AMERICA.

So called from Americus Vesputius, who, by the encouragement of Emanuel, king of Portugal, made in 1497, some additional discoveries to those of Columbus. He died, 1506.

North America was first discovered by Sebastian Cabot, a Venetian, in the service of England, in 1497.

ARUNDEL.

The etymology of this town has been variously conjectured by some of the first antiquarians, and many writers have entertained a difference of opinion. It has been justly observed, that names of places must have reference to peculiarity of site, or retaining the meaning of certain local particulars. However, in the uncertainty of finding the etymology correct, it is not improbable that the antiquary may meet with discoveries tending to convey amusement and instruction, and which perhaps may serve to gratify the curiosity of those who may not have the leisure of similar studies and investiga

tions.

Camden, who was so celebrated an antiquarian, patronised by Thomas, earl of Arundel, in 1630, says, that this town was a place of great name, and he derives its etymon from a valley, or dale, running along the river Arun.

Another supposition pretends to derive some weight from two Belgic words, Eron and del, signifying a flat place covered with water, and whence also may be derived Hirundo and Hirondelle,* as the low parts adjacent was formerly a morass, or reedy place, much frequented by Swallows, and which bird, being in the present arms of Arundel, strengthens the argument in its favour, of being built by the Belgics.

THE APPRENTICE'S PILLAR.

As Roslyn Chapel has become an interesting object to those who have visited the Diorama,† it may not be amiss to give the origin of the "Apprentice's Pillar," which forms a part of that celebrated ruin.

The first and principal pillar of Roslyn Chapel, placed at the adjoining corner of the low and high altar, near the descent to the Sacristy, on the left hand, is commonly called the "Apprentice's Pillar." It has on the base of it several dragons, in alto relievo, which are chained by the heads, and intertwined. This beautiful pillar has round it, from base to capital, four spiral wreaths of the most curious sculptured flower-work and foliage, the workmanship of each being different, and the centre of each wreath distant from that of the neighbouring one, a foot and a half. On one of the pillars (seventh) there are some emblematical figures, which, aided by tradition, informs us why this is called the Apprentice's Pillar." The capital of the seventh pillar in the west wall is cut into very fine foliage. On the said pillar, in the south-west corner, above half way up to the top of the inner wall, there is exhibited a man's head, called the apprentice's head, with a scar above the right brow; directly opposite to which, along the west wall, in the north west corner, is the head of an old man, with a most surly frowning countenance, and

a long beard, said to be the representation of the master mason's head who killed the apprentice ont of envy, by a blow on the head. In a line with the apprentice's head, eastward, directly above the sixth large south pillar, is the head of a woman weeping, said to be the mother of the apprentice, mourning for the fate of her son. Opposite to the weeping head, directly above the sixth large north pillar, is a cherub with a scroll waved from hand to hand.

These figures are extremely spirited and expressive. Their meaning is explained by a tradition that has prevailed in the family of Roslyn, the tenour of which is, that a model of this beautiful pillar having been sent from some foreign country, the master mason, upon viewing it, refused to imitate it, till after he had been to examine the original. In his absence, his apprentice executed the pillar as it now stands, and the master mason, on his return, seeing it so exquisitely finished, inquired who had formed it, and on being told that it was his apprentice, he immediately slew him in a fit of envy.

Sir Walter Scott, in his "Lay of the Last Minstrel," has noticed, in connexion with this place, a superstition which prevailed among the common people in ancient times. It was believed, that previously to the decease of any one of the St. Clair family, Roslyn Chapel was seen for a time all in flames.

"O'er Roslyn all that dreary night,

A wondrous flame was seen to gleam;
'Twas broader than the watch-fire light,
And redder than the bright moon-beam.
It glared on Roslyn's castled rock,

It ruddied all the copse-wood glen;
"Twas seen from Dryden's groves of oak,
And seen from cavern'd Hawthornden.
Seem'd all on fire that chapel proud,
Where Roslyn's chiefs uncoffin'd lie;
Each baron, for a sable shroud,
Sheathed in his iron panoply.

Seem'd all on fire within, around,
Deep sacristry and altars pale;
Shone every pillar foliage bound,

And glimmer'd all the dead men's mail.

