The road to Bramton is manifestly Roman, by reason of its straightness; and in two places, as I walked up the first hill, I saw the original, made of a bed of stone: it goes precisely south-east; and looking towards Carlisle, I saw it passed through the citadel, and along a narrow street; so through the cathedral to the castle-gate; all in a strait line. To the castle-gate the road over the river Eden came: that from the wall on the west came to the same point; into which falls that from castrum exploratorum.
The VALLVM.
The military virtue of the Romans outlived the spirit of their learning, or excelled it, seeing there is no author that deservedly celebrates this stupendous work of theirs in Britain: they just mention it: no coins struck upon it. I am not afraid to set it in competition with the wall of China, which necessarily occurs to our thoughts upon this occasion: that we readily acknowledge to be a structure of greater bulk and length, which we esteem the least part of the wonder in ours: the Romans intended no more, by their walls around their forts and castles than to prevent a sudden surprise: their strength lay in a living arm and head: in the open field they never refused fighting, without much regard to opposite numbers; the additional security of a little wall was all they asked, against emergencies.
Therefore the beauty and the contrivance of this wall consisted mostly in the admirable disposition of the garrisons upon it, at such proper stations, distance, strength and method, that even in times of profound peace, as well as war, a few hands were sufficient to defend it against a most bold and daring people, redundant in numbers, strong and hardy in body, fierce in manners, as were the old North Britons, who refused subjection and a polite life.
The Romans, tired out with the untractable disposition of these people, whose country they judged not worth while wholly to conquer, resolved to quit their strengths northward, and content themselves with the desirable part of Britain, and, by one of the greatest works they ever did, seclude the Caledonians, and immortalise their own name by an inexhaustible fund of monuments, for posterity to admire. These people, who had the true spirit of military discipline, did not lie idle under arms, but were ever at work, even whilst they lay pro castris; making and repairing public roads; setting up milliary pillars; building and repairing castles, cities, temples, and palaces; erecting altars, inscriptions; striking medals, and the like works, which we here find in such surprising quantities.
If we consider the great numbers of their works now to be seen, more that have been lost and destroyed, or put into new buildings of our own, most that are still left for future times to rake out of their vestiges, we may entertain a true notion of their genius, which subdued the fiercest and most populous nations in the world. Worthily may we propose them for examples of virtue and public spirit. This is no little use and advantage of disquisitions of this sort.
Alliances, treaties, and negotiations, are of small value to a nation always in arms, and ready to meet an injurious enemy; who strengthen, fortify, and enrich themselves at home, protect the people, and make the expences of government sit easy upon them; encourage industry, frugality, temperance, virtue; a few plain easy laws; administer justice with expedition, and without expence; but especially encourage a due sense of religion and morality: and how much easier and more effectually that is to be done now, than possibly could be done by the Romans, will appear notorious, when we consider, that under the Christian dispensation we make a much stronger impression on the hearts and minds of people, than before: the full certainty, which all reasonable consciences must now have, of a future retribution and account to be made before an omniscient judge, lays an infinitely greater restraint on our actions, than possibly can be had from the terror of rods and axes.
The Roman wall is called by the people Pights wall, with a guttural pronunciation, which we of the south cannot imitate; and which the Romans called Picti; but not from any fancied painting of their bodies, though it gave a handle to it.
At Stanwick, which hence has its name, just over-against Carlisle beyond the river, I saw the ditch very plain: the blacksmith there, told me he had taken up many of the stones of the foundation of the wall: it passes the river over-against Carlisle castle. At Stanwick was an arched gate through the wall: Mr. Goodman showed us a cornelian intaglia found there, of Jupiter sitting. I followed the wall to Taraby, where, a little beyond, it makes an angle, going more south-east; so to Draw-dikes, which was a fort, about 100 foot square: it is on the edge of the meadows, and moist in situation. Here I found an inscription upon the house-wall.
In building the wall, I observed evidently, the intent of the projectors was to conduct it, all along, upon the northern edge of the high ground, as near as might be. All about Carlisle, this most noble monument of Roman power and policy is pulled up; first, perhaps, by William Rufus, when he built the castle; then for the cathedral: and I suppose all the church walls of the city, and houses of it, and the villages near it, are of the pillage: hence most of the churches along the wall are set upon it, for the convenience of having stone near at hand, ready cut. The farmers and inhabitants are daily taking away the small remains.