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ent;* and in Dr. Aikin's adm ; rable "Description " of the Country from thirty to forty miles round " Manchester," we are presented with a still more interesting view of its modern state; the rise and progress of its trade and manufactures; its riches, and population. To these mines of information on this subject, you must have recourse, if dissatisfied with that very slight mention of Manchester, which the limits of my correspondence will allow. Ori- ginally a British town, it afterwards received a body of Roman legionaries, and had the name of
��* The above passage had been written and sent to the printer, when by very accident, (for party libels and political abuse make no branch of my reading) thesfnti-Jaccbin Review for December 1801 came into my hands. It contains the last part of along cri- ticism upon my History of Bath, written (as I learn from indis- putable authority; by this reverend gentleman. The petulant language, the indecent personalities, and, above all, the unsup- ported calumny of the ivirk being tainted with 'Jacobinical prin- ciples, which disgrace these strictures, might perhaps, in the opinion of many, have justified me, had I withdrawn the humble tribute of praise bestowed above on the History <> r Manchester, and dwelt only on the obvious faults of this almost forgotten work ; but the honours due to learning must not he witheld, be- cause it is unaccompanied by good manners. He: :;des, ] have been taught to return good for evil; and ear; respect and applaud the great, extent of Mr. Whitaker's literary acquirements, at the same time that i 1 men his pro!' ssion of Minister ol the Gospel ha", not. inspired him with evangelical charity, nor his intimate acquaintance with the elegant writings of polished antiquity caught him thi r >u:< ucv . anJlehavi ur r >f a zcnilemar..
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