ART. IV. The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Containing the Ancient and Prefent State of it, Civil and Eccle fiaftical; collected from public Records, and other the best Authorities, both manuscript and printed; and illuftrated with Maps, and Views of Antiquities, Seats of the Nobility and Gentry, &c. By Edward Hafted, of Canterbury, Efq; F. R. S. and S. A. Vol. I. Folio. 21. 12s. 6d. fewed. Canterbury printed for the Author, by Simmons and Kirkby. 1778.

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HIS is a moft laborious and expenfive undertaking; yet

it contains very little in proportion to its bulk, to gratify thofe readers who may be more inquifitive after the natural. history and antiquities of the county, than the descents and family hiftories of the private landholders. For though, under every parish, there are profeffed departments for the natural history, botany, antiquities, prefent ftate, and ecclefiaftical jurifdiction; yet thefe particulars are fo detached and fo very brief, that they are in a manner loft amidst loads of dry tedious genealogical details of the lords of manors, births, marriages, deaths, inheritances, alienations, and coats of arms. Genealo gical and armorial collections have a local importance, and a partial value among particular claffes of readers; but these perfonal anecdotes may, by the labour employed in searching for them, engage too much of the writer's attention. They are, under due restriction, proper materials to arrange in an appendix, or to compofe occafional notes; but ought not to overwhelm and mother the general fubject.

The author's declared motive for the copioufnefs of thefe family details, is fomewhat curious; the improvement being referred to their living defcendants, in a ftyle that will scarcely be accepted as a compliment by the prefent gentlemen of the county:

I may, fays Mr. Hafted, by fome few, perhaps, be thought too prolix in my genealogies of families, but I own, I by no means confider them in that trivial and ufelefs light that many do. Men, whofe anceflors have been famed for their public virtue and patriotifm for the glorious actions they have performed for their fovereign and country, or for their proficiency in philofophy, learning, or the polite arts, are frequently ftimulated to imitate their bright and worthy. examples. Shame of degenerating from the reputation their fami lies hold in the prefent eftimation of mankind, frequently deters them (if they have any frame left in this age of effrontery) from committing bafe and unworthy actions, actions unworthy of those whofe blood Atill fills their veins. Relationship of family, extended by the prefervation of pedigrees, promotes a chain of fociety and good-will that affords often affiftance and fupport to every link of it.'

The living are frequently complimented at the expence of the dead, but it is not fo ufual to flatter the dead at the expence of the living. Complaints of the present age, have indeed been

current in all ages, among men of narrow conceptions; and if we fuppofe there have always exifted human errors exposed to animadverfion, which cynical cenfurers improve to flanderous libels, the charitable interence will be, that the prefent gentlemen of Kent may have no more "effrontery" than their forefathers: and that they may all hope in due time, to be intitled to a full share of Mr. Hafted's beatification.

The moft interefting part of this work, is that introductory portion intitled the "General Hiftory of Kent," from which we could have selected various paffages for the entertainment of our readers; but the generality, perhaps, would prefer the article of natural hiftory, in the hundred of Somerton, which gives us a defcription of Tunbridge Wells.

The medicinal waters, commonly called Tunbridge Wells, lie at the fouth east corner of the parish of Speldhurft, fo near the county of Suffex, that part of them are within it.

The efficacy of thefe waters is reported to have been accidentally found out by Dudley Lord North, in the beginning of the reign of James I.-and that he was entirely cured of a lingering confumptive diforder, by the use of them.

The fprings which were then discovered, feem to have been feven in number, two of the principal of which were fometime afterward, by Lord Abergavenny's care, inclofed, and were much reforted to by many of the midling and lower fort, whofe ill health had real occafion for the ufe of them.-Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I. having been fent hither by her phyficians, in 1630, for the re-establishment of her health, foon brought thefe waters into fashion, and.occafioned a great refort to them, from that time. In compliment to her, Dr. Lewis Rowzee, [of Afhford in this county] in his treatife on them, calls thefe fprings the Queen's Wells. This name lafted but a fmall time, and they were foon afterwards univerfally known by that of Tunbridge-Wells.

