_Defoe's Tour through Great Britain_.--I am much obliged to your
correspondent "D.S.Y" for the suggestion that the _Tour through Great
Britain, by a Gentleman_, from which I sent you some extracts relating
to the Ironworks of Sussex, is from the pen of Daniel Defoe. On
referring to the list of his writings, given in vol. xx. of C. Talboy's
edition of Defoe's Works, I find this idea is correct. Chalmers notices
three editions of the work, in 1724, 1725, and 1727, (numbered in his
list "154," "156," "163,") and remarks that "all the subsequent editions
vary considerably from the original" of 1724. He states that "this work
is frequently confounded with 'John Macky's Journey through England, in
familiar Letters from a Gentleman here to his Friend abroad,' 1722." I
may take this opportunity of mentioning that, in the first volume of
Defoe's work, there are some very interesting particulars of the
skirmish at Reading, between the troops of the Prince of Orange and the
Irish forces of James II., and the panic known as the "Irish night,"
which deserve to be consulted by Mr. Macaulay, for the next edition of
his History. The whole work will well repay a perusal, and what is there
of Defoe's writing which will not?