have the name Venta in their endings. We also had our Venta Belgarum, Venta Icenorum, and Venta Siturum: names which bave never been rightly understood or rendered by our anuquaries. Of the word Isca, as well as Venta, much has been wirtten. Leon, or Lion, in Caer Leon, the translation of Isca Silurum, has been rendered, in a learned disquisition by a Welsh etymologist of the first eminence, "The Waters." Exon, the translation of Isca Danmoniorum, must therefore be translated the same. Bot the translation Waters describes not the situation of these places. I am aware that A, An, and On, are plural endings in common words; but they are not often so when applied in description of places. Exon was higher from the river formerly, than it is at present. The letter A is Gaelic for a hill; Isca might therefore imply, the Water Hill. The Saxons seem to have supposed

to

be a contraction of An or On, which was a term for land; and hence Exon meant the water land. The same must be said of Leon, or Lion, in Caerleon. The mistake of our etymologists arises from their not distinguishing augments and diminutives, and some words for land, in old names of places, from the plural endings of their common words. From augments and diminutives we have derived these plural endings. As augments and diminutives in description, they imply great or little as plural endings in common words, they mean many or few. This may appear strange, but is not more strange than true; and it is a curious fact, that from etymologists' not knowing the difference, their translations in these points have never been applicable in description.

I have now removed many difficulties; and proceed to Lactorodo, or Lactodoro. This name has been derived by our antiquaries from Luch, a stone, and Dour, water: but by monsieur Bullet, in his Celtic Dictionary, from Lach, a stone, and Torri, to cut. Somewhat like this was Bremenium explained by a learned writer from Bre and Maen, which he rendered the high stone. The name of Whitstone, in Cornwall, was derived by Mr. Hals, who wrote its parochial his tory, from the White Stone mentioned in the Revelations! In the county of

In like manner, Venta, originally im

plied, the Hill Lønds.

tii. 17.

Devon there is a parish named Huxhov. In this word, Ur, with the aspirate implies, the Water; and Ham is border: but an etymologist rendered Hur, hook; and stated that the place was formerly the Habitation of Hook or Crook! I confess that the above derivations were gotten, like this last, "by hook or crook :” for neither the Water Stone, nor the High Stone, nor the to cut a Stone, nor the White Stone in the Revelations, is applicable in description of names of old settlements. In Lectorodo, Lue implies a lake, or stream. To in Lacto, is the same as To, or Tou, in Brito, or Briteu, an old name of Bristol. Bri implies Hill; and To or Tou, being a synonyme of Tol, whose root is O, implies border land, or border, by this letter. Stow, and Stol, (words whose origin is un known,) being also synonymes of Ton, and Tol, in Britou, Britol, Bristow, and Bristol, all names of this city, must also imply the same. Moreover, Rod implies a passage, or road; and Dor, from Dorus, a passage or door, will imply nearly the same: and hence Lactorodo will imply the Luke or Strens Border, Passage, or Road. In Lactoroño, the Saxons seem to have considered To as Tov, Tow, or Toffe, a stream, in their translation Toffeccaster: Lac, from Lach, they may have reckoned fort, or camp; but Doro, in this case, must have been omitted in their translation. Oa the contrary, if Dor was considered by them the inclosed border, or camp; then they sunk Lac, in rendering the name. In either then, or in any case, their translation seems to be a very partial, if not an erroneous, one. The next station is,

Bennaventa. As B and P were in some languages the same letter, what I have already said of Pinna, and Vin, Ven, and Venta, will be sufficient. I shall however mention, that stations and camps were not generally, in ancient times, places of passage; but the public roads rather lay in sight, or passed by, than through them. Some stations there were which lay on the road, and were so placed for its protection: to such the term Venta was applicably given. Benaventa is said to have been situated at a place called Burnt Walls. We have the name Burnt, or Brent Wood. Ber is sometimes written Bre; and hence Ber-en, Head or Hill Land, has been contracted to Bern and Burn, and changed to Bren: to the ending in

N, a

N, a T is often added; and hence the Dames Burnt, and Brent. Walls, in Saxon, is an inclosure or ruins.

Isannavaria, the interpretation of which is at present unknown, as well as the foregoing, is derived from Is, water, In, a diminutive, and Varia, from Bar, or l'ar, a head or hill. Much has been said by authors on the word Varia; but nothing which I have seen to the purpose, Daventry may be a translation of Isanmavaria, from Day, a stream, en a diminutive; and Triath or Traithe, derived from Aithe, a hill, and now pronounced Tri: Tri, or Try, may however mean habitation or town. This land seems to have taken its name partly from the spring on Burrow Hill. Beunaventa, and this station, have been accounted the same place: but of this hereafter. The original site of Isannavaria is on Burrow Hill, which I shall now explain. Burrow is a name which we have every day in our mouths; we have indeed swallowed, but we have never digested it. The words Berry, Bury, Borow, Borough, and Burrow, have been unknown in their original and various significations to all our writers. I, or Y is Gaelic for little; and the diminutives of Bear, Ber, Bor, and Bur, border, head. &c. in general use, are Berry, and Bury. Berry, when referred to the tops of hills, may be derived from Bearradh.' Bir, or Ber, water; and Bar, or Ber, a head, &c.; may also, in composition of names, be found with diminutive endings, Berry, taken for granted as implying top, and being found in names situated in bottoms, has been supposed by Kennett and Spelman, to imply tops and bottoms: but neither of these is implied in this word, further than as it means little top, little border, little stream, little bottom, &c.

