The Dell, to the right of the Drive, consists of a series of tufted little knolls, covered, throughout the greatest part of the year, with lively verdure, the soil being saturated with springs, and sheltered from every cold blast that might injure vegetation.

When the reader is told that all these wild irregularities are not creations of Nature, but effects of human labour, perhaps an association of ideas somewhat pleasing may be destroyed. Yet so it is. The writer remembers the whole extent of glade a series of lime quarries; when the stone that had been excavated by what is termed open-work, was wheeled to its neighbouring kiln, for calcination; and thence carried away in carts and waggons, for the purposes of the architect or husbandman. When that mode of working the quarries was superseded by the more rapid and profitable system of tunnelling, hereafter to be described, the abrupt superficies of the glade before us, as well as several other similar parts of these Grounds, whose whole substratum is Lime Rock, were judiciously softened off and planted. Thus, in little more than twenty years, those parts are indubitably rendered more beautiful, as now transformed, than they were in their tamer state of nature.- -About the middle of this Glade, covered with its projecting roof of thatch, and adorned with mantling Ivy, which two fair Friends, as a characteristic Emblem of their mutual Friendship, tastefully planted-stands

THE MINERS' COT. (2)

Ascending from their dark and deep caverns to the cheerful light of day, there they who have long

toiled in darkness, eat their social meat at noon. Those caverns, where they ply their herculean labours, are near; as is also the pass-way to and from the caverns, though invisible, till the steps to the Cot be descended. Notwithstanding it may seem too trivial a circumstance to notice this and a similar Cottage; yet, as the erection of them demonstrated the good Heart of the poor Miner's late kind Lord, as much as a matter of greater consequence, the circumstance is here briefly related.-Taking, as he always did, a lively interest in the comfort of all within the sphere of his influence, Lord Dudley ordered this rural Hut to be built, that the miners, employed in the contiguous subterranean Quarries, might, at their meal-time, inhale wholesome air, while they partake of wholesome food. Thus doubly refreshed, they "go forth to their work and to their labour until the evening," not forgetful, it is presumed, of the Memory of Him who never forgot them.-So full of humane and generous acts was his lengthened day of being, and so justly are they appreciated by the wise and good of all classes, that "Nature may stand up before the world and say, THIS WAS A MAN."

Not far from the rustic edifice that has thus detained us to pay an inadequate Tribute of grateful Respect to the Memory of one whose Name will not soon fade away, a foot-path will be seen to ascend the hill on the left. If the Party, visiting these delightful scenes, be in a Carriage, they should here quit that vehicle, directing it to proceed strait forwards, and wait a little beyond the neighbouring Farm-house; while they themselves,

turning a few yards to the left, pursue a foot-path, close by a wooden seat, placed at its entrance.* The wild forrest-like scenery here, will awaken admiration. A few years ago, it was a favourite haunt of nightingales: and, protected as the whole demesne now is, those enchanting Songsters will, it is hoped, be induced to return. This sinuous Path, in five minutes, will lead to another wooden Seat, placed directly opposite a Gulf, which seems the very Den of Horror!-What a contrast to the pleasing sylvan picture just contemplated!

Spelunca altavastoque immanis biatu !

Such is the Entrance into

THE CAVERNS: (5)

of which, no description, at present will be given; that the sublime Effect, which cannot but be produced, on exploring their Interior, may not be weakened.-Remain seated, till a Guide be found to shew the way; as no stranger should ever enter without one. If about noon, several will be seen at the little Hut close by; which was built for the same benevolent purpose as the Miners' Cot, lately noticed. Should no Guide be visible, let some person be dispatched from the Party along the strait-forward path, turning short at the end of it, to the right: when, in the course of ten minutes, a careful person may be procured at a pleasant Lodge: with whom enter, dismissing Fear; as, attended by a Guide, there is no danger.

* See in the Ground Plan, this mark & 4.

C

The time devoted to this striking part of the excursion will not be deemed mis-spent; nor will what is seen, soon be forgotten.

Exesi latere in montis

"Est Specus ingens

- inque sinus scindit sese unda reductos."

Virg. Georg. Lib. iv. 418, &c.

Safely emerged from the drear Abyss, where "all was dark amid the blaze of noon," the visitor will hail the Fountain of Light in the firmament of heaven with peculiar gladness.Passing the

small Hut, that path, to which the messenger for a Guide was directed, will soon lead to the Drive. Cross it, obliquely, to the right, a few paces; and turning short to the left (6) a dozen yards (keeping the eye fixed on the path) then suddenly look down on what Fancy may deem a Stygian Pool, with wherries there waiting to transport disembodied spirits to their eternal destination. Deeply-sunken amid rocks and caves, the sunbeam seldom warms its sullen waters; and the pallid beings, who occasionally are seen propelling boats into the apertures of invisible passages, clad in their barracan mine-dresses, camelion-like appear to derive their hue from the rocks which surround them. Those rocks, reflected on the surface of the aqueous mirror, afford a vast imaginary depth to the Pool. Rising perpendicularly, their rugged fantastic shapes, apparently visible through a supposed pellucid medium, seem, by inversion to lead the eye to their very base.-This singular spot is called

THE BASIN; (7)

whence diverge four subterranean Canals: one, for commercial purposes, nearly two miles in length; and three, formed on the same water-level, for conveyance of the lime-stone, torn, by explosion with gun-powder, from the bowels of the earth, under the neighbouring hills. This method of extracting the Stone is termed tunnelling.

Receding to the Drive, walk strait on, between two green banks, a short distance, to a neat Lodge, where the carriage should be found waiting. From the Lodge proceed only a few yards to some paling; where

THE CASTLE MILL POOL (8)

presents an appearance similar to the deep watery Recess just noticed, on the other side of the rock and where the mouth of the commercial Canal is visible,-communicating almost immediately with large kilns for burning the immense quantities of lime-stone drawn from the Caverns. Thence the Canal pursues its silent way through Staffordshire, Warwickshire, &c. Opposite the paling is a Steam Engine of thirteen horse-power, placed there for the purpose of raising the stone from a neighbouring deep Quarry to the surface. Those persons who have not before had an opportunity of seeing the mechanism of a Steam Engine (that wonderful phenomenon-which owes its origin to a combination of what the world calls Chance and Genius; and which a WATT, almost within view