its Estuary near Poulton. This river abounds with Trout, Chub, Gudgeon, and in the spring time, with Smelts.

The LUNE rises in the Westmoreland Moors, not far from Kirby Stephen, and in its course finely intersects the district of Lonsdale; from below Hornby its approach to Lancaster is very striking, in sight of which, making some great curves, it falls into the Irish Sea.

The KENT also rises in the Moors of Westmoreland, north of Kendal, which town it passes, and, after a southward direction, falls into Morecambe Bay. This river has some romantic falls, beneath the groves of Levens Park, belonging to the Earl of Suffolk, immediately below which, the extension of the Sands indicates the approach to the Sea.

its

THE RIBBLE is one of the largest rivers in the North of England, rising in the high Moors of Craven in Yorkshire, far to the North of Settle. It enters this county at Clithero, receiving the West Calder in way before it reaches Ribchester, whence it flows through Ribblesdale, and at the part where it encompasses Preston is very grand, being there crossed by two stately bridges, soon after which, receiving the Darron, its Estuary forms a noble arm of the sea, discharging itself by a broad sandy outlet, after flowing through a vale of great fertility and beauty.

These rivers afford Salmon, Trout, and other fish in plenty; the Mersey is annually visited by shoals of Smelts (there called Sparlings) of extraordinary size and flavour. The Irk, near Manchester, is famous for the largest and fattest Eels in Great Britain, and which is supposed to be owing to the grease and oil pressed out of the woollencloths that are therein milled by the numerous water mills. At no great distance from both Lancaster and Preston the Angler will be satisfied with the abundance of Salmon, Trout, and Salmon Trout, he will meet with.

Leicestershire.

The SOAR rises in the western part of the county, and after receiving the Wreke, falls into the Trent where this county, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire meet, and not far from Cavendish Bridge. The Avon, which flows into Warwickshire, the ANKEK, and the WELLAND, (which has a north-east course to Harborough,) also rise in the western part of this county. The river Swift belongs likewise to Leicestershire. The Angler may find amusement in many parts of these rivers, but the more remote from the towns, the greater will be his chance of

success.

Lincolnshire.

The TRENT passes the western edge of this county by Littleborough and Grimsby, after which it loses itself in the Humber. The Welland finds its souree in a range of hills between Lutterworth and Harborough, and divides Lincolnshire from Leicestershire, Rutland, and Northamptonshire. This river traverses a fine plain between Harborough and Rockingham, where the Castle, Lord Sondes's ancient seat, overlooks it from a high terrace; advancing from Rockingham Forest, whose abundant woods cover all the Northamptonshire side, the numerous steeples of Stamford mark its entrance into this county, the huge pile of Burghley and its highly ornamented grounds adorning the Northamptonshire bank. The Welland soon afterwards sinks into the Fens of Lincolnshire below Deeping, and passing the monastic ruin of Crowland Abbey, arrives at its port of Spalding, and falls into the German Ocean. The Glean from Bourne, which joins the Welland in the Fens at the extremity of its course, adorns the extensive domain of Grimsthorp, belonging to the Duke of Ancaster.

The WITHAM rises near a village of that name, about ten miles north of Stamford, and runs by Grantham to Lincoln, from whence

it has a communication with the Trent by means of a navigable canal, (called the Foss-dike, cut by HENRY I.) after which it is met by the Bain from Horucastle, it then flows to Boston, and just before it reaches that place, the Witham is defended by a curiously constructed sluice, against the inroads of the sea; this is the last of those numerous streams which contribute to form the gulph between this county and Norfolk; it assists to make the Wash of Foss-dyke, which falls into this great gulph considerably northward of that of CrossKeys.

The ANKAM or ANCHOLME is a small river rising in the Wolds of this county, not far from Market Raisin, and flows northward by Glanfordbridge, from whence it is navigable to the Humber, some miles below the junction of the Trent. It is as famous for its Eels as the Witham is for its Pike, and which has given rise to the following proverbial rhyme :

Ankham Eel, and Witham Pike,

In all England, is none sike.

The other rivers produce plenty of Salmon, Perch, Tench, Trout, Pike, and other fish for the Angler's diversion; in some of the waters about Lincoln the Rud is found.

Middlesex.