The words Berry, Bury, Borow, Borough, and Burrow, are said to have originally meant hill; but how to account for this, as etymologists have been unacquainted with the roots of words, is unknown. Ber, Bor, and Bur, are then derived, in their roots, from A, a hill, or rising ground; pronounced Au, and changed to ar, er, and ur. These roots are from the Gaelic, and imply border, rising ground, or hill; and with B prefixed, the same as before mentioned of B and P: to these if we add the diminu. tive I, or Y, we have the word Berry, or Bury. Bor, or Bur, in Borow, Burrow, or Borough, is derived as before; but Ou, or Ow, is an augment, as in the

river named by the Romans Danou, which we usually write Danube; and the difference between our Berrys and Burrows, is, that the first are small hills, or hills with small tops; and the second are larger ones, or hills with large tops. These, of old, were fortified, or walled, were places of safety; were accounted castles and camps, from camps of old having been formed upon them; and, in process of time, all fortified, or wailed towns, from being places of safety, were named Boroughs. Lastly, boroughs being places of safety, the name was transferred from the places to the inhabitants, who became safeguards of each other; and bodies of ten families, who became such safeguards, were at length called boroughs. I have now. explained these terms.

the

Tripontium comes next in this route. It has been accounted a Romau name for three bridges. "But it is not to be imagined," says Dr. Stukeley, "that the Romans would make a bridge over this rill, or one so eminently large as to denominate the town." Tri then may be derived from Triath, and this from Aithe, or i, a hill, as mentioned be fore: Pont is an old Celtic name for point. Rugby is accounted this station by Horseley: it was formerly written Rocheberrie; but the distance of this place from Benonis is too great by the joint concurrence of Antoninus and Richard. Its name's too are neither of them a translation of Tripontium. Lilborn is also said, by various authors, to be the place; and here castles, trenches, pavements, &c. are still to be seen; distance here, indeed, is not so wide as at Rugby, but the present naine agrees not with Tripontium. Shaughwell, Showel, or Shovel, is likewise stated to have been this station, and this name might perhaps agree with Tripontium : but the distance here seems too little. At Cathorpe there are said to be remains; and this place, and Lilborn, might originally have been one territory: be this however as it may, we must now attend to Cathorpe only. In composition, roots of words for Land take many consonants as prefixes. As On. Land, therefore takes Din Don; so Or, bor. der or point, takes D in Appledore, and other names of places on borders. Moreover, Ham, border, has a P postfixed in Hamp-shire; in like manner, Dor, used as border or point, has a P postfixed in Dusseldorp: but Dorp, and Thorp, are the same; and each meant

originally

originally border, point, &c. I have now explained another unknown term. Cathorpe is on the Wathing Street, and lies at the proper distance from Benonis. Cau, or Cat, may imply a hill; and either may be synonymous with Tri, in Tripontium. Thorp has been proved to be a synonyme of Pont, the remainder of this term: Cauthorp, Catthorp, or Cathorp, may therefore be a translation of this station.

Lastly. Benonis implies The great Head, or The Head Land; and if Is be not a dative ending, this part of the word may come from dis, a hill, and imply fort, or camp. This land I suppose to be in the parish of Copston, which is a translation of Benon; for it also implies the Top or Head Land. Claychester refers to the exact place of the station, as lying on the cliff or side of the hill.

At the place where the fosse crosses the Watling Street, there is erected a handsome obelisk, with a Latin inscription, purporting among other things, that the Venones here kept their quarters. We are, Mr. Editor, amused by the inscriptions of Sulloniacis and Benones, from the mistakes of ancient terms; but in history and description, we have misconceptions without number, arising from the same cause: we need not erect pillars to perpetuate these. Benon, or Venon, being a name for Head Land, and this being one of the principal, if not the chief, in the middle of the kingdom, the name was given from its features. I have now, sir, cleared the way, in part, for shorter explanations; and at some future time will resume my labor. A. B.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Tof English literature, produced so HE Augustan age (as it is called)

many writers of eminence, that those of a second rank were thrown into the shade, and are now prized less than they deserve. I was led to this reflection by perusing the poems of Fenton, who was highly esteemed by Pope, who wrote his epitaph, in which he calls him "an honest man" of course, according to the same poet," the noblest work of God.”

The poet of whom I am writing, stands higher in my estimation than many who are better known, and oftener read; and as I have no reason to suppose that I differ much in taste from other admirers of poetry, I may justly conMONTHLY MAG. No. 197.

clude, that his beauties only require pointing out, to be duly appreciated;" this is my motive for these observations. Add to this, I feel myself bound by gra titude to an author who has given me so much pleasure, to attempt the rescue of his works from the neglect they have so unaccountably and undeservedly experienced.

