Henry VIII. c. 17. All woods that are felled at fourteen years growth are to be preserved from destruction for eight years; and no cattle put into the ground for five years after the felling thereof, &c., 13 Eliz. c. 25. The burning of woods or underwood is declared to be felony; also those persons that maliciously cut or spoil timber-trees, any fruittrees, &c., shall be sent to the house of correction, there to be kept three months, and whipt once a month.

Wood, Method OF STAINING OR DYEING. See TURNING.

WOOD (Anthony), an eminent biographer and antiquarian, was the son of Thomas Wood, B. A. and LL. Civ., and born at Oxford in 1632. He studied at Merton College, and in 1655 took the degree of M. A. He wrote, 1. The History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford; which was afterwards translated into Latin by Mr. Wase and Mr. Peers, under the title of Historia et Antiquitates Oxoniensis, 2 vols. folio. 2. Athenæ Oxoniensis; or an exact Account of all the Writers and Bishops who have had their Education in the University of Oxford, from the year 1500 to 1600, 2 vols. folio; which was greatly enlarged in a second edition published in 1721 by bishop Tanner. Upon the first publication of this work the author was attacked by the university, in defence of Edward earl of Clarendon, lord high chancellor of England, and chancellor of the university, and was likewise animadverted upon by bishop Burnet;. upon which he published a Vindication of the Historiographer of the University of Oxford. He died at Oxford of a retention of urine in 1695.

WOOD ANEMONE. See ANEMONE.
WOODBIND. See LONICERA.
WOODBIND, SPANISH. See IPOMOEA.

WOODBRIDGE, a town of Suffolk, which took its name, it is supposed, from a wooden bridge built over a hollow way, to make a communication between two parks, separated by the road which leads by the market place towards Ipswich. The streets though narrow are paved, and the longest is nearly a mile in extent. The marketplace is clean and well built. The river Deben, on which this town is situated, discharges itself into the sea, about ten miles below it, and is navigable up to the town. Here are two quays. This place is generally admired by travellers for its healthy and salubrious air. A considerable trade is carried on here in corn, flour, malt, cheese, coals, timber, deals, wine, foreign spirits, porter, grocery, drapery, and ironmongery, goods. The shipping of late years has increased in the exportation of corn. Regular London traders sail to and from port, weekly; the other vessels for the most part are employed in the Newcastle and Sunderland trade. The manufacture of sack-cloth, for which this place was formerly noted, and the refining of salt are now quite relinquished, other places affording them on cheaper terms. The parish church is a very noble structure. The tower is remarkably handsome, composed of flute work in beautiful compartments. It is 108 feet high, and is distinguished at sea as a capital object, and even at a great distance on land. There are also several meeting houses for the Dissenters. The quarter sessions of the peace for this division are held here in a noble old hall, built in the reign of queen Elizabeth. The number of houses is 657, and inhabitants 4132. The market is held on Wednesday;

and there are two fairs yearly, one on April 6th, the other on October 12th. Seventy-seven miles north-east of London, and seven E. N. E. of Ipswich.

WOODCOCK. See SCOLOPAX.

WOODCOTE. See NEOMAGUS.

WOODFALL (William), a printer and parliamentary reporter, whose father, also a printer, was the proprietor of the Public Advertiser. The son was placed in the printing office of Mr. Baldwin, and afterwards assisted his father. He then attempted the stage, but with little success; and prepared for exhibition Savage's tragedy, entitled Sir Thomas Overbury, acted at Covent Garden in 1777. In consequence of his being the publisher of the Letters of Junius, he was exposed to a prosecution, which induced him to take refuge in Ireland: at length he became proprietor and editor of the Morning Chronicle, and distinguished himself by the ability and precision with which he reported the debates. He died August 1st, 1803, at the age of fifty-eight. Besides his labors as a journalist, he produced, in several pamphlets, reports of a debate in the Irish house of commons; and another at the India House.

WOODFORD, a parish in Beacontree hundred, Essex, situate on the road to Epping, eight miles and a half north-east of London; containing 395 houses and 2699 inhabitants. In the church-yard is a handsome Corinthian column, brought from Italy, and erected to the memory of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey. See ONISCUS. WOODGOAT. See CAPRA. WOODLARK. See ALAUDA.

WOODFRETTER.

WOODLOUSE. See ONISCUS
WOODPECKER. See PICUS.
WOODPIGEON. See COLUMBA.

