M I D 



233 



M I D 



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IBM 



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MIDDLEBUBG. See WALCHCRII*. 



MIDDLEMOST Ktvtinmusic. The key-notes, thus 

 denominated by Dr. Robert Smith, (p. 164, 2d edit, of 

 his Harmonics,) are D and A ; which keys have, on 

 the common or 12-note instruments, only one false 

 consonance in each, both of the-in discords, viz. the 

 5th of D, (for want of Afa), and the 4th of A (for want 

 of D#): if one key be added on each side, downwards 

 and upwards, in the order of modulation (by Vth-0. 

 these four middlemost keys, vis. G, D, A, and E, (which 

 are the open strings of the violin,) have all their con- 

 cords true, or according to the system of temperament 

 adopted in the tuning of the instrument ; but in G, the 

 2nd and the 5th are false, and in E. the IVth and the 

 VI Ith are false, for want of notes for At), D|>, A*, and 

 In modulating, either upwards through the keys 

 B, F#, C#, &c, or downward* through the keys C, F, 

 B., Sec. the number of fake A?ft*im^rnt* are in either 

 case 3, 4, 5, &c. respectively, increasing in arithmetical 

 progression. It appear* from the investigations of 

 Professor Fisher, which have been referred to in our 

 article MEAN TOMB SVSTKM. that the frequency of the 

 use of the middlemost keys, D and A, in organ music, 

 is in each case more than double of the use of the key 

 of C, as to frequency. 



MIDDLESEX, an inland county in the south-east 

 of England, is bounded on the south by Surry, and a 

 nail part of Kent; on the north by Hertfordshire; 

 on the east by Essex ; and on the west by Bucking- 

 hamshire. It* boundaries on all side*, except the north, 

 are natural ; the Thames dividing it from Surry, 

 the Lea from Easex ; and the Coin from Buckingham- 

 shire. It* form approaches somewhat to that of a quad- 

 nngular ; but on its southern side, it is rendered very 

 irregular by the winding* of the Thames ; and on the 

 northern, a portion of it project* into Hertfordshire 

 It is inferior in sue to all the English centiee except 

 Rutlandshire and Huntingdonshire ; the medium length 

 is about 80 mile*, and the medium breadth 14 miles : 



length, from east to west, is 88 miles ; and 

 it* greatest breadth, 17 mile*. It* area is variously 

 Computed : Mr. Middleton says it contains 880 square 

 miles, or 179,200 acre*. According to the return* to 

 Parliament of the poor rate*, drawn up under the in- 

 spection of Mr. Ro*e, it contain* 190,080 acre* ; while 

 other statements extend it* area to 217,600 acre*. It 

 is divided into 6 Hundred*, vis. Edmonton, Ossalston, 

 Elthorne. Gore, Isleworth. Spelthome ; and into 2 Li- 

 berties, viz. Finsbury and Wmloxbara : the hundred 

 of Osaaloton is subdivided into 5 part* ; in this hundred 

 Ixiiwlnn n Hitiuted. lie...!.-, the mrlr..|M.li, of tin- liri- 

 tish empire, ami it* contiguous Tillage*, the county of 

 Middlesex contains, a* town* of sue or consequence, 

 Brentford, U bridge, Enfield, Hounslow, &c. being 

 places of very inferior siic and population. Beside* 

 the parishes which constitute London in its most ex- 

 tended tense, there are in Middlesex 62. Thi* county 

 return* 8 member* ta> parliament ; viz. 4 for UK 

 of London, 2 for the city of Westminster, and 2 for the 

 county. It is in the province of Canterbury, and in 

 the dices* of London and Westminster. 



Near the bank* of the Thames, Middlesex is extremely 

 flat ; but a* we approach it* northern confines, its sur- 

 face becomes more varied, though in no part can it be 

 called high. The principal lulls are at Kenwood, 

 ten, Benet. Harrow, Highgate, and Hampstead ; 

 the last, which b (aid to be the highest ground in the 

 county, is not more than 400 feet above the Thames. 

