The etymology of the word "Bristol" is somewhat obscure. The word "stow" is common in all the derivations-"stow," "stol," and "stold," German for a stockaded place, settlement, or town; also "stal" or "stald." The word "brig" is the Saxon for bridge; hence "Brig-stow," a town with a bridge or bridges. Bristow was the common English name until the middle of the seventeenth century; Bristollia the Latin; or possibly "bric" and "stow," Bric-stow, a town on the breach of the rocks-the "cliff-town," or Clifton (Bristol Heights). The other forms best known are Brystowe, Brigestowe, Bricstowe, Briegstow, Bricton, Briston, Bristowe, Bristo, Bristovia, Brystallum, Bristoll, and many othersforty-six in all. Bristol is a modern town. No reliable record of it appears till about the year 1000, when it was a town of considerable note, but did not become prominent till late in the Saxon period, when in commercial importance it ranked next to London. When Bath (twelve miles distant) was the Latin empress of western Britain, when Minerva Medica was tutelary deity of the healing springs, and temples and votive altars were raised to her honour, Bristol, or rather its site, was a reedy morass, the haunt of the heron, wild swan, and cormorant. The imperial eagle found in this part of the Avon valley no dry ground whereon to light till he arrived at Clifton hills, where are evidences of a Roman camp. My first tramp was over Clifton-down (Saxon "dune," high ground), on the high banks or cliffs of the Avon, high above the main city. On Durdham-down there is still an old Roman road. Dickens makes Sam Weller walk across these Downs (450 acres) on a windy day, much to his discomfort.

When Venice was mistress of the seas and carried on commerce with the entire civilised world, she supplied England with most articles of trade. Among the successful men who came here "to follow the trade of merchandise," was John Cabot, a naturalised Venetian. His son, Sebastian, while still a young man, probably not more than 20, was, through hearing accounts of the voyages and discoveries of Columbus, fired with a burning desire to discover new lands. Probably the desire of young Cabot inspired the father to prepare for, and embark on, a voyage of discovery. They sailed from Bristol in the ship Matthew, in 1497, and on St. John's day, June 24 of that year, discovered what they called Newfoundlandprobably what is now called Cape Breton. Thus the Cabots were the first to discover the American continent. This voyage was a private enterprise. The second voyage was made under a charter of King Henry VII., dated February 3rd, 1498, which has recently been brought to light. A copy of this charter I have had the pleasure of reading; its loss has caused historians to confound the two voyages, and to commit many errors in their statements. Several ships with merchants and adventurers accompanied the discoverers on the second voyage. Probably John Cabot died at sea, as nothing is known of him after the sailing of the expedition.

American historians generally incline to the belief that Sebastian Cabot was born in Venice, but I am inclined to believe that Bristol is right in claiming to be his birth-place. Why Americans should desire to rob their Anglo-Saxon cousins of this honour I cannot imagine. He himself should be considered as good authority as it is possible for one to be on such a point. He told his friend, Richard Eden: "I was born in Bristowe, and at four years old was carried by my father to Venice. And so returned again to England with my father after certain years, whereby I was thought to have been born in Venice." This is confirmed by Stowe and Edward Haies, who wrote in 1585, and by the inscription on the so-called "Holbein portrait."

Bristol has been the residence of many other eminent persons. Hannah More, whose father was a schoolmaster in a suburban district, removed to No. 10, Park-street, in 1762, with her four sisters, where they lived many years and carried on a school. Her first book, Search after Happiness, was written here. The most eminent men of the day called on her and paid her high civilities. Mr. and Mrs. David Garrick were her intimate friends; Edmund Burke, the statesman and orator; Reynolds and Horace Walpole. Walpole called her his "holy Hannah." Garrick called her Sappho. Dr. Johnson wrote, "I love you both (Hannah and Martha); I love you all five. I never was at Bristol. I will come on purpose to see you. What! five women live happily together? I will come and see." He went, and "found everything lovely." What boy has not read The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, of which over one million copies have been sold? Hannah More wrote several plays, stories, tracts, and ballads, and, last of all, theological works. She died at No. 4, Windsor-terrace, Clifton (a part of Bristol Corporation), in 1833, aged 88 years.

