Clergy of the Diocese of Sarum, at the Primary Field, between Richard the Third and Henry Earl of Richmond, August 22, 1485; wherein is described the Approach of both Armies, with Plans of the Battle, its Consequences, the Fall, Treatment, and Character of Richard. To which is prefixed, by way of Introduction, a History of his Life till he assumed the Regal Powers, 1788," 8vo; re-published in 1813, with corrections by the Author; and "Additional Particulars of the Battle of Bosworth Field," illustrated with several Plates, by Mr. Nichols. He published "A Dissertation on Juries, with a Description of the Hundred Court, 1789," Svo.; "A Description of Blackpool in Lancashire, frequented for Sea-bathing, 1789 (reprinted in 1804);" and, after appearing as the Historiographer of the town of his residence, performed the same literary office to the town of his nativity, by publishing, in 1791, "The History of Derby," 8vo (see p. 98). The familiar but intelligent manner, peculiar to Mr. Hutton, is the distinguishing feature of both his Histories. Continuing his literary labours, Mr. Hutton next meditated a History of antient Verulam, which he had more than once attentively explored; and it is to be regretted that his exertions on that subject proved abortive. The progress he had made in it, and the recovery of a fine copy of "Chauncy's Hertfordshire," which I had lent him for that purpose, he thus describes : Birmingham, May 5, 1792. Among about a thousand-pounds-worth of Books which I lost at the Riots, was the Second Volume of Gough's Camden. Is it in your power to favour me with that Volume? "DEAR SIR, The late unhappy affair has thrown me off every bias. I had made a considerable progress in the Antiquities of Verulam, and with great pleasure to myself. But the Manuscript was destroyed; and, till matters are settled, I am not certain whether I dare resume it. I long for that tranquil life which I have lost; a life of still pursuit, that neither injures, nor is injured. Your" Hertfordshire" fell in the common wreck-was recovered with about three thousand-pounds-worth of property; and, as I had lost both my houses, troubled my friends for a repository. I never saw it till two days ago it has not suffered, but I could scarcely handle it without a tear. By your leave I will not return it just yet. W.H.” In 1793 he published "The Barbers; or, the Road to Riches," which was thus introduced to my notice : "DEAR SIR, April 19, 1793. "I inclose a small Poem, which you may dispose of as you please. The highest price I shall ask is, to give me 20 or 30 copies, to oblige my friends, if it takes. If it does not, I most assuredly will pay for them. I should have returned "Hertfordshire," which sleeps in a drawer; but I wait for 7000l. from the Hundred, to enable me to go to London, and recruit a ruined Library; in which case I shall have the pleasure of bringing it. I also long for another view of that enchanted ground Verulam. W. H." In Visitation of that Diocese, in the year 1783, by Shute [Barrington] Lord Bishop of Sarum," 8vo. In this Poem, in doggrel rhyme, he thus characterizes one of his early friends: "As judgement points the clearest way, London the theatre of the world, In Westminster he would have pleaded; In 1794 he published "Edgar and Elfrida, or the Power of Beauty;" Svo. "Inclined to verse," he says, "I wrote a Volume of Poems in early life, which slept peaceably upon my shelf without any addition, during forty years. Having a warm affection for Birmingham, where I had many friends, I wished to serve it in a public capacity to the best of my powers. Among other pursuits, I spent much time, and more attention, in conducting the Court of Requests, which, for nineteen years, chiefly devolved upon myself. But, from the 14th of July, 1791, when the Rioters chose to amuse themselves with the destruction of Ten Thousand Pounds worth of my Property, I declined public business. Thus I paid, instead of being paid for my labours. As I had never with design, or neglect, offended any man, the surprize, the loss, the anxiety, the insults, the trouble, nearly brought me to the grave. Time, that able assistant in distress, lent his aid, and again expanded a capacious field for thought. Lost to public life; my Volume of Poems being destroyed; and as an active mind condemned to silence, becomes a burden to itself; I took up the poetical pen, and in nine months composed two slender volumes. The following, which is a small part, is a most interesting anecdote in our own