in the well to a considerable height, even in many cases to overflow the surface. But all communication between the wa. ter in the well and the lead-colored clay (at the back of the steening) must be prevented, or the water in the well will soon become impregnated with the bad qualities of the clay. Though that aptitude, in this clay, to spoil water, is in a great measure prevented, in such wells as have the water rise so much as to overflow in a full stream; and that would generally be the case in low situations, if the well-diggers were to compleat their steening to the stratum of shells, and then depend on boring one large auger-hole, through the marine stratum, into the sand which lies under it.

This formation of clay has been dug through in sinking wells at Clapham, Stockwell, Brixton, Norwood, and other places on the north-east side of Surrey, as well as at many places in Middlesex.

The road now digging through Highgate-hill is wholly in this clay, and the works at that place have brought to light many petrifactions. Among the rest was a tree thirty or forty feet below the surface, which evidently shewed that worms had eaten their way through it in every direction, and that the cavities occasioned by them are nearly filled with mineral matter.

A few months ago an elephant's tusk was found in this clay, not far below the surface of it, by the workmen employed in Mr. Hobson's brick-field at Kingsland, about a mile on the north side of Shoreditch Church, London. This tusk is rather thicker and more bent,but not longer, than those of the living animals at this time.

5. A stratum of shells, pebbles, and sand.

A bed of shells, consisting of oysters and cockles, though mostly the former, sometimes whole, but more frequently in fragments. These shells are cemented together by the lead-colored London clay, and the glutinous remains of fish. They compose a layer of two or three feet in thickness. Under that there is generally eight or ten feet of a che nutcolored loan, containing a few sea sheils, reposing upon another bed of compact shells a foot or two. The whole of this formation is about twelve or fifteen feet in thickness.

This bed of shells has been seen in many places, but it is not supposed to exist universally; for instance, it does not appear in the pits for fire-clay at

Ewell, nor in those for tobacco-pipe clay in Purbeck. But I believe it is invariably found under the London clay, in sinking wells of considerable depth in Middlesex and Surrey. In the place of these shells at Ewell, where they were expected to basset, or rise gradually to the surface, I found the fire-clay, in two or three layers of different qualities, rising from under the edge of the London clay. The uppermost of these beds is of a reddish or ruddy color, with blue veins. The next is a bed of clay, about three feet thick, not much unlike fullers-earth, and this rests upon sand of a similar brown color. That is, the lowest bed of this fire-clay lies upon the upper bed of Blackheath sand, beneath which may be seen the lower bed of white sand, and under that the chalk. These beds of clay and sand, mixed in various ways and proportions, are manufactured into tiles and bricks, for ovens, furnaces, and other fire-places, where a great degree of heat is to be withstood. I repeat that the foregoing fire clay rests upon the Blackheath-sand, which forms the immediate covering of chalk.

A short account of the Norden Clay Pits in Purbeck, owing to their pro ducing great quantities of the best pipeclay, may be here properly introduced. This clay is in a similar situation to the fire-clay at Ewell. The pits are dug in a tract of barren land, and situated about one mile north-west from Corfe Castle. Mr. Fail is said to be the proprietor of the clay; and Mr. Morton Pitt, of the royalty. A section of one of the pits exhibits the following appearance. 1st. Vegetable mould, a peat earth, producing heath 2nd White clay and sand, in patches

3rd. Sand, stained with iron, of a

chesnut color

4th. Iron sand-stone 5th. Ash-colored clay, with patches of coal. This color may be attributed to the stain of the coal.

1 ft. thick

5 ft. thick

10 ft. thick 1 ft. thick

10 ft. thick

6th Coal, stained, in patches, with white clay. This coal is said to be unfit for domestic use, owing to its sulphureous smell. 3 ft. thick 7th. Pipe clay, white and compact, in two beds; divided by a layer of chocolate-colored clay, one foot thick; the lower bed is esteemed the best,

17 ft. thick

the down.

The coal which covers this clay obviously originated from timber and other wood; the specimens submitted to examination were found to contain a portion of mundic and sulphur.

Blackheath sand lies under the foregoing bed of marine shells. The upper part of this formation consists of pebbles of the size of horse-beans, marbles, and walnuts; they are of many colors, and vary in depth from a foot or two, to ten, fifteen, or twenty feet. They form the surface at Blackheath, Woolwich, and other places in Kent, as well as on Shirley common, Addington-hills, and Croomhurst, in Surrey; and they are to be seen in many other places. The pebbles are nearly free from earthy mixture, and,

where they form the surface of the soil, it is extremely unproductive. Loose sand lies immediately under them; it is of a fawn color, and ten or fifteen feet in thickness; beneath that is thirty or forty feet of sand, nearly white, which is dug in the pits of Mr. Mawberly, at Shirley, in Surrey, but only to the depth of fifteen feet for the use of masons, glass-cutters, and household purposes; it continues to a greater depth, but the rest of it is drowned in water.

At these pits, the vegetable mould, and pebbles to be removed from off the sand, is barely three feet thick. The whole is dug at a very small expense, and, as it is sold at the pit at the high rate of eighteen shillings, for a three-horse cartload, it must be a most profitable application of land, otherwise extremely bad and unproductive. The work is continued daily; and this rate of sale is calculated to produce the astonishing high

Such as ashes, cream, cornelian, &c.

acre.