Coleridge and Southey, the poets, lived here when young men, and married two sisters, named Frickers, at St. Mary's church, Redcliff parish. Coleridge, it seems, must have always been in impecunious circumstances, as he was constantly calling on Southey and other friends for assistance. They were both Republicans and Unitarians. Coleridge sometimes preached. He once asked Charles Lamb, "Did you ever hear me preach"? Lamb replied, "I never heard you do anything else, Coleridge." He was fond of descanting on metaphysical subjects. He lectured in Bristol in 1813 and 1814, on Shakspere and Milton.

In a large, plain house in Dowry-square, Clifton, Sir Humphrey Davy carried on his chemical experiments, where he gained such celebrity that he was called to London. He came to Bristol in 1798, from Cornwall, to assist Dr. Beddoes in his Pneumatic Institute, where he claimed to cure consumption by the administration of certain gases. Davy experimented with the gas discovered by Dr. Priestley (oxygen), and made a new discovery, nitrous-oxide or "laughing" gas. Southey was one of the

He (Southey) wrote to

victims on whom Davy experimented. his brother, July 12, 1799, "Oh, Tom! oh, Tom! What a gas Davy has discovered! It is oxyde. I have had some; it made me laugh and tingle in every toe and finger-tip. I'm going for some more this evening; it makes me strong and happy-so gloriously happy! Tom, I am sure the air in heaven must be this wonder-working gas of delight."

David Hume, the historian, was a merchant's clerk at No. 16, Queen-square, several years. He often corrected his employer's English. Mr. Miller said, "I tell you what, Mr. Hume, I have made £20,000 by my English, and I won't have it mended." This was a conclusive argument in favour of his English, and Hume was discharged. Mr. L. A. Lathrop, the efficient United States consul, is located on the opposite side of Queen-square. Lord Jefferies, "the unjust judge," who transported many persons to America, when sitting in the assizes of this circuit, worshipped at St. Nicholas church, which still continues to ring the curfew at nine o'clock p.m. Curfew is from "couvre-feu," cover fire, and the custom of covering the fire and putting out the lights at the ringing of the curfew bell at sunset was established by William the Conqueror. Bishop Latimer preached at this church in Lent, 1528.

Among the other prominent men of Bristol I may mention Henry Abyndon, Mus. Bac., Cambridge, 1463; Edward, Edmund, and Thomas Blanket, the first manufacturers of articles of that name; Edmund Burke, for many years member of Parliament for this district; Joseph Butler, author of Butler's Analogy, long Bishop of Bristol; Rev. Alexander Catcott, one of the fathers of geology; William Cavendish (Duke of Portland), lord high steward 1786-89; William Cecil (Lord Burleigh), Queen Elizabeth's prime minister; Chatterton, the boy poet, born here and baptised at the Redcliff church; Sir A. Cockburn, lord chief justice of England, once recorder of Bristol; Thomas Cromwell (Earl of Essex), recorder in 1540; Henry Cruger, born in New York, was Burke's colleague in Parliament. In 1792 he surrendered his aldermanic gown and returned to New York. He lived in a house adjoining Hannah More's. Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester). Elizabeth's favourite lord high steward, 1570-88; William Grocyn, first teacher of Greek at Oxford, and a friend of Erasmus, born in Bristol in 1442; Canon Charles Kingsley educated there; Thomas Mark Lucas, inventor of stenographic printing for the blind; John McAdam, inventor of macadamising roads; Sir William Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania, born in Bristol in 1621, buried at Redcliff Church, the finest church in the city; Edward Seymour, lord high steward 1540-52; William Smith, founder of adult schools in England; Sidney Smith, the "witty prebendary"; Charles and Samuel Wesley, celebrated musicians, born 1757 and 1766, nephews of Rev. John Wesley.

The old house is now standing where lived Clarkson, who commenced the agitation against slavery carried on by Wilberforce and others to a successful issue. The Abolition Act was passed about 1830. More than $750,000, of the $160,000,000 paid to British subjects, was paid to citizens of Bristol, as compensation for slaves liberated in the colonies.

The ex-Empress Eugénie was educated at a young ladies' school in Clifton; the house is one of a long row standing on a high terrace, commanding a picturesque view of the river and country beyond.

Dr.

