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casioned by those who kept the floodgates, the sea might have been kept out by dykes, like those of Holland.

A similar event happened a few years ago to the Low Marshes near Liverpool. At Abergelleu an inundation of this sort is recorded by the natives: and there are evident proofs of greater part of the bay of Swansea in Glamorganshire, having been once a forest. I have frequently, at low water, seen more than a mile out, the roots of large oaks; some of them in the state of perfect peat, and others still exhibiting the marks of fibrous texture.

These and many more facts, which might be adduced, are demonstrative proofs, that many of the ' present friths and bays were once part of the land; and that the ocean for centuries has been making encroachments upon the western and southern coasts of the kingdom.

In spite of all these obstacles, however, the spirit and industry of the inhabitants contrived, prior to the war, to carry on a considerable trade in the coasting line, and to Portugal and Ireland; which gave a degree of life to this little port. But war, baleful war! has cast a paralysing damp upon the industry of the inhabitants, and almost extinguished the spirit of adventure.

To the man, whose eye has been used to sparkle, and his heart to glow at the sight of Commerce spreading her sails to the propitious gale, it could not but be a subject of regret, to see numerous vessels lying heeled upon their sides, or moored in the

mud, their sails laid up; and their owners out of employment, or earning a scanty pittance for their families, by the precarious profits of an uncertain fishery.

This coast and the adjacent country furnishes a variety of objects to the naturalist: of birds here are Geese, Gulls, black and white Sea Crows, Penguins Puffins, Ring Owzles, Cormorants, Wheat Ears, and many smaller birds.

On the sands we added to our collection of plans, GLAUX MARITIMA, ANTIRRHINUM ORONTIUM, EuPHORBIA PEPLIS, CINERARIA PALUSTRIS, ARENARIA MARITIMA, A. PEPLOIDES, and A. RUBRA VAR. 6; the CHEIRANTHUS SINUATUS perfumed the air with its delicate odour. On the rocks, PLANTAGO MARITIMA, CRITHMUM MARITIMUM, SALICORNIA ERITHMOIDES, and a single rock near the harbour was almost purpled over with flowers of the ARMERIA

STATICE.

But you will want to learn something of the inhabitants. I will introduce some to your notice, from The plain and simple annals of the poor:" and while the rich and gay are feasting upon delicious kid, and drinking seasoned port; dipping in the salubrious wave, or climbing the steep ascent for appetite, you will not refuse to hear of the secluded peasant; shut from the common eye of observation, eating his scanty meal, and struggling with disease in the habitation of penury.

In one of my morning walks I took up a little bye path, rendered less inviting by the stench of an ad

joining pigs cote. The weather was hot, and I had not yet dined. Had it not therefore been for an obstinate and headstrong curiosity, that leads me to investigate and see if possible the end of every thing, and to study nature in her reclusest haunts, I should have made this an excuse for not proceeding farther. The cry of an infant at no great distance attracted my attention and hastened my steps. As I farther ascended the hill, a hut, little better than the cote I had left, forbade my approach. At the entrance, for door there was none, stood a tall female figure, which from her tattered dress and sallow countenance, you would scarcely have supposed to have been human; with a distorted figure at her breast. I spoke, but she, not understanding my language, and little supposing I would enter such a dwelling, still kept her post. I then took the child by the hand and pointed for admittance. The hut consisted of one room upon the ground floor; divided by a partition of lath and reeds. The floor was the native soil, rendered very hard and uneven from long and unequal pressure. At the farther end was a fire of turf, laid upon a few stones; near which stood a three-legged stool, a small castiron pot, some branches of broom tied up for a besom, and a few bundles of rushes thrown down for a bed. These constituted the principal furniture! At the other end was a lank meagre figure sitting in a loom, weaying coarse linen; the father of the family.

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At this employment, after fourteen hours' toil, he could earn eight-pence. But a chronic illness, occasioned by low debilitating diet, prevented his following it so close as constantly to earn this. A similar cause prevented the wife from properly looking after four sickly children. The eldest was stinted in its growth; the second lame; the third blind; and the youngest, though two years old, still at the breast, and wasting away with the tabes dorsalis.

Entering farther into their history, I learnt that the linen trade had been much better and provisions cheaper; when they might, if Fortune had smiled, have done something: but owing to a very severe illness, in consequence of a bad lying in, the wife had been incapacitated for taking an active part in the business, as she used to do; and consequently they were unable to put any thing by for a day of adversity. The same cause precluded them the benefit of medical advice. Even when a transient appetite returned, they were destitute of the means to procure more than a coarse and scanty morsel, hardly sufficient to satisfy the immediate cravings of hunger. The world had no value in their estimation; their hearts were grown callous to its concerns. In such a truly deplorable state, life itself appeared to have no charms; and death was looked upon as a welcome messenger that would bring them consolation. They talked of it with cheerfulness, and seemed reanimated when I mentioned that state of retribution, where the sincere, though humble,

christian, "Shall have all tears wiped away; sorrow and sighing should flee away.

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It is in scenes like these, my friend, that the precious, though neglected jewel, Religion, rises in our estimation-it is here its power is seen, and its efficacy demonstrated. This last resourse of misery appears in all its unrivalled charms; opens to the despairing mind new paths of consolation and delight; changes the parched desart into refreshing springs, and the barren wilderness into a blooming Paradise. But for this the condition of these people" would have been intolerable: their case would have 1 been a case of desperation.""

You will readily suppose I could not hear this distressing history without manifesting symptoms 3 that my feelings were interested. My hand had in-d voluntarily slid into my pocket and I was about to? offer a mite of charity before I had scarcely heard the tale to excite it. A thousand ideas you would have read in my countenance at this time: one moment I felt sympathy for the objects around me-regret for not feeling more; and that I had not more! ability to relieve their varied distresses: then indignation at my species, to think that they could spend months and months in plenty, if not in luxury,D without attempting to rescue their fellow-creatures? from such complicated misery. 2

"Ah! little think the gay licentious proud,
Whom pleasure, power, and affluence surround ;
They, who their thoughtless hours in giddy mirth,
And wanton, often cruel, riot waste;

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