John, an English mathematician and philosopher of considerable ingenuity, was fellow of Magdalen college, Cambridge, and afterwards rector of Annerby in Lincolnshire, in the gift of that society. He constantly attended the meetings of the Spalding society, and was a man of an extraordinary philosophical habit and turn of mind, while at the same time his dispositions were social and cheerful. His genius was peculiarly fitted for mechanical contrivances or inventions. He published a compendious system of Natural Philosophy at Cambridge, in the year 1738, in two vols 8vo.; a work of much ingenuity, which has gone through several editions. He likewise inserted two pieces in the Philosophical Transactions, viz. a description of a barometer, wherein the scale of variation may be increased at pleasure; vol. xxxviii. p. 39.; and directions for making a machine for finding the roots of equations universally, together with the manner in which it is to be used; vol. lx. p. 240.

He died at his lodgings in Carey street, near Lincoln's Roxburghshire, a county of Scotland, which is also known by the name of Teviotdale, measures about 40 miles in length from north to south, and in breadth about 36 miles in a direction between east and west; containing 472,320 square acres. The centre of the county is computed to lie in 55° 25' N. Lat. and in 2° 37' W. Long. from the meridian of London. The counties of Northumberland and Cumberland form its boundary on the south; it is also bounded by the former county on the east, by Berwickshire on the north, and on the west by the counties of Dumfries, Selkirk, and Edinburgh.

The external appearance of this county is regarded as upon the whole extremely beautiful, exhibiting an alternate succession of hills and dales, through which flow a considerable number of small rivers. The greater part of the hills are covered with a fine sward, producing valuable grasses for the feeding of sheep; and the county is divided into four different districts, the most mountainous part of it being denominated the district of Hawick; the second is that of Jedburgh; the third is the district of Kelso, and the fourth is known by the name of the district of Melrose, being composed of that part of the county which is situated to the northward of the river Tweed.

The most remarkable hills in the county of Roxburgh are Minto, 858 feet above the level of the sea; Dunion 1021; Eldon 1330; Ruberslaw 1419; Carterfell 1602, Wisp 1803. These constitute a part of that extensive range generally known by the appellation of Cheviot, which is distant not above a mile from the most easterly point of Roxburgh. Whinstone is their chief constituent, in which veins of Scotch pebbles are usually interspersed. They are often covered with whinstone reduced to the state of powder by the action of the weather. The hills towards their summits are in general of a conical form, a circumstance which some think is favourable to the volcanic system—that the globe at some remote period has suffered the most dreadful convulsions from the irresistible action of fire.

The county of Roxburgh is intersected by a multitude of streams, the most important of which are the Teviot, Jed, Tweed, Rule, Kail, Oxnam, Gala, Slitrig, Ale, Cafters, Borthwick, Ednam, Bowmont, Allan, Leader, Ettrick, Hermitage, Liddel. The term river is rarely applied to any of these streams, except to the three first, viz. the Teviot, the Jed, and the Tweed, none of which are navigable but for small ferry boats. Some rivers in England, such as the Tyne, the Cocket, &c. have their origin in the more elevated parts of the county of Roxburgh.

In an agricultural point of view, Roxburghshire may be divided into land under tillage and under pasture, although a considerable portion of the latter may be reduced to arable land. The soils under tillage may be divided into light and clayey, the former of which is usually denominated green, and the latter white soil, because it is best adapted to the rearing of oats, wheat, and other white grains. What is called till in Roxburghshire, generally consists of a hard clay intermixed with stones, by which it resembles coarse gravel. Most of the different species of till may be changed into a fertile soil in process of time, by being exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and mixed with lime and manure. Sweet, sour, and healthy, are the terms by which lands under pasture are usually distinguished, and these are conferred from a consideration of the nature of the soil, its grasses, and such other circumstances as indicate them to be favourable or unfavourable for the rearing of sheep. Much of these lands was, at a remote period, under wood and heath, the existence of the former being pointed out by the roots of trees still remaining in the ground. The soil in general is sharp and dry upon the hills; but some of the high moors and the grounds in the vicinity of rivers are wet and marshy.