Blaz'd battlement and pinnet high,
Blaz'd every rose-carv'd buttress fair-
So still they blaze, when fate is nigh,
The lordly line of high St. Clair "

ALL THE RUSSIAS.

The term, All the Russias, is founded on the ancient division of Russia, which comprehended the provinces of Great, or Black Russia, Little, or Red Russia, and White Russia. St. Petersburgh took its name from having been founded by Peter the Great.

ABYSSINIA.

Abyssinia, in Africa, has been called by different names, particularly by that of Habessinia, from the Arabic word Habesh, which signifies a mixture, the country being peopled by various nations; but other inhabitants call it Itjopia, or Ethiopia The latter is rather an epithet than a proper name, and was given by the Greeks to all countries inhabited by Blacks. The diversity of names heretofore made great confusion, till at length that of Abyssinia prevailed, by which it has been universally known for ages past.

BATH,

Derives its name from the celebrated Roman Baths discovered there, after the battle of Baden Hill, where a most complete victory was gained by Arthur, wherein two of the Saxon chiefs were slain, and Cerdic was obliged to retire to an inaccessible post. Here, it is said, Arthur slew 400 with his own hand.

BLENHEIM.

To perpetuate the memory of the military services of the illustrious John Churchill, duke of Marlborough, the royal manor of Woodstock, with the demesne, comprising the hundred of Wootton, was granted by queen Anne to him and his heirs for ever, to be held by grand serjeantry; the terms of which tenure are, the duke, or his successors in title, shall present to the queen, or her heirs, at the castle of Windsor, a standard of France, on August 2nd, being the anniversary of the day on which the battle of Hochstet was fought, near the village of Blenheim, in 1704, and from the name of which village, this magnificent mansion derives its name.

BATTLE BRIDGE.

West of Barnesbury Park, and close to the foot-path from thence to Copenhagen House, are the supposed remains of a Roman encampment. It is a square of 120 feet, surrounded by a ditch, with a high embankment, or breast-work, to the west. This is presumed to have been a position occupied by Suetonius, the Roman general, when he destroyed 80,000 of the Britons, under Boidicea, in a memorable engagement presumed to have been fought from this place, in the fields of Pentonville, and terminating in the plain of Battle Bridge: hence the name.

BRIGHTON.

"Brighthelmstone was confess'd by all

To abound with females fair;

But more so since our Royal King

Prefer'd the waters there."

Brighthelmstone, or as it is now termed, Brighton, is said to have been a place of note in early times, but of this fact we have no precise record.

Bailey, in his dictionary observes, that it was St, Brighthelm, a Saxon, who gave the name to the town.

Skinner says, Brighton was so named from Brighthelm, a canonised bishop of Fontenoy, in France, who lived so late as the 10th century. Other testimonies state, that it was a Saxon bishop of that name, who resided here during the Heptarchy, who gave his name to the town. This supposition is more probable, for we find, that when Ella, (with his three sons, Cimen, Wiencing, and Cisa) effected their landing at West Wittering, S.W. of Chichester, anno 447, and defeating the Britons, who endeavoured to oppose him, took posses. sion of all the maritime, parts of the country. Ella thus laid the foundation of the kingdom of the South Saxons, from which the country derives its name. Brighthelme accompanied this army. One of his successors resided at Aldrington, and held a considerable portion of land until the year 693, when that bishop was killed in battle. This is stated by Stillingfleet, and other writers, but no mention is made of the place where the engagement was fought.

Brighton has long been famed as a watering place, and perhaps no place in England possesses so fine a sea prospect. His present majesty, George the Fourth, when Prince of Wales, paid a visit, in the year 1782, to his uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, who was residing here, and was so pleased with the place, that in the year 1784, he commenced the erection of the much talked off "Marine Pavillion," which was completed in the year 1787.

""Twas George's taste first form'd this spot
From an inclosure green;

Now palace, parterre, circle, grot
Compose a sight but rarely seen."

From the period of his majesty making Brighton his occasional residence, it has been daily increasing in importance, and from its contiguity to London, will always be resorted to by all ranks, from the prince to the tradesman.

Between Brighton and Lewes are still to be seen lines and intrenchments, apparently Roman, and some years ago, an urn was dug up, containing 1000 silver denarii, on which were impressions of all the emperors.

