Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber's note:

This work is by Robert Southey. It is a fictitious account of an imaginary Spanish nobleman travelling through England.

Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Hyphenation has been rationalised. Inconsistent spelling (including accents and capitals) has been retained.

Small capitals have been replaced by full capitals. Italics are indicated by _underscores_.

LETTERS FROM ENGLAND:

BY DON MANUEL ALVAREZ ESPRIELLA. _TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH._

IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II.

THIRD EDITION.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 1814.

EDINBURGH: Printed by James Ballantyne and Co.

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

LETTER XXXII. Page High-street, Oxford.—Dress of the Oxonians.—Christ Church Walk.—Friar Bacon's Study.—Lincoln College.—Baliol.—Trinity.—New College.—Saint John's.—Mode of Living at the Colleges.—Servitors.—Summer Lightning. 1

LETTER XXXIII.

Reform in the Examinations at Oxford.—Nothing but Divinity studied there.—Tendency towards the Catholic Faith long continued there.—New Edifices.—The Bodleian.—The Schools. 18

LETTER XXXIV.

Godstow.—Fair Rosamund.—Blenheim.— Water-Works at Enstone.—Four-shire Stone.—Road to Worcester.—Vale of Evesham.—Hop-yards.—Malvern Hills. 27

LETTER XXXV.

Man killed at Worcester by a Sword-fish.—Teignton Squash.—Grafting.—Ned of the Toddin.—Worcester China.—Cathedral.—St Wulstan.—K. John's Grave.—Journey to Birmingham. 38

LETTER XXXVI.

Birmingham.—Miserable State of the Artificers.—Bad Guns manufactured for the Guinea Trade.—Anecdotes of Systematic Roguery.—Coiners.— Forgers.—Riots in 1791.—More Excuse for Dishonesty here than in any other Place. 56

LETTER XXXVII.

Mail Coaches.—Mr Palmer ill-used.—Vicinity of Birmingham.—Collieries on fire.—Stafford.—Stone.—Newcastle-under-Line.—Punishments for Scolding.—Cheshire.—Bridgewater Arms at Manchester. 67

LETTER XXXVIII.

Manchester.—Cotton Manufactory.—Remarks upon the pernicious Effects of the manufacturing System. 81

LETTER XXXIX.

Manchester.—Journey to Chester.—Packet-boat.—Brindley.—Rail Roads.—Chester Cathedral.—New Jail.—Assassination in the South of Europe not like Murder in England.—Number of Criminals,—but Abatement of Atrocity in Crimes.—Mitigation of Penal Law.—Robert Dew.—Excellent Administration of Justice.—Amendments still desired. 96

LETTER XL.

Voyage to Liverpool.—Filthy Custom at the Inns.—School of the Blind.—Athenæum.—Mr Roscoe.—Journey to Kendal. 113

LETTER XLI.

Queen Mary I.—Lake of Winandermere.—Ambleside—Lake of Coniston.— Kirkstone Mountain.—Lake of Brotherwater.—Paterdale.—Lake of Ulswater.—Penrith. 127

LETTER XLII.

Keswick, and its Lake.—Lodore Waterfall.—Ascent of Skiddaw.
146

LETTER XLIII.

Borrodale.—Wasdale.—Waswater.—Calder Bridge.—Ennerdale.—Crummock Water.—Lake of Buttermere.—Lakes on the Mountains. 160

LETTER XLIV.

Departure from the Lakes.—Wigton.—Carlisle.—Penrith.—The Borderers.—The Pillar of the Countess.—Appleby.—Brough.—Stainmoor.—Bowes.—Yorkshire Schools. 183

LETTER XLV.

York City and Minster.—Journey to Lincoln.—Travellers imposed upon.—Innkeepers.—Ferry over the Trent.—Lincoln.—Great Tom.— Newark.—Alconbury Hill. 206

LETTER XLVI.

Cambridge.—Republican Tendency of Schools counteracted at College.—College a useful Place for the debauched Students, a melancholy one for others.—Fellowships.—Advantage of a University Education.—Not so necessary as it once was. 223

LETTER XLVII.

Newmarket.—Cruelty of Horse-racing.—Process of Wasting.—Character of a Man of the Turf.—Royston.—Buntingford.—Cheshunt.—Return to London. 241

LETTER XLVIII.

Middlesex Election.—Nottingham Election.—Seats in Parliament, how obtained.—Modes of Bribery.—Aylesbury.—Ilchester.—Contested Elections.—Marriages at Bristol.—Want of Talent in the English Government accounted for. 250

LETTER XLIX.

Fashion.—Total Change in the English Costume.—Leathern Breeches.— Shoes.—Boots.—Inventors of new Fashions.—Colours.—Female Fashions.— Tight Lacing.—Hair-dressing.—Hoops.—Bustlers.—Rumps.—Merry-thoughts and Pads. 268

LETTER L.

Lady Wortley Montagu's Remark upon Credulity.—Superstitions of the English respecting the Cure of Diseases.—Sickness and Healing connected with Superstition.—Wesley's Primitive Physic.—Quacks.—Dr Graham.— Tractors.—Magnetic Girdles.—Quoz.—Quack Medicines. 278

LETTER LI.

Account of Animal Magnetism. 304

LETTER LII.

Blasphemous Conclusion of Mainauduc's Lectures.—The Effects which he produced explained—Disappearance of the Imposture. 331

LETTER LIII.

Methodists.—Wesley and Whitfield.—Different Methods of attacking the Establishment.—Tithes.—Methodism approaches Popery, and paves the Way for it.—William Huntington, S. S. 340

ESPRIELLA'S LETTERS FROM ENGLAND.