The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Morning's Walk from London to Kew
Title: A Morning's Walk from London to Kew
Author: Sir R. Phillips
Release date: February 11, 2010 [eBook #31253]
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
A
MORNING’S WALK
FROM
LONDON
TO
KEW.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY J. ADLARD, 23, BARTHOLOMEW-CLOSE;
SOLD BY JOHN SOUTER, 1, PATERNOSTER-ROW;
AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1817.
PREFACE.
The Author of the following Observations, made during A MORNING’S WALK, will doubtless be allowed to possess but a moderate degree of literary ambition. He has not qualified himself, by foreign travels, to transport his readers above the clouds, on the Andes, the Alps, or the Apennines; to alarm them by descriptions of Earthquakes, or Eruptions; or to astonish them by accounts of tremendous Chasms, Caverns, and Cataracts: but he has restricted his researches to subjects of home scenery, which thousands can daily examine after him; and consequently has not enjoyed that latitude of fancy, or been able to exercise any of those rare powers of hearing and seeing, by means of which travellers into distant regions are enabled to stimulate curiosity and monopolize fame.
The class of readers who seek for sources of pleasure beyond the ordinary course of nature, will therefore feel disappointment in attempting to follow a pedestrian tourist through a route so destitute of wonders. Nor will this feeling, it is to be feared, be confined to searchers after supernatural phenomena in regard to the facts which appertain to such a work. In the sentiments which accompany his narrations, it will be found that the Author, accustomed to think for himself, admits no standards of truth superior to the evidence of the senses and the deductions of reason; consequently, that his conclusions on many important topics are at variance with existing practices, whenever it appears they have no better foundation than the continuity of prejudices and the arbitrary laws of custom. He therefore entertains very serious doubts whether his work will be acceptable to those learned Professors in Universities, who teach no doctrines or opinions but those of their predecessors; or whether it will suit Students, whose advancement depends on their submission to the dogmata of such superiors. He questions whether it will ever be quoted as an authority by Statesmen who consider the will of princes as standards of wisdom;—by Legislators who barter away their votes, and decide on the presumed integrity of ministers and leaders;—by Politicians who banish the moral feelings from their practices;—or by Economists who do not consider individual happiness as the primary object of their calculations. Nor is he more sanguine that his work will prove agreeable to those Natural Philosophers who account for phenomena by the operation of virtues or influences which have no mechanical contact;—or to those Metaphysicians who conceive that truth can be exhibited only in the sophistical subtleties of the schools displayed in the mazy labyrinths of folios and quartos;—or to those Theologians who maintain that the obligations of reason and morality are superseded by those of Faith. While, in regard to those Topographers and Antiquaries whose studies are bounded by dates of erection, catalogues of occupants, and copies of tomb-stones;—to those Naturalists who receive delight from enumerations of Linnæan names of herbs, shrubs, and trees, and from Wernerian descriptions of rocks;—to those Bibliomaniacs who value a book in the inverse ratio of the information it contains;—and to those learned Philologists who see no beauties in modern tongues, and affect to find (but without anticipating any of them,) all modern discoveries of Natural Philosophy in Homer, and all improvements of mental Philosophy in the mysteries of Plato—the author deeply laments his utter inability to accommodate either his taste, his feelings, or his conclusions.
In regard to the spirit, tone, and character of the author’s opinions, they have necessarily emanated from the state of knowledge, in an era when, at the termination of four centuries after the adoption of Printing, mankind have achieved four great objects; (1,) in the REVIVAL of Literature, and REGENERATION of Philosophy; (2,) in the EMANCIPATION of Christendom from the systematic thraldom of Popery; (3,) in the assertion of THE RIGHTS OF MAN, against overwhelming usurpations; and (4,) in the establishment of A SPIRIT OF FREE ENQUIRY, which constitutes the vivifying energy of the age in which we live, and promises the most important results in regard to the future condition and happiness of the human race.
The accomplishment of these circumstances has generated, in all countries, a numerous class of readers, among whom are many Professors, Philosophers, Statesmen, Politicians, Theologians, Antiquaries, Naturalists, and eminent Scholars; besides Amateurs of general Literature, with whose taste, feelings, and principles, the Author of this volume is anxious to identify his own, and whose favourable opinion he is ambitious to enjoy;—these are the free and honest searchers after MORAL, POLITICAL, and NATURAL TRUTH,—the votaries of COMMON SENSE,—the patients of their NATURAL SENSIBILITIES,—all, who are neither TOO OLD, TOO POWERFUL, nor TOO WISE,—and, finally, all those WHO PASS THEIR LIVES IN SEARCH OF HAPPINESS, and who are not unwilling to be pleased, in whatsoever form, or by whomsoever the attempt may be made:
TO SUCH ESTIMABLE PERSONS, IN ALL COUNTRIES, AND IN ALL SITUATIONS, THE AUTHOR RESPECTFULLY DEDICATES THIS VOLUME.
Holloway, Middlesex;
February 8, 1817.
CONTENTS.