• The town of Tunbridge being five miles diftant from the Wells, occafioned fome few houfes to be built in the hamlets of Southborough and Rufthall, for the accommodation of the company reforting hither. This place now becoming fashionable, was vifited by numbers for the fake of pleasure and diffipation, as well as for the cure of their infirmities; and foon after the restoration, every kind of building for public amufements, was erected at the two hamlets abovementioned, lodgings and other buildings were built at and near the wells, the fprings themselves were fecured, and other conve niences added to them.

In 1664, the Queen came here, by the advice of her phyficians, in Bopes of re inftating her health, which was greatly impaired by a dangerous fever; and her being perfectly cured by these waters, greatly raised their reputation; and the company increafing yearly, it induced the inhabitants to make every accommodation for them adjoining to the wells, fo that both Rufthall and Southborough became deferted by all but their native inhabitants.

The

- The Duke of York, with his Dutchefs, and the two princeffes their daughters, vifited the wells in 1670, which brought much more company to them than ufual; and the annual increase continuing, it induced the Lord of the manor to think of improving this humour -to his own profit, &c. He entered into an agreement with his tenants, and hired of them the herbage of the waste of the manor, for the term of 40 years, at the yearly rent of ten fhillings to each tenant; and then erected shops and houses on or near the walks and fprings-by which means Tunbridge-Wells became a populous and flourishing village.-A Chapel was built in 1684, by fubfcription, on fome ground given by the Lady Vifcounters Purbeck ;-and adjoining to the chapel is a charity fchool, for upwards of 50 poor boys and girls, which is fupported by collections at the chapel doors, two or three times in a year.

About the year 1726, the building-lease, which had been granted, as above, expiring, the tenants of the manor claimed a hare in the buildings, as a compenfation for the lofs of the herbage which was covered by his houses. This occafioned a long and expenfive law-fuit; which was at last determined in favour of the tenauts, who were adjudged to have a right to a third part of the buildings then erected on the eftate, in lieu of their right to the herbage; upon which all the fhops and houfes which had been built on the manor walte, were divided into three lots, of which the tenants were to draw one, and the other two were to remain to the Lord of the manor. The lot which the tenants drew was the middle one, including the assembly room on the public walk, which has turned out much the most advantageous of the three.'

The above-mentioned legal decifion, in favour of the tenants, is a circumftance which ought to be univerfally known, throughout every manor in this kingdom; in which the rights of the homage are not always duly refpected. But, indeed, it is fhameful that this odious tenure of copyhold, the hateful remains of the old flavish feudal fyftem, is ftill fuffered to exift in a FREE country,-as this is called.

Since the year 1740, in which the regulation of the wells, walks, buildings on the wafte, &c. was fettled by act of parliament; feveral of the royal family, we are told, have honoured Tunbridge Wells with their prefence; and fuch numbers of the nobility, &c. annually refort to it, that it is now in a most flourishing ftate, having great numbers of good houses built for lodgings, and every other neceffary accommodation for the company. Its cuftoms are fettled, its pleasures regulated, its markets well fupplied, at reafonable rates, with every kind of food, and every convenience added that can contribute to give health and pleasure.

The whole neighbourhood of Tunbridge Wells abounds with fprings of mineral water, but as the properties of all are nearly alike, only thofe two which at the first discovery of them were adjudged the best, are held in any particular eftimation.

Thefe two wells are inclosed with an handsome triangular flone wall; over the fprings are placed two convenient bafons of Portland ftone, with perforations at the bottom, through which they receive the water, which at the fpring is extremely clear and bright. Its tate is teely, but not difagreeable. It has hardly any fmell, tho' fometimes, in a denfe air, its ferruginous exhalations are very diftinguishable. In point of heat it is invariably temperate, the fpring lying fo deep in the earth, that neither the heat of fummer, nor the cold of winter affects it.

When this water is first taken up in a large glass, its particles continue at reft till it is warmed to nearly the heat of the atmosphere

then a few airy globules begin to feparate themselves, and adhere to the fides of the glass; and in a few hours a light copper-coloured fcum begins to float on the furface, after which an ochreous fediment fettles at the bottom.'-Remember, reader, that we are tranfcribing the author's words.

• Long continued rains fometimes give the water a milky appear ance, but do not otherwife fenfibly affect it.

