"The most northerly county of England. It lies next to Scotland, on the German Ocean, and is bounded by Durham and Cumberland. It extends about 70 miles in length, and 50 in breadth; and contains 12 market towns, and 460 parishes. The air is not so cold as might be imagined from the latitude in which it lies; and the snow seldom lies long in Northumberland, except on the tops of the hills, some of which are above 2000 feet high."