leaft doubt but that they must be of fingular utility to the practical miner, fince a very few general truths, refpecting the conftruction of the earth, and the arrangement of its ftrata, ferve to determine the probability of limeftone, coal, or minerals being contained in the lower regions; for inftance, the coarse millstone grit is never incumbent on coal, but always on limeftone; while vegetable impreffions, and argillaceous ftrata containing them, are cer tain indications of the former, but never of the latter; and this is the cafe not only in Derbyshire and all over England, but in every other part of the world hitherto explored. Having given a fection and defcription of the ftrata in North Wales, which are fimilar to, and productive of the fame minerals as thofe of Derbyshire, Mr. W. proceeds to defcribe the ftrata in Ireland, which he alfo found perfectly analogous to thofe in England; we fhall therefore pafs them over, and follow him to the Giant's Caufeway. This curious production of nature is fituated at the foot of a ftupendous cliff, confifting of one entire mafs of black lava, whofe elevation is not apparently less than five or fix hundred feet perpendicular from the Atlantic Ocean; and there is great reafon to conclude that it extended much farther towards the sea than it does at present, fince feveral large pieces become daily detached from it by the ufual operations of the weather, and fall into the ocean. The Causeway, which heretofore has undoubtedly been covered with lava, that in process of time the action of the sea, and the viciffitude of the feafons, have wafted, confifts of an immenfe number of vers tical bafaltic columns of various lengths and diameters: They are all of them prifmatical, though not fimilar, for they are quinquangular, fexangular, feptangular, and probably many other forms. Each column is apparently divided into unequal parts by means of transverse joints, yet all the joints do not cut the column quite through, fome of them leaving five or fix inches of the central part folid. These articulations are not flat, but convex and concave, exactly fitted together, and not in any order with respect to the convexity or concavity being upwards or downwards, for in many inftances they have been obferved in both directions. Mr. W. cannot allow these columns to have been formed by cryftallization, because in that operation fimilar fubftances under fimilar circumftances invariably affume fimilar figures. From numberless obfervations, of his own as well as feveral other able naturalifts, he proves that bafaltes are a volcanic production; confequently must have been at some time or other in a state of fufion, and being protected from the external cold by the incumbent lava, the whole mafs must have been extremely hot, and its contraction in cooling from fuch an immenfe degree of heat to its prelent temperature muft have been very confiderable, and at the C 3 fame fame time gradual. Thefe and other arguments of the fame kind induce Mr. W. to conclude that bafalt columns were formed by contraction. A conclufion every way agreeable to the many phenomena brought forth to fupport it. The vast quantity of lava every where occurring in the North of Ireland, leave not the leaft room to doubt but that, at fome very remote period of time, a volcano exifted in that neighbourhood; probably in the Atlantic Ocean, especially fince all the iflands in it confift entirely of lava. Was this volcano the cause of the deftruction of the island Atalantis as mentioned by Plato in his Timæus? Mr. W. is inclined to think fo, and his conjecture, for he only offers it as fuch, is well fupported from a number of arguments brought to confirm it; but, however it may be, the appearances of volcanic relics round a district of fea, where an extenfive island is recorded to have been fituated, and in the space of a day and a night to have been swallowed up by an earthquake, may ferve to fhew that Plato's account of this matter may be true, or at leaft have fome foundation in nature; because the lava is certainly the remains of a caufe every way adequate to produce the violent and dreadful effect defcribed by that Author. Mr. W. concludes this valuable performance with fhewing that England, Ireland, and North America, have all fuffered great devaftations from natural caufes; and he proves, from undeniable evidence, that feveral countries have, at various unknown periods of time, undergone many and very material changes, either from earthquakes or partial deluges; fo that highly cultivated nations, where arts and civilization formerly flourished, have been destroyed, and the inhabitants and arts have