There are different tracts of land in this county which still continue in a state of nature, a portion of which kind, measuring about four miles long and two broad, runs through part of the parishes of Ancrum and Roxburgh, chiefly of a light gravelly nature, covered with heath, bent, and other coarse grasses. The large district of Liddesdale is wholly under sheep-pasturage, with the exception of a few strips on the banks of the Liddel and Hermitage. Indeed a cold wet soil, an exposed situation, and unfriendly climate, hold out few incentives to improvements in agriculture. In ancient times this must have been very different from what it is at present. The marks of the plough can still be traced on the summits of lofty mountains, where the production of crops at this day is wholly impracticable. The counties on the borders were not, at a remote period, possessed by individuals in large detached portions, but the people of a whole neighbourhood had their alternate ridges, in which case they became interested in defending the property of each other against invaders and plunderers. The wars of the border, however, were happily terminated by the union of England and Scotland under one sovereign, in consequence of which the holding of property in what was denominated runrigg, no longer possessed its ancient advantages, but was rather a disadvantage, as it created constant quarrels and disputes among farmers, and greatly retarded the improvement of the soil. Each individual, therefore, became anxious to have his lands detached from those of his neighbours, an advantageous change which was very soon and very generally adopted.

A Mr Dawton, the son of a farmer in Roxburghshire, having resided four years in the west riding of Yorkshire, and a year in Essex, there made himself well acquainted with the most approved methods of husbandry practised in England, and returned to his native country in the full assurance of being able to introduce into the agriculture of Scotland the most essential improvements. On his arrival in Roxburghshire in the year 1753, he immediately introduced the turnip husbandry, which he sowed in drills, and was certainly the first Scots farmer who introduced the cultivation of turnip into the open field. His neighbours being wholly ignorant of the agricultural knowledge which this young gentleman had acquired in England, began to predict his ruin as wholly inevitable; but he was not to be intimidated by their prophetic sentiments, and he went on resolutely in bringing his lands into the very best condition, which he fully effected by means of the turnip husbandry. husbandry, by the sowing of artificial grasses, a practice then unknown in Scotland, and by the free and extensive use of lime. By such a procedure his neighbours saw him becoming rapidly opulent, and having followed his example with the most flattering success, they were constrained to alter their sentiments respecting his conduct as a farmer, and to hail him the father of the agriculture of the south of Scotland.

The rotation of crops now followed in this county has nothing in it of a peculiar nature, the arrangement on a dry soil being generally oats, turnips, barley with grasses, hay or pasture for one year, then barley as before. Where the soil is good and properly prepared, it is not uncommon with farmers to adopt the following rotation viz. oats, turnips, oats, turnips, wheat or barley with grasses, and hay or pasture for one year. A part of Roxburghshire has been long celebrated for a species of oats which produce early crops, and which are known by the appellation of Blainly oats, because they have been produced at Blainly from time immemorial, which is a district in the parish of Melrose, and northern extremity of the county. These are often five shillings a boll dearer than common oats, and in no situation whatever are they known to degenerate. In some rich soils the produce is 16 or 18 for 1, and the lowest average produce is at least fix for one. The general practice of feeding cattle with turnip has diminished the culture of peas and beans in this county, and there are so few potatoes reared that they cannot be regarded as forming a part of the farmer's crop. Extensive crops of hay are not in general cultivated in this county, there being but few cities in which an advantageous market could be found; and the use of it is in a great measure supplanted by that of turnip. Little more flax is reared than what is necessary for domestic purposes.

There is a circumstance worthy of observation, that the rearing of tobacco was, at one period, attempted in this county with remarkable success. It was introduced by Mr Thomas Man, who had been for some time in America. Soon after the first experiments were made, a single acre of land produced a crop worth 70l. sterling; and the crop of 13 acres was sold on the ground for 320l.; but in consequence of an act of parliament prohibiting the culture of it, the purchaser could not implement his bargain, and the farmer was obliged to sell it to government at the rate of fourpence a pound, in consequence of which it brought him no more than 104l. instead of 320l.

Great quantities of cattle are fed in this county, and about 260,000 sheep of the Cheviot breed in general, which are found to thrive remarkably in every part of the county. The horses are either of the English breed, or from Lanarkshire, which latter are deemed preferable for steady work in the plough. Although swine are not kept by the farmers as a part of their flock, yet great numbers of them are reared by tradesmen, cottagers, hinds, and others, the small breed being chiefly preferred, not exceeding eight or nine stones English each. Roxburghshire is also famous for the rearing of poultry, and immense quantities of eggs are sent from it to Berwick, to be shipped for the London market. Crows are here so numerous, that they frequently darken the air in their flight, and are extremely destructive to every species of grain. A great part of the county is uninclosed, and the fences made use of are the hedge and ditch, although in some places upright stone dykes Roxburghshire have the decided preference, where stones can be readily procured.

