TO THE PUBLIC. THE Proprietors of "THE BRIGHTON GLEANER," in closing the first volume of their periodical publication, with the 12th number, embrace the opportunity of returning their grateful thanks to their numerous friends for the encouraging support they have received; and to assure them, that no effort, within their ability to make, shall be withheld, in their attempts to deserve their future patronage. As an advertising medium "THE BRIGHTON GLEANER" may now with confidence be recommended--its extensive circulation at this time justifies the appeal for such additional notice: it is largely distributed in the metropolis, in this and adjoining counties, and is sent to almost all the market towns in the kingdom. Its success, for the short period of its establishment, may be regarded as almost unprecedented, and the demands for it continue daily to increase. " In apportioning of a certain number of its pages to advertising purposes, as the case may require, the Proprietors deem it right to inform their Subscribers, that no reduction in the two sheets and a half of letterpress, devoted to News Occurrences, Literary Objects and Selections, is intended---additional pages for such favours will be given on all occasions, without any alteration in the moderate price (6d) of the work. The proposed charges for Advertisements will be stated at the opening of the second volume, this day fortnight. The Proprietors have been numerously applied to, from a fortnightly, to make "THE BRIGHTON GLEANER" a weekly publication; but, before they can consent to such a change, their present Subscribers must be generally consulted: they can have no objection to any alteration that may be suggested or approved of by them, nor would they willingly countenance any to which it was likely they would dissent---this matter, therefore, must remain for consideration at a future day. The alteration intended, in the opening of the second volume, in the arrangement of the letter-press, they doubt not will be regarded with approbation, including single-columned pages instead of double, with separate heads to the miscellaneous subjects selected, to render them, by a recourse to the index, more easy of reference. To the passing events of this Town and County, particularly as appertains to its Fashionable feature and Local regulations, more attention will be paid than hitherto, and which, instead of nearly concluding, will distinguish the commencement of every succeeding number. As originally, the Proprietors do not intend to involve themselves with the contrariety of parties, and the influencing politics of the day; but if, at any time, they imagine it probable, that their feeble efforts can, in the slightest degree, be the means of upholding a good cause, connected with the sweep of their circulation, they will fearlessly be used, though the actuating matter should chance to have, what may be termed, a political basis. A Market Table, a Tide Table, the Lists of Bankrupts, &c. will be added to their future numbers. Marriages, Births, and Deaths, properly attested, will be inserted, free of expence. All Orders and Communications, postage-paid, addressed to the Editor, 63, Cavendish-street, will meet with the earliest attention. "Honour and worth from no conditions rise; No. 1. MONDAY, APRIL 22, 1822. VOL. I. EPITOME OF BRIGHTON. A Work, under the above title, topographical and descriptive, involving a more copious History of this place than is otherwise extant, together with the nature of its Air, Soil, Water, Local Regulations and Amusements---Remarks on Sea-Bathing, the Mineral Spring at Wick, an accurate Description of the principal Apartments in the King's Pavilion-Palace, has already gone through an extensive edition, and a second, with valuable additions and improvements, is preparing for the press :---from the latter, we have not only permission to publish extracts, but the additional matter, which perseverance in research has selected and accuracy framed for it, will be equally offered for our use---the Editor, therefore, purposes, in each number, to continue his extracts, that the early Subscribers to THE BRIGHTON GLEANER may, in the regular course of time, be in possession of the aggregate matter of the said Work; and to which the general Index of each Yearly Volume will, at all times, render a reference easy. ETYMON. BRIGHTHELMSTON, or, as fashion has abreviated it, Brighton, is situated in 50°. 55'. N. latitude, and about 3' to the westward of the meridian of London, at the distance of about fortythree miles in a straight direction, but nearly fifty-four as the road winds; and to the west of the centre of a bay, formed by Worthing point in that direction, and by Beachy-head to the east. This bay is a bold and deep shore, from the cliffs of which a clear gravel runs to the sea, terminating in a hard sand, free from ooze, or any offensive mixture of mud, so often found at the mouths of rivers, and on many other parts of the coast. The etymon of its name cannot be traced with certainty; a reference to ancient records has discovered it, in the Saxon, to B The for have been variously written, viz. On the hill called the Churchhill, there are several stones of large dimensions, composed of silicious boulters imbedded in a very hard iron grit, placed on the apin or near some barrows of the most ancient inhabitants of this island. They are called by antiquaries Kistvaens or Cromlechs--British names for stone-chests, or rough, unhewn, sacred stones. They appear to have been thrown down from their original structure, and fractured by violence; and various of their fragments seem to have been removed to adjacent grounds, for land-marks. The Kistvaen or Cromlech, consisted of three large stones raised perpendicularly, with a much larger table-stone incumbent on the top. The name of these stones, Rowland says, is derived from the Hebrew Caram-lech, or Cormam-luah, i. e. a devoted stone or altar. (See Mona Antiqua, p. 47.) In various places of this country, in Wales, and in Cornwall, they exist in their original forms. Those on the Churchhill are in a field which leads to the Chalybeate, on the side of the road extending towards the British fortifications above Poynings, vulgarly called the Devil's Dyke, or Ditch. Close to the road, in a field near the declivity of the Church-hill, are, likewise, the remains of another Cromlech; and in a field opposite, near the pathway leading to Preston, another. and not the place from him. But, in curvetting over the dangerous and uncertain ground of etymology, the antiquary should always be aware of the delusions of fancy; yet, when he ventures on such excursions, it is not impossible that he may meet with discoveries tending to convey amusement and instruction; and which, perhaps, may serve to gratify the curiosity of those who may not have had the opportunity of leisure for similar studies and investigations. From the brief description of the interesting ancient British memorials above named, the possibility, therefore, is presumed, that the Church-hill was called by the ancient Britons, The Sacred Hill or Promontory, which might have given the name to the town, Bryn-el-Town. Bryn, Hillock, Hill, or Cliff; also Welch or Celtic, El, Ehal, Ail, Aigle, High, Holy, Sacred Angel; also, the Heavens; also, from the great race of words found in every language, El, or Al, from the Hebrew, solar God; Towyn, British, a Turfy down ; in Davis, Gleba Cespes. When Ella and his three sons, Cymen, Wlencing, and Cisa, landed in Sussex, Anno. 447, it is considered probable, that they called the Church-hill by the name given to it by the Britons; and which, in Saxon, would be Burgh-halig-stan, Hill-holystone; hence, the name of Brighthelmston may be open to conjecture, as arising from the perversion of succeeding etymon; particularly as there is abundant It has been justly observed, that the names of places commonly have a reference to peculiarity of site, or retain the meaning of certain local particulars--as such the name of the town of Brighthelmston, is said to be derived from that of a Bishop call-evidence that the Saxons called ed Brighthelm, though we consi- the British memorials of the der it probable, that the Bishop above species by their own lanreceived his name from the place, guage--hence Stone-henge, from |