The name indicates that it was a Roman Station on the river Dan, Don
or Dun, “so called,” says Camden, “because 'tis carried in a low deep
channel, for that is the signification of the British word Dan.” I
thank Dr. Prichard for telling me what it was not possible for Camden
to know,—that Don in the language of the Ossetes, a Caucassian tribe,
means water; and that in a country so remote as New Guinea, Dan has
the same meaning. Our Doctor loved the river for its name's sake; and
the better because the river Dove falls into it. Don however, though
not without some sacrifice of feeling, he was content to call it, in
conformity to the established usage. A more satisfactory reason to him
would have been that of preserving the identity of name with the Don
of Aberdeenshire and of the Cossacks, and the relationship in
etymology with the Donau, but that the original pronunciation which
was, as he deemed, perverted in that latter name was found in Danube;
and that by calling his own river Don it ceased to be homonymous with
that Dan which adds its waters, and its name to the Jor.
But the Yorkshire Don might be liked also for its own sake. Hear how
its course is described in old prose and older verse! “The River Don
or Dun,” says Dodsworth in his Yorkshire collections, “riseth in the
upper part of Pennystone parish near Lady's Cross (which may be called
our Appennines, because the rain water that falleth sheddeth from sea
to sea;) cometh to Birchworth, so to Pennystone, thence to
Boleterstone by Medop, leaveth Wharncliffe Chase (stored with
roebucks, which are decayed since the great frost) on the north
(belonging to Sir Francis Wortley, where he hath great iron works. The
said Wharncliffe affordeth two hundred dozen of coal for ever to his
said works. In this Chase he had red and fallow deer and roes) and
leaveth Bethuns, a Chase and Tower of the Earl of Salop, on the south
side. By Wortley to Waddsley, where in times past Everingham of
Stainber had a park, now disparked. Thence to Sheffield, and washeth
the castle wall; keepeth its course to Attercliffe, where is an iron
forge of the Earl of Salop; from thence to Winkebank, Kymberworth and
Eccles, where it entertaineth the Rother; cometh presently to
Rotherham, thence to Aldwark Hall, the Fitzwilliams' ancient
possession; then to Thriberg Park, the seat of Reresbyes Knights; then
to Mexborough, where hath been a Castle; then to Conisborough Park and
Castle of the Earls of Warrens, where there is a place called Horsas
Tomb. From thence to Sprotebrough, the ancient seat of the famous
family of Fitzwilliam who have flourished since the conquest. Thence
by Newton to Donecastre, Wheatley and Kirk Sandal to Barnby-Dunn; by
Bramwith and Stainforth to Fishlake; thence to Turnbrig, a port town
serving indifferently for all the west parts, where he pays his
tribute to the Ayre.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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