: with indifference, as it is supposed to have afforded a frequent retreat for convivial relaxation to the great native of the county. The village of Cleve is not more than one mile distant from Bidford and in the neighbourhood of this village the river, though broad, is only four feet in depth. It shortly after leaves the county. While making this progress through Warwickshire the Avon receives the aid of several minor streams, among which the Dove, the Leam, the Stour, and the Alne, are the more important. Its course is easy and gentle. Its borders, though sometimes flat and melancholy, are, as we have shewn, in many places highly picturesque. Mr. Ireland* mentions, as a curious habit of this river, the circumstance of it occasionally freezing first at bottom. He principally forms his opinion on the information conveyed by a miller in the neighbourhood of Rugby. By this person he was told that "the icy particles do not in every frost arise from the bottom of the river, but only in one particular kind of frost, which the miller denominates the "Anchor Frost." The aged informant of Mr. Ireland is now dead; but, from enquiries in the neighbourhood of his former residence, we found that the phenomenon is stated to occur only in seasons of extreme severity, and under the influence of particular winds. In the account of Oxfordshire, forming a part of this work, we have shewn that the River Thames possesses this curious habit; and we believe that among English rivers the habit is peculiar to the Thames. It is not contended that the Avon possesses the custom in any other place than the vicinity of Rugby; and there, perhaps, the appearance is merely occasioned by some particularity in the formation of the flood-gates. The Avon was made navigable for vessels of about forty tons burthen, from Stratford to its conflux with the Severn at Tewksbury, in 1637; but the numerous canals which have been formed have much diminished its traffic. Concerning the course of the minor rivers, the rhymes of DrayVOL. XV. с In bis Picturesque Views on the Avon, p. 63. ton ton (himself a native of the far-spread Arden of this county,) may suffice. In the Polyolbion he tells How Arden of her rills and riverets doth dispose; By Alcester how Aln to Arro eas'ly flows; So little Cole and Blyth go on with him to Trent. His Tamworth at the last he in his way doth win; The chief medicinal Springs are those of Leamington and Newnham-Regis. The former are found so efficacious in many chronic disorders, in diseases of the skin, and visceral obstructions, that the village in which they rise is rapidly augmenting in buildings of a costly and ornamental character. The latter is a weak chalybeate, aud a bath formed from its waters was once of great renown for the cure of scorbutic complaints; but it is now resorted to only by a few. Considerable sheets of water, or mimic-lakes, have been formed for ornament in the adjacency of various mansions; but the Canals of the county are the great objects of consideration while treating of artificial water. Warwickshire is conspicuous for commercial enterprise, and for the spirit with which manufactures are cultivated. It will necessarily be supposed that a people so industrious and intelligent have been active in profiting by the great medium of canal conveyance. No county, indeed, can boast of more numerous facilities of this description; and some diversions from original channels are yet projected, which a more propitious era may lead to perfection. The Grand Junction Canal, which commences in the River Thames, near the extremity of the Tideway at Brentford Creek, and terminates in the Oxford Canal at Braunston, has for its chief object a communication between the metropolis and the various various canals of the midland districts, and is evidently of the highest importance to the water-traffic of this county. The Birmingham Old Canal has its commencement in the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, at Aldersley near Wol verhampton, and terminates in the Birmingham and Fazely Canal, near the town of Birmingham. By this channel coals are conveyed from the numerous 'mines near its banks, and the manufactured goods of Birmingham are forwarded to Liverpool and Manchester. Near Farmer's Bridge it connects with the Worcester and Birmingham; at Tipton-Green with the Dudley; and near Wolverhampton with the Wyrley and Essington Canal. The Birmingham and Fazely Canal has for its great objects the conveyance of the Birmingham mannfactures towards London or Hull, and the supply of grain and other articles to Birming ham and its vicinity. It commences in a detached part of the Coventry Canal, at Whittington Brook, and terminates in the Old Birmingham Canal at Farmer's Bridge, Birmingham. The Warwick and Birmingham Canol commences in that termed the Warwick and Napton, in Budbrook parish, near Warwick; and ends in the Digbeth Cut of the Birmingham and Fazely, at Digbeth. It assists in forming part of the most direct water communication between Birmingham and London, and supplies the town of Warwick with coals. