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tiquity) we eagerly enquired of a decent man who stood at the Inn door, whether there were any trace of the Romans in the neighbourhood. " I never

"heard of the family," replied he, "though this

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place has been my residence for sixty years.' But a better-informed gentleman in a smock-frock, who stood by, voluntarily taking part in the conversation, told us, that " about six miles off, there "were a great many of thosen sort of volks; that

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they had a large chapel, and a parcel of priests; "and if we did not mind, all the kingdom would "in time become Roman-Catholics."

Yours, &c.

R. W.

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IN

idea of the grandeur and variety of our manufactures; the extent and nature of our internal trade, and the immense political advantages flowing from them; there cannot be a better route pointed out, than that which we have lately followed, from Lancaster to Birmingham. Pursuing this, we take,

in succession, all the chief branches of British manufacture, (with the exception of the woollen one;) we see a degree of population unequalled, perhaps, (for the extent) by any country in Europe; and find the effects of successful industry discovering themselves on every side in noble works for carrying on its operations, and elegant mansions for the enjoying of its profits. These appearances were particularly observable as we passed on to Coalbrooke-Dale, through Ketley by the vast founderies of Messrs. Reynolds; and over Ketley-Heath, the inexhaustible store-house of iron ore, and coal. But our wonder was still more excited by CoalbrookeDale itself, a scene in which the beauties of nature and processes of art are blended together in curious combination. The valley which is here hemmed in by high rocky banks, finely wooded, would be exceedingly picturesque, were it not for the huge founderies, which, volcano-like, send up volumes of smoke into the air, discolouring nature, and robbing the trees of their beauty; and the vast heaps of red-hot iron ore and coak, that give the bottom, "ever burning with solid fire," more the appearance of Milton's hell than of his paradise.

At the extremity of this vale, the celebrated ironbridge appeared; crossing the Severn at a lofty height, which, tho' not so vast as that at Sunderland,

is more striking from the singularity of the scenery accompanying it. The whole sructure is of cast iron, and consists of a platform of top plates, projecting over the ribs on each side, on which projection stands the balustrade. This is supported by ribs, each consisting of two pieces connected by a dove-tail joint in an iron key, and fastened with screws; each screw being seventy feet long. All these rest against two upright iron pillars, rising from stone abutments. The whole is connected together, and rendered immovably firm, by crossstays, braces, and brackets; forming a structure beautifully light and simple. The road over the bridge, made of clay and iron slag, is twenty-four feet wide; the span of the arch one hundred feet, and six inches; and the height, from the base line to the centre, forty feet. The weight of iron employed for the purpose was three hundred and seventy-eight tons, and ten hundred weight, which having been cast into the proper pieces in open sand upon the spot, the whole was put up in three months, without any accident to the fabric or the men employed; or the least interruption to the navigation of the river. An inscription on the largest exterior rib, commemorates the year of its erection. "This bridge was cast at Coalbrooke, and erected " in the year 1779." The great works at the Dale

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