the depth of the pole within the earth was obviously obtained. The place where the needle stands perpendicular I term the place of maximum magnetic intensity on the surface. It is the nearest point to the place of the pole within the earth, and moves on the surface in correspondence with the movement of the magnetic power in a small ellipsis within the earth. I may probably give you a figured detail of this valuable fact.

Sometimes the latitude and longitude cannot be had, and without these the variation cannot be calculated. Again, the lives of millions in future ages may and must depend on knowing and allowing for the attraction or repulsion of the needle by the guns and iron of a ship. This, called the local attraction of a ship, may be known on leaving a harbour, but alters with not only a change of a ship's head, but also under every change of situation of a ship, in moving to the north or south more especially. Having reason to think, from an imperfect experiment, that the action of the iron did not extend much in any direction, I requested of a scientific friend to take the variation on a small stage suspended about twenty feet above the quarter-deck of a ship of war, saying that if it corresponded with the variation taken on shore, there would be a proof at once that the iron below had no effect on the needle above. I have seldom felt more gratified than in finding that the result agreed almost exactly. This shows that the difference between the variation taken above and on the quarterdeck will be the local attraction of a ship, thus enabled to sail in perfect security, when otherwise she might be running to certain destruction. The true variation may also be ascertained, by taking the variation in a boat, a little astern of the ship, and comparing it with that taken on board. The curious theory and rationale of this interesting natural object I may probably give briefly in some future paper. JOHN MACDONALD.

[July,

friend Charles Cotton's seat at Beresford, in the summer of 1824. They are in themselves of a trifling nature, but even trifles acquire value when they relate to scenes that have been "dignified by the presence of wisdom, bravery, or virtue;" and although no admirer of "The Complete Angler" can fail to be interested about a spot where honest Izaak often exercised his

skill, or strayed and conversed with his son Cotton, in pureness and simplicity of heart, it is situated in so remote and wild a district, as to be comparatively but seldom visited; so that a brief description of its present appearance may not be deemed altogether inopportune.

Quitting Newcastle-under-Lyme on a fine morning in August, we crossed the smoky region of the Potteries, and taking the road to Leek, soon reached the village of Norton-in-the-Moors, formerly celebrated as the Gretna Green of the surrounding country, where impatient couples were linked together for life, without undergoing the tedious forms required in more punctilious places. But, alas! those days of extempore matches are over; Norton, like the Fleet, has lost its privileges; and they who now repair thither on a matrimonial excursion, must submit, as elsewhere, to the formality of bans, or the production of a license.

From Norton the road proceeds, through a district which becomes more barren at every step, to a village called in the maps Endon, but pronounced by the country-people Yan, in which, as in many other instances, they rather preserve the real name of the place, than are guilty of corrupting it; the old orthography being, I believe, Yendon. The Church, a modern structure, has nothing about it worthy of remark; but in the burialground, a grave-stone, which covers

the remains of Wm. Murhall, Esq. late of Bagnall," exhibits this quaint inscription:

"Part of what I possessed is left to others, And what I gave away remains with me."

Of this person, a popular tradition in the neighbourhood is, that during the rebellion of 1745, a straggler from the Scottish army, on its retreat from Derby, took refuge in a shed near to his house, and being there discovered, was by him slain, flayed, and his skin conveyed to a tan-yard to be tanned;

be seen in Gent. Mag. vol. xcv. pt. i. p. 581.

From Alstonfield, an easy quarter of an hour's walk brought us within view of Beresford Hall, lying embosomed in lofty trees, a green speck in the desert, while in front the delicate river Dove holds on its silvery course, but hidden from view by the lofty precipices which rise on either side of it. The trees I suppose are those mentioned by Viator, where he says of the Hall, It stands prettily, and here's wood about it too, but so young, it appears to be of your own planting" to which Piscator (Cotton) replies in the affirmative. The house, built I think by the Beresfords in the 16th century, is large and of respectable appearance. Major's view gives too mean an idea of it. That in Bagster's second edition, "Linnell del., Greig sc." is much more faithful. The walls are constructed of coarse stone, the produce of the neighbourhood; the roof is tiled, and the chimneys are stone. Over the entrance is carved in lozenge the Beresford crest, a bear rampant, which is also painted in some of the windows. About 20 yards from the front, we passed through a gate in a substantial stone wall of recent erection, forming the boundary of a vegetable garden, and along a path, fenced on each side by a privet hedge, to the principal door, which opens into a large oldfashioned hall, having at one end a fire-place of ample dimensions, surmounted by antlers, and curiously carved work in oak. At the opposite extremity, three steps lead into a small room, called the Green parlour, part of which, partitioned off, still bears the name of " Squire Cotton's Study;" but the state of the apartment does not evince much veneration for his memory, the walls being decayed, and the window partly broken out. Opposite the entrance door, a staircase conducts to a lofty drawing-room, and a delightfully pleasant bed-room, the latter of which we nem. con. decided

must be " my father Walton's apart

ment," in which Viator sleeps. There are various other chambers on this floor, but they are going fast to ruin, and several of them are in darkness, having the windows "made up." Above them are garrets, from whence another flight of stairs, or a ladder rather, gives access to the roof, part of which is flat, and surrounded by balus

[July,

trades; but they are much decayed, and in a tottering condition. The view here is remarkably pleasant. In front, the house is sheltered from the Moorland blasts by a steep hill, and to the left by another, on which are the ruins of a stone building called the Temple, and here was the bowlinggreen, to which, in the second part of "The Complete Angler," Cotton calls the attention of his friend. Far below these hills runs the Dove, to which descending by a steep and somewhat hazardous winding path, we came about half way down, to a dark, damp hole in the rock, dignified by the title of " Squire Cotton's Grotto," a spot which, in his fine stanzas on Retirement, he has rendered celebrated by those well-known lines, commencing "O my beloved Cave, from Dog-star's heat And all anxieties, a safe retreat!"

