dens on the right; while from the walls we have a truly picturesque and extensive view almost in all directions. Paffing the large brewery (of which an account will be given) belonging to Graham Clark, Esq. a gentleman of extensive concerns, poffeffing great talents for business, and to whom the town has been as much indebted, for the extension of its foreign commerce and enterprizing adventure, as to any other of its spirited men of trade and business, we meet with nothing fingular, on either fide, but one continuation of fine, elegant houses; all on the east side having pleasant and extenfive gardens, floping down to the runner that separates them from Carliol-croft, and fenced in by a long high wall.

But the glory of Pilgrim-street, and indeed of Newcastle, is the magnificent house belonging to the late Sir Walter Blackett.

This noble mansion strikes all strangers, at first fight. It was built on the ruins of the Francifcan monastery; only the north and fouth wings were added to the body of the fabric, by Sir Wm. Blackett, Bart. Sir Walter's grandfather.

Grey says, that it is a princely house; and "indeed (adds Bourne) it is no less than very stately and magnificent, being supposed the most so of any house in the whole kingdom, within a walled town. It is furrounded with a vast quantity of ground. That part of it which faces the street is thrown into walks and grass plats, beautified with images, and beset with trees, which afford a pleasant fhade. The ground on the west fide is a garden, exceedingly neat, adorned with many beautiful statues, and other curiofities." It has indeed a commanding appearance; and from the spacious avenue being, as Mr. Bourne says, shaded with trees, it was usually, till Sir Walter's death, called The Trees. And, " to be at the Trees," was only another term for indulging in the highest stile of genial conviviality; for Sir Walter was truly a noble and generous landlord.

This fplendid, hofpitable manfion, was honoured with a guest, no less illustrious for his private virtues, than for his misfortunes. The reader will at once anticipate the neceflity of our mentioning Charles I. Here the royal prifoner was entertained, and kept, at large indeed, but ftrictly watched, till the period of his being delivered up to the army of the parliament.

As Sir Walter Blackett made fuch a diftinguished figure in the town of Newcattle, during a long and active life, let us deviate a moment from the more immediate subject of our hiftory, to delineate the character of one of its faireft ornaments and most munificent patrons.

Walter Caverley, of Caverley, Efq. was fon and heir of Sir Walter Caverley, of Caverley, in Yorkfhire, Bart. He married the daughter and fole heirefs of Sir William Blackett, Bart. son to the second Sir William Blackett, Bart. of Newcastle upon Tyne, and who was high theriff of Northumberland, 1689. By this alliance he came to a large fortune, and alfo to the title of knighthood, being created Sir Walter Caverley Blackett, Bart. anno 1729. He was high sheriff of Northumberland 1732. In February 1734 Sir Walter was chofen one of the reprefentatives in parliament for the corporation of Newcastle upon Tyne; which high station, notwithstanding fome contested elections, he kept, by a great majority of votes, for the long period of forty years, indeed till his death. Although Although Sir Walter made no figure in the houfe, as an orator, yet he had confiderable influence in that illustrious body. He was truly independent. But, during the reign of George II. when whatever seemed to deviate in the smallest degree from the interests of the house of Hanover, was branded with the name of Toryifm and disaffection, he strenuously supported the counter-party, in oppofition to the minifter. But, upon the demise of the prince, the acceffion of his grandfon, George III. who had received the principles of his education from Lord Bute, and along with these, impreffions very different from those of his royal grandfather, caused a mighty change in the political system of Britain. Be that as it may, from that period Sir Walter Blackett changed fides, and ever after remained a strenuous supporter of the court party.

But if Sir Walter did not shine as a senator, all who knew him will readily acknowledge, that in canvaffing at elections he was unrivalled. His fine open countenance, and courtly deportment, his affability, and, if report does not miflead us, his liberal manner of diftributing what the wifeft of men faid commands all things, his strict integrity in keep. ing his electioneering promifes, had great weight with electors who had convenient confciences. Befides which, he was, on these occafions, attended often by above five hundred gentlemen, tradesmen, &c. fome of whom had weight with almost every freeman.

This powerful combination of circumftances, as Captain Phipps, his rival, observed, fet all competition with Sir Walter Blackett, for the reprefentation of Newcastle, at defiance. The point of view, however,

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ever, in which this gentleman's character shone with peculiar luftre, was his almost unbounded benevolence, diffusing its influence in public and private charities; not, like Sir Balaam, in "giving farthings to the poor." Sir Walter's charities were substantial, corresponding to the exigencies of the cafe. The Infirmary, Charity-schools, &c. point to the amiable character from whom they almost all had their existence. Hexham too, on every occafion, felt the benign influence of his generous difpofition. His private charities, uninscribed on marble, but "recorded else where," were unceasing; and what Roger Thornton was in ancient times, Sir Walter was in ours: both were fathers to the fatherless and hufbands to the widows, and the blessing of them who were ready to perish came upon both these friends of human kind.--- Ye rich, ye great, go and do likewife.

On the death of Sir Walter Blackett, as he left no direct heirs, his ample estates devolved on his relations; and his noble dome, long the abode of splendid hofpitality, was publicly fold. It was purchased by Mr George Anderson, and now converted into three respectable houses.

Further down, on the oppofite fide of the street, is a lane, or fireet, called Manor-chare, which presents us with a direct view of the noble and well-endowed charitable institutions, an account of which will be given in their proper place. By a large gate is an entrance to Mr William Anderson's warehouses, where goods of vast value, both from London, Leeds, &c. fouthward, and also from the great commercial towns of Glasgow, Edinburgh, &c. are fafely depodepofited, and forwarded according to their respective directions, with great fidelity and attention.

A little further down is a new chapel for the worship of the Methodists of the New Itinerancy. See churches, ४८.

This street was anciently, says Bourne, called Cow. gate, so named, very probably, from the large droves of cattle paffing through it from the north to the fouth; for, till the building of Mosley and Dean Streets, all carriages, waggons, &c. to avoid the narrow and inconvenient street, the Side, went by Manor-chare, Cowgate and the Quay, to the bridge.

This street, however unimportant it is now, in former times must have been of great consequence, as it was the boundary or division between the two towns of Newcastle, properly so called, and the ancient town of Pandon, which were united in the reign of Edward I. anno. 1299.

Whence this small part of modern Newcastle had the name of Pandon, has mightily puzzled antiquarians. Mr Bourne, among other conjecturers, says, that it had this name from one of the gates of Rome named Pandana, because that gate stood always open. Others, adds he, will have its derivation from one Pandara, a Scottish virgin saint; but for what reason they best know and gravely adds, " for my part I never faw one yet!" It is a great pity, that this witticism is enveloped in ambiguity. The difficulty lies here, whether the good man thought it impoffible for a Scotch virgin to be a faint, or a faint to be a Scotch virgin. Or as Horne Took lately in parliament told of a reverend gentleman, the chaplain of the Magdalen, who informed a young girl feeking admiffion, and declaring herself a maid as her