a city of England, and capital of a county of the same name, is distant 132 miles from London. It stands on the side of a hill; at the bottom of which runs the river Witham in three small channels, over which are several bridges. The old Lindum of the Britons, which stood on the top of the hill, as appears from the vestiges of a rampart, and deep ditches still remaining, was taken and demolished by the Saxons; who built a town upon the south side of the hill down to the river side, which was several times taken by the Danes, and as often retaken by the Saxons. In Edward the Confessor's time, it appears, from Doomsday-book, to have been a very considerable place; and in the time of the Normans, Malmesbury says, it was one of the most populous cities in England. William I. built a castle upon the summit of the hill above the town. The diocese, though the bishopric of Ely was taken out of it by Henry II. and those of Peterborough and Oxford by Henry VIII. is still vastly large, containing the counties of Leicester, Huntingdon, Bedford, and part of Bucks, making 1255 parishes. Though the other churches are mean, the cathedral or minster is a most magnificent piece of Gothic architecture. Here is a prodigious large bell, called Tom of Lincoln, which is near five ton in weight, and 23 feet in compass. The hill on which the church stands is so high, and the church itself so lofty, that it may be seen 50 miles to the north and 30 to the south! Besides other tombs, it contains one of brafs, in which are the entrails of Queen Eleanor, wife to Edward I. It is said there were anciently 52 churches, which are now reduced to 14. Such is the magnificence and elevation of the cathedral, that the monks thought the flight of it must be very mortifying to the devil; whence it came to be said of one who was displeased, that he looked like the devil over Lincoln. The declivity on which the city is built being steep, the communication betwixt the upper and lower town is very troublesome, and coaches and horses are obliged to make a compas.

King Edward III. made this city a staple for wool, leather, lead, &c. It was once burnt; once besieged by King Stephen, who was here defeated and taken prisoner; and once taken by Henry III. from his rebellious baron. It abounded heretofore with monasteries and other religious houses. There is a great pool here, formed by the river on the west side of it, called Swan Pool, because of the multitude of swans on it. The Roman north gate still remains entire, by the name of Newport Gate. It is one of the noblest of this fort in Britain. It is a vast semicircle of stones of very large dimensions laid without mortar, connected only by their uniform shape. This magnificent arch is 16 feet in diameter, the stones are four feet thick at the bottom. It seems to have a joint in the middle, not a keystone; and on both sides, towards the upper part, are laid horizontal stones of great dimensions, some 10 or 12 feet long. This arch rises from an impost of large mouldings, which are not perceivable now; there are also divers fragments of the old Roman wall. Over against the castle is an entrenchment cast up by King Stephen; and here are carved the arms of John of Gaunt duke of Lancaster, who lived here like a king, and had a mint. The city has a communication with the Trent, by a canal called the Fos-dyke. In the centre of the old ruined castle there is a handsome modern structure for holding the affizes. Its walls are almost entire, and very substantial: the keep or principal tower is situated on a high and very steep mount, which yet continues in its original state, but the remains of the tower on it are only five or fix yards high. The outer walls of the castle are of very considerable height, which appear still higher than they really are from their lofty situation and the moat below them. The great gateway is still entire. This city is a county of itself, and has a viscountial jurisdiction, for 20 miles round, which is a privilege that no other city in England can equal. It now consists principally of one street above two miles long, well paved, besides several cros and parallel streets well peopled. Here are some very handsome modern buildings, but more antique ones; upon the whole, it has an air of ancient greatness, arising in a great measure from the number of monastic remains, most of which are now converted into stables, out-houses, &c. Upon the hill, in the castle, are the ruins of the bishop's palace, and other ruins of ancient grandeur and magnificence. The city is supplied with water by several conduits, among which is a modern one, somewhat in the pyramidal style, enriched with sculpture. It is governed by a mayor, twelve aldermen, two sheriffs, a recorder, four chamberlains, a swordbearer, four coroners, and above forty common-council men. Here are four charity schools, where 120 poor children are taught by the widows of clergymen. The neighbouring course is noted for its frequent horse-races. On the down of Lincoln, towards Bolton, that rare fowl the bustard is sometimes seen, as well as on Saliburly plain. Lincoln-Heath extends above 50 miles, viz. from Sleaford and Ancaster south to the Humber north, though it is but three or four miles over where broadest. Five miles from Boston on this extensive heath, Lord le Despencer built a tower for the direction of strangers. It is a lofty square building with a staircase, terminating in a flat roof, and round the base is a square court-yard. Great part of this extensive heath has been enclosed. We read that David king of Scots met King John here, on the 22d of November, in the third year of his reign, and performed homage to him on a hill without the city, for his English territories, in presence of the archbishops of Canterbury, York, and Ragusa, 13 bishops, and a vast number of temporal lords and knights. King Henry VII. kept his court here at Easter in 1486. The Jews were once its chief inhabitants, till they were forced to remove, after having impiously crucified the child of one Grantham, and thrown it into a well, to this day called Grantham's Well. Lincoln has given the title of earl to the family of Clinton ever since the reign of Queen Elizabeth. W. Long. 27. 1. N. Lat. 53. 16.

LINCOLN Shire, a maritime county of England, 77 miles in length and 48 in breadth, is bounded on the east by the German ocean, on the west by Nottinghamshire, on the north by Yorkshire, on the south by Rutlandshire, Northamptonshire, and Cambridgehire. It contains 631 parishes, and 31 market towns, and returns 12 members to parliament. The principal rivers are the Humber, the Trent, the Witham, the Nene, the Welland, the Anhakham, and the Dun. It is divided into three parts, Lindley, Kettovon, and Holland; the air of which last is unwholesome and foggy, on account of the fens and large marshes. The soil of the north and west parts is very fertile, and abounds in corn and pastures. The east and south parts are not so proper for corn; but then they supply them with fish and fowl in great plenty, particularly ducks and geese. Lincoln is the principal town. By inland navigation, this county has communication with the rivers Mersey, Dee, Ribble, Ouse, Darwent, Severn, Thames, Avon, &c.; which navigation, including its windings, extends above 500 miles through different counties.

This county, in 1801, contained 41,395 houses, inhabited by 426,299 families; and the total number of inhabitants amounted to 208,557.