BERWICK-UPON-TWEED.

Berwick, being a kind of Gibraltar to Scotland, was long a bone of contention between England and that country. Edward the Sixth, and Mary, Queen of Scotland, by treaty, made it a county town, and as Rymer's Faedra" notes it, a free town, independent of

both states.

Camden says: "at the epoch of Doomsday Book, Berwica signified a village which appertained to some manor, or town: and as Tothill was called the Berewicke of Westminster, in the donation of Edward the Confessor, the town on the Tweed was called the Berewick of Coldingham."

We may learn from Somner and Lye, the Saxon glossarists, that Berewic is the same, in substance, as Beretun, villa frumentaria, a grange or village. However, it was much more probably so called, from the circumstance of its want of verdure, from the Anglo-Saxon, bar, bare, nudus, and wic, vicus, castellum, sinus, the curving reach of a river.

BARNESBURY PARK.

The row of handsome cottages, called Barnesbury Park, are in the manor of Berners, or Bernersbury, otherwise Barnesbury; the name being derived from the Berner's family, of whom the most distinguished individual was John Bourchier, the last Lord Berners, and the fifth writer in order of time among the nobility. He was Governor of Calais under Henry 8th, and translated Froissart's Cronycles out of Frenche into our maternale Englysshe tongue."

BALTIMORE.

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This capital, as it may be termed, of the province of Maryland, in North America, derives its name from Lord Baltimore, who colonized the said province in 1633. He possessed more power than any other subject in Europe. He was authorized to make war or peace in his own province, allowed to coin money, and had all the judicial proceedings of the colony made out in his own name, just as they are made out here in the name of the sovereign.

BERMUDAS.

Bermudas, or Sommer's Islands, four islands in the Atlantic Ocean, 100 miles east of Carolina, and surrounded by rocks. They were discovered by Juan Bermudas, a Spaniard, in 1527; but not inhabited till 1609, when Sir George Sommers was cast away upon them; and they have belonged to Britain ever since. They contain 9000 inhabitants, who carry on some trade with America and the West Indies. Three of them are small, and the principal one is called St. George.

BRAZILS.

Brazil, a country of South America, which gives the title of Prince to the heir apparent of the crown of Portugal. Its length, from the mouth of the river Amazon, to that of the river Plata, is upwards of 2100 miles, and its breadth near 1000. It was discovered in 1500, by Alvarez Cabral, a Portuguese, who was forced upon it by a tempest; and it derived its name from the abundance of Brazil, or Brasil, wood found here.

BISHOP AND HIS CLERKS.

Most people have read, or heard of, the shipwreck of Sir Cloudes ley Shovel, on the rocks called the "Bishop and his Clerks ;" few people, however, it is présumed, know the origin of this appellation. A fleet of merchantmen, on their return from Spain, about 300 years ago, were shipwrecked on these fatal rocks, among whose miserable members, none were saved but three, viz.-Miles Bishop, and James and Henry Clark, who were miraculously preserved on a broken mast. From this dreadful misfortune, these rocks took the name they bear at present, and will most likely continue for ages a memento of that melancholy accident.

CAMBRIDGE.

This celebrated university town, was originally called Granta, but derives its present name from the river Cam, and a Bridge which passed over it in the vicinity.

CANTERBURY.

Canterbury is called by Bede, and others, Dorobernia; by the Saxons, "the city of the people of Kent;" by the Britons, Caer Kent, or the city of Kent; and by the Latins, Cantuaria. This place is generally agreed to have been the Roman Durovernum-and it is famous for being the archiepiscopal seat of the Primate of England. The Saxon kings of Kent had their residence here from the arrival of Hengist to the 6th century.

COLOMBIA.

This name, borne by a portion of South America, is derived from Christopher Columbus, a Genoese, famous for his being the discoverer of this vast continent, although its general appellation of America was given it from an after discoverer. Columbus was born in 1442, and made his celebrated discovery October 11th, 1492.

CONSTANTINOPLE.

"Where Belissarius begg'd his daily bread."

This capital of the modern Turkish empire derives its name from Constantine the Great, who founded the eastern empire of Rome.