422 
which was succeeded by another folio 
volume, containing one hundred maps 
on copper-plates, 1698. These plates 
were improved, corrected, and reduced 
to a quarto size by John Senex, 2 vols. 
1719. Next followed Ogilby’s and 
Morgan’s pocket book of the roads, 
which succeeded to an eleventh edition 
in 1752. Hollar engraved some maps 
of the roads in 1715, 1716, and 1713. 
After these followed a few other works 
evidently founded on their predecessors” 
Noel and labours; and in 1771 Mr. 
aterson published the first edition of a 
work which has as much excelled all 
the: former in accuracy and utility, as 
in the extent of its sdle. His is wholly 
composed of names of places, persons, 
and distances, without either history or 
description annexed to those places. 
To unite these was the object of Mr. 
Kearsley, or his editor, who states in 
the preface, that a work of this kind 
wanted a “ compendium of topography ; 
or an itinerary, comprehending as well 
what is amusing and instructive, as what 
is necessary and useful, The names of 
cities, towns, and principal seats, to- 
gether with the respective distances 
irom each, have been often presented to 
the public; but tlie design of the present 
compilation is to convey in a concise 
manner, some knowledge of the antient 
and present state of particular places 
Art. XXIV. The Beautics of England and Wales + or Delineations topographical, histo 
rical, and descristive of each County. Embellished with Engravings. By Joun Brit- 
Vol. IV. 8vo. pp. about 600. 20 Plates: - 
ron and FE. W. Brayuzy. 
WE have already made some remarks 
on the general merits of this work, and 
have given a eopious analysis of the 
third volume. (Ann. Rev. vol. I. p. 456.) 
Our notice, therefore, of the present, 
will be confined within scantier limits. 
The counties described in the volume 
before us are Devonshire and Dorset- 
shire. 
The general account of Devonshire is 
interesting, and upon the whole satisfac- 
tory ; we should have been better pleased 
however, if the authors had been more 
attentive to uniformity of style, and in- 
stead of the long quotations from Mr. 
Marshall’s Rural Econofny, and Mr. 
Brice’s History of Exeter, had taken the 
trouble to express, in their own lan- 
guage, the facts which they chose to bor- 
row from these, publications. The list 
of minerals, as far as it goes, is tolerably 
BRITISH TOPOGRAPHY AND ANTIQUITIES: .: ~ 
gliz: or Book of Roads,” fo. 1675,- 
through which the traveller passes, with- 
out entering into dry details or tedious 
digressions.’’ : 
If a work, according to this plan, was 
executed with care, fidelity, and judg- — 
ment, it would be valuable and interest- 
ing, and might be justly called an “ en- 
tertaining guide ;” but thiscan only be 
accomplished by a person or persons 
amply informed in the history, antiqui- 
ties, and topography of the island. The 
work before us is certainly superior to 
the generality of similar productions: 
yet it contains many false notices and 
erroneous descriptions, and many tri- 
fling places are copiously described, © 
whilst several towns and principal ob- 
jects are only mentioned by name: yet 
as a travelling guide it is much inferior 
to Paterson’s, but excels all its other 
competitors; and for its descriptive and 
topographical information, stands alone 
among the books of this class. Its prin- 
cipal contents are, “a topographical de- — 
scription of the great roads from Lon- — 
don, with the return routes, to every 
part of Great Britain. A description — 
of two hundred and ninety-six cross- 
roads to and from the most considerable — 
places. The principal direct roads of © 
Ireland, measured to and from Dublin. — 
Several routes to Paris. A table of the © 
times of high water at new and full - 
moon. And a copious index of places — 
and seats.” 
correct ; but a few pages more devoted 
to this and the other departments of na-_ 
tural histery would have been a very 
important addition to the value of the | 
work. In page 41, is related a curious | 
fact concerning the conversion of hogs. 
flesh into adipocire, absurdly called in 
the quotation from Mr. Polwhele, fossil 
bacon. ; 
«¢ An extraordinary discovery was lately 
made in a courtlaze, on a rising ground be- 
longing to Chapel Farm, in the parish of 
Cruwys Morchard, near Tiverton. The house 
and estate are the property of Mr. Brooks, a_ 
wealthy and respectable farmer, who resides 
there. It was formerly a monastery belong- 
ing to the Augustine friars; and, at the dis- 
solution of the religious houses, fell into the” 
hands of the Cruwys’s, from whom, by va-— 
rious alienations, it came to the present pos= 
sessor. In order to convert a yery fine spring 
into a pond, to water the meadows below, 
