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M. MIRANDA,

port of fome confideration. He alfo flattering. What artist could delineate patronifed the fyftem of cones, by means the moft lovely and charming woman of of which it was intended that the fea the age? Thould be hut out from the inner harbour, and the channel fleet of France ride in fecurity, within a gigantic mafs of stone, encircled, and fupported by means of immenfe wooden ribs, and maffy iron cramps. The fcheme in part failed, but it was grand and fublime; France, at the peace, will undoubtedly complete the original out-line.

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was born in Mexico; for his colleague Dumourier commits an error when he terms him a Peruvian! Notwithstanding the jealoufy with which the Spani ards were accustomed to t tr treat the native Americans, this gentleman found means to obtain a Colonel's commiffion, and was employed by the Governor of The Duke was a great favourite at Guatimala, in feveral confidential fituathe court of Louis XVI. and poffeffed tions. He is thought very early in life the confidence of that monarch. Being to have entertained the generous refoa man of great knowledge, and attach- lution of emancipating his countrymen ed to literature, his Majefty, with the from thraldom, and to this is attributQueen's confent, for he never did any ed his precipitate retreat from New thing without confulting her) appoint- Spain. Since that time, he has been, to the Dauphin. He until of late, literally a WANDERER. was lucky enough to efçape with his Ih the courfe of his travels, he has viwhole family at the beginning of the fited every part of Europe, and been troubles, and has remained in England more than once in England. Being ever fince. poffeffed of tafte, learning, and a claffical ftyle, he was enabled to collect, and to narrate a variety of anecdotes and obfervations relative to the manners, policy, laws, learning, and above all, the military establishments of every nation.

DUCHESS DE POLIGNAC, Gabrielle Yellande Martine de Palaftron, afterwards fo celebrated as Duchefs de Polignac, and confidante to the Queen, was one of the most beauti ful women in France. Marie Antoinette loaded her own and hufband's family with penfions, places, &c. and when in her company, her Majefty was accustomed to exclaim, "Je ne fuis plus la reine, je fuis moi!”

No fooner had the French Revolu tion taken place, and a foreign war become inevitable, than he repaired to Paris from St Petersburgh, where he was in great favour with the Emprefs, who endeavoured, but in vain, to attach him This beautiful woman, whose large to her perton and fervices. By means blue eyes, expreffive features, elegant of Petion, he obtained the rank of Maperfon," and refined wit, formed a cene jor General, and very ably and effectutral point, around which all thofe who ally feconded the efforts of Dumourier wifhed to rife at court (and this includ in Belgium. Being an excellent engi ed the whole body of the nobility, and neer, he difplayed great military fcience all the dignified clergy) rallied, as to a in the art of attack; in fhort, he foon common centre, died at Vienna of a became refpected in the army, and pobroken heart! What terrible difafter pular in the capital. When the hero of could occafion this catastrophe! It was Femappe penetrated into Holland, he the retreat of the Pruffians from Cham was appointed to the important compagne, a retreat which faved her native mand of the army deftined to attack country from fubjugation and difmem. Maefticht; the attempt indeed proved abortive, but as this evidently proceeded Hom the negligence of the general at the head of the covering army, his fau rels were not blighted by the event.

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* A mezzotinto print of this unfortu nate lady was published in 1791. The likeness is not badly hit off, but it is not

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The conduct of Dumourier as foon as he began to experience a reverfe of fortune, became fufpicious, and his frequent conferences with the Auftrian General, which ended at length in his entire defection, rendered all the patriots in the army jealous of him. Miranda inftantly communicated his fears to his friend Petion, at that time a member of the committee of public fafety, and orders were soon after iffued to arreft the commander in chief. This circumftance faved the live of Miranda, for Dumurier attributed the lofs of the battle of Nerwinden to him, and still blames him in his hiftory. To this the

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other has made a reply, equally able and animated. Ray babasini ayd

No fooner had the party of the Gi ronde been overwhelmed by the energy of the Mountain, an energy which, al though often unjustly directed, muft be acknowledged to have faved France, than Miranda was imprifoned. He was liberated at the general goal-delivery on the execution of Robespierre; he took an active part against the fections of Paris, during the laft infurec tion, and he has once more been put under arreft by order of the Directory, (To be continued.)