The orchards of Roxburgh county have been long celebrated for different kinds of fruit, and there are here two extensive nurseries for the rearing of trees. The last are at Hafdenburn in the parish of Minto, and at Hawick. The whole county, however, like that of Berwick, is extremely defective in mineral productions, and coal has nowhere been found. Limestone is no doubt met with in different places of it, but the want of fuel requisite for its calcination, induces farmers to bring it from Dalkeith or Edinburgh in their corn carts, which might otherwise return empty.

In the vicinity of Jedburgh there are two springs of chalybeate water, with indications of more in different parts of the parish, which have not yet been subjected to any examination or analysis, although the waters of Tushope well have been regarded as antiscorbutic, and of use also in rheumatic disorders.

In this county there are many remains of antiquity, such as ancient strong buildings, and vestiges of camps. Different remains of encampments and fortifications are to be met with in the parish of Roberton, which in all probability have been the work of the Romans. Hermitage castle is situated upon the bank of the river of the same name, and is nearly 100 feet square, defended by a strong rampart and ditch. The inner part of it is a heap of ruins, but the walls are almost entire. This is probably the very castle mentioned by Smollet, which was built in Liddefield by Alexander II. and which gave such offence to Henry III. of England that he made war on Alexander in the year 1240. There are several caves or recesses on the banks of the Ale water, not fewer than fifteen of which, it is said, may be still pointed out, in some of which the vestiges of chimneys or fire-places are very discernible. Although at first used by plunderers as places of safe retreat, they were no doubt afterwards employed by the poorer classes of the community as their ordinary habitations. Perhaps the abbey of Melrose is the most distinguished monument of antiquity to be met with in this county; for an account of which the reader may consult the article Melrose.

Roxburghshire has given birth to some of the most eminent characters who have adorned the republic of letters, among whom we find Dr John Armstrong, a distinguished physician and poet; James Thomson, the far-famed author of the Seasons; the poet Gawin Douglas, at one time rector of Hawick, afterwards bishop of Dunkeld; and the celebrated George Augustus Eliot, afterwards Lord Heathfield.

Notwithstanding the difficulty of procuring fuel in this county, several manufactures have been carried on with a considerable degree of spirit and determined perseverance, the chief of which are carpets, inkle, cloth and stockings, in the manufacture of which nearly 300 packs of wool (each 12 stones) have been annually consumed. About 4000 pairs of stockings have been made in the same time, and 10 tons of linen yarn consumed in the making of inkle.

The population of this county, estimated in 1801, amounted to 33,682; and the following is the population according to the parishes, taken from the Statistical History of Scotland. | Parish | Population in 1755 | Population in 1790-1793 | |------------|-------------------|------------------------| | Ancrum | 1666 | 1146 | | Athkirk | 629 | 539 | | Bedrule | 297 | 259 | | Bowden | 672 | 860 | | Caffleton | 1507 | 1418 | | Cavers | 993 | 1300 | | Crailing | 387 | 672 | | Ednam | 387 | 600 | | Eckford | 1083 | 952 | | Hawick | 2713 | 2928 | | Hobkirk | 530 | 700 | | Hownam | 632 | 365 | | Jedburgh | 5816 | 3288 | | Kelso | 2781 | 4324 | | Kirktown | 330 | 342 | | Leifden | 309 | 500 | | Lilliefleaf | 521 | 630 | | Linton | 413 | 383 | | Mackerston | 105 | 255 | | Maxton | 397 | 326 | | Melrose | 2322 | 2446 | | Minto | 395 | 513 | | Morebattle | 789 | 789 | | Oxnam | 760 | 690 | | Roberton | 651 | 629 | | Roxburgh | 784 | 840 | | Smailholm | 557 | 421 | | Southdean | 669 | 714 | | Sproulton | 1089 | 1080 | | Wilton | 936 | 1215 | | Yetholm | 699 | 976 |

Increase: 747