1797] 
and feem chiefly intended to excite a 
momentary curiofity for the fake of 
emolument to the authors. They are 
hiftorical legends, and the moral miracles 
they relate, appear not much more de- 
ferving of credit, than thofe contained in 
Geoffrey of Monmouth, or the Lives of 
the Saints. As I have taken but flight 
notice of compiled h ftories for the latter 
periods of our annals, I have not men- 
tioned Mrs. Macaunay’s; yet, I con- 
fefs, I have: twice perufed it with 
unabated pleafure—her principles are 
certainly republican, but her narrative 
is pure, and the is fcrupulouily exaét in 
producing evidence and authority for all 
her facts. Swirr’s Hiftory of the Four 
laft Years of Queen Anne, is worth con- 
fulting; but 1 know of no genuine 
hiftory, or even compilation, that I can 
recommend for the fucceeding period. 
The reader who wifhes a general view 
of politica! affairs from that time, will 
find itin Mr. BeELtsHam’s Memoirs of 
the Houfe of Brunfwick, and in his or 
Mr. M‘F ARLAN’s Hiftory of the Prefent 
Reign. Thethree firft volumes of this lat- 
ter work are wel! written; of the fourth 
‘I cannot fay fo much, as it appears rather 
a hafty ‘compofition, and the ftyle 
affected, 
The fiudent of hiftory fhould always 
read with a map of the country before 
him; this is, indeed, the beft mode of 
fiudying geography, and ferves moft 
effectually to rivet the faéts in the 
reader’s remembrance. A good Biogra- 
phical Didtionary is alfo an uferul com- 
panion in the ftudy of hiftory. The 
Hiftory of England, in particular, fhould 
always be read with the BloGRAPHIA 
BRITANNICA atour elbow. The lofs, 
indeed, of its late excellent Editor, ever 
friend to literature and truth will long 
have caufe to lament. No man who has 
not had occafion to confult thefe volumes, 
can be a judge of the labour and refearch 
which he beftowed upon them. here 
are many facts.in the Biographia_ which 
are not elfewhere to be found, and the 
fair and liberal manner in which the 
publication was conduéted, will remain 
a lafting monument of the integrity and 
candour of Dr. Kinpis. 
Various plans have been recommended 
for connecting hiftory with chronology 
“in the mind; the beft mode that I have 
found is, to endeavour to fix in the 
memory the dates of fome of the moft 
remarkable events, fuch, for inftance, as 
the battle of Marathon, the acceffion of 
Alexander to the throne of Macedon, the 
Direétions to Students in Hiftory. 
373 
foundation of Rome, the expulfion of the 
Tarquins, the two Punic wars, the con- 
teft between Marius ang Sylla, the de- 
firuction of the commonwealth by Cefar, 
the reign of Trajan, the reign of Con- 
ftantine, the diviioa of the empire, the 
flight of the impoftor-Mahomet from 
Mecca, Charlemagne, the firt crufade, 
the Norman conqueft of England, 
Magna Charta, the ufurpation of Henr 
IV, the acceffion of Henry Vil, the 
veformation, the death of Charles 1, the 
revolution, &c.; the intermediate tranf- 
actions will generally be found to have 
fome link of affociation with the great 
events, and it will not be dificult to 
decide nearly on the date of any of them. 
There is, however, no better aid to-the 
memory than Dr. Prigstiey’s Hyis- 
TORICAL Cuarr 3 It Is, indeed, a mof 
ingenious invention, and conneéts the 
great outline of hiftory, at once, with the 
general principles of geography and 
chronology. 
[ have written you, fir, a long letter, 
and yet much might ftili be added on 
this copious and important fubjeGi— 
perhaps, at fome diftant period, I may be 
difpoted to refume it; but my nex¢ let- 
ter will relate to a different department 
of fcience. In the mean time, I beg 
leave to fubfcribe mytfelf, fir, 
Your obliged fervant, 
March 20. NEPIODIDASCALOS, 

_ For the Moathly Magazine. 
Account oF Sono, NEAR 
BIRMINGHAM. 
| With an engraved View, from a Drawing 
taken jor the purpofe, on the {pot.} 
puis celebrated feat of manufaétory, 
- firuated on the border of Stafford. 
fhire, about two miles from Birmingham, 
contained, about thirty-five ; 
only a {mall mull, with a few mean 
dwelling-houfes. Mr. BOULTON, in 
conjunction with his then partner, Mr. 
FOTHERGILL, purchafed the {pot, and 
erected on it, at a large expence, ahand- 
fome and extenfive edifice for manufac- 
turing buttons, buckles, toys, and the 
ufual articles of the Birmingham trade, 
To thefe were foon added the plated 
wares commonly made at Sheffield, con- 
fifting of a variety of ufeful and orna- 
mental articles. By means of connec. 
tions eftablifhéd through all the northern 
parts of Europe, a very extenfive fale was 
obtained for thefe goods , and the partner- 
fhip exporting on their own account, 
added the advantave of the merchant to 
that of the manufaéturer. 
Z 
years ago, 
in propor- 
tion 