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TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF SCOTLAND, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 446,

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LAUDER, fituated near the top, or weft corner, of Berwickshire, extends about 8 miles from North to South, upon the ftrath of Leader or Lauder water, a Jong which the London road paffes, and about 4 in breadth. The diftrict has the name of Lauderdale. The number of inhabitants are 2000, and the average sent of land is from 5s. to 10s. per acre, and few-farms pay more than 100l. per annum. The whole yields about 6000l. per annum. Near the town, which has but a poor appearance, ftands Lauder Fort, belonging to the Earl of Lauderdale. It was built by Edward Longthanks, about 500 years ago; in the end of last century it was repair ed, and converted into a dwelling houfe by the Duke of Lauderdale. The hills furnish abundance of peat and turff, which are the ordinary fuel here. Copper ore has been found in feveral places, but none ever was wrought. Moor ftone, and flate of a coarfe quality, a bound. What are called adder ftones, and fairy ftones are found occafionally in this neighbourhood. Spanish, Scotch, and English coins, are alfo found, and many fragments of fwords, bows, and arrows pointed with flint, have been dug up in the parifb.

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the counties of Edinburgh and Had-
dington from that of
dington from that of Berwick, and the
London road paffes through it, it is a-
bout 6 miles long, and 5 broad. Up-
on the banks of the Leader, and in dif
ferent ftraths, there may be upwards of
1500 acres in tillage. The hills are
moftly covered with heather, and are
very bleak. The land rent is about
2000l. per annum, and the number of
inhabitants amounts to about 600.

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ROXBURGH SHIRE.

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THIS fhire is of an irregular, fhape; its greatest extent both from caft to weft, and from north to fouth, is about 30 miles. On the eaft and fouth it is bounded by Northumberland and Cum berland: on the weft by Dumfries and Selkirk fhires, and on the north by Berwickshire. The fouth divifion of this county is fometimes called Tiviotdale, from the river Tiviot running through it. The weft and north quarters of the county are mountainous; the fouth and eaft, divifions are, upon the whole, flat and fertile. The river Tweed enters this fhire, at the mouth of the water of Ettrick, from whence bed ps it flows through a very romantic coun CHANNELKIRK is fituated among the try, wathing the foot of the Eildon hills, Lammermuir hills, where they divide by the village of Dornick, where there

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is a bridge over it; thence it paffes by extenfive. The environs of Kelfo are Melrofe, Dryburgh, and Kelfo, afford- truly fine. Fleurs, the magnificent ing many picturefque Tcenes. Having feat of the of the Duke of Roxburgh, an account of the north fide of the with its extenfive plantations, on the Tweed, fituated in the thire of Berwick, banks of the Tweed, and Springwoodwe fhall begin our defcription of the Park on the oppofite fide, extending its fouth fide, where we enter this county policy alfo on the Tiviot; the handon the caft. There is no coal, and but fome villa of Havanah, together with Tittle limeftone hitherto wrought in this Pinnacle-hill, and the fertile inclosures diftria; neither have any other mine- around, give the whole an appearance rals of confequence, as yet, been dif- of elegance, richness, and fertility. Covered, marl and fandftone excepted. The town is populous, neat, cand thriPaffing from Stitchel, in Berwick. ving; it is a burgh of barony. There Thire, the next parish that occurs is is held here an excellent market, weekly, for grain, there is an extenfive public library, and a coffee-houfe, where the London and Edinburgh newspapers are taken in. Part of the magnificent Abbey, built by St David, King of Scotland, in 1128, is ftill ftanding, and makes a very venerable appearance. Roxburgh caftle, famous in the hiftory of the border wars, is almost as total ruin. It was in befieging this castle that James II loft his life, by the bursting of oal cannonsAAcanal has been projected from Kelfo to Berwick, which would be of vaft confequence to this part of the country. On the north fide is

