1832.]

shipwrecked foreigners at some English port, they bore up for Ramsgate as the nearest. On making their report to the harbour-master the vessel was very properly placed under quarantine in the middle of the harbour (the quarantine ground) for six or seven days, till all risk of danger was supposed to be at an end. The vessel was accordingly liberated; but as I was informed—without the crew obtaining any compensation for their loss of time; and without taking into consideration the reward they ought to have received from some authority for their humane exertions in endeavouring to save the lives of their fellow-creatures*.

Now, although I should be extremely sorry to argue that any deliberation ought to take place, should a vessel bound from Newcastle to the port of London be stranded on the coast of Lincoln or Norfolk, in giving. every possible aid to the unfortunate seamen, yet, in order to fulfil the objects of the quarantine regulations, it will become necessary that immediately after the first offices of humanity are discharged in saving the lives of such men, they should be placed in a detached building for a given number of days, until every possibility of communicating the dreadful epidemic now prevailing in the north of England, shall be placed beyond a doubt by medical examination. Z.

IN the year 1824 two curious Bowls were found in the bed of the Severn, near the Haw Passage; one of which, in the possession of Jeremiah Hawkins, esq. was described in your vol. XCIV. ii. 164; and further noticed in vol. xcv. i. 417, 605. It is ornamented in seven compartments, with engravings of the stories of Ganymede, Eurydice, and others in ancient mythology; as is detailed in your pages at the place first named. A large lithograph was also made, and copied in the Monthly Magazine.

Of the second bowl, which was found shortly after the first, at nearly

13

the same part of the river, and is kept at the Haw Passage public-house, I have seen neither drawing nor description in any periodical, and as I promised the latter when I last wrote to you on this subject, I am now enabled to send it you.

It is in every respect a fellow of the first-mentioned bowl, except in the engravings. The shape is circular, 104 inches in diameter, with an horizontal rim at top, 3-8ths inch wide. Its depth internally at the centre, 1 13-16ths inch, and its thickness 1-8th inch. It is of a bright yellowish cast, and somewhat resembles bellmetal. The annexed outline sketch and section (drawn to a scale of 6 inches to an inch) will tend to make the description more interesting.

SECTION

4

On the surface of its concavity, within seven compartments, are the rude engravings; in the periphery of each of which is a Latin hexameter engraved in Roman capitals. The centre compartment is 34 inches wide, and is raised 3-16ths of an inch above the lowest part of the bowl. Cadmus is here represented at his studies; he is said to have first introduced the use of letters into Greece, which is thus

16

66

terly introduction to "Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales," with the view of inviting the geological student, truly observes, 'Although a competent knowledge of mineralogy is required to instruct the geological student in the nature of those materials as considered in themselves, and of Chemistry to enable him to understand their constitution, yet the number of mineral masses forming rocks of usual occurrence is so small, and the composition of those so simple, that a very limited knowledge of these sciences is sufficient for all introductory purposes as far as the general outlines of Geology are concerned. Siliceous, argillaceous, and calcareous masses (substances with which every one is familiar under the common names of sand, clay, and limestone,) constitute probably nine-tenths of these materials; and the compound rocks, forming the remaining tenth, consist principally of only four minerals, quartz, feldspar, mica, and hornblende. These great masses contain, dispersed in various manners through them, and in comparatively small quantities, all the other substances included in the mineral kingdom; and of these the various ores of the different metals are the most important. The Geologist must of course, as he proceeds in his inquiries, obtain a competent knowledge of all these substances; but this knowledge, which is the ultimate object of the mere mineralogist, is to the Geologist only a subordinate acquisition, and forms but the alphabet by which he endeavours to decypher the part of nature which he studies."

It is therefore highly consolatory both to the geological student as well as the miscellaneous class of readers of both sexes, to learn from such authority as the distinguished Geologist before mentioned, that much valuable information may be acquired relative to the structure of our Island, without undergoing an elaborate or laborious course of previous study. That, in short, every intelligent tourist may enhance the sources of his own gratification, and prove a valuable cicerone to his friends, by acquiring even a very moderate acquaintance with the mineral character and stratification of the district through which he is travelling,

[Jan.

either for amusement, for health, or for professional objects.

