TRAVELS 
 
 OF 
 
 FANCY: 
 
 OR, 
 
 MORE ROADS THAN ONE. 
 
 FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH: 
 
 BY THEIR OLD FRIEND, 
 
 MARY ELLIOTT. 
 
 LONDON : 
 WILLIAM DARTON, 58, HOLBORN I] ILL. 
 Priti Sixpence, 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 OF 
 
 FANCY: 
 
 OR, 
 
 MORE ROADS THAN ONE. 
 
 FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH 
 
 BY THEIR OLD FRIEND, 
 
 MARY ELLIOTT. 
 
 LONDON: 
 WILLIAM DARTON, 58, IIOLBORlSr HILL. 
 
 Price $ixpe?ice. 
 
TRAVELS OF FANCY, &c. 
 
2 
 
 TEMPLE-BAR. 
 
 This is a curious mixture, but we must allow 
 the Temple is a very handsome structure, and 
 otters a pleasant retreat to the weary traveller. 
 But we must not deceive our country friends 
 by letting them suppose this fine building is 
 any thing like Temple Bar in London, which 
 is, indeed, any thing but pretty. It was 
 erected in the reign of Charles the Second, 
 and stands at the west entrance of the city. 
 On all state occasions, when the King and the 
 Nobles visit the good citizens, Temple Bar is 
 closed, and the royal party must demand leave 
 of the Lord Mayor before they pass through. 
 
 As for the bar in the picture, it is quke out 
 of our line. It may suit an inn, where tra- 
 vellers need refreshment, but we are no friends 
 to strong liquids, and prefer a glass of whey 
 from the pastry-cook's to all that Mr. Boniface 
 can offer from his nicely-arranged bar. So 
 much for Temple Bar, through which we may 
 now pass. 
 
4 
 
 OX-FORD. 
 
 This noble animal must belong to the family 
 of the real John Bull, for he is fording the 
 stream for the benefit of his education, and 
 means to take his degrees at Oxford. I would 
 ad vise him to avoid the company of hungry 
 students, for his name might tempt them to 
 overlook his dignity, and, in spite of his talents 
 for Greek and Latin, he would, probably, be 
 hurried to the spit, instead of the Chancellor's 
 seat. Beef has a savory sound to the ears of 
 an Englishman. 
 
 But, jesting apart, it behoves us to look 
 sharply at our own lessons, when cattle take 
 the road to the University instead of Smith-field. 
 
 Shall oxen toss their heads in scorn, 
 And point at us with learned horn, 
 
 Shall college honors be conferred 
 On brutes that cannot speak a word ? 
 
 No, such arrangement must not be, 
 
 Though knowledge should to all be free ; 
 
 But cattle, only good to eat, 
 Have no pretence to such a treat. 
 
6 
 
 THE ISLE-OF-DOGS. 
 
 Here are bold looks of defiance between 
 these two species of the canine race : they seem 
 as if disputing each other's right to the spot on 
 which they stand. If we are to believe his- 
 tory, they have an equal claim on this small 
 tract of land, for it was once the depot of the 
 spaniels and grey-hounds of Edward the Third, 
 and, from this circumstance, was called the 
 Xsle-of-Dogs. In those early times, the king 
 and his nobles used to hunt the red deer in the 
 royal forests in Essex, or shoot woodcocks, 
 which abounded near this place, and, during 
 the sporting season, his majesty generally re- 
 sided at Greenwich, which you may perceive 
 is nearly opposite. 
 
 Here also Togodumnus, the brother of Ca- 
 ractacus, was killed in battle with the Romans. 
 
 Thus we find Messieurs Spaniel and Grey- 
 hound have some foundation for their family 
 pride, and such feelings become do < r s far better 
 than mankind, to whom virtue should always 
 be the greatest honor. 
 
i 
 
8 
 
 KINGS-TON. 
 
 Two crowned heads, and a huge barrel, or 
 ton, brings us to a pleasant town in Surrey, 
 where we again meet a view of the River 
 Thames, always agreeable to a cockney tra- 
 veller; and no wonder, when we think of the 
 wealth this said river conveys into the heart of 
 our famed city of London. 
 
 King Egbert, who was the first king of all 
 England, with his son Athelwolf, once attended 
 a council in the town of Kingston ; so that, 
 trifling as it now appears, it has received 
 greater visitors than ourselves. 
 
 But we are not going to hold a national 
 council, so we will pass over the bridge and 
 view Richmond, with its beautiful prospects : 
 it is one of the prettiest villages in Surrey. 
 