EDENHAM OF EDNAM, extending along the banks of the Tweed, about 3 miles in breadth, and 34 in length, containing 600 inhabitants. This parish is highly cultivated, and rents from 40s. to 60s. per acre. It gave birth to Thomfon, the Author of the Seafons, whofe father, Mr Thomas Thomfon, was fecond minifter here after the Revolution. There Is an annual meeting of noblemen and gentlemen, at Ednam hill, for celebrat ing the Poet's birth-day, and it is intended to erect a monument there to his memory*.-Farther up the river is KELSO which is of an irregular tri angular figure, its greateft length and breadth may be reckoned 4 miles. The foil is, in general, a deep loam upon a gravelly bottom, and is very fertile. Its fituation is highly favourable, on the banks of the Tweed and Tiviot. The rent, per acre, is, in general, from 40s. to 51. amounting in whole to between 7,000l. and 8.000l. per annum, and the number of inhabitants is 4330. The town is confiderable, and pleasantly frtuated at the confluence of the Tiviot and Tweed, over both which rivers there are two handfome bridges +; from that over the Tweed, confifting of fix arches, there is one of the finest views to be feen almost any where; by "afcending the banks to Pinnacle-hill, it varies a good deal, and becomes more

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MACKERSTON, extending between 5 and 6 miles in length, and from north to fouth between 4 and 5. It contains about $260 inhabitants; the total rent is from 17col. to 1800l. per annum: being at a great diflance from coal and lime, improvements are not carried on with much fpirit here. The family refidence of Sir H. Hay M'Dougal is pleasantly fituated on the banks of the river. Going up the river we find

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MERTOUN parish, extending 6 miles in length, and from 2 to 3 in breadth, containing 560 inhabitants. The foil, upon the banks of the Tweed, is light and gravelly; the higher grounds are, in general, clayo upona tilly.bottom. The real rent is about 24col. Sterling. The extenfive parks and plan

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*This parifh, we believe, lies in Berwickshire.

quarter.

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tations of Harden, the feat of Mr where ftand the handfome houfes of Scott, add much to the beauty of this Drygrange and Kirkland. The Eildon quarter. The fine ruins of the Abbey hills, rifing from an extenfive plain to of Dryburgh, dear which the Earl of the caft, are feen at a great c distance. Buchan has built a neat modern houfe, They confift of conic tops*, ! upon are well worthy attention.ods anà the fummit of the moft northerly are MAXTON parish lies oppofite to Mer- the veftiges of a Roman camp well fortoun on the fouth banks of the Tweed, tified, having a foffe of about 11⁄2 miles being about 4 miles in length, and 3 in in circumference. There appear fevebreadth, containing about 325 inhabi ral other veftiges of camps in this neigh tants. The foil inclines to clay, and bourhood, all connected with this this by is not productive. On the banks of the military roads. The Abbey of MelTweed, about a mile from the village, rofe, one of the largest and maft eleftands the old tower of Littledean.- gant in the island, need not be particuAdjoining is the parish of larized here. We fhall only give the dimenfions of what is ftanding: It is built in the form of St John's Crofs, the length is 258 feet, breadth 138, and the circumference 944. The fouth window is 24 by 16: the eaft window, which is very elegant, 541 by 151; fteeple 74, but the fpire is gone. The niches, pedestals, canopies, &c. are curiously wrought, and of exquisite workmanfhipt.-In going up the river, we meet with

AST BOSWELLS, or LESSUDDEN, being about a mile and a half broad, and 2 long, containing 500 inhabitants. The foil is, in general, good; the rent is from 1700k to 1800l. per annum. On St Bofwell's Green is held an annual fair, formerly the beft frequented of any in the fouth of Scotland: fheep, black cattle, horses, and linen cloth, are the chief commodities which are fold. A little weft from this is the parish of

GALASHIELS, lying partly in Roxburgh and partly in Selkirkshire, is of an irregular triangular figure, about 6 miles in breadth, at an average, and containing about 920 inhabitants. The face of the country is hilly, but covered with good fheep pasturet. On the banks of the river, the foil is a deep loam in in many places; in others it is clayey and wet. In the village, which contains about 581 inha

MELROSE, in length and breadth, where greatest, about 7 miles, and containing 2450 inhabitants. The foil is various in quality on the banks of the Tweed, which runs through this parifh, it is light and gravelly; in many places it is a stiff clay; and a great part is hill and muir. Agriculture, how ever, is advancing faft, and rendering the furface rich and beautiful. What is worth notice here, is the fite of Old. Melrofe, about a mile down the river, faid to be the first abbey of the Culdees, founded anno 664, now reduced to a fingle house standing on a fort of pro montory, peninfulated by the Tweed, the banks around are lofty and wooded, varied with perpendicular rocks jutting out like buttreffes: it commands a beau were tiful profpect down the river. Near this is the bridge of Drygrange, at the confluence of the Leader with the Tweedt,

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The weft top is 1319 feet above the level of the fea.