perished together in the dreadful overthrow. The antiquity of the arts and civilization is very ably demonftrated, and confiderable light is thrown upon the conjectures of Bacon and other eminent Philofophers, relative to the fragments of ancient learning handed down to us by the mythology of Hefiod, and Ovid, and by other poetical fables; tending to fhew, that their works are not altogether fiction, but were derive ed from fundry phenomena in the natural world, or from hifto ries and scraps of traditions of the most remote antiquity. The obfervations which Mr. W. has made, and the inferences thence deduced, will ferve to illuminate, in many inftances, the dark pages of Ancient Hiftory; and at the fame time that they afford matter of infinite entertainment for fpeculative minds, they cannot fail of contributing to the advancement of science, and of being fubfervient to many ufeful purpofes in human affairs, ART. ART. IV. Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica. Numbers F the 29th number of this work which now prefents itself to the reader, does not abound with entertainment, this we apprehend is not fo much the fault of the author as of the fubject. It is an hiftorical account of the parish of Wimmington, Bedford fhire, communicated by Oliver St. John Cooper, vicar of Puddington, &c. The etymology of the name is uncertain. The writer aims. at fomewhat probable, but it is not very fatisfactory; fuppofing Ing in Saxon to denote water or a meadow, and ton a town, he conjectures, as the name is fometimes written Win nington, it may fignify a town by a meadow or water, near which a battle had been loft or won; fince win in the names of places is faid usually to import somewhat of this kind. Though it is now an obfcure and ruinous village, it has been the refidence, we are told, of feveral eminent men. The defcent of the manor is traced from the time of Alured de Lincoln (a great baron who held it at the conqueft) down to the prefent time. It is now in the poffeffion of three ladies, fifters, who are of the family of the Livefays, of Hinwick-hall, in the parish of Puddington. During this long interval fome notice is taken of the price of land in the 14th century. And the account here given will be curious to thofe who enquire into this fubject. Some other particulars will be noticed by the antiquary. The number which follows + is much larger and more expenfive, and will prove particularly acceptable to thofe who love to dive into ancient records, deeds, foundations, titles, &c. for according to the motto here affixed, Juvat antiquos accedere fontes, At the fame time other readers may derive entertainment and inftruction from the perufal of the volume. It's title, generally, is, The history and antiquities of the Three Archiepifcal Hofpitals and other charitable Foundations, at or near Canterbury. By John Duncombe, M.. A. [lately deceafed] and the late Nicholas Battely, M. A. vicar of Beakfbourn, and editor of Somner's antiquities of Canterbury. The first of these hofpitals is that of Herbaldown, that is, "the pafture down, or the down of herbage or tillage," about a mile from the Weft gate of Canterbury. The fpot is remarked to have been peculiarly healthful, and herbalifts are faid to come every year to collect medicinal plants which grow only at that particular place. It is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and was anciently fituated in the Plean-wood, of which King Henry I. in 4to. Is. 6d. † No. 30. 4to. 10s. 6d. C 4 one one of their most distant charters, allowed the hospitallers to "grub and clear away ten perches of wood on all fides." The name therefore Mr. Somner with reafon fuppofes was given it "to diftinguish it from the neighbouring hills, or downs, as yet continuing wild or woody. It was built by Archbishop Lanfranc about the year 1084, who endowed it with 70l. per an. payable out-of his manors of Reculver and Boughton under Blean. Additions have been made to the original donation in a courfe of years. In 1784 the whole revenue amounted to 2481. IIS. 5d which, when the neceflary deductions are made (including the allowance of 30l. to thirty out-brothers and fifters) furnishes hardly 67. 10s. for the fifteen brothers and fifteen fifters whose refidence is in the hofpital. Of Lanfranc's original building there feems at present to be no remains except the church or chapel. In 1674 the lodgings of the brothers and fifters, together with the common hall of the house, and the brotherhood farm-house, were rebuilt by the means of different benefactions, among which is 2007. given by Archbishop Sheldon. Northgate hofpital is dedicated to St. John the Baptift. It was, like the other, founded by Lanfranc about the year 1084, and endowed with 70l. per annum, to which many additions have been made. It has an ancient church or chapel, which is all that remains of the original building, and that much curtailed. The prefent revenue (1785) is 2997. 