20 SEASIDE DIVINITY. 



onwards, we discover that the formation of the 

 Palaeozoic era of Devonshire is succeeded on the 

 shores of Dorsetshire by the formation of the 

 Secondary era, the oolite and lias, which latter 

 forms the cliffs near Lyme Regis. Along the 

 Hampshire coast formations belonging to the 

 same epoch occur, consisting of the chalk, the 

 wealden, and the oolite, associated in certain 

 places with freshwater and marine tertiary 

 deposits. Advancing towards Brighton, we find 

 the Cretaceous formation, which constitutes the 

 foundation strata of the district, rarely exhibits 

 itself, the shores being for the most part low, and 

 composed of tertiary and alluvial deposits. To 

 the east of Brighton, however, a bold line of 

 chalk cliffs bounds the shore towards the river 

 Ouse, extending to the promontory of Beachy 

 Head, succeeded to the eastwards by the lower 

 series of the Chalk formation, firestone, gait, and 

 greensand, which occur on the southern shores of 

 the Isle of Wight and along some parts of the 

 coast over which we have already passed. East- 

 wards from Beachy Head, we enter upon the 

 Wealden formation, the range of cliffs which skirt 

 the shore being formed of the Wealden sand- 

 stone alternating with clays and shales. From 

 Dover to the N. Foreland, the coast line is formed 

 of chalk cliffs ; and at Folkestone and Hythe in 

 particular the lower series of the Cretaceous 

 formation is manifested, the greensand strata being 

 at the base and on a level with as well as reaching 

 beneath the sea, the gait lying over the greensand, 



