pencil is either assumed 
by incapable hands, unable, though perhaps desirous, of delineating with fidelity ; 
‘or an artist by profession is employed, who will, knowingly and without scruple, 
‘violate the truth of nature to produce what he calls Picturesque effect. It ought 
| to be inculcated on all topographers, as a scrious duty, to sacrifice all those graces 
“of painting which are inconsistent with perfect fidelity ; and in the choice of scenery 
“to select that which is most characteristic of the country, without considering 
whether it will please or disgust the professed artist, to whom individuality o1 
“representation is of no value. 
One further observation, and we have done. Our tourists and county his. 
“ forians, in their descriptions of the houses of opr nobility and gentry, think it 
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