• From the experiments of different phyficians, it appears that the component parts of this water are, fleely particles, marine fatts, an oily matter, an ochreous substance, fimple water, and a volatile vitriolic (pirit too fubtile for any chemical analyfis. In weight it is, in feven ounces and a quarter, four grains lighter than the German Spaw (to which it is preferable on that account) and ten grains lighter than common water. It requires five drops of Oleum Sulphuris, or elixir of vitriol, to a quart of water, to preferve its virtues to a diftance from the fpring.

This water is faid to be an impregnation of rain in fome of the neighbouring eminences which abound in iron mineral, where it is further enriched with the marine falts, and all the valuable ingredients which conftitute it a light and pure chalybeate, which inftantly fearches the most remote receffes of the human frame, warms and invigorates the relaxed conftitution, reftores the weakened fibres to their due tone and elasticity, removes those obstructions to which the minuter veffels of the body are liable, and is confequently adapted to most cold chronical diforders, lowness of spirits, weak digeftions, and nervous complaints.

The hamlet of Tunbridge Wells, is fituated partly in Tunbridge and Speldhurit parishes in this county, and partly in Fant parish, in Suffex; and confifts of four little villages, named Mount Ephraim, Mount Pleasant, Mount Sion, and the Wells: all together form a confiderable town, but the laft is the centre of business and pleafure; for there, beside the wells themselves, the market, the affembly rooms, the public parades, the chapel, &c. are fituated.

The trade of Tunbridge-Wells is fimilar to that of the Spa in Germany, and confifts chiefly in a variety of toys made of wood, commonly called Tunbridge ware, which employs a great number of hands. The wood principally used for this purpose is beech and Sycamore with yew and holly in-laid.'

For fome other particulars relative to Tunbridge Wells, we may refer our readers to the new edition of The Tour through Great Britain.

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Of this very fine county we have had more ample defcriptions than any other fhire in the kingdom can boat. Lambarde'sPERAMBULATION, Sommer's Treatife of the Roman Ports, &c. in Kent, Kilburne's TOPOGRAPHY, and Philipott's VILLARE CAN IUM, were all publifhed in the courfe of the laft century; fince which we have had Harris's Hiftory of this county and now comes Mr. Hafted, furnished with many additional materials, from the manufcript collections of the late Dr. Thorpe of Rochefter, Mr. Edmonfon of the Herald's Office, and the late Mr. Lewis of Margate, (author of the History of the Ifle of Thanet) &c &c befide the various public repofitories, which our author affures us in his preface, he has carefully confulted. In fine, he declares his compilation to be the refult of twenty years conftant labour and affiduity.

This volume, for a fecond is expected to complete the furvey, is furnished with good indexes of perfons and places. Thefe are effentially requifite to all voluminous works, and for reafons already hinted, no one could require fuch affiftance. more than the performance now under confideration. The engravings with which this compilation is decorated, are numerous, and, for the moft part, very elegant.

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The part of the county defcribed in this first volume, extends no farther eallward than Rochester.

ART. IV. Prefent ftate of Husbandry in Scotland; Extracted from Reports made to the Commiffioners of the annexed Eftates, and published by their Authority. 2 vols. 8vo. Edinburgh, printed for Cadell in London. 10s. 6d. Boards. 1778.

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REAT is the power of genius! Aided by this divine affiftant, Shakespear has formed a new creation, and has been able to render even abfurdities delightful. By the help of this all-powerful magician, Sterne, perforce, draws after him those readers, whofe judgments condemn, while their affections acquit, that excentric wanderer. By the help of the fame invifible agent, Arthur Young, though not a great proficient in agriculture, has published more books on that fubject than any other author; and as these books, being plaufibly written, are very generally read, it is natural to expect that others will attempt to follow him in the new road he has marked out for himself. The writer before us, is the firft avowed imitator of this rural traveller, that hath fallen under our review; and as we expect that others will follow in the fame career, we shall here hazard a few remarks that may be of ufe to these Tourists, if duly attended to.

Mr. Andrew Wight, of Ormiston in Eaft-Lothian,-as we learn from the preface

REV. Dec. 1778.

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