It is, however, to the authors, whose names we have recapitulated, that we are indebted for admirable models in topo graphy ; and it would be injustice to the moderns to deny them the merit of hav ing greatly improved upon them, by their descending to the minutia which seems to have escaped the attention of their great predecessors. The public has for a very considerable length of time been extremely partial to topographical works, which is evinced by the shoals of publications issued from the London and provincial presses on this subject. The metropolis has MR every thing said of it which the art of man could rake toge ther; almost every county has its histo rian, and some have had several ; the ci ties have each been described, and every town, worth or not worth a description, has its guide ; and, exclusive of those, numbers of tours are continually making their appearance. It appears almost in vidious to mention any particular exer tions, without enumerating every well. founded prptension to public approba tion ; and yet we cannot conclude this article accurately without Observing, that Gough's edition of Camden's "Britan nia," and his "Sepulchral Monuments" of this kingdom, are worthy of ranking with the works of our best ancient topo graphers; and that amongst the many ex cellent county histories we possess, none has a greater claim for extent and accu racy than the " History of Leicester shire," by Mr. John Nichols. The envi rons of London have received every pos sible attention from the indefatigable brothers, Daniel and Samuel Lysons, who are now pursuing a most laborious under taking on nearly the same plan, to be extended to all England ; and of London, the great centre, every thing has been said by Stowe, Strype, and Malcolm ; be sides the slighter performance of Pen nant, to whom we are more indebted for his other topographical works ; and, to conclude, we now possess a Tonorraphi.
cal Dictionary, the patient and useful production of Mr. Carlisle.
The encouragement all these and simi lar publications have hitherto uniformly met with has been eminently advanta geous to draftsmen and engravers, whose works, for the embellishment of topogra phical writings, are not surpassed by any which. have made their appearance on the Continent, an assertion that may be proved decidedly by referring to the re cent publications—" The Beauties of En gland and Wales," and "The Architec tural Antiquities of Great Britain ;" two of the best, without exception, that havO ever issued from the British press ; the joint performance, in the first instance, of Messrs. Britton and Brayley : and in the second, of the former only.
TORDYLlUM, in botany, heart-wort, a genus of the Pentandria Digynia class and order. Natural order of Umbellatm, or Umbe]lifes:. Essential character : co rolla radiate ; all hermaphrodite ; fruit suborbicular, notched at the edge ; invo lucres long, undivided. There are seven species.