history, which, I believe, * Samuel Salte, Esq. of the Poultry; a truly worthy character. has "Short Remarks on a new Translation of Isaiah, has been displayed by Mr. Mason, though I have never seen the work. W. H." "DEAR FRIEND, His next publication, "The History of the Roman Wall, which crosses the Island of Britain, from the German Ocean to the Irish Sea; describing its antient State, and its Appearance in the Year 1801," he presented to me, with the following Letter: Birmingham, Oct. 6, 1801. "I inclose, for your perusal, The History of the Roman Wall.' If approved, you are welcome to the Work gratis. I wish it printed in Svo, upon the best paper, and with the best letter. It is about the size of The History of Derby,' or perhaps rather less. However, with the same letter, it will, like that, cover twenty sheets (320 pages), because there will be more and larger breaks, particularly between the Stations. A bold type, and open words, best suit Antiquarian eyes. As Plates ornament and promote the sale of a book, I could furnish you with five 8vo drawings from Warburton's History of the Wall. The Purchaser ought to have a few pictures for his money, for I allow but a few lines of letter-press. You will excuse the liberty I have taken in the Dedication. I am certain the public will excuse you; and, I think, both. W. HUTTON." That Dedication is too flattering to be here omitted : "SIR, I take the liberty, without soliciting your consent, to inscribe this Work to you. Although your laborious and successful pen has embraced a County; you will not overlook a few mutilated Ditches, and a broken Wall. It is characteristic of the spreading Oak, to shelter the humble Bush. Whatever is worthy of remark, will attract your eye. Though your humanity will feel for the antient animosity, the plunder, and murder, upon the Borders of the two respectable Nations; yet you will rejoice, that concord is established along the Line of the Wall; and that, instead of rancour, robbery, burning, and blood, civilization has not only taken place, but even generosity. You will also pardon the errors of the Work, for you know I was not bred to Letters; but that the Battledore, at an age not exceeding six, was the last book I used at school. I am, Sir, respectfully, "Your obedient servant, W. HUTTON." In the Introduction he says, Having had the pleasure of seeing many Antiques of various ages and people, it naturally excited a desire of proceeding in farther research; and the eye, unsatisfied with seeing, induced a wish to see the greatest of all the curiosities left us by the Romans, The Wall, the wonderful and united works of Agricola, Hadrian, and Severus. I consulted all the Authors I could procure: which strengthened desire. But I found they were only echoes to each other. Many had written upon the subject; but I could discover, that very few had even seen it, and not a soul had penetrated from one end to the other. Besides, if those who paid a transient visit chose to ride, they could not be minute observers. Poor by a Layman; with Notes supplementary to those Poor Cainden travelled it till he was frightened, ran away, and wrote hastily. Horsley was weary, and retreated; but wrote more correctly. The judicious Warburton, whom I regard for his veracity, rode on, desisted, and then remarked, He believed he had trod upon ground which no foot had ever trodden since the Romans.' He also transcribes Horsley, whom Mr. Gough professes to follow. I envied the people in the neighbourhood of the Wall, though I knew they valued it no more than the soil on which it stood. I wished to converse with an intelligent resident, but never saw one. I determined to spend a month, and fifty guineas, in minutely examining the relicks of this first of all wonders; began to form my plan of operations, and wrote my sentiments to an eminent Printer in London, for whom I have a singular regard: but, receiving no answer, I gave up the design, and, as I thought, for ever; destroyed my remarks; closed with regret all my books of intelligence, and never durst open them, lest it should revive a strong inclination, which I could not gratify. About four years elapsed, when my family agreed with a gentleman and his lady to visit the Lakes. They enlisted me of the party; in which they found no difficulty, because the temptation lay in the neighbourhood of that wonder which had long engaged my ideas. I have given a short sketch of my approach to this famous Bulwark; have described it as it appears in the present day, and stated my return. Perhaps, I am the first man that ever travelled the whole length of this Wall, and probably the last that ever will attempt it. Who then will say, he has, like me, travelled it twice? Old people are much inclined to accuse youth of their follies; but on this head silence will become me, lest I should be asked, What can exceed the folly of that man, who, at seventy-eight, walked six hundred miles to see a shattered Wall!'