memory on the past events of his life, registering, in a chronological series, the anecdotes in their proper order, with respect to the year, month and day, when they happened. Of these he soon accumulated a prodigious quantity, which, if ever published, will doubtless prove as entertaining as the Literary Life of Pennant, or that of any self-biographer whatever.

In 1797 he had again occasion to visit Wales on account of the ill-health of his daughter, and this being the fourth time of his passing through that principality in different directions, he was enabled to write some curious and interesting remarks concerning the different places which he visited. These remarks he communicated to his old friend Sylvanus Urban, by whom they were inserted in the Gentleman's Magazine for that and the following year.

The last publication of Mr. Hutton's appeared in the course of the present year, and is entitled, "The History of the Roman Wall which crosses the Island of Britain from the German Ocean to the Irish Sea. Describing its antient State and its appearance in 1801. 8vo."

When we consider Mr. Hutton's age (seventyeight) at the time of his exploring this venerable monument of antiquity, we hardly know which to admire most, his thirst of knowledge, the robustness and activity of his constitution, or the keen sagacity

of his mind.

But we shall here quote his own words from the preface, as giving most exactly a literary portrait of the man.

"Having

"Having had the pleasure of seeing many antiques of various ages and people, it naturally excited a desire of proceeding in further research; and the eye, unsatisfied with seeing, induced a wish to see the greatest of all the curiosities left us by the Romans, THE WALL; the wonderful and united works of Agricola, Hadrian, and Severus.

"I consulted all the authors I could procure, which strengthened desire; but I found they were only echoes to each other. Many have written upon the subject; but I could discover that very few had even seen it, and not a soul had penetrated from one end to the other. Besides, if those who paid a transient visit, chose to ride, they could not be minute observers. Poor Camden travelled it till he was frightened, ran away, and wrote hastily. Horsley was weary and retreated; but wrote more correct. The judicious Warburton, whom I regard for his veracity, rode on, desisted, and then remarked, He believed

6

he had trod upon ground which no foot had ever ' trodden since the Romans.' He also transcribes Horsley, whom Mr. Gough professes to follow. I envied the people in the neighbourhood of the Wall, though I knew they valued it no more than the soil on which it stood. I wished to converse with an intelligent resident, but never saw one. I determined to spend a month and fifty guineas, in minutely examining the relics of this first of wonders; began to form my plan of operations, and wrote my sentiments to an eminent printer in London, for whom I have a Ec 3

singular

singular regard*; but receiving no answer, I gave up the design, and as I thought for ever; destroyed my remarks closed with regret all my books of intelligence, and never durst open them, lest it should revive a strong inclination which I could not gratify. About four years elapsed, when my family agreed with a gentleman and his lady to visit the Lakes. They enlisted me of the party, in which they found no difficulty, because the temptation lay in the neighbourhood of the wonder which had long engaged my ideas. I have given a short sketch of my approach to this famous bulwark; have described it as it appears in the present day, and stated my return. Perhaps I am the first man that ever travelled the whole length of the Wall, and probably the last that ever will attempt it. Who then will say, he has, like me, travelled it twice! Old people are much inclined to accuse youth of their follies; but on this head silence will become me, lest I should be asked,

What can exceed the folly of that man, who, at seventy-eight, walked six hundred miles to see a shattered Wall!"

The following is Mr. Hutton's account of the manner of his journey;

"Thirteen months elapsed after we had resolved upon our journey, when our friends declined the adventure; but we, having fed upon the imaginary but delightful repast, could not relinquish it. I procured for myself the exclusive privilege of walking, which

of all the modes of travelling I prefer. My daughter rode behind her scrvant; and we agreed not to impede each other on the way, but meet at certain inns, for refreshment and rest. I was dressed in black, a kind of religious travelling-warrant, but divested of assuming airs, and had a budget of the same colour and materials, much like a dragoon's cartouch-box, or postman's letter-pouch, in which were deposited the maps of Cumberland, Northumberland, and the Wall, with its appendages; all three taken out of Gough's edition of the Britannia; also Warburton's map of the Wall, with my own remarks, &c. To this little pocket I fastened with a strap an umbrella in a green case, for I was not likely to have a six week's tour without wet, and slung it over that shoul der which was the least tired. And now, July 14th, 1801, we began our march,

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By easy marches I arrived at Birmingham August 7th, 1801, after a loss by perspiration of one stone of animal weight;* an expenditure of forty guineas, a lapse of thirty-five days, and a walk of six hundred and one miles. As so long and solitary a journey on foot was never, perhaps, wantonly performed by a man of seventy-eight, it excited the curiosity of the

* We cannot inform our readers whether Mr. Hutton adopted Sanctorius's famous experiment or not; but the above is sufficient to shew that he is not to be reckoned among the ordinary pedestrians of the present day, who just set out to travel over particular districts, and then return to sit down in their studies to give an account of their travels.

town (of Birmingham) which caused me frequently to be stopped in the street to ascertain the fact."

Besides the works which have been noticed in this sketch, Mr. Hutton has published "the History of Derby, 8vo." bearing the same characteristics of industry, ingenuity, and humour, as that of Birmingham. There are also many fugitive pieces from his pen, both in prose and verse, scattered in various periodical publications, but particularly in the Gentleman's Magazine. Some of his poetical productions are neat, easy, and pleasing. He had a considerable collection of these, which, with other manuscripts, were entirely destroyed by the rioters in 1791.

Mr. Hutton is a very cheerful companion; he still possesses an excellent state of health; and retains in full vigour his mental faculties, a pleasing consequence no doubt, of that activity and temperance which have ever marked his conduct.

DR. WILLIAM THOMSON.

B. D.

WILLIAM THOMSON was born in 1746, at Burnside, in the parish of Fortevoit, Strathern, in Perthshire. His father, Matthew Thomson, was a carpenter and house-builder, and held a small farm of the Earl of Kinņoul, whose seat, Duplin, is in the adjoining parish. His mother was daughter of Mr. Miller, schoolmaster at Airntully, near Dunkeld. From his mother William received the first rudiments of education, literary and religious, in English read