WOODS, LAKE OF, a lake of North America, the most northern in the territory of the United States, so called from the large quantities of wood growing on its banks; such as oak, pine, fir, spruce, &c. There are a few Indian inhabitants on the banks of the lake, who might live very comfortably, if they were not so immoderately fond of spirituous liquors. The lake is of an oval form, thirty-six miles in circumference, according to major Pike; and it is thickly studded with islands, some of which are extensive. By its means, the communication is kept up between the lakes Winnipic, Bourbon, and Lake Superior. It deserves to be mentioned, also, that in the treaty concluded between Great Britain and America it was fixed upon by the Americans, as the spot from which a line of boundary between the United States and the British territories was to run, until it struck the Mississippi; which, however, can never happen, as the north-west part of the Lake of the Woods is in lat. 49° 37′ Ñ., and long. 94° 31′ W., and the source of the Mississippi, as explored by major Pike in 1805, is in lat. 47° 42′ 40′′ N.

WOODSORREL. See OXALIS.

WOODSTOCK, a borough, market town, and parish in Wootton hundred, Oxon, standing on a brook which falls into the Isis, eight miles N. N. W. of Oxford, and sixty-two and a half W. N. W. of London; containing 246 houses and 1455 inhabitants. Woodstock is noted for its manufactures of fine wash-leather gloves and polished steel watch chains, &c. In the time of the Saxons here was a royal palace. Adjoining the town is Blenheim

house and park, the magnificent seat of the duke of Marlborough. Market on Tuesday.

WOODWARD (Dr. John), was born in 1665, educated at a country school, and sent to London, where he is said to have been put an apprentice to a linen draper. He was not long in that station, till he became acquainted with Dr. Peter Barwick, an eminent physician, who took him under his tuition and into his family. Here he prosecuted with great vigor and success the study of philosophy, anatomy, and physic. In 1692, Dr. Stillingfleet quitting the place of professor of physic in Gresham College, he was chosen to succeed him, and the year following was elected F. R. S. In 1695 he obtained the degree of M. D. by patent from archbishop Tenninson; and the same year he published his Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth. He afterward wrote many other pieces, which have been well received by the learned world. founded a lecture in the university of Cambridge, to be read there upon his essay, &c., and handsomely endowed it. He died in 1728. WOODWORM. See ONISCUS. WOOL, n. s.

WOOL FEL,

He

Sax. pul; Bel. wol; Teut. wolle; Gothic WOOLLEN, adj. & n. s. and Swedish ull. The WOOL LY, adj. fleece of sheep; that WOOL PACK, n. s. which is woven into WOOL'SACK, cloth; any short, thick WOOL'WARD, adv. hair: woolfel is skin not stripped of the wool: woollen, made of wool; the cloth so made: woolly, clothed with, or consisting of wool: woolpack, or woolsack, a bag containing wool; the seat of the judges in the house of lords; any thing bulky but light: woolward is in wool: obsolete.

What signifies My fleece of woolly hair, that now uncurls? Shaksp. In the cauldron boil and bake ; Wool of bat and tongue of dog. I was wont

To call them woollen vassals, things created

To buy and sell with groats.

I have no shirt; I go woolward for penance.

Id.

Id.

Id.

Woollen cloth will tenter, linen scarcely. Bacon.

a fresh crop. It differs from hair, however, in the uniformity of its growth, and the regularity of its shedding. Every filament of wool seems to keep exact pace with another in the same part of the body of the animal; the whole crop springs up at once; the whole advances uniformly together; the whole loosens from the skin nearly at the same period, and thus falls off if not previously shorn, leaving the animal covered with a short coat of young wool. Hairs are commonly of the same thickness in every part; but wool constantly varies in thickness in different parts, being generally thicker at the points than at the roots. That part of the fleece of sheep which grows in winter is finer than what grows in summer. While the wool remains in the state it was first shorn off the sheep's back, and not sorted into its different kinds, it is called fleece. Each fleece consists of wool of divers qualities and degrees of fineness, which the dealers therein take care to separate. The French and English usually separate each fleece into three sorts, viz. 1. Mother wool, which is that of the back and neck. 2. The wool of the tails and legs. 3. That of the breast and under the belly. The Spaniards make the like division into three sorts, which they call prime, second, and third; and, for the greater ease, denote each bale or pack with a capital letter denoting the sort. Among the ancients, the wools of Attica, Megara, Laodicea, Apulia, and especially those of Tarentum, Parma, and Altino, were the most valued. Varro assures us that the people there used to clothe their sheep with skins, to secure the wool from being damaged.

