The writer has no stale excuse to plead about the book being written in haste, as if he wished people to think that he could have produced something better if he had taken more time. Whatever may be its faults, he at once admits that he has done his best, and claims no indulgence on any pretended ground of the subject not allowing room for the display of ability. The liberty which he has occasionally taken, of freely speaking his thoughts, it would be ridiculous not to allow to others: it indeed seems highly absurd to talk of giving that which every one has the right to take. He has no wish to deprecate criticism by a declaration of the humble pretensions of his book, and of his consciousness of its faults. He is content to allow its errors and imperfections to be pointed out by others; and to declare his willingness to amend both, according to his ability. He despises the coward who seeks to avert a blow by a pretended offering of his cheek to the smiter, and who tremblingly seeks to evade, while he meekly appears to invite correction. If the writer has to receive correction, he prefers to receive it standing. S. O. Aldwark, 17th April, 1835. CONTENTS. Home Travel-Hints to Tourists who intend to publish-Roman Road from York to Eildon near Melrose-The Catrail-Monsieur Charles Nodier-Newcastle on Tyne-Northumberland Burr-Sal- mon and other Fish in the Tyne-Keelmen-Tynemouth Castle and West Road from Newcastle to Jedburgh-Morpeth-Dr. William Turner-Warkworth Castle and Hermitage-Felton-Nelson's Monument at Swarland-George Greive-Weldon Bridge- Long Horsley Church-Yard-Brinkburn Priory-Eastern Branch Country above Harbottle-Kidland-Whiskey Smugglers-Popular Superstitions The Murdered Pedlar The Infanticide Mother- Wraiths Bogles-The Hedley Kow-Enchantment — Fairies- Road from Harbottle to Elsdon-Elsdon Tower and Mote-Hill. Winter's Gibbet-Battle of Otterburn-Ballads founded on the Battle-Old Ballad of Chevy Chase, written by Richard Sheale- Mountain Scenery-Birds-Prejudice against the Peewit-Road from Rothbury to Alnwick-Alnwick-Mode of making Freemen there- Alnwick Castle, and Grounds in the Vicinity-Belford-The Laidley Worm of Spindleston Heugh-The Lambton Worm-Bambrough- Farn Islands Holy Island-The old Abbey of Lindisfarn— Field Sports in Glendale-Wooler-Old Towers-Yevering Bell— Battle Stones-Druidical Circle-Cheviot Hill-Floddon-Lady Norham to Wooler-Roman Camp at Mindrum-Hill Road to Yet- holm-Gypsies at Yetholm-Kelso-Ednam, the birth-place of Thomson-Smailholm Tower-Jedburgh-Ancrum Moor-Dry- burgh-Roman Station at Eildon-Melrose-The Eildon Hills- Abbotsford-Innerleithen-The Yarrow-Road up the Ettrick to RAMBLES AND RECORDS. CHAPTER I. HOME TRAVEL-HINTS TO TOURISTS WHO INTEND TO PUBLISH-ROMAN ROAD FROM YORK TO EILDON NEAR MELROSE-THE CATRAILMONSIEUR CHARLES NODIER-NEWCASTLE ON TYNE-NORTHUMBERLAND BURR-SALMON AND OTHER FISH IN THE TYNE-KeelmenTYNEMOUTH CASTLE AND PRIORY-THE MONK-STONE-RAIL-WAYSCOAL MINES-GOING DOWN A PIT. OF Foreign travel, its advantages and its disadvantages, much may be said on both sides; but of Home travel,— of journeying through the land to which a man owes his birth, education, and means of living,-the pleasures and advantages are at once so obvious and direct, that to enter into a long dissertation to prove them, would be like a logical argument to demonstrate that health is a blessing, and a contented mind a possession above all price. To a man who feels them, no argument can make the impression deeper or more vivid; and to him who does not, no process of reasoning can convey that full and perfect conviction which is the result of feeling. Lord Eldon, in 1771, then John Scott, of University College, Oxford, wrote an Essay, "On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Foreign travel," which was honoured with a prize; and judging from his Lordship's own practice-for he has never been out of Britain-we B 2 THE PEEVISH TRAVELLER. may conclude that in his mind the disadvantages were preponderant. It is perfectly useless to recommend travelling, either at home or abroad, to a person in whom ill-temper and discontent are chronic diseases of the mind. Such unhappy persons ought to keep themselves close at home, since to extend their circuit would be only to increase their liability to annoyance. At some second rate inn they might not have silver forks; a left-legged fellow of a waiter might be officiously annoying; filling a glass of ale unasked, bringing in a wet newspaper, carrying luggage to a wrong room, or daring to suggest places in the neighbourhood worth seeing without his counsel being required, for all which high offences the peevish tourist, professedly a man of liberal sentiments and an abolitionist, would, if he had his own way, send the offender for a month to the tread-mill. It is truly ludicrous to observe a fretful gentleman, who is dissatisfied with every thing he sees or meets with, making what is in his case most erroneously called a " Tour of Pleasure," but which is in reality to him nothing more than a round of annoyances and disappointments. At the first stage where he has occasion to take a postchaise he quarrels with the post-boy-generally a little, bow-legged man, about fifty years of age, in a blue, red, or yellow jacket, with dirty leather or corduroy breeches, and top-boots to correspond-dismisses him without the customary fee, and discovers at night that the said post-boy has omitted, in all likelihood wilfully, to bring in the portable sketching-stool and umbrella, which were more especially committed to his charge. The landlord of every inn at which he stops, is an extortioner, and the servants careless or impertinent; and whatever is offered to him to eat or drink he finds unfit |
