that it was a station of the town-building, road-making, worldconquering Romans, who have left their impress in so many parts of Old England. Prior to, and for a short time after, the Norman Conquest, it was called Monkchester, from the number of monks who sought the protection of its deserted walls, and established themselves within them. This class of religious devotees was very numerous in ancient Northumberland-the country north of the Humber-in the times of our early Saxon kings, and had extensive establishments in more than one locality. Hence we not only read of Monkchester, but also of Monkwearmouth, situated at the north side of the entrance to the Wear. The deserted station was not only honoured by the monkish tribes; it was, also, visited by numerous bands of pilgrims who came to pay their devotions at the Holy Well of Jesus' Mount, now called Jesmond, and about a mile north-east of the present town, one of the principal thoroughfares of which is designated Pilgrim Street. Near the end of the eleventh century, a fortress was erected in it by Robert, eldest son of William the Conqueror, from which it was called Newcastle; ultimately it was named Newcastle-on-Tyne, to distinguish it from another town of the same name. Robert's structure, which did not last long, was followed by others built of more durable materials, and which successively proved dangerous appendages to the ancient town,-dangerous not only to assailants, but also to its inhabitants; as their possession became a matter of great importance to the contending parties in many of the civil conflicts by which England was afflicted previous to the settlement of 1689. In the contest between Charles I. and the Parliament, Newcastle zealously supported the King, and during the rebellions of 1715 and 1745-6 it adhered steadily to the house of Hanover. As in England the "numbering of the people" is a modern innovation, we have no means of ascertaining with exactness what the population of Newcastle was in the olden times; but certain facts have come down to us, which shew that it must have been considerable, and its commerce not unimportant. In 1346, Newcastle sent seventeen ships, manned by three hundred and fourteen mariners, to assist at the seige of Calais; in 1636, more than 5,000 of its inhabitants were swept off by the plague; and that must have been "no mean city," which at the times referred to, could furnish so much food for the demons Pestilence and War. More recently, the immense development of the coal and shipbuilding trades has greatly increased the population. In 1861, the municipal Borough of Newcastle-on-Tyne contained 109,108 inhabitants, being an increase of 21,324 on the census returns of 1851. These figures do not include Gateshead, situated on the south side of the river Tyne, and which may be regarded as an extension of Newcastle; the aggregate population of the two Boroughs is 142,695. Built on the Tyne, a river navigable as far as the bridge for seaborne vessels of four hundred tons burthen, and in the immediate vicinity of the great northern coal-field, Newcastle has long been the most important commercial town in the north of England. According to a return presented to the House of Commons, in April, 1863, Newcastle exported, coastwise and foreign, no less than 4,073,425 tons of coals, in addition to many tons daily despatched southward by rail. "Sending coals to Newcastle," as our readers know, is a proverbial expression for giving to a man that of which he already has abundance; the above facts shew that it is not without point. Many of the inhabitants are employed in bringing the coals down the river in keels-broad flat-bottomed boats with considerable stowage. Newcastle was long famous for its wooden-ship building yards; here, however, as in other places, wood is giving place to iron. Most pertinaciously did the shipbuilders of our northern ports contend for the superiority of wood, especially for large vessels; but prejudice was obliged to give way before science and experience. "In 1862, at Sunderland, one hundred and thirtyeight wooden ships, equal in the aggregate to 43,629 tons, and during the same period only twenty-two of iron, of 13,292 tons, were launched, the latter, therefore, averaging a tonnage of six hundred and four each. During the same year, the iron vessels finished in the Tyne were equal to 21,000 tons." Since then, this branch of industry has considerably extended in both these ports, and the Clyde ship-builders, who had stolen a march on them, will have to look well after their business, or they will again be left behind. Coke, rope, chain-cables, glass bottles, pressed flint glass, earthenware, soda, bleaching powder, and other chemical substances, are abundantly produced in Newcastle, and constitute some of the chief sources of its wealth. That its citizens have been tolerably successful in acquiring the precious metals, must be evident to any stranger passing through its magnificent streets, and by its elegant suburban villas. But they have not had a monopoly of our northern commerce; Shields and Sunderland have become powerful rivals. The accommodation provided in the splendid docks of the latter, for vessels of large tonnage, has given it great advantages. Newcastle, reasonably and justly concerned for its commercial pre-eminence, is now deepening its river and providing capacious docks; but its neighbours along the coast, north and south, need not fear the result; there is trade enough for them all. It is no libel on the town to intimate that, like those of most old sea-ports, its more ancient streets are neither unnecessarily broad, nor fastidiously clean; but, during the present century, immense improvements-sanitary, architectural, and otherwisehave been effected in it. Mr. Grainger, a native of Newcastle, and a "self-made" architect, who died the 4th of July, 1861, aged sixty-one years, devoted his talents and fortune, with untiring assiduity, to its embellishment, and has left a name which its inhabitants "will not willingly let die." If he could not say of Newcastle, as Augustus said of Rome, that "he found it brick and left it marble," he might have boasted that he found it with few pretensions to architectural beauty, and left it the Athens of the North. Grey Street and Grainger Street, built of stone, are splendid monuments of his genius, and have few rivals in the British Empire. Near the top of Grey Street there is a monument to Earl Grey, a Northumbrian, well known as the Prime Minister under whose auspices the Reform Bill became law; the statue on the top is by Bailey, and is said to be an admirable likeness of the original. As this article is not intended to answer the purposes of a hand-book, we refrain from specifying the various institutions and buildings which are worthy of inspection; we, however cannot help remarking, that the New Market, and