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country, masses of granite, and in the higher grounds, whole acres covered with 

 these boulders, showing that here the iceberg melted, and as it did so, deposited 

 its load of stones around ; we see the tops of the Longmynd hills planed off to 

 a certain level, looking almost Uke a series of truncated cones, and the most 

 probable explanation is, that to the action of great masses of ice passing over 

 them as they lay beneath the surface of the sea, is due this very striking appear- 

 ance. 



But it is time to bring this sketch of the Geology of this District to a 

 close. We have now reached a period in its history of which perhaps the most 

 remarkable feature is that we are deliberately using up the products of foi-mer 

 geological epochs as they never were before. The same course of denudation 

 that has hitherto operated in wearing away and depositing the rocks in newer 

 forms is stiU at work, and at the bottom of the Atlantic and other oceans, fresh 

 rocks and the materials of other continents are being laid down ; but we see no 

 indication of fresh supplies of fuel being found for that improved race which is to 

 succeed ours. Perhaps as the inhabitants of the northern, and colder countries 

 have generally superseded the more effeminate inhabitants of more tropical climates 

 in intellect, so our descendants reduced to depend less on the sensual enjoyments 

 of the fire-side, may sui-pass us who, unfortunately, are so dependent on these 

 creature comforts. It is useless to speculate, but evident it is that the contents 

 of the Coal seams cannot last for ever, and that some considerable modification 

 of the present state of things will be necessary when the last pit is exhausted 

 and the last collier's grimy occupation gone. 



With respect to objects of antiquarian interest on these Clee hiUs, I have, 

 after diligent inquiry, been able to obtain only the most meagre information. 

 That they were in very early times the scene of human operations of some 

 kind there are some works to show — on this, the Titterstone — there is to be 

 found towards the east a line of stones wliich have the appearance of having 

 once formed a considerable wall, but except this I am not aware of any evidences 

 of early structures on this hill ; but the summit of the Brown Clee is enclosed 

 by a very high and broad circle of stones, and within it are a number of smaller 

 ones scattered about in a somewhat irregular manner, and, of course, these 

 afford some grounds for speculation. Mr. Hartshorn, in his "Salopia Antiqua," 

 has at great length discussed the possible objects of these structures, and has 

 come to the conclusion that they were "devotional and sepulchral," but an 

 unfortunate note in this author's book has brought a good deal of discredit on 

 his opinion. Among other reasons which he brings to show that this part of the 

 country was particularly sacred, he observes that old Leland says, "The Clee 

 hills be holy in Shropshire," in which passage the word "wholly" which we spell 

 ■with a "w" is without one, and the meaning "entirely" would be trans- 

 formed to "sacred." 



I have been favoured by my friend Mr. Wayne with a note of 

 his observations on these structui-es, and as this seems to contain all 



