120 TRANSACTIONS O? THE PROVINCIAL 



In the observations which we are about to make, we purpose 

 instituting a comparative examination of the districts to which the 

 Essays under consideration refer, (namely, the promontory of the 

 Landsend — the coal basin of Bristol — and the vales of the Severn 

 and Avon, which, with their surrounding elevations, comprise 

 nearly the whole county of Worcester) in respect of, 1st., their 

 geographical position and general physiognomy, 2d., their geology, 

 3d., meteorology and climate, 4th., productions of the soil, 5th., 

 employment of the inhabitants, and lastly, the general effect of 

 the whole upon the average of human life. 



The differences in geographical position are considerable, at the 

 same time they are such as to afford valuable grounds for compa- 

 rison. The Landsend, constituting the extreme point of the 

 promontory of Cornwall, and projecting far into the surrounding 

 ocean, may be termed strictly maritime, and partakes of all the 

 characters of a small island. Bristol, again, with its surrounding 

 country, situated near the confluence of the Avon and Severn, at 

 the expansion of the latter river into that large estuary, or, rather, 

 arm of the sea, distinguished as the Bristol Channel, is of a mixed 

 character ; while the valley of Worcestershire is altogether inland, 

 and sheltered by the ranges of hills which flank the extended 

 plains of which it is composed. The difference of latitude and 

 longitude is not perhaps of itself sufficient to produce much 

 difference in the climate or in the vegetable productions of these 

 three districts. The latitude of Worcester and Bristol very nearly 

 corresponds 3 but the declination of the Landsend to the south and 

 west, when conjoined with its maritime situation, produces very 

 decided effects in modifying the temperature, climate, and con- 

 sequently the vegetation of this locality. The operation of these 

 causes is, however, to a certain extent counterbalanced by the more 

 elevated character of the whole region, for though the highest hills 

 do not exceed 1000 feet, still the general elevation of the hundred 

 of Penwith is averaged by Dr. Forbes at between 400 and 500 feet 

 above the level of the seaj whereas, according to Mr. Watson, that 

 of Stourport is not more than 58 ft. 7 in., and the general average 

 of the extended plain of Worcestershire, from the base of the 

 Malvern Range on the west, to the Cotswolds with the outlyer of 

 Bredon, on the east and south-east, and the line stretching from 

 Bromsgrove Lickey and the Hagley Hills to Abberley, Ankerdine, 

 and thence to Malvern on the north and north-west, does not 

 probably exceed 80 or 100 feet. This circumstance, combined 

 "with the protection which the whole district receives from these 

 several chains of hills, will necessarily tend to elevate the general 

 temperature, to diminish its range, and to ameliorate the climate. 

 The level of the city of Bristol, built upon the junction of the 

 Avon and Frome, a few miles only from the entrance of these 

 rivers into the Bristol Channel, is still lower, though the locality is 

 perhaps, in other respects less favourably situated than the plain 

 of Worcestershire. 



Having made these few remarks upon the general situation 

 of the respective localities, we shall now turn our attention to 