 The most picturesque part of the county lies to the 

 north-west of Hampstead. and in the vicinity of How. 

 den; the surface here is undulating, and a* there is 



VOL. XJT. FART I. 



a sufficiency of wood, and the fields are rich and ver- Middlt- 

 dant, the appearance is beautiful as well as picturesque. ** 

 The soil of M iddlesex is not naturally very fertile : the ^""Y""" 1 

 low part* of the county are either of a gravelly or 

 sandy nature ; and their fertility is almost entirely 

 owing to manure: gravel and sand are likewise found 

 on some of the highest hills. The best soil lies on the 

 sides of the larger hills, and on the banks of the rivers ; 

 these soils are either a strong loam, or a deep, rich, 

 friable loam. In some parts, as near Pinner and Edg- 

 ware, the soil is a loamy clay. The subsoil, through tiw 

 whole county, is a gravel strongly tinged with oxid of 

 iron. Indeed the only difference over the whole of 

 lower Middlesex, arise* from the greater or less depth 

 of this gravel. Wherever the soil is strong, the gravel 

 lies at a considerable depth ; and this is also the case 

 on the alluvial lands, near the Thames and other ri- 

 vers ; but wherever the upper soil is light, there the 

 gravel is comparatively near the surface. All the hol- 

 lows, bowls, and chinks, are filled with gravel ; and 

 the summits of most of the highest hills consist of sand 

 and gravel. This subsoil is also found below the 

 heathy land, between Rickmansworth and Staines. 

 The Isle of Dogs, the flat land on the borders of the 

 Lea and the Coin, and some of the land on the Brent, 

 is marsh soil. The climate of Middlesex is mild, es- 

 pecially on its southern side, near the Thames. Even 

 at the short distance, however, of Highgate and Hamp- 

 stead, partly owing to the greater elevation, and partly 

 to the soil being stronger and more retentive, the air is 

 considerably sharper. The prevalent winds are from Climatf. 

 the west and south-west, and from the east and north- 

 east ; the last prevail in the spring months often for se- 

 veral weeks, and accompanied with a considerable de- 

 gree of cold. The quantity of rain that falls is less than 

 in most other counties of England, the average not ex- 

 ceeding 84 inches. July is generally a wet month ; 

 perhaps the wettest in the year ; if not wet, it is often 

 the hottest. The cold in winter is seldom very great ; 

 nor doe* much snow fall, or continue long on the 



Knd. The principal rivers are the Thames, the Riven nod 

 the Coin, and the Brent. The Thames first touches caoali. 

 the borders of the county near Staines, where it is join- 

 ed by one of the branches of the Coin ; near Brentford, 

 where it inclines to the north, it in joined by the Brent, 

 and, a* it leave* the county, it is joined by the Lea. 

 Thi* last river is navigable from the Thames to near 

 Tottenham, about eight miles, where a canal is cut, 

 which runs parallel to the river, forming a water. 

 course along the whole eastern border of Middlesex. 

 The New River, as it is called, rises in Hertfordshire, 

 19 mile* from London, though, by its serpentine course, 

 it* length is nearly 36 miles. It ha* 43 sluices, and 

 over it are 215 bridges. Middlesex is intersected by 

 two canals for the purposes of navigation, the Grand 

 Junction and Paddington ; the former joins the Thames 

 at Brentford, running by Hanwell, (Jxbridge, Hare- 

 field, \-c. ; it admits barge* of 70 tons ; the rise of wa- 

 ter from its union with the Thames to the J 4th lock, is 

 114 feet 8 inches. The Paddington canal branches off 

 from the former near Cranford ; it is intended to carry 

 it from the Paddington to the Thames near the Lon- 

 don docks. There are no mineral- in Middlesex, though 

 some curious geological specimens have been found in 

 different parts, especially in Highgate Hill, when the 

 archway was formed. 



The vicinity of the metropolis has broken down 

 any large estates thst might have formerly existed 

 in this county, a* well as given a particular direction 

 to the mode of farming, and the general employment 

 of the ground. Farm* in general are small ; and the 

 80 



