290 
a 
Nov.15. went from Bifhop’s Caitle to 
Shrew{bury in Shropfhire, 20 miles. ‘The 
feriace for the firft 12 miles is ualevel ; 
and the foil rather barren, being generally 
‘a wettifh poor clay, and naturally pro- 
ducing ruthes: moft of the hedges are 
sather naked, with, here and there, a few 
fcattering trees. In this track there is 
much dry hilly common: and a little to 
the weftward are fome black rocky moun- 
gains covered with heath, and fheltering 
2 few groufe. Buildings moftly thatched 
and very indifferent. The fheep of this 
country are fmall, but faid to be profia- 
bie ; their wool is remarkably fine; 8 or 
ro fleects will weigh a ftone, which, a 
darmer tells me, fells for 278. a very enor- 
mous price! a flock of 500 fetches about 
gool. a number of them have lately been 
fent into Scotland, for the purpofe of efta- 
blithing the breed on fome of the fineft 
hills there, but with what fuccefs ¥ did 
not hear. At the end of 12 miles Lhave 
a fine view of the country from a rifing 
ground—The Chefhire hills appear at a 
great diftance on the north, the Welfh 
snountains on the north weft, aiid the Shrop- 
fhise hills on the eaft ; while the interme- 
ciate {pace prefents a fine, fertile, extentive 
ylam, with the city of Shrewfbury {moke- 
ing in the center, and the Severn winding 
threugh it. The country along which 
the laft 8 miles of the road goes is level 
and pleafant ; inclofed with pretty hedges, 
znd the foila gravelly loam. Shrewfbury 
fands in a remarkably fine fituation by 
€he fide of the Severn, which runs almoft 
half round it: the ftreets are wide and 
cjean, andthe buildings elegant. It con- 
¢ains 5 churches, and 11,000 inhabitants, 
z few of whom are employed in a woolen 
manufaéture; but that bufinefs is rather 
on the decline. Part of the walls, and 
the caftle, are yet ftanding. ‘The famous 
houfe of induftry, fo noted for its fine 
resuations in the management of the 
poor, is erected on a beautiful eminence 
en the oppofite fide of the river, and has 
every appearance of a nobleman’s feat. 
November 19, went from Shrewfbury 
to Ellefmere in Shropfhire 16 miles. The 
road good; foil generally dry; furface 
pretty level ; farms large; fmall, badly 
built cottages ; and a few trees in hedges. 
E obferved near the road feveral peat 
wioffes ; peats ere here much uied for fuel. 
‘Ealfo paffed 3 large lakes, the Arft ¥ had 
feen Gnce I left Cumberland : one of thefe 
comes up clofe to Elleimere. Red free- 
frone, as well as blue flate, are got in this 
neighbourhood ; the latter refembles the 
heavier fort of Vweftmoreiandflate. This 
Zar 
Houfinan’s Tour continued. 
, [Mary 
morning the air was very mifty, and af- 
terwards a heavy fhower or {now fell*, 
- Shropfhire is 2 fruitful and pleafant coun- 
ty, producing much corn, enjoys a mild 
air, and has plenty of coal and water. 
The imterior. parts of the county moftly 
level ; but towards the confines more hilly 
and mountainous. Farms in this county 
and Herefordihire are increafing m fize, 
and diminifhing in number. E#llefmere 
is a finall market town, but only like a 
large village: it is, however, pleafantly 
fituated on the confines of a large and 
beautiful lake, to which moft of the gar- 
dens on that fide reach. On a rifing 
ground near the end of this lake a hoffe 
of induftry has Jately béen built, but is 
not yet finifhed : the proprietors have al- 
ready expended 8000]. thereon, and it Is 
theught 20001. more will fearcely ccme 
plete the building. A. houfe of that kind 
near Montgomery has alfo been lately 
erected and coit 12,0001, and itis thought 
soool. more will be neceflary to finifh it, 
Much may be {aid both for and againft 
thofe large receptacles of poverty and 
mifery, and wreichednefs. I fhall only, 
however, cbferve, that to frame laws and 
regulations for the beft management o: the 
poor, with a view to humanity and economy, 
a very minute and practical knowledge of 
their feelings, manners, tempers, notions, 
cuftoms, and prejudices is abiolately re- 
quifite; and which I am afraid few of 
our legiflators take the trouble of makin 
themfelvesacquainted with. Thofe who will 
make it their bufinefs to enquire nicely 
into thefe matters, will find the difpoft- 
tions of the poor widely difterent from 
thefe in more eafy circumftances, and of 
liberal education. Tam again approaching 
Wales, which the language of the pecple 
teftines. They are fometimes converfing 
in Welth, and fometimes in Englifh ; and 
you will frequently hear both languages 
in the fame fentence: fometimes a quef- 
tion is afked in Englith and anfwered in 
Welfh ; and the contrary. Moft of the 
inhabitants on the borders of Wales 
fpeak both languages; butI am told there 
are feveral villages in the interior and 
mountainous parts where very few can 
fpeak Englifh ; and it is common for the 
old people, when afked by a more Jearned 
acquaintance, why they do not, at leaft, 
fend their children to learn Englifh, to re- 
mark that children learn foon enough to 
be proud, and that they ought not to 
* Tatterwards heard, that the night before, 
or early that morning, an earthquake was 
felt in various parts of the kingdom}; and 
more particlarly in Nottinghamihire. 
