Hastings is famous in history for the decisive battle in 1066, between William Duke of Normandy and Harold; in which the former, by his victory, obtained the crown of England, and appellation of the Conqueror.

Lewes, accounted the capital, is a well-built populous place, situated in a very plentiful country.

BERKSHIRE.

The county of Berks has to the north Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire; to the east Surrey, to the south Hampshire, and to the west Wiltshire. Berkshire from east to north-west extends above fifty miles, and from north to south, in its widest part, above twenty-five, though little more than six in its narrowest.

The forest of Windsor has long been famous for the pleasures of the chase which it has afforded to a series of our monarchs. The magnificent castle of Windsor, seated on an eminence above the Thames, and commanding a view of the whole rich country around, was founded by William the Conqueror, and rebuilt by Edward III. It has ever since been a royal residence.

The capital of this county is Reading, a town of considerable size, trading in malt, flour, &c. and the centre of a genteel neighbourhood.

WILTSHIRE.

The county of Wilts is contiguous on the north and northwest to Gloucestershire, on the west to Somersetshire, on the south to Dorsetshire, on the south-east to Hampshire, and or. the north-east to Berkshire. In length it is upwards of fifty miles, in breadth between thirty and forty.

Below the middle of the county begins that extensive tract, great part of which bears the name of Salisbury-plain, the most remarkable spot of the kind in England. Of late years it has been much encroached upon by inclosures. Ruins of Roman, Saxon, and Danish monuments are scattered through these districts; among which the famed Stonehenge rises distinguished to the view.

The capital of Wiltshire is Salisbury. It has a fine cathedral crowned by a spire, the loftiest in the kingdom. At a small distance from it lies the ancient borough of Old Sarum, now reduced to a single farm-house, yet retaining its privilege of sending two members to parliament.

HAMPSHIRE.

Hampshire, Hants, or the county of Southampton, is bounded on the north by Berkshire, on the east by Surrey and Sussex, on the west by Wiltshire and Dorsetshire, and on the

south by a channel separating it from the Isle of Wight. This island, indeed, is included within the county. The figure of Hampshire would be pretty exactly square, were it not for a triangular projection at the south-west, resembling the bastion of a fortification. Exclusive of this part, it is about fortytwo miles in length, and thirty-eight in breadth.

On tracing the sea-coast from the east, we come to Portsea island, a low tract of considerable extent, separated from the main by a shallow creek, over which a bridge is thrown. On this isle is situated the town of Portsmouth, the most considerable haven for men of war in the kingdom. Portsmouth is the most strongly fortified place in Great Britain, and its high importance renders it worthy of every attention.

Across the mouth of the harbour is Gosport, a populous town, inhabited by sailors and artificers, and containing a very large naval hospital, and docks for merchant ships. Off the point of land which terminates this peninsula, is the noted road of Spithead, where the men of war anchor when prepared for actual service.

The city of Winchester, the capital of the county, is a place of much ancient fame, and was formerly the capital of the kingdom of the West Saxons.

DORSETSHIRE.

This county has to the north Wiltshire and Somersetshire, to the west Devonshire, to the east Hampshire, and to the south the English channel. From north to south, in the centre, it measures thirty-six miles; from east to west, exclusive of a projection into Devonshire, about fifty.

The products of Dorsetshire are corn, cattle, butter, sheep, wool, timber, flax, and hemp: of which last the finest in England is said to grow about Bridport.

The capital of the county, Dorchester, is a well-built town, but without manufactures, and is particularly famous for its excellent malt liquor, which is exported to most parts of the kingdom.

SOMERSETSHIRE.

This county lying in a crescent-like form on the Bristol channel, to which its north-western concave side is turned, has to the north-east Gloucestershire, to the east Wiltshire, to the south Dorsetshire and Devonshire, and the latter county to the west. Its longest line from north to south is about forty-five miles; from east to west sixty-five.

The natural and artificial products of this county are various and important. The Mendip hills afford in abundance coal, lead, calamine, copper, manganese, bole, and red ochre.

The great foreign trade of the city of Bristol is supported and augmented by its extensive inland communications with the Severn and all its branches, the Avon, the Wye, and various other streams.

Bath, from the time of the Romans, has been known and frequented for its hot springs, which are the most remarkable in England, and inferior to few in Europe.

DEVONSHIRE.

The county of Devon lies between two seas, having to the north and north-west the Bristol channel, and to the south and south-east the English channel. Its western side borders upon Cornwall, and its eastern side upon the counties of Somerset and Dorset. From the most southerly to the most northerly point it measures nearly seventy miles, and from east to west sixty-four.

Exeter, the capital of Devonshire, is next to Bristol, the principal city for magnitude and consequence in the west of England. The trade of Exeter consists principally in the exportation of coarse woollen goods manufactured in the counties of Devon, Cornwall, and a part of Somerset.