 Henry the Seventh built a palace at Rich- 
 mond, where he died, as did also Queen 
 Elizabeth. The royal gardens, the observa- 
 tory, and park, are interesting objects, and we 
 shall find our walk from Kingston more than 
 repaid by what Richmond has in store for us. 
 
A O 
 
to 
 
 READ-1NG. 
 
 Here we are at the capital of Berkshire, and 
 a very pretty town it is, not quite forty miles 
 from London: the country round is also of a 
 pleasing nature. With the mayor's leave, we 
 will stop a few hours to examine what may be 
 worth viewing in this said town of Reading. 
 The buildings will not appear very grand to 
 the eye of a Londoner, but we must not expect 
 to see St. Paul's or Waterloo Bridge in every 
 part of England. However, there is something 
 to look at here besides buildings. We may 
 examine the blanket and canvass manufactures, 
 and the weaving of ribbon, which is a very inte 
 resting sight; for, although we all find the 
 article very useful in dress, few have seen how 
 it is made. Now let us inspect the pin manu- 
 factory,which is really worth looking at : when 
 little girls throw away, or carelessly drop, these 
 small, but necessary helps to a good sempstress, 
 they do not consider how much trouble was 
 taken in forming and completing them. 
 
 The abbey in which Henry the First was in- 
 terred is now in ruins. 
 
12 
 
 MANNING-TREE. 
 
 It is well that we are good spellers, for I 
 find here are two letters left out in this puzzle. 
 
 We must allow, that, if the man is to be left 
 quietly in the tree, we must give up the N and 
 theG, 
 
 This we shall do, for we should be sorry to 
 disturb him, lest, in his fright, he might fall ; 
 and, setting vanity aside, there is no fear of our 
 mis-spelling the word, or not knowing when 
 we are at Manningtree,, a town in Essex, on the 
 river Stour. The principal trade is carried on 
 in corn, coals, deals, and iron. We cannot be 
 of much assistance in consuming these articles, 
 for we are but sojourners for a day, and really 
 there seems so little to interest us in this town 
 of Manningtree, that we shall not delay our 
 travels by continuing here, when a few miles 
 farther will bring us to Harwich, where we are 
 sure to be entertained. 
 
A < 
 
14 
 
 BISHOPS-CASTLE. 
 
 Here are two dignitaries of the church, who 
 seem to have met before that noble castle for 
 some weighty affair ; yet, upon second thoughts, 
 their wish is only to inform us, that we have ar- 
 rived at Bishopscastle, a borough-town in 
 Shropshire. We are obliged to them for their 
 civility, but the place does not appear very at- 
 tractive, so we shall but take a peep at the 
 river Clun, and go to market, that we may see 
 some of theWelsh folks,who come for bargains; 
 and then we mean to turn our steps homeward, 
 for we are nearly one hundred and sixty miles 
 from London ; yet it would be a pity to quit 
 this country without seeing the old city of 
 Shrewsbury, or Salop, so often mentioned in 
 history. It was near this town that Henry 
 Percy, nicknamed Hotspur, was defeated and 
 slain in battle : those were sad times ; but we, 
 iiving in better times, only visit Shrewsbury to 
 admire the town, and taste the brown and 
 sweet cakes, for which it is so famous. 
 
16 
 
 HAMMER-SMITH. 
 
 This picture brings us to Hammersmith; and, 
 although but four miles from London, here we 
 shall find a variety of pretty villas and country 
 houses, with many pretty shady lanes for a 
 morning's walk : few villages near town possess 
 so many, or show old Thames to greater ad- 
 vantage. Seated on his banks, we can watch 
 the boats passing to and fro on his wide smooth 
 surface ; and, when the air gets too chilly for 
 such amusement, we will wander about the 
 nursery-grounds and the pleasant gardens, or 
 take a peep into the nunnery, which is a resi- 
 dence for female Catholics. 
 
 No doubt most of my readers are good 
 scholars, yet some of them may not know that 
 topography means a description of particular 
 places : the Topography of Middlesex gives an 
 entertaining account of Hammersmith, and 
 other villages or towns in the same county ; 
 and I advise all who mean to take summer ex- 
 cursions* to read all that relates to the places 
 they intend to honor with a visit. 
 
17 
 
18 
 
 RAMS-GATE. 
 
 These two fighting gentlemen, and the gate 
 which divides them, makes out our puzzle, and 
 brings us to a noted watering-place and sea- 
 port in Kent, near the Downs. 
 
 Here we shall not need amusement, for the 
 cene is gay enough of itself. Company always 
 arriving, new faces are to be seen every day, 
 among whom we may chance to meet old friends. 
 
