ENGLAND. 167 



also a very neat Gothic chapter-house. Near the cathedral is the 

 Assembly-house, which is a noble structure, and which was design- 

 ed by the late earl of Burlington. The city has a stone bridge of five 

 arches over the river Ouse. It contains about sixteen thousand inha- 

 bitants. 



Bristol is reckoned the second city in the British dominions, for 

 trade, wealth, and the number of its inhabitants. It stands upon the 

 north and south side of the river Avon ; and the two parts of the city 

 are connected by a stone bridge. The city is not well built ; but, ac- 

 cording to the late enumeration, contains 10,896 houses, and 63,645 

 inhabitants. Here is a cathedral and eighteen parish churches, be- 

 sides seven or eight other places of worship. On the north side of 

 a large square, called Queen's-square, which is adorned with rows of 

 trees, and an equestrian statue of William the Third, there is a cus- 

 tom-house, with a quay half a mile in length, said to be one of the 

 most commodious in England, for shipping and landing of merchants' 

 goods. The Exchange, where the merchants and traders meet, is all 

 of freestone, and is one of the best of its kind in Europe. 



Liverpool, situate at the mouth of the river Mersey, carries on an 

 extensive traffic, and in population exceeds Bristol ; containing, in 

 1801, 77,653 inhabitants. Its naturally advantageous situation has 

 been considerably improved by art ; particularly by the construction 

 of three basins, or wet-docks, capable of containing near 400 ships of 

 500 tons in perfect security. 



The city of Exeter was for some time the seat of the West-Saxon 

 kings; and the walls, which at this time enclose it, were built by 

 king Athelstan, who encompassed it also with a ditch. It is one of 

 the first cities in England, as well on account of its buildings and 

 wealth, as its extent, and the number of its inhabitants. It has six 

 gates, and, including its suburbs, is more than two miles in circum- 

 ference. There are sixteen parish churches, besides chapels, and 

 five large meeting-houses, within the walls of this city. The trade 

 of Exeter, in serges, perpetuants, long-ells, druggets, kerseys, and 

 other woollen goods, is very great. Ships come up to this city by 

 means of sluices. 



The city of Gloucester stands on a pleasant hill, with houses on 

 every descent, and is a clean, well-built town, with the Severn on one 

 side, a branch of which brings ships up to it. The cathedral here is 

 an ancient and magnificent structure ; and there are also five parish 

 churches. 



Litchfield stands in a valley, three miles south of the Trent, and is 

 divided by a stream which runs into that river. The cathedral was 

 founded in the year 1148: it was much damaged during the civil 

 war, but was so completely repaired soon after the Restoration, that 

 it is now one of the noblest Gothic structures in England. Litch- 

 field is thought to be the most considerable city in the north-west of 

 England, except Chester. 



Chester is a large, populous, and wealthy city, with a noble bridge, 

 that has a gate at each end, and twelve arches over the Dee, which 

 falls into the sea. It has eleven parishes, and nine well-built churches. 

 The streets are generally even and spacious, and, crossing one another 

 in straight lines, meet in the centre. The walls were first erected by 

 Edelfleda, a Mercian lady, in the year 908, and join on the south side 

 of the city to the castle, from whence there is a pleasant walk round 

 the city upon the walls, except where it is intercepted by some of 



