DR. BUCKLAND’s ADDRESS. 17 
of the Parret, the Brue, and the Axe, the goodness of the 
country was swept, to form the rich grazing lands that lay 
along the rivers. The best lands of Somerset were of three 
kinds—marsh lands, red marl, and sandy loam of the lower 
oolite formation. Let gentlemen buy their estates (and 
not sell them) on the red soils; let them buy them on the 
red marl; but don’t let them invest their capital upon 
Blackdown or Whitedown or any Down at all. 
The Mendip hills formed a high range, extending east 
and west, from near Uphill, on the Severn, almost to Frome, 
they consisted of mountain lime stone raised up by volcanie 
forces from the bottom of an ancient sea, and dipping in 
two opposite directions (viz. north and south,) on each side 
of a long axis of elevation, composed of old red sand stone. 
The beds of lime stone are placed like sheets of lead on the 
boards which form the two sides of the high pitched roof of 
a gothie Cathedral. Mines of lead and zine were worked 
long ago by the Romans, and still are worked, though 
scantily, on the Mendips. 
If we ask the cause of this extensive elevation of a chain 
of hills, 20 miles long and from 3 to 6 miles wide, and from 
200 to more than 800 feet in height ; we must refer it to 
the same uplifting and explosive force of vapours, generated 
within the earth by subterraneous fires, which are still pro- 
dueing earthquakes and exploding ashes and streams of lava 
in regions which are at this time agitated by nearly 200 
burning volcanoes on the actual surface of the globe. 
Fractures and dislocations which attended the elevation 
of these strata from the bottom of the sea, may be seen in 
the rocks of Cheddar Cliffs on the east Aank of Mendip ; 
and in the yawning chasms of Brockley Combe and Goblin 
Combe, on the west side of Broadfield-down, near Bristol; 
and in the gorge through which the Avon passes at Clifton. 
