210 KENTISH BOTANY. \July, 



repetition of the finest poetry, music, or artistic embellishment, 

 renders the object not only incapable of yielding pleasure, but it 

 finally becomes disgustingly tiresome. 



As a variety the artist might copy the leaves, the bracts, the 

 heads, and even the stem of the Eryngo, or Sea-holly. If he be 

 skilful in the art of adaptation, he might make his own fortune 

 and ameliorate the taste of his countrymen at the same time. 



On the sand wetted by the spray, if not by the tide, Honkenya 

 peploides and Salsola Kali grew sparingly, and on the dry sand- 

 hills, Hypochceris glabra and Silene conica, the former plentiful, 

 and the latter sparingly. Three or four patches were all that 

 appeared in our way between the preventive-houses and Sandown 

 Castle. Carex arenaria and Triticumjunceum were not unfrequent, 

 Phleum arenarium was very common ; Erythraa ' pulchella and 

 Carlina vulgaris were far from scarce; Convolvulus' Soldanella 

 appeared only here and there ; and very few specimens were in 

 flower at this late period of the season. 



We passed by Sandown Castle after looking into that desolate- 

 looking fortress, and went over the hills straightforward to the 

 old haven of Sandwich, which has been for generations and cen- 

 turies choked up by the encroachments of the Goodwin Sands. 

 Sandwich then had a direct communication with the sea : its 

 roadstead or nagivable river is now very circuitous. 



It is not very easy to believe the alleged connection between 

 Tenterden Steeple and the Goodwin Sands ; but it is far more 

 incredible that the river Stour left its ancient direct channel 

 between Sandwich and the sea, and made for itself a way, thrice 

 as long, through the meadows. 



Literary antiquarians have proved, at least to their own satis- 

 faction, that the alleged connection between the silting of Sand- 

 wich harbour and the building of Tenterden steeple is well 

 founded. Bishop Latimer, in his quaint, homely style, while 

 preaching, related to his audience a story on which this tradition 

 and proverb are founded. The Bishop said that a commissioner, 

 Mr. Moore, was sent by the government to inquire into the 

 cause of the stoppage of Sandwich Haven by the Goodwin 

 Sands. After he had examined many people, and had heard 

 their opinions about the cause and its remedy, he spied in court 

 an old man, a very old man, much older than any of those who 

 had given evidence on this subject. 



