Hoft without entering the chapel. Near this perforation is a neat door-cafe opening into the chapel out of this fide-room or facrifty, which contains a benching cut in the rock, whence is feen a moft beautiful view up the river, finely over-hung with woods. Over the door-cafe, within the chapel, is carved a fmall neat fcutcheon, with all the emblems of the Paffion, fc. the Crofs, the Crown of Thorns, the Nails, the Spear and the Spunge. "On the fouth fide of the altar is another window, and below it a neat cenotaph, or tomb ornamented with three human figures elegantly cut in the rock. The principal figure reprefents a lady lying along, still very entire and perfect: over her breaft hovers, what probably was an angel, but much defaced: and at her feet a warrior erect, and perhaps originally in a praying posture; but he is likewife mutilated by time. At her feet is alfo a rude fculpture of a bull's or ox's head; which the Editor of the ballad not unreasonably conjectures to have been the lady's creft. This was, as he obferves, the creft of the Widdrington family, whofe caftle is but five miles from this Hermitage. It was alfo the ancient creft of the Nevilles, and of one or two other families in the North. "On the fame fide is another door-cafe, and near it an excavation to contain the holy water. Over both the door-cafes are still seen the traces of letters, veftiges of two ancient infcriptions; but fo much defaced as to be at prefent illegible. I must refer you to the poem for a further account of them. "This door opens into a little veftibule, containing two fquare niches, in which the Hermit fat to contemplate; and his view from hence was well calculated to inspire meditation. He looked down upon the river which washes the foot of the Hermitage, and glides away in a conftant murmuring lapfe; and he might thence have taken occafion, like the author of the Night Thoughts, to remind fome young thoughtless vifitant, "Life glides away, Lorenzo! like a ftream, For ever changing, unperceiv'd the change. In the fame ftream none ever bath'd him twice; To the fame life none ever twice awoke." "Over the inner door, within the veftibule, hangs another fcutcheon with fome fculpture, which we took for the representation of a Gauntlet; perhaps it was the founder's arms or creft. On the outward face of the rock, near the small vestibule above-mentioned, is a winding ftair-cafe cut also in the living stone, and leading through a neat, arched door-cafe in the fame, up to the top of the cliff which joins the level of the ancient park; and here was planted the Hermit's orchard. This has long fince been destroyed; but cherry-trees propagated from his plantations are ftill fcattered over the neighbour→ ing thicket. His garden was below at the foot of the hill, as we are informed; and indeed fome straggling flowers and one little folitary gooseberry-bufh, which ftill grows out of a cleft in the rock, confirm the tradition. "As all the apartments above-defcribed feem to have been appropriated to facred ufes, you will naturally inquire where was the dwelling of the Hermit, or at least of his fucceffors? This was a small fquare building, erected at the foot of the cliff, that contains the chapel. It confifted of one fingle dwelling room, with a bed-chamber over it; and a small kitchen adjoining; which is now fallen in and covered with earth; but the ruins of the oven ftill mark its fituation, and fhew that fome of the inhabitants of this Hermitage did not always diflike good chear. "This little building, erected below the chapel, being composed of materials brought together by human hands, has long fince gone to ruin: whereas the walls of the chapel itself, being as old as the world, will, if not purposely deftroyed, probably laft as long as it, and continue to amuse the latest pofterity. It gave me particular pleasure to obferve, that the prefent noble proprietors have thought this curiofity not unworthy their attention, and have therefore bestowed a proper care to have it kept clean and neat; have cleared the Hermit's path, which was choaked up, by the river's fide; have restored his well (a fmall bubbling fountain of clear water, which iffues from the adjoining rock); and have renewed the wood by new plantations at the top of the cliff, where the trees had been thinned or deftroyed by Time. "In this delightful folitude, fo beautiful in itself, and fo venerable for its antiquity, you will judge with what pleasure I perused the very amufing and interefting tale of the Hermit of Warkworth: having the whole fcene before me, and fancying I was prefent at the Hermit's tender relation. "And this leads me to your last query; What foundation the author of the poem had for his ftory, which he gives as founded on truth? By all the inquiries I could make in the neighbourhood, it is the received tradition, that the founder of this Hermitage was one of the Bertram family, who were anciently Lords of Bothal Castle, and had great poffeffions in this county. He is alfo thought to be the fame Bertram, who having built Brinkburn Abbey, and Brinkhaugh Chapel higher up the river, at last retired to end his life in this fequeftered valley. But the editor has given reafons, why he thinks the Hermitage was founded at a later period than thofe buildings, by another of the fame name and family. It is also the univerfal tradition, That he impofed this penance upon himself to expiate the murder of his brother. As for the Lady, I could not find that any thing particular is remembered concerning her; her; but the elegant sculpture of her figure on the tomb, and the creft at her feet, feem fufficient to warrant the story of the ballad. "I fhall conclude my long, tedious defcription, with a ftanza from Spenfer'; which, if you will pardon a few alterations, will give you a pretty exact picture of the place. "A little lonely Hermitage there flood "Down in a dale, hard by a river's fide, "Which thro' the woody vale came rolling down away." Our Readers are not to imagine that all the defcriptions here given of the venerable remains of PASSED TIMES which are to be found in this ifland, are written in the fame pleasing strain with the foregoing account of the Warkworth Hermitage. Few of the fubjects are fufceptible of fo much embellishment. Many of them, indeed, will afford matter only to gratify the curiofity of a mere antiquary, in whose estimation nothing is held fo dear as ruft and ruins, and worn-out dates, and half-obliterated infcriptions but they are all rendered worthy the acceptance of every man of tafte, by the elegant engravings with which they are decorated.-The third volume is nearly finished. G. ART. X. The Hiftory of Great Britain, from the Reftoration to the Acceffion of the House of Hanover. By James Macpherson, Efq. 2 Vols. 4to. 21. 