THE RASPBERRY. 269 



a degrading excitement, or a brutal indulgence. 

 The names of the Lancashire gooseberries are indica- 

 tive of their humble origin, " Jolly Miner," " Jolly 

 Painter," " Lancashire Lad," " Pastime," " Top 

 Sawyer," and so forth, may appear odd to a foreigner; 

 but they are characteristic of the manners of the 

 country in which they are produced, as the high- 

 sounding titles which distinguish the fruits of other 

 nations are indicative of theirs. 



The gooseberry shows of Lancashire, Cheshire, 

 Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and other manufacturing 

 counties, are conducted with great system; and an 

 annual account of them, forming a little volume, is 

 printed and published at Manchester. The heaviest 

 gooseberry which appears to have received a prize, 

 was exhibited at the Shakspeare Tavern, Nantwich, 

 in 18 C 25: it weighed 31 dwts. 16 grains. The prizes 

 given on these occasions are adapted to the manners 

 of the homely people who contend for them, being 

 generally either a pair of sugar-tongs, a copper tea- 

 kettle (the favourite prize), a cream-jug, or a corner 

 cupboard. The proceedings of these contests, and 

 the arrangements for future years, are registered with 

 as much precision as the records of horse-racing; 

 and, doubtless, the triumphs which are thus handed 

 down to the collier's or the weaver's children, by the 

 additions which the goodman makes to his household 

 ornaments, are as deeply valued as the " gold cups" 

 of Newmarket. 



THE RASPBERRY Rubus idccus. 



This plant obtains its common name from the rough 

 and bristly appearance of the fruit. The French call 

 the raspberry " Ronce du Mont Ida," (in common 

 parlance, " Framboise,") considering it a native of 

 that classic ground, for which they have the autho- 

 rity of Pliny. The root is perennial and spread- 



