26

NORTHUMBRIAN DIALECT.

so that throughout the year the humblest cottage is rendered comfortable by the blaze of a cheerful fire. For two shillings and sixpence he can procure a two-horse cart-load of this valuable mineral, which lies horizontally, frequently only half a yard below the surface. In the neighbourhood of Hesleyside the Scottish character begins to appear, and the Scottish dialect commences. The ear cannot easily encounter sounds more horrible than those in which the language of the Northumbrians is conveyed when spoken in all its native purity. Most of the shepherds speak Scotch, some of the words of which are pronounced precisely the same as some words of German, and have the same meaning; for instance, a shepherd one day said to a friend of mine, "The maiden is no blaet," (shy). In German it runs thus, "Das madehen is nicht blöde." The French language is also traceable in the Northumbrian dialect; for instance, "Don't fashe (vex) me"-fâcher. "That is a fine grozer (gooseberry-bush)"-grosseille. "Pezz" is to weigh up; in French peser. These and many other French words are supposed to have been introduced in consequence of the number of French persons who accompanied Queen Mary to Scotland. Amongst the provincial expressions, the Northumbrian peasants say, shearing corn and clipping sheep.

Offended as the car may be, the eye is delighted in contemplating the neatness of the peasants' cottages, which are

compactly thatched with heath, there called hether, and rendered impervious to the rain, whilst within every part is clean, and on either side of the sprightly fire there is an oven and boiler; the scene of content and comfort reminded me of the consummation of Frederick's (the Great) wish, that he might live to see the time when every one of his poor subjects had a fowl on a Sunday, to put in his pot.

Hesleyside is in the parish of Simonburn, perhaps the most extensive parish in England. The living might be made to produce about 5000l. per annum. I am informed it is in the gift of the trustees of Greenwich Hospital. If my information be correct, it would be wise, upon the death of the present incumbent, to divide it into eight or ten livings, to which chaplains of men of war ought to be exclusively presented.

The peasantry are uncouth in manners, faithful, keen, laborious, and thrifty. There are very few of them who cannot read, write, and cast accounts. The estates in this county are sometimes upon an immense scale, owing to the vast extent of moorland. Walnut-trees and poplars do not flourish in this county. The principal game with which it abounds is the grouse, and the black or grey game (the cock black, and the hen grey). On the borders of Scotland, however, the soil is rich and highly cultivated, so

much so, that a farm which till lately let for 80%. was re-let for 3431. per annum, and another was raised from 250l. to 9157. per annum. Much of the county has been greatly improved, within these last twenty-five years, by draining and planting. Near Hesleyside is Billingham, a miserable hamlet, filled with petty tradesmen, carriers, smugglers, and poachers. The inhabitants have a wild appearance, and realise considerable sums of money by their lawful as well as lawless traffic.

In a little tour which I made whilst in this part of Northumberland, I passed by part of the celebrated Roman wall, which I had also seen in my way to Hesleyside. We are informed that Agricola first suggested the idea of building this stupendous wall, by erecting, A. D. 79, a row of forts across the island, from Tinmouth, on the German Ocean, to the Irish Sea, to connect which, the Emperor Hadrian, in A. D. 120, and afterwards Severus, in A. D. 207, raised separate walls along the same tract of country; that Hadrian's Vallum appears to have been a turf wall, with a deep foss or ditch accompanying it on the north side; that there was another, called by Horsley the South Agger, or mound, at the distance of about five paces to the south of it, as also another and larger agger on the north side of the ditch, supposed to have been the military way to this work. These four works, it is observable, keep a constant regular

parallelism to one another. Upon this wall, which generally runs upon the top or ridge of the higher ground, both keeping a descent towards the north or enemy's side, certain castles and turrets have been placed. The sounding pipes, said to be made from one end to the other, were doubtless fabulous: much easier and more certain modes of communication could have been made. The wall ran from station to station, till an unfordable frith on one side, and a wide and deep river on the other, rendered its further extension unnecessary. Many antiquities have been and still continue to be frequently found, viz. Roman altars and tomb-stones, with inscriptions.

The foss of Severus's wall, running down a pretty steep descent from Brunton to the North Tyne, conducts the traveller to the curious remains of a Roman bridge, which has anciently spanned that river at this place. A great many large square stones, with holes in them, wherein iron rivets have been fixed, but which have been eaten away by rust many ages ago, still lie bedded on the spot, and defy the violence of the rapid floods. The Roman bridge stood a little to the south of the present one at Chollerford, over which I passed. I was present at a great scene of Northumbrian festivity at Stagshawbank fair, at which, as at the Dutch fairs before the Revolution, the high and the low from distant parts assemble. The principal characters who

supported the gaiety of the place were, as usual, professors of salt-box melody, fire-eaters, and keepers of wild beasts.

In my route from Hesleyside to Capheaton, the seat of Sir John Swinburne, I crossed the Watlin Street, a celebrated Roman road, which runs through Watling-street in London to Edinburgh. Upon the surface of the adjoining ground Roman coins are sometimes thrown up by moles. In my way, a very mean house, in a dreary waste, was pointed out to me, in which a singular character, called Simy Dod, for many years resided, and who had lately died after a long life of toil and penury, as a shepherd and grazier, leaving behind him a fortune of about 100,0007. At times he used to shear 50,000 of his own sheep. Such is the force of habit, his eldest son, to whom the largest share of this property devolved, having been before brought up as a herdsman, without shoes or stockings, still continues the same pastoral life and attire. Capheaton is the seat and manor of the ancient family of the Swinburnes. It is a charming place, well wooded about the house, having a considerable lake, with islands in it. This beautiful piece of water is also rendered extremely gay by a number of little sailing-vessels. In the grounds are several fine beechtrees, and about four miles of walks, kept in the highest neatness. The old part of the house was built in 1668, and has upon its front two singular figures, representing Men