HUTTON’S REMARKS UPON NORTH WALES. 
there being no competition for preference 
between the boatmen, they are extremely’ 
rude in their manners, indifferent fo the ac- 
commodation of the public, and by no means 
unpractised in various arts of extortion. But 
these exclusive privileges have existed from 
time immemorial. The title of the’ New 
Passage arose from its renewal in the year 
1718, after an abolition in consequence of 
the following remarkable incident. 
** Charles the First being pursued by a 
strong party of his enemies through Share 
Newton, got into a boat at the Black Rock 
(the New Passage), and was ferried to the 
opposite shore. His pursuers, to the num- 
ber of sixty, with drawn swords, compelled. 
417) 
other boatmen belonging to the passage to 
ferry them after him; but these being in the 
king’s interest, landed them on a reef of 
rocks in the Severn,called the English Stones, 
near the Gloucestershire coast, to. which 
they were instrueted to ford: indeed, the 
strait was fordable at low water, but the 
tide flowing in very rapidly, they were all 
drowned in the attempt, and the king for 
that time escaped. Cromwell, informed of 
the transaction, abolished the. ferry ; nor 
was it renewed, until after a long chancery- 
suit between an avcestor of the present pro- 
prietor, Mr. Lewes of St...Pierre, and the 
guardians of his grace the duke of Beaufort, 
proprietor of Aust ferry.” 
Arr. XVI. Remarks upon North Wales, being the Result of Sixteen Tours through that 
Part of the Principality. ByW.€Uurtron, F. 4.8.8. Se. 
THIS respectable veteran author 
claimed our notice, and merited our 
praise, (vol. I. p. 468,) for his history 
of the Roman Wall; and we would 
gladly extend our commendations to the 
present work, if we could do it con- 
sistently with our duty to the public. 
As age creeps on, ‘* second childhood” 
often ensues; and it is a general cha- 
racteristic of cheerful old age, to be 
triflingly garrulous, and to make self 
the theme of almost every tale. 
_ The volume before us abounds.in te- 
dious repetitions of events and circum- 
stances relating only to the author and 
his family ; but it contains very little of 
useful or engaging information concern- 
ing the history, antiquities, or scenery 
f North Wales. These are subjects 
which we were entitled to look for, and 
hii finding them, are entitled to com- 
plain. New books should develope 
‘something useful, interesting, or enter- 
‘taining, otherwise the purchaser is not 
only robbed of his time, but of his pur- 
chase money. Mr. Hutton seeks to sup- 
“ply one of these desiderata, in extraor- 
dinary stories, anecdotes, or laconic wit- 
cisms: but when these subjects form 
2 principal part of a book, it should 
‘have some other title, and not be deno- 
minated a Tour. In the following ex- 
“tract is comprized the author’s preface, 
and all his explanation about his work. 
~ “In former ages the English rarely en- 
tered Wales, but to destroy it. Her soye- 
os mountains, beautiful vallies, and sur- 
rising cascades, instead of being admired, 
tinged with blcod. Nor was the eye 
the curious fascinated with her wonders 
within the last fifty years. he improve- 
ent of her roads, and particularly the daily 
(ati 
Any. Rey. Vor. Il. 
communications between England and Ire- 
Svo. pp. 236. 
land, brought her into notice. The English 
traveller at length ventured to. climb her 
pee descend her glens, and admire’ 
er curiosities: and now the vast influx of 
annual visitants eniich her with their wealth. 
If the fathers oppressed her, their children 
support her. 
Though the world is frequently favoured 
with WELSH fours, . 
Yet the historical knowledge is but in its 
infancy : 
If much zs said,—much remains.” 
Mr. Hutton proceeds to say that he 
does not follow the footsteps of any 
author, but made those “ remarks only 
which fell under his own eye, in travel- 
ling sixteen times, in various directions, 
through that. principality.” As a spe-. 
cimen of the author’s manner of ds 
scribing a town, we select the following, 
under the head of Ludlow, a large 
town of Shropshire:—‘“ I thonght, it 
abounded with female beauty ; but every 
place exhibits handsome women, when 
dressed for church on Sunday.” 
The following strange story Mr. H. 
relates as a fact: but relates it in so 
strange a manner as to excite Our sus- 
picion. et 
«« Tn my first dav’s journey I passed through 
Machyntleth, a handsome open town, and 
on to Mallwyd, thirty-two miles: in my way, 
weary and heated, [ stepped into a mise 
rable hut, consisting of one small and black’ 
room, the floor native earth, and the sole 
light was admitted by the door which had | 
just admitted me. 1 sat down with all the 
freedom of an owner, gave a smile and a nod 
to the master, for to speak was needless. 
He looked pleasant, 5an without a word. 
brought me a mess of butter-milk. This I 
could have #elished, but was too much 
‘heated. I afterwards, where [ could be un- 
derstood, mentioned this. union of poverty 
Ee 