WOOLLEN CLOTH. See CLOTH.

WOOLLI, a small kingdom of Western Africa, extending along the north side of the Gambia, having Tenda on the south-east, and Bondow on the north-east. It is level, and covered entirely with wood. Park, in his first journey, received a very hospitable reception from the king, who, however, endeavoured to dissuade him from his journey.

WOOLMAN (John), a minister of the Society of Friends in North America, chiefly remarkable as an early and faithful advocate of the rights of

Davies.

in Burlington county, West Jersey, early in the last century. He was the principal means of inducing this valuable body of religionists to part with all their slaves. A Memoir of him was published in London in 1815, to which we must refer the reader.

WOOLSTON (Thomas), an English divine, was born at Northampton in 1669, and educated at Cambridge. His first appearance in the learned world was in 1705, in a work entitled The Old Apology for the Truth of the Christian Religion, against the Jews and Gentiles, revived. He afterward wrote many pieces: but what made the most noise were his Six Discourses on the Miracles of Christ; which occasioned a great number of books and pamphlets upon the subject, and raised a prosecution against him. He was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, and to pay a fine of £100. He purchased the liberty of the rules of the King's-bench, where he continued after the expiration of the year, being unable to pay the fine. The greatest obstruction to his deliverance from confinement was the obligation of giving security not to offend by any future writings, he being resolved to write again as freely as before. He died January 27th 1732-3.

WOOLSTONECRAFT. See WOLLSTONECRAFT. WOOLWICH, anciently Hulviz, Wolwiche, and Wollewic, a market-town of the county of Kent, is situated on the banks of the Thames, about eight miles from London. Market on Saturdays. This town, originally a straggling village, rose into notice in the reign of Henry VIII., who established a royal dock-yard here. Its size and consequence have been particularly increased since the establishment of the royal arsenal and royal artillery in the beginning of the last century. We regret that we cannot avail ourselves of a detailed description of all these establishments with which we have been favored, but see our article Docks. About half way between the arsenal and the artillery barracks stands the grand depôt of field artillery; it consists of several long store sheds, in which are deposited a number of batteries of fieldguns completely equipped for active service in the field; the whole of the guns mounted on the forts and batteries, at home and abroad, are under the superintendance of this department; and the commanding officers of artillery, at all the stations, make half yearly reports to the head of the establishment, who is always the senior officer of the regiment, and is denominated the director-general of artillery.

Nearly opposite to the grand depôt stands the spacious hospital for the artillery and sappers and miners. It is capable of containing 700 patients; and for cleanliness and comfortable arrangement may be said to be unrivalled. There is a medica' library in this building, which contains the best works on that science, and which is supported by a subscription from the medical officers. It is under the superintendance of sir John Webb, who is the director-general and inspector of the medical department of the ordnance. A little below the grand depôt there is a small barrack which was erected, about 1812, for the royal sappers and miners, who have their head-quarters here; but, as only as many of that corps are stationed here as are necessary for carrying on the military works, their numbers are very small: they are commanded by officers from the corps of royal engineers.

On the north side of Woolwich Common the barracks for the head-quarters of the royal regiment of artillery are erected; they stand nearly due east and west, and fronting to the south; the range is about 400 yards long by 250 deep, and they are divided into two wings connected by a handsome archway of stone, surmounted by the royal arms and groups of military trophies, and having four Doric columns in front; the left wing was erected about the year 1779, and the right about 1803. The front range of the barracks consists of two large buildings for the men and four for the officers; between each of these there is a low building, handsomely stuccoed, with Doric columns in front, and a colonnade above each; the first of these on the right contains the offices of the commandant of the garrison, the adjutant-general, and one office for each of the battalions of artillery; the next is most splendidly fitted up as a mess-room for the officers, and is supposed to be the largest in England. The next low building on the east side of the connecting archway is fitted up as a guard-room; but the upper story contains a reading-room and library of large dimensions for the officers; the leading daily and weekly papers, reviews, magazines, and pe

riodical works of every description, are taken in here; and the library contains about 7000 volumes. The building next to the left end of the barracks is fitted up as a chapel, and is capable of containing 1000 persons. There is a very handsome window over the altar. Divine service is performed in it twice on each Sunday by the chaplains of the regiment; and the military band play some excellent pieces of sacred music.