The THAMES, which for its navigation and commerce is said to be unequalled, will be mentioned here. This mighty Monarch of all the British Rivers, superior to most in the known World for beauty, and to all, in importance, has had its birth-place almost as much contested as that of Homer. Like the sources of THE NILE, the position of the original fountain of the Thames has been variously assigned, the dispute is however of little consequence, as none of these fountains in their origin differ materially from a common rivulet. The Thames is compounded of two rivers, namely, the Isis and the THAME; the former of these rises near Cirencester, in Gloucestershire, and is by some

called the head of the Thames; from that place it runs easterly to Lechlade in the same county, where it receives the Colne, and becomes navigable; here, with immense expence, a canal has been made to join THE SEVERN with THE THAMES, perhaps the most important inland navigation of Great Britain, by transporting the influx of foreign as well as internal wealth, to and from the CAPITAL. The Isis flows north-east to Oxford, receiving in its way, the Windrush, the Evenlode, and a smaller stream which forms the great Lake in Woodstock Park, and thus augmented it washes the ruined walls of Godstone Nunnery, whose chapel contains the tomb of the unhappy Rosamond. At Oxford the Isis divides itself into various small channels, these quickly reunite, and a little below the ornamented meads of Christchurch, the Cherwell joins it, and flowing through Magdalen Bridge, together with the Isis, almost insulate the city of Oxford; from thence the Isis runs to Abingdon, and the long straggling town of Dorchester, where the Thame descending from the central parts of Buckinghamshire, (and some of the streams that form it, even from the borders of Hertfordshire,) joins it a little above Shillingford Bridge, and thus uniting their names with their waters, make a beautiful river, which is then known only by the name of THAMES, and which taking a course by the borders of Berks, Bucks, (where at Great Marlow is the last lock, it requiring no further art to navigate it to the sea,) Middlesex, Surrey, Essex, and Kent, and increased by the Kennet at Reading, the Colne near Stanes, the Wey below Weybridge, the Mole opposite to Hampton Court, the Brent at Brentford, the Wandle at Wandsworth, the Lea below Stepney, the Roding below Woolwich, the Cray and the Darenth below Crayford and Dartford, rolls on until its junction with the MEDWAY at the Nore, where both Rivers are soon lost in the German Ocean. The Tide of the Thames flows above Richmond, which is more than seventy miles from the sea, and the water continues fresh as low as Woolwich; and from its mouth to Lechlade (where the Isis is first navigable), the distance is two hundred and thirty iniles. The Commercial Importance of the Thames scarcely exceeds its romantic beauty. From the CAPITAL of England, it is a superb Tide river, full

of Vessels of every description, and from every clime; and upon the banks, in its passage to the sea, are constructed many of those floating bulwarks, which protect the Trade of Great Britain, and defy all the efforts of the Universe combined to injure it. To the end of its course, the Thames preserves that air of placid dignity which so eminently distinguishes it. From Windsor, it passes into this county about three miles below Colnbrook. And the admirable description of its tributary waters, as given by Mr. POPE, will probably repay the reader's patience in the perusal :

In ancient times, we read,

Old Father THAMES advanc'd his rev'rend head;
His tresses dropp'd with dews, and o'er the streamı
His shining horns diffused a golden gleam.
Grav'd on his urn appear'd the moon, that guides
His swelling waters, and alternate tides;

The figur'd streams in waves of silver roll❜d,
And on their banks Augusta rose in gold.
Around his throne the sea-born brothers stood,
Who swell with tributary urns his flood;
First the fam'd authors of his ancient name,
The winding Isis, and the fruitful TAME;
The KENNET swift, for silver Eels renown'd,
The LODDEN slow, with verdant alders crown'd;
COLE whose dark stream his flowery islands lave;
And chalky WEY that rolls a milky wave;
The blue transparent VANDALIS appears;
The gulphy LEA his sedgy tresses rears;

And sullen MOLE, that hides his diving flood;
And silent DARENT stain'd with Danish blood.

WINDSOR FORESTS

The THAMES produces Salmon (though not in abundance) which are generally taken about Isleworth; these bear a most extravagant price in the London markets, having been sold at twelve shillings a pound, eight shillings and half a guinea per pound is frequently given for the whole fish together, and the average price is five shillings, altho' the quality is probably equalled in other rivers, and there is no super