 Ramsgate has two fine stone piers, where 
 we can walk to look at the shipping, which is a 
 grand sight ; and, should we take a whim in 
 our heads, and desire to see London again, we 
 have but to step on-board one of the steam- 
 packets, and we shall reach home in a few 
 hours, neither waiting for wind or tide. 
 
 Let arctic travellers explore 
 The icy regions o'er and o'er; 
 For us, we scruple not to say, 
 Our fancy lies another way. 
 A voyage to Ramsgate w ill suffice, 
 And skating give enough of ice* 
 
20 
 
 HULL. 
 
 We have now come to a very old sea-port in 
 Yorkshire, built by Edward the First, and 
 then called Kingston, but at present it is usual 
 to call it Hull, the name of its river. 
 
 What a bustle among the shipping ! vessels 
 going to Greenland, some just arrived from 
 America, others loading for the southern parts 
 of Europe. 
 
 Who shall say the people in this town are 
 idle] no, they understand trade as well as the 
 merchants in London, and charity too, for I see 
 they have a Trinity-house for invalid seamen, 
 or their widows. After all, such kind of 
 buildings are the greatest ornaments in the 
 finest cities. 
 
 The picture to this article represents the hull 
 of a boat, or what we may term its shell. It is 
 curious to witness the process of ship-building; 
 but we have not time just now, so we will pro- 
 ceed on our travels, and perhaps the next time 
 we come to Hull, we shall find this smart vessel 
 completed* 
 
 6 
 
22 
 
 KNIGHTS-BRIDGE. 
 
 Here is a grand to do, with two noble knights 
 in armour, ready to storm that castle, if they 
 can but cross the draw-bridge; and, after all 
 this show of bravery, they only bring us to 
 Knightsbridge, a village (as it is termed) on 
 the skirts of London, which w r e could reach in 
 a dozen hops from Hyde Park Corner. 
 
 These gentlemen wish to make much of a 
 trifle, for we do not require knights or squires to 
 protect us during so short a journey. If we 
 must have guards, we can call to our own 
 soldiers in the barracks, for Knightsbridge can 
 boast of very extensive ones; but, as we are 
 now happily at peace, it would be a pity to 
 trouble ourselves with red coats and bayonets ; 
 so we will go on to the manufactory for painted 
 floor-cloths, which is here brought to great 
 perfection; and, if we w r ant further entertain- 
 ment, we have but to watch the various stag* 
 going to and fro, some hundreds in a day. 
 
 »> 
 
24 
 
 TOPS-HAM. 
 
 Two tops and a fine large ham, put these 
 together, and we shall find ourselves at Tops- 
 ham, in Devonshire* It is a sea-port, forming 
 the port of Exeter, which is only five miles 
 distant ; and therefore, as we perceive nothing 
 here worth inspecting, excepting the spacious 
 quay, we may as well trudge on to that old 
 famed city, where the Saxon kings once re- 
 sided in Rougemont Castle, so called from the 
 colour of the hill on which it is built. Exeter 
 is a large town, with much trade. The cathe- 
 dral is a magnificent structure, erected in 
 Richard the Third's reign. We may purchase 
 woollen and cotton goods if we need them, for 
 there are manufactures of both in Exeter. 
 The river Ex affords many pleasing prospects 
 besides the shipping, so that our excursion will 
 not prove barren, and really when people come 
 so far from home, it would be a pity not to see 
 all that comes within reach, if but to enliven 
 our fire-sides when we return. 
 
20 
 
 HORN-CASTLE. 
 
 What place is this, that its fame is to he sent 
 forth with a horn ? O ! I see, the horn is there 
 only to assist ourpuzzle, and a moment's thought 
 brings us to Horncastle, a town in Lincoln- 
 shire. It was once a Roman station, but can 
 now boast of but little grandeur; very little of 
 the castle remains ; buildings will not last for 
 ever. As we are only twenty miles from 
 Lincoln, we will venture a few hours' ride to 
 the capital of the county. Lincoln is really a 
 fine cilv, seated on the side of a hill, which 
 gives it a novel and interesting appearance. 
 The cathedral is much admired for its light ar- 
 chitecture, and we shall yet find some remains 
 of Newport Gate, a noble specimen of Roman 
 taste. Just without this gate is the plain cele- 
 brated for the battle between the Empress 
 Maud and King Stephen. We cannot make 
 room for coals, meal, or oats ; so that, if we 
 buy a camlet cloak, Lincoln has nothing more 
 for travellers 1 purchase. 
 
21 
 
28 
 
 TROW-BRI DGE. 
 
 In former times the countryfolks used to 
 say " I trow," for, I suppose ; and, if we choose 
 to go back to such vulgar days, wc might say, 
 I trow here is a mistake in the spelling. of this 
 place. With your leave, it is not a mistake, 
 but a kind of trick to make the puzzle answer 
 to the subject. 
 