To the invalid the study of Geology also offers peculiar attractions. Debarred from the more laborious pursuits and objects of the tourist by infirmity of body, nothing can be a greater auxiliary to the benefits that may be reckoned upon from change of scene, and the contemplation of topographical beauties, than the investigation of those geological phenomena which present themselves in almost every part of our Island. The beautiful order and variety which is observable in the series, must be sufficient to satisfy every well-constituted mind that its arrangement could not have been (as some sceptical theorists have it) the work of mere chance, accident, or "nature." The design of an Omnipotent superintending power, or First Cause, pervades every portion of the terrestrial fabric; not less in the formation of the vast variety of strata which by their inclined position become elevated to the earth's surface, and thereby rendered available to the wants and enjoyments of man, than by the creation and sustenance of countless myriads of animated beings.

The invalid who resorts to the seashore in pursuit of health, would have additional motives for geological inquiry, from the peculiar facilities which nature presents in the many picturesque cliffs that form the bulwarks of our Island against the ravages of the ocean. Such scenery instinctively teaches us "to look through nature up to nature's God!" Even the casual visitor, in traversing those picturesque districts with which our Island abounds, should not, if he regards his own gratification, remain quite unacquainted with the distribution or locality of the geological series. It would betray a want of information discreditable to any well-educated person at the present day, to order a search for coal-beds, slate rocks, or granite, in the strata of the south-east counties of the kingdom; or to look for chalk among the primitive strata of the north-western counties. In a word, the tourist who totally disregards the Geological beauties of any given district, may be truly said to be incapable of duly appreciating its topographical beauties.

terly introduction to "Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales," with the view of inviting the geological student, truly observes, "Although a competent knowledge of mineralogy is required to instruct the geological student in the nature of those materials as considered in themselves, and of Chemistry to enable him to understand their constitution, yet the number of mineral masses forming rocks of usual occurrence is so small, and the composition of those so simple, that a very limited knowledge of these sciences is sufficient for all introductory purposes as far as the general outlines of Geology are concerned. Siliceous, argillaceous, and calcareous masses (substances with which every one is familiar under the common names of sand, clay, and limestone,) constitute probably nine-tenths of these materials; and the compound rocks, forming the remaining tenth, consist principally of only four minerals, quartz, feldspar, mica, and hornblende. These great masses contain, dispersed in various manners through them, and in comparatively small quantities, all the other substances included in the mineral kingdom; and of these the various ores of the different metals are the most important. The Geologist must of course, as he proceeds in his inquiries, obtain a competent knowledge of all these substances; but this knowledge, which is the ultimate object of the mere mineralogist, is to the Geologist only a subordinate acquisition, and forms but the alphabet by which he endeavours to decypher the part of nature which he studies."

It is therefore highly consolatory both to the geological student as well as the miscellaneous class of readers of both sexes, to learn from such authority as the distinguished Geologist before mentioned, that much valuable information may be acquired relative to the structure of our Island, without undergoing an elaborate or laborious course of previous study. That, in short, every intelligent tourist may enhance the sources of his own gratification, and prove a valuable cicerone to his friends, by acquiring even a very moderate acquaintance with the mineral character and stratification of the district through which he is travelling,

[Jan.

either for amusement, for health, or for professional objects.

To the invalid the study of Geology also offers peculiar attractions. Debarred from the more laborious pursuits and objects of the tourist by infirmity of body, nothing can be a greater auxiliary to the benefits that may be reckoned upon from change of scene, and the contemplation of topographical beauties, than the investigation of those geological phenomena which present themselves in almost every part of our Island. The beautiful order and variety which is observable in the series, must be sufficient to satisfy every well-constituted mind that its arrangement could not have been (as some sceptical theorists have it) the work of mere chance, accident, or nature." The design of an Omnipotent superintending power, or First Cause, pervades every portion of the terrestrial fabric; not less in the formation of the vast variety of strata which by their inclined position become elevated to the earth's surface, and thereby rendered available to the wants and enjoyments of man, than by the creation and sustenance of countless myriads of animated beings.

Even

The invalid who resorts to the seashore in pursuit of health, would have additional motives for geological inquiry, from the peculiar facilities which nature presents in the many picturesque cliffs that form the bulwarks of our Island against the ravages of the ocean. Such scenery instinctively teaches us "to look through nature up to nature's God!" the casual visitor, in traversing those picturesque districts with which our Island abounds, should not, if he regards his own gratification, remain quite unacquainted with the distribution or locality of the geological series. It would betray a want of information discreditable to any well-educated person at the present day, to order a search for coal-beds, slate rocks, or granite, in the strata of the south-east counties of the kingdom; or to look for chalk among the primitive strata of the north-western counties. In a word, the tourist who totally disregards the Geological beauties of any given district, may be truly said to be incapable of duly appreciating its topographical beauties.