Under London, and in the neighbourhood of that city, as well as wherever this formation happens to be in a low situation, it is full of water; but, where it rises to the surface, it is dry sand. A fine section of it, upon chalk, may be seen in a large pit at Upper Greenwich, very near Blackheath, in Kent. It may also be seen to rest upon chalk, on the south side of Addington-hills, Croomhurst, and other places in Surrey. The sandy part of this formation lies between the fire-clay and the chalk in Mr. Waghorn's brick and tile fields, on the side of the roads at the east end of Ewell; it is believed to lie under the pipe-clay of Purbeck, but in these places the pebbles are found to be missing. It also rises from under the lead-colored clay of London, and forms the surface across the middle of the Isle of Wight, in a direction from east to west. It is found in the same position in Studland Bay, Purbeck, but it is not universally found upon chalk; as the places are very numerous in which different shades of chesnutcolored clay is the immediate covering of chalk. But, wherever this formation exists, it lies upon chalk, and it rises to the surface, or bassets out on the London side of all the chalk hills.

SHROPSHIRE.

round

round it, though forming part of Shropshire, is yet several miles from the rest of that county, standing completely insulated by the adjoining shires.

The town of Hales-Owen affords nothing remarkable; the church, with its handsome spire, is a pretty object; and is seen to great advantage from several points of view at the Leasowes: its walls contain the remains of Shenstone, whose genius created, and adorned that sylvan retreat. Alighting at the inn, we proceeded to the object of our journey; re-ascending part of the hill, we quitted the high road, and entered a little narrow lane on the right, overhung with trees and shrubs, in wild luxuriance, which leads to, and forms the carriage-way to, the house; arriving at the end of this Jane, we were at a loss how to proceed, having no guide to conduct us; but, struck with the appearance of two rural arches, on each side the way, which seemed to form entrances to somewhere, we darted through the right-hand one, and soon found ourselves enveloped in the recesses of the wood. Passing along a very irregular and wild foot-path, we rapidly descended into a deep hollow, thickly planted with trees, through which, at intervals, were seen the sparkling waters of a small brook, which we heard mur. muring at the bottom of the dingle; there, its further progress being stopped by an embankment, the waters expand into a small lake, which appears of much larger dimensions than it really is; for, its form being irregular, and its banks thickly planted with trees, the different boundaries are concealed from observation.

The path here, making a sharp turn to the left, conducts over a very irregular and diversified surface, to a spot so completely shut in with wood, that the glare of day-light is excluded: it was once reckoned among the most striking scenes here, and excited the admiration of every wanderer through these shades; when the sounding cascade was heard rolling over the steeps above, and the torrent murmuring at his feet below; this was a favorite spot with the poet. On a small eminence surrounded with trees, an urn is obscurely perceived through the close foliage, with this inscription:

"Genio Loci,"

(to the Genius of the Spot ;)-but the Genius no longer listens to the echo of the waterfall, or the bubbling of the brook; the waterfall is silent; the brook is choaked up with weeds and rubbish; the urn is MONTHLY MAG, No. 232.

o'ergrown with moss; the inscription is hardly legible.

The general complaint of the neigh bourhood, that the gardens are sadly neglected, and going to decay, we found too well grounded; in many places, the seats would hardly bear to be used, the inscriptions were almost obliterated, and of many of the decorations scarcely a vestige remains. Yet the place was beautiful, even in decay.

At a little distance, placed upon the verge of the stream, is the Root-house, formed of the trunks of trees and covered with turf, containing a rude seat, once affording a fine view of the cascade above it, which was seen rolling irregularly over various masses of rock, in detached parts; now the waters escape by the sides, or dribble through the stones, hardly exciting a murmur; indeed, all the beau teous scenes which are indebted to Art for their creation, present nothing but subjects of dilapidation and decay the hand that fostered them, that planted these groves," and taught the murmur ing waters where to flow," is long since mouldered into dust.

Nor, Shenstone, thou Shalt pass without thy meed, thou son of

Peace

Who knew'st, perchance, to harmonize thy shades

Still softer than thy song; yet was that song Nor rude, nor inharmonious, when attuned To pastoral plaint, or tale of slighted love."

Mason's English Garden. The natural beauties of the place, however, abundantly compensate for the ruinated state of particular parts; it is amazingly diversified with hill and dale; there being scarcely a spot of level ground about it: it is one continued inequality, with the exception of one walk along the crest of the hill: never was spot more improveable; never was spot more judiciously improved.

Emerging from the deep shades in which we had been wandering, we kept gradually ascending, till we came to an old seat in a lofty situation, presenting a rich view of a beautiful country, bounded by the mountains of Wales, at a great distance, in the extremity of the horizon. Pursuing our course, sometimes along a simple foot-path, sometimes climbing a steep ascent, or winding through a woody thicket,-for the boundary walks assume every appearance, and are continually varying their scenes and character,-we came to the Gothic Alcove; when we stopped to rest, and decyphered the fol Dd

lowing