 Pigs eat out of a Trough, but Trow suits 
 our purpose, and, when we add bridge to it, we 
 are ninety-nine miles from London, at Trow- 
 bridge, in Wiltshire. This town is seated on a 
 hill by the river Were, and, however insignifi- 
 cant it may appear at first sight, supports many 
 hundreds of its inhabitants by the manufacture 
 of broad-cloth and kerseymere, of which wc 
 must make a point of taking some home, for 
 strangers are expected to purchase a trifle when 
 they visit trading towns ; besides, we should 
 let others live as well as ourselves, and pay for 
 peeping in all cases. 
 
II11HIJM ■■iiiiiiiiiiiiini 
 
m 
 
 BATH, 
 
 All those who have felt the such] en shuck of 
 being plunged into water will soon guess at 
 what city we have arrived. A very handsome 
 one certainly, and in which there is much to 
 see and admire. Bath, in Somersetshire, is 
 famous for its springs, and was so in the time 
 of the Romans; but those famed warriors 
 could not boast of such a city as the present, 
 with its noble ranges of stone houses, formed 
 into crescents, grand streets, &c. The abbey 
 is a fine old building: — in short, turn which 
 way we may, there is variety and beauty. See 
 what high hills surround it, to shelter us from 
 cold* Invalids find Bath a comfortable place 
 of residence, but it is not the sick alone who 
 visit it. Gay and healthy folks are constantly 
 coming to share its pleasures, as well as drink 
 its waters. We are neither one or the other, 
 but quiet travellers, desirous of noticif^ &lj 
 
 (hat is worthv of notice. 
 
 t/ 
 
. 4 S6 
 
32 
 
 SEVEN-OAKS. 
 
 What a lovely spot is here ; how many 
 fine shady trees: it is quite refreshing to look 
 at their green foliage. Now we are again in 
 the country, though but twenty-three miles 
 from London. Seven-Oaks is a well-known 
 town in Kent, and has a free-school, first 
 erected by Sir William Sevenoaks, who, when 
 a destitute orphan, was educated by some cha- 
 ritable person in the town, and he thus showed 
 his gratitude. Queen Elizabeth was a great 
 patroness of this school. 
 
 When we have rested awhile, we will take a 
 view of Knole, the Duke of Dorset's seat, 
 which is close at hand : there we shall see 
 some fine pictures, and the grounds are very 
 beautiful. I doubt not my readers remember 
 what history tells of Jack Cade the rebel, who, 
 with his lawless troops, attacked and defeated 
 the royal army near Seven-Oaks. Cade was a 
 bold and cruel man, and deserved the death he 
 received from the hand of Alexander Iden. 
 
34 
 
 SWAN-SEA. 
 
 Tills must be a wild swan, for our handsome 
 birds of the kind only amuse themselves in 
 fresh water, and are too much of dandies to 
 trust their delicate win £3 in the foaming wave. 
 
 Wild or tame, the meaning is clear, and we 
 cannot doubt the result will be a visit to 
 Swansea, a sea-port in Wales, in the county of 
 Glamorganshire. It is a flourishing place, 
 with much shipping, and plenty of coal and 
 iron in the neighbourhood ; but we cannot 
 spare time for digging, so must be content 
 with a peep at all, and then put on our holiday 
 clothes, for this is a noted watering-place, and 
 frequented by very gay people, who like 
 bathing and change of scene. Yet I doubt if 
 any study the Welsh language; it is not, 
 indeed, very smooth to the ear, although the 
 people are famed for their poetry. 
 
 No matter ; they will give us a tune on their 
 h^rps; and who would quarrel with the melody 
 of V/elsh music 1 
 
-3G 
 
 BRIDGE- WATER. 
 
 Bridgewater; and a very pretty scene 
 this puzzle presents; but we cannot answer 
 for the bridge being a copy of the stone one 
 which crosses the river Parret, in the borough 
 ot Bridgewater, which is a port, and carries on 
 a tolerable coasting trade. Should we take a 
 trip to Bristol, we shall not find Bridgewater a 
 great way from the Bristol Channel. When 
 King Charles the First was at war with his 
 parliament, this town, with its fine castle, was 
 nearly reduced to ashes. The castle was 
 built in the reign of King John, and that is 
 more than six hundred years back, rather too 
 distant a period for us to remember; but we 
 have history to acquaint us with all circum- 
 stances and events worth knowing, so that none 
 but dunces can be at a loss when asked this 
 kind of questions. Chronology is a most useful 
 study, for it teaches us the dates of histo- 
 rical and other events. 
 
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