2 s. Boards. Cadell. 1775 Soth O many hiftories of England have been published within thefe few years, that a number of our Readers may poffibly be surprised at the appearance of a new one, though it is confined to a particular period. But it ought to be remembered, that the period our Author has fixed upon is peculiarly important; and that no small degree of light has been thrown upon feveral parts of it by Sir John Dalrymple's Supplement, and other publications. Mr. Macpherson has had, likewise, extraordinary motives and advantages for undertaking the present work. The papers of the family of BRUNSWICK LUNENBURGH, and thofe of the houfe of STUART, having been placed in his hands, he was encouraged to write the History of Great Britain, during the interefting term of years to which thefe papers relate. The new light thrown on public tranfactions, the discoveries made in the fecret views of parties, the certainty established with regard to the real characters of particular perfons, and the undeviating juftice rendered to all, will, he he hopes, atone for his defects as a writer, and recommend his work to the Public. Unwilling to advance any matter of fact, without proof, he has printed his materials; and, for their authenticity, he refers the reader to the papers themselves; of which we fhall give fome account in the fucceeding Article. In the dates of great events, in facts which fell under public difcuffion, in decifions of importance, in the ftate of debts, taxes, grants, and fupplies, Mr. Macpherson informs us, that he has availed himfelf of the Records and Journals of the two Houses of Parliament. In the detail of battles, he has followed the best military writers; in well known events, the authors who wrote in the times. In defcribing the secret springs of action, the private negociations of parties, the intrigues of minifters, and the motives of fovereigns, he has followed unerring guides, original papers. In relating the affairs of Great Britain, he has frequently introduced a fummary of thofe of Europe. He has confulted, with the utmost attention, the best writers of foreign nations; and endeavoured to give a comprehenfive view of the ftate of other countries, in order to throw a more complete light on our own. Where the facts are important, and but little known, our Hiftorian acquaints us, that the authorities have been carefully quoted. Where their truth is univerfally admitted, he has been lefs anxious about the precision of his citations. To crowd, fays he, a margin with the names of different writers, is an eafy, and perhaps, a harmless impofture. In the minds of the fuperficial, the expedient might establish an opinion of an author's induftry and knowledge; but it would have little effect on the judicious, from whose decision he has most to hope and to fear.' Mr. Macpherson might have informed us of his own conduct with regard to his citations, without the reflections by which his information is accompanied. A copioufnefs of authorities, and an accuracy in referring to them, is fo innocent, and fo uncommon an error, that it may eafily be pardoned. Some writers, by an entire omiffion of quotations, have hurt the credit and ufefulness of their works, and have rendered them little better than mere matters of amusement. Others, by making only general references, have contrived to conceal their own negligence and mistakes; or, at leaft, have afforded much trouble to those who were willing to examine the originals. A folicitude to maintain exactnefs in citations, is a proof of induftry, at least, if not of knowledge, and can in no degree, with juftice, be called an impofture. In these remarks we do not mean to blame our Author's own conduct. He proceeds to acquaint us, that he has confulted, on every point, a greater number of printed works than he would would chufe to cite at the bottom of any page; that he has taken no fact, in all its circumftances, from any one writer; and that his narrative is the general refult of an intenfe inquiry into what hath been advanced on all fides. In recording events, he affures us, that every poffible attention has been paid to the order of time. The dates have been carefully investigated; and, where they are not interwoven with the work, are placed at the bottom of the page. In matters already known and admitted, a comprehensive brevity has been ftudied. No circumftance, however, has been neglected, no fact overlooked, that was thought either material in itself, or conducive to throw light on events of real importance. The intrigues of the cabinet have been more minutely recorded than the operations of the field. In the description of battles, sieges, and naval engagements, Mr. Macpherson tells us, that he hath endeavoured to be concife; but that he has marked the outlines of military operations with a precifion that brings forward the whole figure diftinctly to the view. Where the tranfactions are most important, and leaft known, continues our Author, the greatest labour and time have been bestowed. The intrigues which preceded the Revolution, and were partly the cause of that event, are investigated at an early period, and traced through their whole progress. The circumstances of the Revolution itself have been examined with the utmost care, and the utmost undeviating attention to truth. The events that immediately followed the acceffion of William and Mary, particularly the affairs of Ireland, have employed a great deal of time, as they have hitherto been very imperfectly known. The negociations of King James in France, his fecret intrigues with his former fubjects, have been carefully connected with the great line of hiftory; and their effects on public affairs, as well as on the conduct of particular persons, have been pointed out, as the circumstances themfelves arofe.' Upon the death of James, and the fubfequent demife of King William, the whole fyftem of fecret intrigues for the throne fuffered a material change. In the first years of Queen Anne, the adherents of the Pretender abroad, fixed their hopes on the fuppofed affection of that Princefs for her brother and family. Those in England who were most attached to the hereditary defcent of the crown, entertained the fame views. The dif turbances in Scotland, which terminated in the union of the two kingdoms, were fucceeded by events, which are related with brevity, as they are in fome measure already known. But the change of men and measures, which happened in the year 1710, introduced a period of hiftory that has been hitherto very little understood. The four laft years of Queen Anne, therefore, coft the Author much time and labour; and if he has not fucceeded, |