Part 22 (1/2)
The ferry over the river Severn has been before mentioned at page 63.
Here is an inn called Beachley Pa.s.sage House Inn. The time of high water is nearly the same as at Bristol Quay, and is always to be seen in the Bristol Newspapers. If the wind be northerly, this pa.s.sage may be crossed for five hours before high-water; and if the wind be southerly or westerly, it may be pa.s.sed for seven hours after high-water.
[Sidenote: Once a place of great importance.]
[Sidenote: Waller, the poet.]
[C] BEACONSFIELD is a small place, although it is one of great thoroughfare, but the market is almost wholly disused; in fact, Wycombe and Uxbridge appear to have drawn away the business. The manor, anciently an estate of the Windsors, afterwards became the property of the Monks of Burnham Abbey, a building but a few miles distant. Edmund Waller, the poet, was born at Coles.h.i.+ll, in this neighbourhood, at which place see his life; he was proprietor of the very pleasing seat, called Hall Barns, an ancient mansion belonging to the family; he lies buried in the churchyard, and a monument has been erected to his memory, with a latin inscription, too long and too dry to be given in our work.
Gregories, in this parish, was the seat of the celebrated Edmund Burke, who, for critical taste and brilliancy of language, will ever be ranked amongst the most fascinating of English writers. His company was sought for by all who could make the slightest pretension to kindred genius. He died in this town, and was buried in the church, where a marble tablet is set up, with a short inscription, to his memory. The apartments at Butler's Court, formerly Gregories, contained some fine paintings, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and some valuable marbles. This seat, we believe, came into the possession of Mr. Burke through the friends.h.i.+p of Lord Verney and the Marquis of Rockingham, by whose munificence he was enabled to purchase it. The widow of the late Mr. Burke continued to reside at Butler's Court till the period of her death, which took place a few years after that of her late husband; the mansion and estate was afterwards purchased by James Dupre, Esq., who let the house to the master of a boarding-school, and in whose occupation it was destroyed by fire: the grounds have since been adapted to the purpose of agriculture.
For the following interesting sketch of the ill.u.s.trious and distinguished statesman, (Burke,) we are indebted to Dr. Watkin's Biographical Dictionary:--”He was born at Dublin, in 1730. His father was an attorney, and a Protestant. The son received his education under Abraham Shackleton, a Quaker, who kept a school at Ballytore, near Carlow, and it is recorded to the honour of Mr. Burke, that whenever he visited Ireland he always paid his respects to his old tutors: in 1746 he entered as a scholar at Trinity College, which he left on taking his bachelor's degree in 1749, and soon after became candidate for the professors.h.i.+p of logic at Glasgow, but did not succeed. In 1753 he entered of the Middle Temple, where he applied more to general literature than to the law, and supported himself by writing for the booksellers. Falling ill, through too close an application to his studies, he removed to the house of Dr. Nugent, a physician, whose daughter he afterwards married. In 1756 he published a pamphlet, ent.i.tled, ”A Vindication of Natural Society.” This piece was purposely drawn up in the manner of Lord Bolingbroke, and for a time imposed upon the friends of that writer as his real productions. His next performance was the Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful, published in 1757. This philosophical piece of criticism, written in a fine and elegant style, procured the author a great reputation, and the esteem of the first literary characters of the age; the princ.i.p.al of whom was Dr. Johnson.
In 1758, he suggested to Mr. Dodsley, the bookseller, the plan of the ”Annual Register,” the historical part of which he wrote for several years. In 1761 he went to Ireland as the companion of his friend Mr.
Hamilton, secretary to the Earl of Halifax, then Lord-Lieutenant. That gentleman, who was generally known by the name of Single-speech Hamilton, from the circ.u.mstance of his making only one speech in parliament, but one of uncommon eloquence, procured him a pension of 300. on the Irish establishment. On his return from Ireland he was made private secretary to the Marquis of Rockingham, First Lord of the Treasury, who brought him into parliament for Wendover. The Rockingham party continued in power but a short time, and on going out of office, Mr. Burke wrote a forcible pamphlet upon the subject, ent.i.tled, ”A Short Account of a Short Administration;” after which, he became an active member of the opposition, as a senator and also as a writer. A pamphlet of his, ent.i.tled, ”Thoughts on the Causes of the present Discontents,”
excited considerable interest as a bold exposure of court intrigues and favourites, in controlling the operations of ministers. In the struggle between Great Britain and the colonies, Mr. Burke bore a distinguished part as an opponent to the ministry. His speeches were vehement, and had so powerful an influence upon the people, that the citizens of Bristol, in 1774, invited him to be one of their representatives, without his being at the least expense. But at the next election in 1780, he was rejected by them for having supported the Irish pet.i.tion for a free trade, and the bill for relieving Roman Catholics. He was then returned for Malton, in Yorks.h.i.+re. At this time he gained great popularity by his introduction of a bill for a reform in the national expenditure, on which he spent prodigious labour, but it was unsuccessful. When the Marquis of Rockingham returned to power on the resignation of Lord North, in 1782, Mr. Burke obtained the post of Paymaster-general of the Forces, and a seat in the Privy Council; but this was of short duration, for on the death of his patron, Lord Shelbourne became First Lord of the Treasury, and Mr. Burke, with several of his friends, resigned their places. In the coalition, which for a little while succeeded the Shelbourne administration, Mr. Burke had his share both of emolument and abuse. The leading particulars of his political life, after this, were his exertions against Mr. Hastings, in which he manifested uncommon industry to fasten guilt upon that gentleman, with no small share of personal asperity; his vigorous opposition to Mr. Pitt's design of forming a limited regency on the King's illness in 1788; and above all, his ardour against the actors and defenders of the French revolution. On the latter subject he evinced peculiar sagacity at the outset, and when many worthy men were rejoicing at the prospect of rising liberty and happiness to the world, Mr. Burke predicted, with remarkable precision, the desolation, bloodshed, anarchy, and misery which ensued. He displayed his detestation of the revolutionists in the House of Commons, and separated himself in consequence from Mr. Fox, and many other of his old a.s.sociates. In 1790 he published his famous ”Reflections on the Revolution in France,” which attracted wonderful attention, and produced a surprising effect upon the public mind. Many publications appeared in answer to this book; the most noted of which was Paine's pamphlet, ent.i.tled ”The Rights of Man,” wherein the principles of republicanism were so artfully addressed to the feelings of ordinary persons, as to excite for a time no small alarm to the friends of government. Mr.
