their residence. The Cheshire prophet, Nixon, lived as
ploughboy with the Cholmondeley family, according to tradition, for which we
no more answer than for his prophecies, doubts having recently been thrown on
both. A breed of white cattle with red ears are preserved at Vale Royal, in
memory of the preservation of part of the family by a white cow when in
hiding during the Civil Wars.

But we have not space to enter into the details of this, or the historical
reminiscences connected with the ruins of Beeston Castle, which also falls in
our way to Chester; for we must get on to Liverpool and leave for the present
Cheshire, with its cheesemaking pastures, ancient mansions, and more ancient
families, as well as its coal mines and cotton mills, to visit the twin
capitals of Liverpool and Manchester, which are at once the objects of the
contempt and sources of the rent of the Cheshire territorial aristocracy.

The antiquarian and historical student may linger long in Cheshire, which
abounds in interesting architectural remains of several centuries,
particularly of the black and white timbered mansions, and is studded with
the sites of famous stories.

[EXCAVATION AT HARTFORD: ill21.jpg]

We shall pass Hartford Station without notice, and shall not pause to visit
Northwich and the celebrated Marston Salt Pits, although well worth visiting,
for which purpose a cricketer's suit of flannel will be found the best
costume, and a few good Bengal lights an assistance in viewing the wonders of
the salt caves. On across the long Dutton viaduct, spanning the Weaver
navigation, we drive until, crossing the Mersey and Irwell canal and the
river Mersey, we quit Cheshire and enter Lancashire, to run into the
Warrington Station.

[THE DUTTON VIADUCT: ill23.jpg]

* * * * *

WARRINGTON may be dismissed in a very few words. It is situated in the
ugliest part of Lancashire, in a flat district, among coal mines, on the
banks of a very unpicturesque river, surrounded by a population in character
much resembling that described in the "Black Country" of Staffordshire, and
Worcestershire, and Shropshire. It was one of the earliest seats of
manufacture in Lancashire, and has the advantage of coal close at hand, with
canal and river navigation and railways to Chester through Runcorn (nineteen
miles), to Crewe, to Liverpool, to Manchester, and thereby to all quarters in
the north of England.

[THE WARRINGTON VIADUCT: ill22.jpg]

Coarse l