. W. H." The title to Mr. Hutton's next publications were, "Remarks upon North Wales; being the Result of Sixteen Tours through that Part of the Principality, 1803." "The Scarborough Tour in 1803," printed in 1804. "Poems, chiefly Tales, 1804." Here he again observes, [" The history of my poetical life is rather singular. Love and Rhyme often start together in the career of youth; I held both in 1747. One half continued till 1752. During that period I composed a volume of Poems, which rested upon the shelf, and were scarcely ever opened for thirty-nine years. Nor did I write one Poem in the long interval of forty. In the fatal year 1791, when the mad rioters, encouraged by those who ought to have acted otherwise, found infinite pleasure in destroying more than ten thousand pounds worth of my property, my poor Poems perished in the flames. If they did not feel, their Author did. This loss, but chiefly withdrawing from public business, awoke the Muse, after sleeping a long age. A few of the pieces in the beginning, dated 1752, which remained upon memory, I have inserted."]-The printing of this Volume he had 105 of Dr. Lowth, late Bishop of London, and contain had long had in contemplation. So far back as September 1799, in a Letter accompanying some articles for the Magazine, he says, "I have thoughts of publishing, in some future time, a Volume of Poems, provided there was a chance of their pleasing; in which case, I should have no objection to give away the copy, and ten or twenty guineas with it, provided it was an elegant Edition; but, as the World is judge of an Author's merit, not himself, I wish to try the fortune of a Poem frequently in the Magazine. As a friend, please to favour me with your ingenuous sentiments upon this head. You know well, that as a good coat, waistcoat, and breeches, is an excellent passport into the world for a Man, so is paper, print, and pictures, for a Book. W.H." Mr. Hutton's literary labours were closed in 1811, by " A Trip to Coatham, a Watering-place in the North Extremity of Yorkshire;" written in 1808 (in his 86th year), and published in 1810; in which he thus takes leave of his Readers : "As this is, perhaps, the last time I shall appear before the World as an Author, allow me the liberty of exhibiting my performances in that character. I took up the pen, and that with fear and trembling, at the advanced age of 56, a period in which most Authors lay it down. I drove the quill thirty years, in which time I wrote and published fourteen books." Mr. Hutton is still living; and early in 1813 communicated some corrections for the new Edition of one of his favourite Works. "I paid a visit," he says, "in July 1807, to Bosworth Field; but found so great an alteration since I saw it in 1788, that I was totally lost. The manor had been inclosed: the fences were grown up; and my prospect impeded. King Richard's Well, which figures in our Histories, was nearly obliterated; the swamp where he fell become firm land; and the rivulet proceeding from it, lost in an under-drain; so that future inspection is cut off."—In a subsequent Letter, dated April 13, 1813, he says, "I have no other remarks to make upon my last visit to Bosworth Field, than those already communicated to you; but was pleased with your Additions to it."-He then proceeds: "You mention, in your History of Leicestershire, a hill called Robin o' Tiptoe, in the parish of Tilton. Upon the summit is a fortification, of an oblong square, which I take to be Danish, containing about an acre. There is one tree within the camp, in a state of great decay; probably not less than a thousand years old: from this, I apprehend, the hill took its name. I purchased the hill, with other contiguous lands, for 11,500l." W.H." In the Summer of the same year, I acquainted Mr. Hutton that I was about to reprint his " History of the Roman Wall;" and received the following answer from his Daughter: "DEAR SIR, Bennet's Hill, June 3, 1813. 'My Father is happy to find his Roman Wall' possesses such a portion of your esteem as to engage you to re-print it. He has |
