| Ws: fi 
fide of the road from London to Bath, may be 
truly called the Cotfwold part of Wiltfhire. 
Its external appearance, and internal component 
parts, are nearly the fame with the Cotf{wold hills 
of Gloucefterfhire ; except where the vein of clay 
lies fo near the furface, as to make it colder. 
This part is,on account of the thinnefs and loofe- 
nefs of its foil, z/zally, and, in many inftances, ne- 
ceffarily, kept in an arable flate; while the adjoin- 
ing land, viz. about Chippenham, and from thence 
fouthward, through Melkfham and Trowbridge, 
which happens to have a greater depth of foil, and 
has a pure warm rock, without the intervening vein 
of cold clay, is capable of grazing the largeft oxen, 
and is, perhaps, one of the moft fertile parts of the 
county, unlefs, poffibly, the vein of gravel next de- 
{cribed, may be excepted. 
There is a vein of gravel, of a moft excellent 
{mall, pebbly, fhelly kind, and in general covered 
with a good depth of rich loam, which runs ina 
broken line from Melkfham through Chippenham 
to Cricklade; but its greateft body extends from 
Tytherton through Chriftian-Malford and Dantzey 
to Somerford, and perhaps the richeft part of it is 
at or near Dantzey. 
It isa moft excellent under-foil, warming and 
drying the top-mould, and it is only to be lamented, 
that its quantity in this diftri& is fo fmall. It is 
ufed for roads and walks, and, when wafhed or 
{creened, 