Woodes Rogers, a Bristol merchant, brought Alexander Selkirk ("Robinson Crusoe ") from the island of Juan Fernandez. (and Captain) Thos. Dover, the inventor of "Dover's Powders," which have soothed the pain of so many invalids, was the principal owner of the Duke, the ship that accompanied Rogers. They arrived Jan. 31, 1709. The Duke brought $850,000 as the result of the voyage. A merchant ship then was only another name for

a privateer a high-toned pirate.

The Great Western, one of the first steamships to cross the Atlantic from this side, left Bristol April 8, 1838, and arrived at New York April 23. The American steamship Savannah had previously crossed in thirty-one days. The success of these voyages, and those of the Sirius, induced Mr. Cunard to establish his line for regular Atlantic service.

The oldest church in Bristol is St. James's, built by Robert of Gloucester, son of Henry VII., in 1140.

In the tobacco shop of Messrs. Wills may be seen a genuine letter of George Washington :

"Virginia, 25th Nov., 1759. "Gentlemen,-Some time this week I expect to get on board the Carey for your house forty hogsheads of tobacco, of my own and Jno. Parke Custis, which please to insure in the usual manner. "I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant, "G. WASHINGTON." Several knights, gentlemen, and merchants from Bristol, Plymouth, and other large towns on the west coast of England, were allotted lands by King James I. in Northern Virginia, which made settlement there in 1607. Many also went to the Massachusetts colony later. There is no greater aid to ethnological data than geographical names. Such town names as Plymouth, Falmouth, Barnstaple, Bridgwater, and Taunton indicate that the settlers of Cape Cod and south-eastern Massachusetts came from the south-west of England.

Dr. Perkins's reference to St. James's as "the oldest church in Bristol," led to the publication of some letters in December, 1888, in the Bristol Times and Mirror, two of them being as follows:

(1) "An American's Impressions of Bristol," published in this day's issue of your paper, state that "the oldest church in Bristol is St. James's, built by Robert of Gloucester, son of Henry VII. (sic), in 1140.” The late Mr. J. F. Nicholls, city librarian, in an interesting paper read before the Junior Architects' Society on their visit to St. Peter's church, as reported in your impression of Thursday, July 19th, 1883, stated:-"This church (St. Peter's, Bristol) is probably the oldest ecclesiastical edifice in Bristol. About 1100 Robert Fitzhamon, by whom it was possibly erected, gave this rectory to the Abbey of Tewkesbury. The gift was confirmed by King Henry L, 1106, and in this it is incidentally mentioned, and also in a deed of about the date 1130, as the earliest church in Bristol." This account corresponds with that given in the History of Bristol, Past and Present, by Messrs. Nicholls and Taylor.-W. T. HOLLINS.

(2) When Dr. W. O. Perkins, of New York, stated St. James's to be "the oldest church in Bristol," he meant that it was the oldest now existing there, and not, as the Rev. W. T. Hollins infers, the earliest of local foundation. Neither Dr. Perkins nor his guide was ignorant of the fact that a church, dedicated to St. Peter, existed in Bristol long before Robert, Earl of Gloucester, founded the church of St. James, of which the original Norman nave, clerestory, and west front are still preserved.—W. G.

1746.-INSCRIPTIONS IN THE NEW CEMETERY, NEAR CHELTENHAM. (Continued from No. 1703.)

101.

Sacred to the memory of Emily Mary Montague, the beloved wife of Robert Scott Lorimer, died 27th August, 1876, aged 25 years.

102.

In memory of Mrs Mary Ludlow, who departed this life on the 26th of July, 1870, in the 92nd year of her age.

103.

Sacred to the memory of Richard Kershaw Lumb, Esqre, J.P., of The Elms, Cheltenham, son of William Kershaw, Esqre, of Warley House, near Halifax. Born March 28th, 1789. Died Feby 3rd, 1870.

104.

In affectionate remembrance of Dorathea Mac Munn, widow of Andrew Mac Munn, Esqre, of Cranny, County Donegal, Ireland, who died at Cheltenham 18th September, 1876, aged 79 years.

105.

In memory of Catherine, relict of the late Revd Henry Major, Vicar of Killbarron, Diocese of Raphoe, Ireland, who died May 3rd, 1875, aged 95.