In the rear of the front range towards the north there are two very large quadrangles, containing the barracks for the officers and men of the royal horse artillery, and stabling for their horses. During the late war both the quadrangles were occupied by this corps, but at present they only occupy a part of one. These quadrangles are named after the noblemen who were the masters-general of the ordnance when they were erected, the east being called Richmond and the west Chatham Square. To the north of these stands a range of barracks and stables, which was erected for the late corps of royal artillery drivers; but, that corps having been incorporated with the regiment of artillery in 1822, it is now occupied by the brigades of field artillery. At the north-east corner of the barracks there is a handsome riding-school, with a small barrack for the men of the riding department. The school is built like an ancient temple, has a grand appearance, and is about fifty-six yards long by twenty-two broad.

The whole of the artillery barracks will at present accommodate 2855 men, but, in case of emergency, they are adapted for 4700. The regiment consists of the horse and nine battalions of foot artillery, and a part of each is always at Woolwich to the amount of, at present, about 2700 men. The greatest strength of the regiment of artillery, horse and foot, at home and abroad, was, in January, 1814 (the last year of the war), 28,291 officers and men; but it is now reduced to 7199 officers and men. At the west end of the barracks there is a battery for mortars and howitzers, at which the men are practised in throwing shells at a flag-staff erected on the common.

The royal military repository adjoins the barrack fields, and has within these few years been surrounded by a regular fortification of sod-work, on which are mounted all the different sorts of cannon used in the defence of fortified towns. At this establishment the royal artillery are taught the whole of the duties of artillery in garrison, and undergo such a course of instruction as is calculated to enable them to meet and to overcome any emergency to which the peculiar nature of the artillery service may render them liable on active service.

Here are two large pieces of water, on which the men are taught to lay pontoons, to transport artillery upon rafts, and all the different methods that can be adopted for the passage of troops across rivers, &c. The repository grounds are tastefully laid out. The rotunda which was erected in Carlton gardens, at the fete given by his present majesty to the emperor of Russia and the king of Prussia, was removed to this place, and has been formed into a model room: its interior dimensions are immense.

In a shed near the model-room is the hearse on which the remains of the late emperor Napoleon were conveyed to his grave in St. Helena.

The Royal Military Academy was erected in the royal arsenal about the year 1719, but it does not

appear to have been regularly established until the year 1745, when it was founded by a warrant from George II. as an academy for instructing persons, intended for military officers under the ordnance, in mathematics and fortification, to qualify them for the service of the artillery and engineers. In this year the number of cadets was forty-eight, in 1783 they were augmented to sixty, in 1793 to ninety, in 1800 to 100, and in 1806 to 200, which was the highest establishment. Since the peace they have been gradually reduced, and the establishment is now at sixty. Some of the first mathematicians of this country have been employed here as professors. The new Military Academy, situated on the south side of Woolwich Common facing the north, was completed in the year 1805; it is a handsome structure, built of brick in the castellated form, and consists of a centre and two wings united by corridors; the centre is a quadrangle and has octagonal towers at the angles. The wings contain the quarters of the military officers of the establishment, and sleeping-rooms for the cadets, each room containing four. In the rear of the principal building there are several ranges of detached houses containing the dining-room for the cadets, the public kitchen, the apartments of the housekeeper, and of the servants of the house

The cadets are the sons of officers of the army or navy, or of respectable parents in civil life, and no boy can be admitted to the academy unless possessed of the following qualifications:-He must not be less than fourteen nor more than sixteen years of age, which is to be ascertained by the production of a certificate of his birth taken from the parish register and certified by the minister and churchwardens; but, if the parish register cannot be resorted to, an affidavit of the fact will be accepted.

At the south-west corner of Woolwich Common there is a veterinary establishment for the horses of the royal artillery; it adjoins the great road to Dover, and is well situated; it was built in the year 1805.

On the north side of the artillery barracks there is a barrack occupied by the fourth division of the royal marines, which was established here in the year 1805. A handsome, airy, and commodious marine hospital was erected near these barracks in 1815, for the accommodation of the sick of the division, and of the sick seamen from the ships of war stationed here. The establishments connected with the navy at Woolwich are under the control and superintendance of the Admiralty; and the whole of the civil and military establishments belonging to the ordnance are under the control of the master-general and board.

The church at Woolwich, which is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, is a spacious brick building, and stands on an eminence that overlooks the dock-yard. It has a plain tower at the west end, and consists of a nave, chancel, and aisles. It was rebuilt between the years 1726 and 1740, partly from the funds granted under queen Anne for building churches, and partly from contributions and legacies. The interior is handsomely fitted up, and has galleries on the north, south, and west sides. There are but few monuments.