It might be a safe retreat, but could scarcely be a pleasant one; nor, if we may credit tradition, did it suffice to exclude those "anxieties" with which poor Cotton appears to have been incessantly harassed. Mr. Davies, in his

Historical and Descriptive View of Derbyshire," 1811, p. 502, gives the induced him to seek refuge in it; but following account of the motives which I believe the "offence" he alludes to was nothing more heinous than that of forgetting to pay his tradesmen's debts, nor the officers of justice" anything more formidable than a couple of bailiffs:

"In one of the rocks which hang over the river, is a small cavity, in which Mr. Cotton is said to have eluded the officers of justice, after some offence of which he had been guilty. The depth of it is about 15 yards, but even in this small space are several windings, which render it difficult of access, and well adapted for the purpose of concealment."

Arrived at the termination of the descent, we found ourselves on the banks of the far-famed Dove, which though at its source among the moors, six or seven miles higher, a dark-coloured stream, is rendered beautifully bright and limpid ere it arrives at this place, by numerous tributary springs received on the way. Adjoining this spot is the chief scene of action in pt. ii. of "The Complete Angler," viz. Pike Pool, Major's two views of which yield a clear idea of the scene, and the remarkable Rock or Pike, from which

it takes its name, is delineated in Wale's design with tolerable exactness, save that it is now somewhat less pointed than there represented, owing I suppose to the action of the elements since the drawing was made. The scenery hereabouts is of the most captivating description; the river, which in some places is hemmed within such narrow limits, that its waters rage and foam with great impetuosity to force themselves a passage, meeting at this spot with a wider channel, subsides into calmness, and continues its course with unruffled placidity, save where the stream is occasionally disturbed by fragments of stone, which have toppled down from the rocks above. The precipitous banks, fringed with trees and copse-wood, rise to a tremendous height, excluding the sun-beams, and impart ing to the scene even at mid-day an air of enchanting repose and solemnity. "There is not in this wide world a valley so [meet;

sweet

As that in whose bosom the bright waters Oh! the last rays of reason and life must depart, [my heart!"

Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from

Just above the Pike, a small wooden foot-bridge leads over the stream towards Hartshorn, in Derbyshire; it bears the date of 1818, but is merely

the successor of one more ancient, as is evident from Piscator's saying, "Cross the bridge, and go down the other side." Somewhat higher up, on the Staffordshire bank, the windings of the river form a small peninsula, on which stands the far-famed Fishing House; but, alas! how changed since

the time when, in the words of Venator, it was "finely wainscoted, with a marble table in the middle, and all exceeding neat." The stone slabs which composed the floor are portly broken up, the windows are entirely destroyed, the doors decaying, and without fastenings, the roof is dilapidated, and

31

nought now decorates the walls, save the names of various obscure individuals, who have thought fit thus to record their having visited the spot. The steps at the entrance are covered with weeds, and the well-known keystone (which, however, appears to be in a sound state) is so overspread with moss, that the first word of the inscription is quite defaced. The Preface to "Walton's Life of Donne," edit. 1825, mentions the establishment of a society called "The Walton and Cotton Club," the members of which, anxious to do honour to old Izaak, have resolved upon erecting a monument to his memory: surely it would not be foreign to their purposes, if they endeavoured to rescue from impending ruin an edifice, constructed for his gratification, by a friend whom he so much valued, and in a spot which he so much loved! "The Fishing-House (says the kind-hearted old man) has been described, but the pleasantness of the river, the mountains, and meadows about it cannot, unless Sir Philip Sydney, or Mr. Cotton's father, were again alive to do it." Major's two views of the Fishing House, faithfully represent its present appearance, with the exception that several of the surrounding trees have been cut down since they were taken. That in Bagster's edition, Linnell del., Greig sculp., is, I think, if possible, still more accuSome prints of the FishingHouse include also a distant prospect of the Hall, but this is quite at variance with correctness, as the intervening hill, before described, completely excludes it from view. The building actually seen from the Fishing-House, is merely a barn at the back of the Hall.

rate.

(To be continued.)

MR. URBAN, Hitchin, July 23. WITHOUT flattery I say it, no

and nodding to its fall. The fire-place alone remains in good preservation. Hawkins tells us that the exterior was formerly adorned with paintings, in fresco, of Cotton, Walton, and the Boy, but these are entirely gone, and

It should be remembered, that although this description of the Hall and FishingHouse is written in the present tense, it refers to a state of things which existed in 1524. Whether any change has subsequently occurred, I am unable to say.

your

kindness, in admitting an appeal of mine to the public (in Gent. Mag. June 1826, p. 513), for help in collecting the occasional Forms of Prayer, issued by authority from the Reforination down to the present time, I owe it that I have amassed a very large collection, sent to me from all parts of the kingdom (when not franked) through the agency of booksellers, or by private hands; and, as I am still in want of some of such Forms, to fill