were next to divine, and their works and statues were placed in the highest niches of fame. Thus, had not their noble and enchanting works been handed down, ages past would have been to us a chaos of inexplicable confusion, of loose conjecture, and fantastic reverie. But by the pictures of these grand efforts of genius, held up by the hand of history, a noble ambition is kindled; and the philosopher, the statesman, the warrior, and the artist, are filled with a generous ardour, if not to emulate, at least to imitate, such illustrious examples.

But universal history is, like universal monarchy, a subject too vast for the human mind. The narrative, even of all the transactions which have happened in a single nation, such as our own, must be defective and incomplete. Topographical history, therefore, as the learned Dr. Whitaker, in his history of Manchester, justly observes, must make the nearest approaches to historical perfection.

The account, which we presume to offer to the public, of NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, and its environs, is of this species. The subject is of high importance, as it embraces a period of above a thousand years, during which many transactions and events took place, interesting

at

at those remote periods, and whose influence extends, to the aggrandizement and felicity of this opulent and flourishing mart of trade, to the present times. It is true, the history of this very important place has been attempted by others; and candour must acknowledge, that the authors are far from being destitute of merit. The reverend Messrs. BOURNE and BRAND have each published a history of Newcastle; but it has been a general complaint, that most authors unhappily fall into one of these extremes, either of obscure, uninforming brevity, or minute, tedious, and unimportant details. How justly the latter of these gentlemen merited the censure of the learned Reviewers, on account of this historical defect, is not for us to decide. Depreciation is not only the offspring of an undiscerning head, but is also the sure criterion of a malevolent heart. Nor shall we, by dwelling on the defects found in the works of others, thereby wish to anticipate the partiality of the public in favour of our own; but we are, however, responsible to the public for the reasons and motives which have induced us to the present undertaking. They are simply these :---To obviate the obscurities; to retrench the tedious and irksome details to

be

be found in other histories of this interesting town and county, and carefully excluding copies of old, musty grants, written in uncouth, unclassical Latin, which, indeed, occupy many pages of Mr. Brand's work, and useful only to few readers.

Another motive for our holding out to the public a history in the present form, is, that as we live in times when economy becomes a virtue, so peculiarly necessary, we would, therefore, wish to condense the subject into as small a compass as we can with propriety, and so make brevity and precision the basis of our work. Two guineas for the history of a single town, to the greater number of people, has the appearance of extravagance; but we hope to afford equally gratifying historical entertainment for a fourth part of that

sum.

Another powerful incentive, is, the vast increase of trade, manufactories, iron-founderies, new streets, and magnificent buildings, by which Newcastle is enriched and adorned, all since Mr Brand published his history in 1788.

It would have crowned our wishes, had it been put in our power to have added, that a particular description is subjoined of the CANAL which, from Newcastle to the western shores,

shores, divides the island, and joins the German Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. But, with a sigh, we presume only to hope, that, upon the return of a general peace, this truly noble, patriotic, and incalculably beneficial design, will be resumed.

A circumstance highly favourable for throwing light upon a principal division of our work, is, that by the recent digging up of the vast fossa, or ditch, of the Roman wall, from near Byker to Wallsend, curious discoveries have been made of arms, altars, bones of sacrificed animals, and other pieces of antiquity. Two gentlemen, the Messrs. BUDDLE, at Wallsend, whose house is upon the very site of the ancient Roman castrum, have generously favoured us with their discoveries. And we feel ourselves highly gratified and encouraged by a variety of curious and interesting observations communicated to us by several other ingenious and learned gentlemen, to whom we offer our most grateful respects.

In fine, in the execution of the work, we claim no indulgence from the candid public on the stale pretence, that it was a hasty compilation, indigestedly put together, the offspring of occasional vacant time.---No; we mean not in this manner to insult the good sense of an enlightened public; but, on the contrary, to assure them, that to render the production worthy of their attention and patronage, the talents, learning, and assistance, of several literary gentlemen have been employed.

As we hereby candidly acknowledge, that we have made free with such sentiments in the works of Messrs. BOURNE, BRAND, and others who have written upon this town, as to us appeared useful; we will not, therefore, trouble our readers with references to the pages, &c. of these gentlemen's works.

To command success, in any undertaking, is not the lot of humanity; but the editors, by diligence, and employing their most strenuous endeavours, humbly hope, at least, to deserve it.

HISTORY