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal is found of great atility, though it met with much opposition in various stages of its progress.* Its objects are the export of coals, and a more direct 'communication between Birmingham and the river Severn. It commences in the Severn river at Diglis, hear Wor• C 2 cester; * Mr. John Smeaton was one of the engineers employed; and the fatigue and anxiety produced by the cavils of opposing interests are supposed to have assisted in shortening his useful life. For many particulars connected with Cauals in general, we beg to refer the reader to the work of Mr. Phillips on Inland Navigation, and to the very judicious historical essay by Mr. Farey, under the head "Canal," in Dr. Rees's Cyclopædia. cester; and proceeds to the junction of the Old Birmingham, and the Birmingham and Fazely Canals, at Farmer's Bridge. ·The Coventry Canal is of much importance in aiding the line of communication between London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, &c. Many coals are exported from the mines in the vicinity of its banks, and from these the city of Coventry réceives its principal supplies. It commences in the Birmingham aud Fazely Canal, at Fazely, and terminates in the Oxford Canal at Longford. A detached part, of five miles and a half in length, begins at the termination of the Birmingham and Fazely at Whittington Brook, and ends in the Trent and Mersey Canal at Fradley Heath. There is, also, a Cut, of about one mile in length, to the Griff collieries; and another, of different branches, to the collieries near Sees-wood Pool, and Bedworth. The branch conducting from Longford to Coventry is four miles and three quar ters in length. James Brindley was the original engineer to this concern. The Warwick and Napton Canal commences in the Warwick aud Birmingham, and terminates in the Oxford Canal, at Napton-on-the-Hill. The Stratford Canal commences in the Worcester and Birmingham, at King's Norton; and it is intended that it shall terminate in, or near, the river Avon at Stratford; but the works are not yet completed farther than the vicinity of Wootton, though the summit-level from its commencement to HockleyHeath was finished and opened in May, 1796, Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal proceeds through parts of the Counties of Warwick, Leicester, and Derby. It commences in the Coventry Canal at Marston Bridge, near Nuneaton, and the traffic terminates by a railway of nearly three and a half miles in length, at Ticknal lime-works. "The first 30 miles of this canal," writes Mr. Farey," are level, and form, with parts of the Coventry and Oxford Canals, a level of seventythree miles in length; being, without the branches, the longest iu in the united kingdoms; and rendered more singular by being on so high a level as to cross the grand ridge without a tunnel.” While so much liberality has been evinced in the extension and improvement of water-conveyance, the chief Roads of the county have been far from experiencing neglect. The materials principally used are limestone and gravel; and with these the high turnpike-ways are kept in good repair. This is a circumstance of public accommodation peremptorily required by the manufacturing interest; but, where the agriculturists are left to their own exertions, we return to such rough and homely channels as were tediously trodden by the unambitious tenantry of past centuries. The cross-country roads are, indeed, treated with too little attention in nearly every part of the county. The Minerals and Fossils of Warwickshire are coal, limestone, freestone, ironstone, bluc flagstone, marl, and blue clay. The best Coal in the county is that found at Bedworth. The Seam at this place is from three to four feet in thickness. The coal sells at the pit for 11s. 8d. and 12s. per ton. At Chilvers Coton, Nuneaton Common, Hunt's-Hall, Oldbury, and Griff-hollow, considerable quantities are also found. Limestone abounds in many parts, and " is sold in shells, at the kiln, from 2s. 6d. to 3s. per quarter, or 43s. to 45s. per waggon load."* Freestone Rock is found in most divisions where the soil is a light sand; and considerable quarries of Blue Flagstone (used for paving and flooring,) are wrought in the vicinity of Bidford and Wilnecote. The west part of the county is prolific of Marl of a good quality; and Blue Clay, which it was once fallaciously thought might be made to answer the purposes of soap, abounds in the eastern districts. A vein of ironstone was formerly wrought in the neighbourhood of Oldbury. Manufactures of various descriptions are cultivated to a considerable extent. The manufactory of hardware goods at Birmingham has obtained for that town the appellation of “the C 3 Toyshop Agri. Sur. p. 20, |