The credulity of Herodotus, mentioned by V. F. F., is less the fault of the man than of the age in which he lived; and his diligent investigation of all interesting subjects more than counterbalances this failing. Besides I think it is now generally admitted that he has encountered more reprehension on this ground than he really deserved; for in numberless instances his relations rest upon authority to which he ascribes no character of fidelity; and he frequently, from the manner in which he guards his mention of extraordinary circumstances, hints his own hesitation of belief. The simple elegance of the style of Herodotus would, perhaps, have been considered the only just model for historical composition, had not Thucydides, in emulation of the successful historian, and scorning a servile imitation of his writings, brought out by laborious study a work as perfect in its kind as that which seemed produced without an effort by his rival. I see nothing in the pages of modern historians that at all approaches the excellence of these two writers. Xenophon, among the Greeks, and Livy, Sallust, and Tacitus, though ranking after them, are perhaps all entitled to a post higher than any historian of later ages has attained. In fact, though I imagine that England has been more successful than any modern nation in this branch of literature, we must look forward to the period when modern letters will vie with the ancients in the inspirations of the historic muse. Of English histories, Gibbon's, though it has many faults, (all of which contrasted with his merits are admiraby reviewed in Parson's preface to his Letters to Travis,) is the best of which we can boast. No man will defend the "mystical reveries" of Plato: but in addition to a style of writing always called divine, the close reasoning of his dialogue may be of as much advantage in improving the powers of argument, as the Elements of Euclid, which are now very much read for that purpose only. I am most ready to allow the force of the arguments which V. F. F. has so forcibly urged from the prejudices of early education, and from the dearth of literary excellence for some time after the restoration of letters. These causes have, no doubt, in many instances produced that excessive admiration for all that is Greek or Roman which has not yet died away entirely; but I think no great stress is to be laid upon the effect produced by disappointments in the reception given by the world to those who overrate their own consequence. Another argument used against the claims of the ancients is rather amusing. The "permanence of the complaint" of the superiority of the ancients, is given as a reason for its groundlessness, because if the complaint be justly founded, mankind must now be in a worse state than ever--that is, supposing each age to complain of its inferiority to the preceding. But this is not a fair view of the argument, which is, that modern times (taken as one period) must yield, in some points, (for that is all that is contended for,) to those of antiquity, and then the "permanence of the complaint" may be urged in favour of its justice, because the fond admirers of antiquity must have always met with opposition from those who, in various ways, had escaped the infection of enthusiasm, and thus the claims must have been frequently considered. It should be remembered that all writers who could avail themselves of ancient authors, have gladly put their own thoughts in the form of quotations, thus, even where their own vanity is concerned, yielding the palm to those writers whom they felt obliged to allow could express their thoughts in the 26 Latitudes and Longitudes of Towns in Nottinghamshire. best language. This, together with the recollection that the last century has produced the greater number of those moderns, who are able to contest the claims of the ancients to superior acquirements, will explain, without condemning to ridicule, the opinions of those who have looked back with reverence to the early instructors of the human race. Yours, &c. THE LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES, POPULATION, &c. OF ALL THE MARKET-TOWNS IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. [By JOHN BAINES, jun.] Southwell Thurgarton 53 5 0 58 624 2910 466 1143 Tuxford Nottinghamshire is included between the latitudes of 52° 48′ and 53° 32'N. and the longitudes of 0° 46′ and 1° 22′W. Its circumference is 135 miles, and if a line be drawn through the middle of it, passing through West Retford, and Southwell, it will be found to be 46 miles; and if the breadth be taken at eight equidistant places, viz. between Bunny and Bradmore, at Nottingham, Annesley, Mansfield, Tuxford, on the South of Retford, at Everton, and on the northern side of Bawtry, they will be found to be 12, 18, 23, 23, 201⁄2 16, 121, and 11⁄2 miles; hence the area by the method of equi-distant ordinates (vide Nesbit's Mensuration, page 73), is 775 square miles, equal to 496270 acres, agreeing surprisingly near with former calculations. This county contains 29355 houses, inhabited by 35784 families, in which are 162896 persons, of which 79053 are males, and 83843 females. ACCOUNT OF THE SIEGE OF THE ISLE OF ELY. ༠༠༠༠༠༠�༧་༥༠༠༠༠༠༠ To the Editors of the Northern Star. AS Dugdale's History of Imbanking and Draining is now become a scarce book, the following extract from it, which gives an account of the siege of the Isle of Ely, in Lincolnshire, by William the Conqueror, and which is very descriptive of the