There are three charitable establishments in this town: an alms-house, founded for five poor widows, in 1562, by sir Martin Bowes, in which they receive £25 a year besides coals; a girl's school,

built and endowed from a bequest made by Mrs. Anne Withers, in 1753, for teaching thirty poor girls to read and work with the needle; and a school founded under the will of Mrs. Mary Wiseman, in 1758, for educating, clothing, and apprenticing six orphan boys, the sons of shipwrights who had served their apprenticeship in the dock-yard. Exclusive of those belonging to government there are no manufactories in this neighbourhood, except sugar potteries, of which there are several on Plumstead Common.

WOOTTON-UNDER-EDGE, a borough and market town, in Berkley hundred, Gloucestershire, nine miles from Minchinghampton, and 109 west by north of London. It is seated beneath a pleasant and fertile eminence. The town is well built, and has a handsome church, the tower of which is adorned with battlements and pinnacles. Here is a free-school, founded in 1385, by lady Catherine Berkeley; it has also alms-houses for six poor men and as many women. In the town and neighbourhood are several cloth manufactories. Market on Friday.

WORCESTER (Tiftoft), marquis of, a nobleman of a very extraordinary genius for mechanical discoveries, who flourished in the age of lord Verulam, and in 1663 published a curious philosophical work, entitled A Century of Inventions.

WORCESTER, a city in Worcestershire, situate on the banks of the Severn, three miles and a quarter from Droitwich, and 111 north-west by west of London. It contains nine parishes within the city. The cathedral was erected by Etheldred, king of Mercia, in 680, when it was a convent of secular priests; a short time after the conquest, it was laid in ashes by the Welsh, but soon after nearly rebuilt with greater magnificence, though not entirely completed till the year 1374. It is in length 514 feet, in breadth seventy-eight, and the tower 200 feet high. On the south side is a chapel of most curious workmanship: both the church and cloisters are arched with stone of a reddish color; and in the tower are eight good bells, the largest weighing 6600 pounds. The window, in the west front, was rebuilt in an elegant manner in 1789, in commemoration of the honor of his late majesty's visit at the music meeting in 1788; and in 1792 an elegant window was built, at the east end of the cathedral, containing some excellent paintings on glass. The pulpit is octagonal and of stone, curiously carved in the Gothic manner with the symbols of the four evangelists, and a representation of the New Jerusalem, as described in the Revelations. The altar-piece is of stone, perforated and glazed. The chief monument in the cathedral is that of king John standing in the midst of the choir. On each side of the king are those of the bishops Wolstan and Oswald. On the south side of the altar is prince Arthur's sepulchral chapel; it was repaired and beautified in 1791. There are also several other handsome monuments, particularly one of Dr. Hough, by Roubiliac.

Fronting the cathedral is a fine broad street, called the High Street, in which is the Guildhall, erected in 1720. The streets are in general broad, well paved and lighted, and the town is well supplied with water. The county gaol has two large court yards divided by an iron palisade, and so formed that the gaoler and turnkey may have a view of every cell. The city jail stands in Friar Street, so called from a house of Gray Friars which originally

stood therein. A new jail has been erected of late years, which cost £19,000. Here is also a commodious house of industry, erected in 1784. The theatre is a neat small building, erected in 1781. Here are also several alms-houses and charityschools, many hospitals, and a public infirmary. Among the parish churches, nine within the walls and two without, none deserve particular notice but St. Andrew's, which has an exceedingly handsome spire 245 feet high, and in the parish is a noble free-school, founded by Henry VIII. The bridge over the Severn is of stone, having five semicircular arches, erected in 1780. Here are meeting-houses for various sectaries, as well as Roman Catholics. Edgar's tower, a strong portal in College Green, was part of its ancient castle, and near it is the register office.

Worcester has every convenience and accommodation in common with most cities, having its public banks, fire offices, libraries, assemblies, musicmeeting, &c. The bishop's palace stands in a commanding situation on the banks of the Severn. The manufactures are those of china, carpets, gloves, and lace; and its trade is greatly increased by a canal navigation communicating with all parts of the kingdom. The present corporation, by charter of James I., consists of a mayor, recorder, sheriff, six aldermen, twenty-four common-councilmen, and forty-eight assistants. It sends two members to parliament, chosen by the citizens, admitted to their freedom by birth or servitude, or by redemption the number of voters is about 1700; and the returning officer is the sheriff.

