190 SUPERSTITIONS OF FORMER DAYS, 



Oxford, one of his companions exclaimed^ " Weil, I 

 never before saw roads mended witli sucli materials as 

 these ;" nor was his own astonishment scarcely less 

 than that of his friend, when he beheld a labouring man, 

 with a large hammer, breaking in pieces a stone nearly 

 circular, half as large as the fore-wheel of the chaise, 

 and bearing the exact form of a serpent closely coiled 

 up. On inquiring of the man the name of the stone, 

 and from whence it came, the answer received was, 

 " This is a snake stone^ and comes from a pit in yonder 

 field, where there are thousands of them." They all 

 alighted, and with surprise examined some of the same 

 species ; which, though evidently bearing the form of 

 some strange animal, were undoubtedly formed entirely 

 of stone. 



Sauntering along, followed by the chaise, they came 

 to a small " hedge ale-house," which they entered, hoping 

 to gain some further information, and were shown into 

 a very neat room ; the casement of which, surrounded 

 by roses and honeysuckles in full bloom, opened into 

 a garden which was exceedingly productive. The con- 

 tents of the mantel- piece greatly puzzled all the visitors, 

 but their hostess readily offered to describe her " collec- 

 tion of curiosities," made in the neighbouring parts of 

 the country. Taking up a stone resembling those 