manners of our ancestors, may, perhaps, be new to a majority of your readers. Should it consist with the plan of your work, its insertion will oblige, yours, respectfully, F.V. AFTER that William Duke of Normandy, invading this realm with a puissant army, (in the year 1066,) had subdued the forces of King Harold in open battle, wherein that king lost his life, Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, whom the Conqueror affected not, fled into the Isle of Ely for safety: so likewise did Egfrid, then Abbot of St. Albans, with the reliques of that saint, and treasure of his church; as also Edwine and Morkere, two great and potent earls of this nation, with Egelwine, Bishop of Durham, besides many thousands of the clergy and laity. And understanding that Hereward Lord of Brunne in Lincolnshire, a younger son to the famous Leofrike, Earl of Mercia, being a person much renowned for his valour and military skill (for at the age of eighteen years, being banished the land by King Eď. .ward the Confessor, for his extraordinary dissoluteness towards his parents and others, he went into Flanders and other foreign parts, where he gained most high repute of his prowess and noble exploits) was returned from beyond sea, they forthwith sent for him, desiring that he would repair thither with all his power, and join with them in the defence of their native country, and redeeming their just liberties; and in particular they importuned him, in behalf of Thurstane, then abbot of that place, and his monks, whose the said island wholly was, and on whose behalf the same was then fortified against the king, that he would make no delay, because the said king, brought in a foreign monk out of France, to obtrude upon them as abbot there; and that he purposed to do the like in all other churches throughout England. To which request of theirs he willingly condescended, and forthwith began his journey towards them accordingly: whereof the Earl Warren having notice, whose brother, long before, Hereward had killed, he laid ambushes for him on the outside of the fens belonging to this isle, and kept guards: about the waters near to the land, hoping to take him cunningly without any slaughter of his own men; but Hereward being aware thereof, as also that some of those guards had encountered with part of his soldiers, and pursued them, he came in to their aid; and by taking some of them, discovering that the said Earl had set these ambushes for him, and likewise that he was on the morrow to be at Poherhed, he hastened thither with his ships, and placing some armed soldiers near the bank of the river, went himself with three horsemen and four archers, well armed, unto the mouth thereof; where the Earl himself with his men was then also come to the other side; and seeing them, sent some of his party nearer; who enquiring whether they belonged to Hereward, and finding that they did, endeavoured to persuade them to forsake him; but prevailing not, they returned to the Earl, and told him that Hereward himself was on the other side of the water. Whereupon the said Earl animated his soldiers to swim over with him presently, and revenge his brother's death: but they told him, that it was not possible so to do, saying, that his coming thither was purposely thus to delude them: whereupon the Earl sighing, said to them on the other side of the water, “Oh that I had that devilish fellow (your master) here! I would certainly torment him to death." To which words of his, Hereward replied, "If we should happen to be so fortunate as to meet alone in any fit place, you would not wish me in your feeble hands, nor like well of my company :" and having so said, stooping a little, he bent his bow, and letting fly an arrow hit the Earl on the breast, but his coat of mail would not suffer it to enter; never theless it came with such a force, that it struck him off his horse, so that his servants took him up for dead in their arms. In the meanwhile Hereward went away, and came with his company into the isle the same day, where he was received with great honour by the Abbot and his Monks; as also by those noble persons that were there, viz. Edwine, Earl of Leicester, and Morkere, his brother, Earl of Warwick, and other eminent men of the country, who, having been much oppressed by the said Conqueror, fled thither. Whereof the King hearing, and being much enraged thereat, he resolved to get the isle by assault; and to that end caused a rendezvous of his whole army at Alrehede (near which place there is a military rampire yet to be seen), where the fen was four furlongs in breadth; and having brought wood, stone, and faggots of all kinds, with a multitude of trees and great pieces of timber, fastened them together underneath with cow hides; and to the end that they might the better pass over them, they stript off the skins of beasts, and filled them with wind like bladders; which being done, there were so many that pressed on to get over, being greedy of the gold and silver, whereof they supposed store to be in the isle, that they that went foremost were drowned, with their bridge, and those in the midst became swallowed up in the depth of the fen: but of those that were hindmost, a few, throwing away their weapons, made a shift by the mud to escape : nevertheless, multitudes perished in this adventure, whose bodies were long after found, putrified in their harness, and dragged out from the bottom of the water, but only one man (whose name was Beda) getting into the