This city suffered much during the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster; but the most remarkable event here was the famous battle between the English army, under Cromwell, and the Scotch, in the cause of Charles II. in 1650, when the royalists had 2000 killed and 8000 taken prisoners, most of whom were sold as slaves to the American colonies; after this, Cromwell ordered the walls of the city to be rased to the ground. This city gives title of marquis to the duke of Beaufort. The market-house is a new and commodious addition to the comforts of the city. The hop-market is the most considerable in the kingdom during the hop season, and is governed by guardians chosen out of every parish in the city. The race course is three miles in circumference, called Pitchcroft, situate to the north-west of the city. Markets, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. WORCESTER, County, Massachusetts, bounded north by New Hampshire, east by Middlesex and Norfolk counties, south by Rhode Island and Connecticut, and west by Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties.

WORCESTER, a post town, the capital of Worcester county, Massachusetts; thirty nine miles N. N. W. of Providence, forty west by south of Boston. It contains an elegant court house, a jail, a bank, two paper mills, two printing offices, from each of which is issued a weekly newspaper; and three houses of public worship, two for Congregationalists, and one for Baptists. It is pleasantly situated, and is the most considerable inland town in New England, and is a place of much wealth and trade. The principal street is upwards of a mile in length; it is well built, and has a number of elegant houses. In 1791 two editions of the bible, one in large folio the other in royal quarto, the first of the kind published in America, were printed in this town.

WORCESTERSHIRE. This county evidently takes its name from its principal city Worcester, the etymology of which is deduced from Wirecester, by changing its vowel. The name Wigornia occurs in Florence of Worcester, who died about sixty years before Joseph of Exeter wrote. Abingdon derives the Saxon name from the Wears on the river. The inhabitants, with those of the adjoining parts, were in Bede's time, prior to the division of the island into counties, called Wiccia, a name derived, as we may reasonably conjecture, from the salt-pits which it contains, the old English name of which is witches. This county formerly constituted the second part of the country of the Cornavii, or Dorbuni. In the time of the Romans it was swampy, overgrown with wood, and consequently but little known to that cautious and warlike people; neither Ptolemy nor Antonine take any notice of it whatever; and of the four great Roman roads which cross the kingdom but one, viz. the Ryknild Street, approaches its borders: the Ryknild Way, however, crosses a small portion of the county, entering it near Beoly, and, passing on to Edgbaston in Warwickshire, leaves the town of Birmingham a little to the west. The principal stations, or camps, in this county are on Wassal and Whitchbury Hill, near the banks of the Severn, the neighbourhood of Kempsey, Little Malvern, and upon Wobury Hill. Worcestershire constituted under the Saxon Heptarchy a part of the kingdom of Mercia, and was the frequent scene of sanguinary contests between the Saxons and the Danes.

Worcestershire is an inland county, bounded on the north by Staffordshire, on the east by Warwickshire, on the south by Gloucestershire, on the west by Herefordshire, and on the north-west by Shropshire; and lies between lat. 52° 15′ and 52° 39′ N., and between long. 1° 30′ and 2° 30′ W. from London: its mean length from north to south down the Severn, the shortest line, is about thirty miles, and its mean breadth from east to west is twenty-six miles, and contains 936 square miles, or 600,000 acres; of this two-thirds are to the east, and one-third to the west, of the -river Severn. To this may be added, for detached parts, 20,000 acres, making in the whole 618,240 acres. This county is divided into five hundreds and limits, containing 152 parishes, one city (Worcester), and eleven market-towns.

The air of this county is mild, warm, and healthy, there being but few lakes and very little swampy ground; the inhabitants of the Malvern Hills enjoy a most salubrious and temperate climate, a circumstance which, conjointly with the beautiful rich and picturesque scenery which they furnish, contributes not a little to induce multitudes of fashionable loungers to make the villages of Great and Little Malvern, which are situated upon the western side of these hills, the temporary theatres of their æstival gaieties; but the Wells House is the centre of attraction, on account of the contiguity of the Spa. The soil of this county may be thus stated :-To the north of Worcester, which is situated nearly in the centre of the county, it chiefly consists of rich loamy sand with a small portion of gravel; there is some very light sand, a few spots of clay, of black peat earth the same, but chiefly inclining towards the east. In this quarter (the east) the prevailing soil is, fo: the most part, a strong clay. The waste land, which is not very considerable, in general is a deep black peat earth.