the Central Exchange and Lambton's Bank, in Grey Street, will amply repay inspection. Nor should any visitor neglect to take his stand in front of the Telegraph Office, at the corner of Queen's Buildings, from which there is a fine view of the Quay, and the two bridges which span the river. Those who desire to breathe the pure sea air cannot do better than visit Tynemouth, a few miles from Newcastle, at the mouth of the river. There the antiquarian may feast-mentally, of course-on the beautiful ruins of the Priory Church; and the admirers of nature may gaze upon the far-stretching and majestic German Oceanthat chjet of our boyish idolatry, the memory of which has been dear to us in all the wanderings of our after-life-until their souls are prostrate in awe before the Infinite One, who has placed "the land for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it," and who is "mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea." "And I have loved thee Ocean! and my joy And laid my hand upon thy mane—as I do here." Oh, who can look on that "glorious mirror, where the Almighty's form glasses itself in tempest," without exclaiming with Byron, in one of his most exalted moods, "Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean-roll!" The vicinity of Newcastle has many other interesting spots, which our limited space permits us not to mention, but with which the "canny" citizens, who have invited the representatives to sojourn with them, will, doubtless make their guests familiar. Shields, Sunderland, and Monkmearmouth, which will share with them the honour of entertaining the Assembly, are all important towns, and have attractions which will render a few days' sojourn in them far from tedious. Notwithstanding the sanctity conferred on Newcastle, then Monkchester, by the hosts of monks who made it their home in Saxon times, and the visits of the pilgrims who sought to ensure heaven by visiting the holy well of which it was a near neighbour, it shared largely, in subsequent centuries, the depravation of manners which, save during the time of the Commonwealth, prevailed throughout England. In Newcastle and its neighbourhood early Methodism achieved some of its most glorious successes, and in few parts of the country were they more needed. John Wesley's account of his first visit to the locality, strikingly evinces the moral degradation of its population, and his own quenchless zeal in the cause of Christ. Under date May 30th, 1742, he thus records, in his Journal, what he then saw and did : "At seven I walked down to Sandgate, the poorest and most contemptible part of the town; and standing at the end of the street with John Taylor, began to sing the Hundredth Psalm. Three or four people came out to see what was the matter; who soon increased to four or five hundred. I suppose there might be twelve or fifteen hundred before I had done preaching; to whom I applied these solemn words: 'He was wounded for our transgression, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed.' Observing the people when I had done, to stand gaping and staring upon me with the most profound astonishment, I told them, If you desire to know who I am, my name is John Wesley. At five in the evening, with God's help, I design to preach here again.' "At five, the hill on which I designed to preach, was covered, from the top to the bottom. I never saw so large a number of people together, either in Moorfields or Kennington Common. I knew it was not possible for the one half to hear, although my voice was then strong and clear; and I stood so as to have them alĺ in view, as they were ranged on the side of the hill. The word of God which I set before them was, 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.' After preaching, the poor people were ready to tread me under foot, out of pure love and kindness. It was some time before I could possibly get out of the press. I then went back another way than I came; but several were got to our inn before me; by whom I was vehemently importuned to stay with them; at least, a few days; or however, one day more. But I would not consent, having given my word to be at Birstal, with God's help, on Tuesday night." CANNY, a Scotch word, naturalized in the North of England, where it is used to denote good-nature, hospitality, and sundry other virtues; we believe that our Southern friends have no eqivalent for this "canny" word which we commend to them for their adoption. Had Mr. Wesley been favoured with our means of locomotion, he might have stayed "one day more," and yet have been at Birstal "on Tuesday night." At Newcastle he had found a people prepared of the Lord; he soon visited the town again; a Society was formed, and Methodism took firm hold of its popula tion and that of the surrounding country. It is somewhat remarkable that, notwithstanding the independent, liberty-loving character of the people, the Wesleyan Societies in and about Newcastle were, until recently, devoted adherents of Conferencism. Even the agitation of 1834-5 told but little upon them. A few noble-minded men and women, indeed, then connected themselves with the Wesleyan Association, and erected a spacious Chapel in Gibson-street; but the Church was short-lived. Admiring the talents of the Rev. Joseph Forsyth, they chose him for their minister, and ceased to belong to the Connexion; but, like many others, they found that Methodism and pure Independency are incompatible; for the cause languished and ultimately became extinct. The expulsion, however, of Messrs. Everett, Dunn, and Griffiths, and the investigations to which it led, produced an effect in Newcastle which astonished the Wesleyan rulers. The spark had fallen on the long-slumbering elements, and the explosion was felt throughout the Methodistic world. The usual process of petition, remonstrance, and expulsion was gone through; and an extensive Reform Circuit was formed by the expelled, and those who sympathised with them, which in 1857 became part of the Amalgamated Body. The Newcastle Circuit-exclusive of Gateshead and its neighbourhood, which at that time belonged to it, but have since been formed into a separate Circuit-had, at the last Assembly, These statistics represent an amount of moral influence which, rightly applied, cannot fail to be productive of the happiest results. With excellent chapel accommodation, and surrounded by a large and growing population, we trust that the Churches have before them a future of great prosperity. In anticipation of the approaching Assembly, the represen tative principle, so dear to the United Churches, will soon again be practically illustrated, and we doubt not that, as on former occasions, it will bring together, for the transaction of Connexional business, a goodly number of intelligent, God-fearing men who, by their deliberations and decisions, will justify the confidence reposed |