106 



A striking contrast to this scene of pure natural beauty was presented as the 

 party entered the deep glen in which the thriving village of Lydbrook is situated. 

 There the songs of birds were unheard amid the heavy blows of the forge hammer ; 

 and the clouds of dense black smoke — an unpleasant proof how plentiful coal 

 is, since so much of its main ingredient (carbon), can be wasted — shut out the 

 bright sunlight. In passing the various factories and workshops, the eye was 

 caught by the golden brightness of the heated iron, which was being cut, hammered 

 or rolled into various forms ; the members however, did not stay to enter into 

 any of the workshops. 



Having passed through the village, and begun to mount the steep ascent 

 which leads to the summit of the lofty ridge which here forms the rampart, as 

 it were, of the Forest, the members alighted, and devoted a few minutes to the 

 observation of the fine selection of the Mountain Limestone-rock, and of the unpro- 

 ductive Coal-measures, which are presented on the bare faces of the hiUs. In 

 passing, the pretty new Church attracted a glance of interest, while it was also 

 noticed that, on the hill above, the haymakers were at work. 



On reaching the summit of the long ascent, the members proceeded onwards 

 on foot through the broad glades of the noble Forest to their place of meeting. 

 After reaching the Speech-house they separated into two parties, in order to 

 pursue their geological and botanical observations. 



The Botanists explored the " greenwood shade " under the guidance of 

 Mr. Purchas and Mr. Lingwood ; while the Geologists, led by the Rev. T. T. Lewis 

 (by whose researches Sir R. Murchison was so much aided in the investigation 

 of the Silurian system) proceeded in the first instance to the coal pits and works 

 of the Gully level. Thence they made their way to Park-end, where they spent 

 a considerable time. At the latter place, some fine specimens of fossil ferns 

 and casts were obtained from the shale. 



The party also spent an instructive hour at the tinplate works of Mr. James. 

 Here they were courteously received by the proprietor, who conducted them 

 through the works, showing and explaining the various processes of rolling the 

 bars of iron into plates, cutting them, annealing them in the furnaces, pickling 

 them in sulphuric acid, coating them with tin, and finally polishing them for the 

 market. 



The Botanical party did not find the Forest so rich in common plants as 

 might have been anticipated, but they obtained a number of specimens. At 

 4 p.m., the members of the various Clubs, about 70 in number, re-assembled at 

 the Speech-house to dinner. 



The place of meeting being within the district of the Cotteswold Club, its 

 President, Mr. T. Barwick Baker, presided, and the Vice-chairs were filled by the 

 Rev. W. S. Symonds, Rector of Pendock, and President of the Woolhope and 

 Malvern Clubs, and the Rev. T. T. Lewis, Rector of Bridstow, formerly President 

 of the Woolhope Club. There were also present the Right Hon. Earl Ducie, Rev. 