isle. The King therefore, beholding this lamentable disaster, and much griev, ing thereat, departed thence with those few which he had left, without any hope to conquer it, placing guards of soldiers about it, to prevent those within from wasting the country. In the mean time the said Beda, being taken, and brought before the chief persons that were in the isle, and asked why he so boldly adventured himself, told them, that the King did promise, that whosoever did first enter, and do some notable exploit there, to the danger of those that defended it, let him ask what he would of any man's therein, and he should obtain it: which when they heard, they commended his valour, and kept him there with them for certain days, using him with great respect. Having therefore had this experience of their civilities, and observed how secure the place was, by reason of the fortifications there made, as also the number and valour of the soldiers therein; he professed, that as he had often heard them reputed to be persons more expert in war than others, he now found it to be true, and faithfully promised them, upon liberty to go back to the King's camp, that he would there relate as much; which he accordingly did, all being joyful to see him safe returned, even the King himself, for he was one of his most eminent soldiers: unto whom he related the strength of the isle, and his own adventure; and that those earls before mentioned were there, with two noblemen, viz. Orgar and Thirchitell, surnamed Childe; but extolled Hereward not only beyond them all, comparing him with the most famous knights which he had seen through France, the whole Roman empire, or Constantinople. At which story the Earl Warren took no small offence, not enduring to hear such a commendation of him that had slain his brother, (as hath been observed;) and suggested to the king, that the relator was bribed to make so partial a report. But the King going on in making more enquiry of his particular observations there, had this farther account from him; That the monks of this place, fearing to be subject to a foreigner, in regard the King had designed to bring over such out of France, to be chief in all monasteries and churches of England, did entertain those persons there for their defence; and thereupon fortified the said isle; affirming, that they were much more willing to live by the labour of their hands, than to be reduced to such a servitude. And that the same isle was not then at all burthened by those forces: "For (quoth he), they matter not the siege; the husbandman not neglecting his plough, nor the hunter his sports; neither doth the fowler cease from his employment:" concluding, that they were securely defended by their own soldiery. "Nay, I shall tell you more, saith he, "both what I know and saw. This isle is extraordinary fruitful in all sorts of grass, there being no place in England that hath a more fertile turf. Moreover, it is compassed about with huge waters and fens, as it were with a strong wall; and aboundeth not only with domestic cattle, but with a multitude of wild beasts, viz. harts, does, goats, and hares, both in the woods and near the fens; as also ermines, weasels, pole-cats, and the like vermin, which are taken with traps and other engines in the winter-time. And of fish and fowl which there breed, what shall I say? At the flood-gates upon the skirts of those waters, what a vast company of eels do they take in nets! as also mighty pikes and pickerells, perch, roach, and sometimes greater and royal fishes. Of birds likewise there be innumerable: so also of geese, bitterns, sea-fowl, water-crows, herons, and ducks, abundance; especially in the winter-season, or when they moult their feathers, whereof I have seen three hundred taken at one time." Adding, that every day whilst he stayed with them, the fashion of their sitting at dinner and supper in the common hall, was a knight and a monk ; and at the upper table the abbot himself, with the said earls, as also Hereward and Turkill before specified. Likewise, that above the head of each knight and monk hung a target and lance upon the wall; and in the midst of the room, upon forms, lay coats of mail and helmets, with other arms; that, when any occasion should be, the monks always, as well as the soldiers, might be ready to go to fight, whom he found to be most expert men at their weapons; and moreover, magnified their plenty of all things there, that he said he thought it much better and more safe for the King to come to peaceable terms with them, than to adventure to assail them by force, and to miscarry in the attempt. Which speech of his being thus ended, there stept out one of those soldiers that the King had employed to keep the fort made at Reche, in order to the siege of this isle; who being but newly returned from thence, having heard this relation of the before-mentioned Beda, said, "Do you think this to be a vain report, and not to be believed? I assure you, that yesterday I myself saw a party of the enemy make a sally out of the isle, whereof but seven of them were armed, and all monks except two, who behaved themselves in every point like soldiers, and fired the town of Burwell, doing much mischief otherwise: which when our men saw, ten of them issued out of the fort, with a purpose to take them in their return, because they were fewer in number; but in the skirmish they slew all our men, except one, a stout soldier, whose name was Richard, and nephew to Osbert the shireeve, with |