- St. James’s Park 2
- Pimlico 18
- Chelsea 21
- Battersea 40
- Wandsworth 63
- Phenomena of Rivers 63
- Distilleries and Drunkenness 64
- Haunted House 66
- Causes of Superstition 68
- Population of Villages 74
- Iron-Rail Roads 75
- Borough of Garrat 77
- Garrat Elections 78
- Value of Popular Elections 82
- An Oil Mill 84
- An Iron Foundry 86
- Inutility of Machinery 88
- Demon of War 89
- A Country Assembly 90
- Vice of Balloting 93
- Plan for rendering Society social 96
- Characteristics of Novels 98
- —— Villages round London 100
- Condition of Poverty 102
- Poverty and Wealth contrasted 103
- Inadequate Remuneration of Labour 105
- Visit to Wandsworth Workhouse 107
- Philosophy of Roads 120
- Cruelty to Horses 121
- Value of good Foot-paths 126
- Citizen’s Villas 127
- Axioms of Political Economy 129
- Putney Heath 130
- The Smoke of London 131
- Earl Spencer’s Park 132
- Hartley’s Fire-House 134
- Means of Preventing Fires in Houses, and on Female Dress 138
- The Telegraph System 141
- Suggested Extension of 146
- Interesting Prospect 148
- Reflections on the Metropolis 150
- Criminal Neglect of Statesmen 155
- Removal of Misery 160
- Death and Character of Mr. Pitt 161
- Indifference of Statesmen 166
- Fruit Trees preferable to Lumber Trees 168
- Roehampton 171
- Monastic Dwellings 171
- Inhabitants of Cottages 173
- Humility of Pride 175
- Pilton’s Invisible Fences 176
- House and Character of Mr. Goldsmid 178
- Destructive Electric Storm 182
- Nature of Electricity investigated 184
- Secondary Causes discussed 188
- Security against Lightning 189
- The District described 191
- Dundas and Tooke contrasted 192
- Barnes 193
- Its Poor-House on a Common 193
- Wretchedness of Parish-Poor 194
- Geology of Barnes-Common 197
- Fitness and Harmony of Things 200
- Kit-Cat Club Rooms 201
- Tonson the Bookseller 207
- Effect of distant Bells 209
- Chiswick Church 212
- Barnes Church 215
- Enclosed Cemeteries 216
- Benevolence of Mr. Morris 218
- Tragedy of the Count and Countess D’Antraigues 219
- Horticultural Speculation of the Marquis de Chabannes 222
- Supply of London with Vegetables 224
- Shropshire and Welsh Girls 226
- Neglect of Public Cleanliness 229
- Cleanliness an Incentive of Virtue 231
- Mortlake 232
- Tomb of Partridge 233
- Pretensions of Astrology 235
- Doctrines of Fatality examined 236
- Free-Will and Necessity discussed 241
- Success of Predictions referable to the Doctrine of Chances 247
- Art of Fortune-Telling illustrated 250
- Tomb and Character of Alderman Barber 253
- Union and Multiplication of the Human Race 257
- Mortlake Church 263
- Picture of Parochial Happiness 264
- Cause of its Failure 265
- Genuine Religion characterized 266
- Vulgar Notions of Churches 268
- Belief in Ghosts exploded 270
- Reflections on the Deity 271
- Effluvia of Dead Bodies 273
- Impostures of Dr. Dee 275
- Virtues of Sir John Barnard 276
- Tomb of the Viscountess Sidmouth 278
- False Foundation of the late War 279
- Lesson to Mankind 280
- Patriotism of the Common Council of London 282
- Improved Psalmody of Gardiner 283
- Religious Statistics of Mortlake 284
- Uses and Abuses of Church Bells 285
- Dee’s House 290
- Female Education discussed 291
- General Causes of Human Errors 294
- Proposed Improvement of Education 296
- Manufactory of Delft Ware 299
- Progress of the Arts 301
- Archiepiscopal Residence 302
- Mercy dispensed by the Catholic Priesthood 305
- Food and Charity by the same 308
- Enormous Walnut-Trees 310
- Box-Tree Arbour 311
- Disinterment of the Dead 313
- Abundant Manure of Religious Houses 316
- Reflections on Past Ages 317
- Origin of Superstition 320
- Progress of Mythology 322
- Intolerance of Philosophical Schools 325
- Invocation to Philosophy 327
- The Author’s System of Physics 329
- Popular Schools recommended 330
- Addresses of Females 334
- Changes wrought by Rivers 335
- Alternate Conversion of Land and Sea 338
- The Primitive Earth 340
- Origin of Organization 341
- Laws of Inorganic Matter 344
- —— Vegetable Existences 345
- —— Loco-Motive Existences 347
- Principle of Vitality 349
- Questions of the First Philosophy 350
- Compatibility, Fitness, and Harmony, illustrated 352
- The Tides explained 354
- Phenomena of Rivers 355
- Causes of Sterility 356
- The Errors of Man in Society 357
- Interview with Gipsies 363
- Social Slavery characterized 365
- Gipsy Fortune-telling illustrated 368
- Instance of Vulgar Terror 375
- Kew Priory described 376
- Kew 377