+ In viewing this ruin, a circumftance lately occurred to a gentleman worth being defired him to go to the fouth east corner, to made known. The perfon who fhewed it, turn his back to the Abbey, and view it through betwixt his legs, The effect produced was aftonishing; the defects of the ruin

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indiftinctly perceived, and the whole got a beautiful and novel appearance, not cafily defcribed or accounted for. The light falling upon the eye fomehow inverted, may be the cause.

Megs-hill, the highest, is 1480 feet above the level of the fea.

bitants,

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bitants, there has been for fome period through it. The ground is uneven, and

a manufacture of coarfe woollen cloth established, and well known by the name of Galashiels Grey, which fold at 2s. 6d. and 38. per yard; of late, fince the improvement of the wool, it is made of a higher price. The rocks here are fchiftus and whinstone. In many places, the red ockery foil evidently indicates the prefence of iron.

often rugged. The foil on the banks of the rivers is, in general, a rich loam on clay or fand in the higher grounds it is more or lefs a cold clay. Ancrum houfe, the refidence of Sir John Scott, is pleasantly fituated, and commands a charming profpect: the trees in his parks are the fineft and oldest in this part of the country. There are many caves in the banks below the house, which afforded shelter in times of trouble. The road to Jedburgh paffes thro the parish. Shell marl is found here, and there is plenty of fandtone.

BOWDEN; the greatest length of this parish is 6, and the greatest breadth about 4 miles, containing 6700 acres. The number of inhabitants is about 860. The furface is broken and uneven, extending to the top of the Eildon hills. The BEDRULE. This parish extends in greater part of the foil is a whitish clay, length upwards of 4 miles, in breadth on a tilly bottom, but of various fertili- between two and three, containing about ty, fome giving 15s. other parts only 260 inhabitants. About one half may 5s. per acre; the whole amounting to be confidered muir and pasture ground, about 2300l. Sterling yearly. The re- the other is fit for cropping. The furmains of a Roman caufey and a Roman face is unequal. On the banks of the ri camp, are traced here. The remains vers Rule and Tiviot, the foil is of a of Holydean, a strong fortification, once light loamy nature, and bears good a refidence of the family of Roxburgh, crops. The branch of one of the roads lies here. Near this is a dyke which inclosed a deer park of 500 acres, built without lime, and which has ftood up wards of 300 years; it had been originally between 6 and 7 feet high, and caped with ftone.

LILLIESLEAF lies partly in Selkick, and partly in Roxburghshires: it is 5 miles in length, and about 2 in breadth, containing between 7000 and 8000 acres. The number of inhabitants is 630. The foil varies; in the low grounds it is loamy upon a gravelly bottom; on the high and outfield grounds is chiefly clay. The beft, rents at 40s. per acre.

from Edinburgh to London, as well as the road from Berwick to Carlisle, país through this parish. The hill Duniao, though only 1031 feet above the level of the fea, is feen at a very great dif tance in almost every direction. The ancient castle of Bedrule is fituated on a rifing ground, equally remarkable for profpect, fafety, and for beauty. The minerals here are worthy of the attention of the proprietors. No coal has been difcovered of workable dimenfions in the fhires of Berwick, Roxburgh, nor Selkirk, over that vast tract of country from the Lammermuir hills to The distance from lime and the English border, and very little lime. fuel is a great bar to improvement over In this parifh the fymptoms are flatterall this county. The family feat of Riding: there is abundance of fandstone of dle of that lik, one of the molt ancient families in Scotland, lies in this parish. ANCRUM. This parish, which alfo comprehends Lang-newton, ftretches from 5 to 6 miles in length, along the north banks of the river Tiviot, and is about in breadth, containing 1150 inhabitarits. The water of Ale alfo suns

various appearance, and in that range oppofite to Bedritle, there are different ftratas of clay marl, and even fpecimens of limestone found; and, during a flight fearch lately made, fome feams of an inferior coal were found.

ROBERTON is about 13 miles long and 6 broad, containing only about 630 in habitants

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