CORNWALL.

This county, forming the south-western extremity of Great Britain, is every where surrounded by the sea, except on its eastern side, which borders upon Devonshire; so that it is a peninsula, or nearly a complete island. From the western extremity, called Land's end, to the Devonshire border, it measures ninety miles; the side contiguous to Devon measures above fifty, but the breadth very soon contracts to thirty, and near the Land's end does not exceed seven.

Thus detached as Cornwall is by situation from the west of England, it was formerly still further separated by the use of a totally different language. This language has for two or three centuries ceased to be common, and is now utterly extirpated: but the proper names of the towns of the county still exhibit a striking difference from those of English origin.

From early antiquity this county has been noted for the tin which it produced, and which was an object of commerce to civilized nations, while Britain was a land of barbarians. Tin mines are dispersed over the greatest part of Cornwall; and the quantity procured is greater than in any other part of the world. The Prince of Wales, who is also Duke of Cornwall, derives a revenue from the tin; and there are particular laws and regulations for the working, refining, and exporting of this commodity.

Mountsbay is so called from a lofty peninsulated rock within it, named Mount St. Michael, on the summit of which stands an ancient castle. In this bay stands the town of Penzance, a populous place, having a considerable traffic in shipping. Falmouth has a noble and most extensive harbour, and is a flourishing town of great traffic, which has been much improved by its being appointed the station for the packets to Spain, Portugal, and America.

WALES.

The principality of Wales, long an independent and separate country from England, and still differing from it in language, and in manners and customs, is strongly marked out by nature as a detached district, characterized by an almost continued range of mountains more or less wild and lofty, and valleys more or less extensive and fertile. The ancient internal dimensions of Wales have been contracted by taking from it the whole county of Monmouth, and a part of several of the adjacent English counties. At present it consists of twelve small or middle-sized counties; six of which are reckoned to belong to North, and six to South Wales.

The names of the counties are these: Six North Wales; Flintshire, Denbighshire, Caernarvonshire, Anglesey, Marionethshire, and Montgomeryshire. Six South Wales: Radnorshire, Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire, Caermarthenshire, Brecknockshire, and Glamorganshire.

SCOTLAND.

Scotland was known to the Romans by the name of Caledonia, by which name the northern or highland Scots still call themselves. The appearance of the southern part of Scotland nas a great resemblance to that of England, with respect both of to the general aspect of the country, and to the progress cultivation. The northern part is chiefly an assemblage of vast dreary mountains, not however, without some fertile valleys on the north and eastern coasts.

The Erse, a dialect of the Celtic, nearly the same with the Irish, is still spoken in the Highlands, but the language of the low countries, which is of the same origin with the English, is continually extending. The English and Scotch are written in the same manner, though differently pronounced.

Edinburgh, a fine city, is the capital of Scotland; and its castle, before the use of artillery, was deemed to be impreg nable. The chief manufacture of Scotland is that of linen of various kinds. Its fisheries send large supplies to the English and foreign markets.

IRELAND.

Ireland is divided into four provinces, Leinster, Ulster, Connaught, and Munster, which are again subdivided into 32 counties. Ireland is in general a level country, diversified with occasional hills, and clothed by the mild temperature and humidity of the air with an unfading verdure. Yet a great part of the island, from the scarcity of trees, and want of improvement by cultivation, presents only a naked aspect.

The Irish people have been characterized as implacable, and violent in all their affections, but quick of apprehension, paricularly courteous to strangers, and patient of hardships. The common Irish live in mean huts or cabins built of clay or straw, having their fires of turf in the middle of the floor, with an opening through the roof for a chimney.

Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is in magnitude, opulence, and the number of inhabitants, the second city in the British dominions.

Before the union of 1801, Ireland was governed by its own parliament. By the articles of union, which took place on January 1, 1801, England, Scotland, and Ireland, have become one kingdom, by the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

ENGLISH HISTORY.

BRITAIN was scarcely known to the rest of the world before it was invaded by a Roman army, under the command of Julius Cæsar. Its inhabitants dwelt in huts, and covered themselves with the skins of beasts, except their arms, legs, and thighs, which were left naked, and painted blue. The country was divided into small principalities, each under the dominion of its respective leader. But the religion of the Britons was one of the most considerable parts of their government; and the amiable and excellent Druids, who were the guardians of it, possessed great authority among them. The Britons lived in woods, caves, and hollow trees; acorns and berries constituted their general food, and their usual beverage was water.

It may be easily supposed, that the manners of the people took a tincture from the discipline of their teachers. Their lives were simple, but their courage was great.

The Britons had long remained in this rude but independent state, when Cæsar, having over-run Gaul with his bloody victories, determined upon the conquest of a country that seemed to promise an easy triumph; and he succeeded so far as to de feat the Britons in several engagements.