Every one conversant with English poetry, knows the tameness and stupid. ity (so well ridiculed by Goldsmith in one of his Essays) which mark the compositions called Pastoral Elegies. Fenton's Florelio is an admirable exception; in beauty of imagery, richness of cotouring, and elegance of expression, it is far superior to any poem of the kind I ever read. His Epistles to Lambard and Southerne, possess that easy flow of chaste humour that should always distinguish productions of that description. I shall pass over Fenton's Tales, (only remarking that his "Widow's Will," and "Fair Nun," are equal to the "Hans Carvel," and "Paulo Purganti," of Prior, and his Tale in the manner of Chaucer, superior to that by Pope,) and proceed to notice his odes, which, though few, are excellent; particularly tia. 20 the Sun on New-year's Day, the opening stanza of which is equal in grandeur to the commencement of any poem in the world.

Begin, celestial source of light,

year.

I will

I will conclude with assuring any one, who may be induced by these remarks to read more accurately the mementos of departed genius that occasioned them, that if he has a true taste for poetry, he will find much, very much, in Fenton, to gratify it. R. C. F.

For the Monthly Magazine. On an ERRONEOUS NOTION respecting the ORIGIN of SPANISH MARINO SHELP; and on the FIORIN GRASS.

Na reference to my General Treatise on Cattle, pages 292, 423, and 429, I apprchend Mr. Rankin will be convinced of the total want of grounds for that report which has of late been circulated in the public prints, namely, that the Spanish fine-woolled sheep, now in such deservedly high request among us, originated in this country, and were imported by the Spaniards from our Cotteswold or Gloucestershire hills.

Mr. Rankin quotes, from John Stowe's Chronicle, the information that in 1464, king Edward permitted the export of certain Cotteswolde sheep to Spain; which the chronicler assigns as the reason for the Spanish staple of wool at Bruges, in Flanders, greatly exceeding our own. Dr. Campbell, in his Political Survey, I have no doubt, grounded his opinion, lately revived, on the paragraph in Stowe which Mr. Rankin has quoted; but I have really forgotten whether the doctor has given his authority.

Few historical facts stand better authenticated, than the existence of covered, erythræan, or fine-woolled sheep; and the use of fine wool, in Spain and Italy, during the time of the ancient Romans; on which the curious reader will find ample satisfaction in the pages of Columella. The keeping of travelling flocks of Merino, or Marino sheep, also bears much earlier date than the reign of our Edward, in the fifteenth century, as will appear by consulting the Spanish economical writers. That the Marino sheep (Marino, as originally reaching Spain by sea), are of Grecian, or rather Asiatic origin, will be easily credited on the authority of the ancient writers; and that this country first imported them from Spain some centuries since, is both credible in itself, and attested by foreign if not our native historians. The sheep in question are, like the southern horse, obviously the production of warmer climes, and radically unlike the species of northern Europe.

In the memoirs of the ei-devant Royal

Society of Agriculture at Rouen in Normandy, it is stated, that in the fifteenth century, our Edward IV. obtained a considerable flock of fine-woolled sheep from Spain, of the king of Castile, which was the original foundation of the excellence of our clothing-wool: that pro perly qualified persons were appointed to superintend the distribution and management of the Spanish sheep: that two ewes and a ram were sent to every parish in which the pasture was jud ed suitable to such stock; the care of them being entrusted to the most respectable yeomen, on whom particular privileges were, in consequence, conferred: written instructions for the management of these sheep, were also delivered to the shepherds; who were taught to select the finest native ewes for the Spanish cross, in order to the general improvement of our wool. Henry VIII. and queen Elizabeth are said also, on the same authority, to have paid great attention to this important object, in common with another-that of improving the breed of horses. Thus we see, after all this bustle of presumed novelty in the Spanish cross, we have been long since forestalled, nihil sub sole novum; and George III. has been patriotically treading in the footsteps of his predecessor, Edward IV.; whilst so many of our old shepherds have been afraid to venture upon a measure successfully and generally put in practice by their great, great, I know not how many times great, grandsires! What, my good notable, cautious, economical old friend! dare you not pace in that beaten track whence have proceeded your South Downs, your old Cotteswolds, and Rylands; and all that now native English fine wool, and fine mutton, to which you are so attached?

It is not at all a singular or strange coincidence, that Edward should at the same time import Spanish sheep, and accommodate his good friends of that country with a few English. MarkStowe's Chronicle speaks only of a licence to export certein Cotteswolde sheep,' implying probably a small number, whereas the import from Spain appears to have been considerable, might have been practised before the fifteenth cen. tury, and in all probability really was long afterwards.

I have been thus far speaking of facts: now for a conjecture; an uncertain however, and speculative commodity, in which I do not generally affect to deal. The king of Castile having accommo

dated