Burke, after this, published a variety of pamphlets in support of his positions: as, ”A Letter to a Member of the National a.s.sembly;” ”An Appeal from the New Whigs to the Old;” ”Thoughts on a Regicide peace,”
&c. His zeal on this occasion, as well as his extraordinary talents, recommended him to the royal favour, and he obtained a pension, which gave room for those who had been galled by his arguments, to reproach him, and some illiberal animadversions were made upon him in the senate, which drew from him that admirable defence, his ”Letter to a n.o.ble Lord,” in which he retaliates upon a celebrated Duke in a strain of keen irony and dignified remonstrance. Mr. Burke withdrew from parliament in 1794, leaving his seat for Malton to his son, an accomplished young man, who died shortly after. This melancholy event hastened his death, which happened the 8th of July, 1797. A little before his death he caused to be read to him Addison's paper in the Spectator, on the Immortality of the Soul. Mr. Burke was very amiable in his private life, of correct deportment, faithful in his attachments; charitable to the poor, and religious without being superst.i.tious. He had a fine taste for the arts, and was fond of gardening and architecture,” Bulstrode, the seat of the Duke of Portland, is within three miles of the town; a more detailed account of this elegant mansion will be given in a future portion of our work.
_Market_, Wednesday.--_Fairs_, Feb. 13; and Holy Thursday, for horses, cows, and sheep.--_Mail_ arrives 11.10 night; departs, 3.30 morning.--_Inn_, Saracen's Head.
[Sidenote: The celebrated Edmund Burke.]
[Sidenote: Sketch of his life.]
[Sidenote: Burke's reflections on the French revolution, &c.] [Sidenote: His death.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+----------------+----------+------------+------------+ 43
Beadlam to
N.R. York
Helmesley 3
Kirkby 2
29
Beadnell to
Northumb
Belford 9
Aluwick 13
11
Beaford pa
Devon
Torrington 5
Chumleigh 10
45
Beaghall to
W.R. York
Pontefract 6
Snaith 7
21
Beaksbourne pa
Kent
Canterbury 4
Wingham 3
29
Beal ham
Durham
Belford 8
Berwick 8
+--+----------------+----------+------------+------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+----------------+-----------------------+-----+------+ 43
Beadlam to
Gillamoor 3
225
157
29
Beadnell to
Ellingham 8
321
251
11
Beaford pa
Hatherleigh 9
200
624
45
Beaghall to
Selby 6
178
563
21
Beaksbourne pa
Dover 2
59
351
29
Beal ham
Wooler 2
330
70
+--+----------------+-----------------------+-----+------+
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles from
+--+------------------------+----------+-------------+-------------+ 36
Bealing, Great pa
Suffolk
Woodbridge 3
Ipswich 7
36
Bealing, Little pa
Suffolk
... 4
... 6
34
Beamhurst ..
Stafford
Cheadle 7
Uttoxeter 3
12
Beaminster,[A] m.t. & ch
Dorset
Dorchester 18
Bridport 6
13
Beamish to
Durham
Gateshead 6
Durham 6
45
Beamsley to
W.R. York
Skipton 6
Addingham 2
29
Beanley to
Northumb.
Alnwick 8
Wooler 9
10
Beard to
Derby
Ashton 8
Manchester 15
37
Bear Green ..
Surrey
Dorking 4
Horsham 9
39
Bearly pa
Warwick
Stratford 4
Warwick 8
21
Bearsted pa
Kent
Maidstone 3
Milton 10
33
Bearston to
Salop
Drayton 4
Eccleshall 9
10
Bearward-Cote to
Derby
Derby 6
Sudbury 8
40
Beathwaite Green, ham
Westmorlnd
Kendal 6
Millthorpe 3
10
Beauchief Abbey, e.p.l
Derby
Sheffield 4
Dronfield 4
39
Beaudesert[B] pa
Warwick
Henley 1
Stratford 9
+--+------------------------+----------+-------------+-------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles from
Lond.
Population.
+--+------------------------+------------------------+-----+-------+ 36
Bealing, Great pa
Wickham 8
76
367
36
Bealing, Little pa
... 9
75
272
34
Beamhurst ..
Checkley 2
139
12
Beaminster,[A] m.t. & ch
Crewkerne 7
141
2968
13
Beamish to
Sunderland 10
265
1848
45
Beamsley to
Otley 10
215
279
29
Beanley to
Belford 11
314
169
10
Beard to
Sheffield 23
177
283
37
Bear Green ..
Capel 2
28
39
Bearly pa
Henley 5
97
230
21
Bearsted pa
Chatham 9
37
594
33
Bearston to
Nantwich 12
157
95
10
Bearward-Cote to
Uttoxeter 13
130
40
Beathwaite Green, ham
Burton 7
258
10
Beauchief Abbey, e.p.l
Chesterfield 10