175. 7 d. the clear profit of which divides upwards of 6l. 10s. to the in-brothers and fifters. Among the numerous deeds belonging to these two hofpitals we find the word gavelikend or gavelkind, concerning which Sir Edward Coke fays, "The land held in gavelkind was fo called from gave all kynd; for this cuftom giveth to all the fons alike." Mr. Somner rejects this explication, in his treatise on the fubject, p. 6. and p. 38. quotes a donation of land to the hofpital of Herbaldown" in perpetuam eleemofynam," and to gavelkinde, as 1. being held by defcent, and therefore devisable, and 2. as referving a quit-rent. But allowing the truth of Mr. Somner's remark, what is the etymology of the term? Among other writings are articles of expence occafioned by trials, &c. here we find under the date 1615, "Spent when we measured our land at the moat, 2d.; paid for waxe to feal the letter of attorney and the leafe for the moat, 2d.; to Mr. Denne's, clerke, for the making the letter of attorney and the leafe for the entry on our land at the moat, 5s. ; for a fugar loafe weighing 9 lb. at gd. the pound, which was given to Mr. Denn for his counfel." At each of thefe hofpitals they have a yearly feaft'; in the laft century they had two, and on thefe occafions it is that the great hall, otherwife needlefs, is employed. In a recital of the laft entertainment we have fuch Items as thefe (1638), Payd to the woman that helped in the kitchen, 6d. to the two turnfpets, 8d. for for beer at diner, 4d. for beere to make the ferving-men drinke that brought meat to our feast, 2d. for 80 lb. of beefe, at 5s. the fcore, 11. for a calfe, 18s. for two lambs, 18s. to the cooke for dreffing of diner, 4s. (this expence the year before was only 25. and in 1634 only 12d.) for beere for the kitchen, 4d. for butter wee borrowed, 6d. for a gallon of facke, 4s. 4d, for a pottle of claritt and a pottle of white wine, 2s. 8d. for a bufhel and a peck of meale, s. for halfe a barrel of beere, 4s. 2d. for three coople of chickens, 2s. 6d. That all red wine, it is obferved, was called claret is pretty certain, and that the fack was not canary, but rhenifh, is as evident, if it were the fame wine with which Falstaff thought it no fin to mix fugar. Even when they agreed with their carpenter to repair their church fteeple in 1640 their beve rage was a pint of facke 8d. Thus thefe hofpitallers were more expenfive than their fucceflors, who are contented with one feaft in a year, and with beer only at that; and even this, it is added, the increased price of provifions, and the decreased value of money (the feaft rents continuing the fame), would render 66 more honoured in the breach than the obfervance." In 1642 the article of wine was increased to three quarts of facke, a gallon of claret, and a gallon of white wine, 8s. 2d. and the beer to a barrel, 95. Dr. Secker, the late Archbishop of Canterbury, paid a confiderable attention to these hofpitals, and at his death left to each, by a codicil to his will, a reverfionary bequeft of 5col. contingent on the deaths of Mrs. Talbot and her excellent daughter: but though both thefe events have taken place the legacies have not yet been paid the Bishop of Chefter, furviving truf-, tee to his Grace's will, having been advised by his counfel, that he cannot fafely transfer the stock appropriated to several charitable ufes, without the direction of the Court of Chancery, unlefs Thomas Froft, Efq. the refiduary legatee of the teftator, gives his confent, which Mr. Froft declining, it has been neceffary to apply to Chancery. The remainder of this volume is chiefly employed in giving an account of Eaft-bridge hofpital, or of St. Thomas the Martyr, though its being founded by that Archbishop is uncertain. The author will rather offend fome readers by fpeaking fo gravely of Becket's death by the term of martyrdom. If he was a martyr, it was in a bad fenfe, and the use of the word in fuch an application favours too much of ignorance, fuperftition, and childish high-churchifm. The hofpital ftands on a bridge, fometimes called Kingfbridge, because that, together with the adjoining will, was royal property. Thorn, in his lives of the Abbots, Fates, that King Stephen being in diftrefs at Lincoln, where ves furprised and taken prifoner by Robert Earl of Gloucester, ut to a great fine for his ranfom, borrowed of Hugh, the he and fecond |