OfOXFO'Rp-SHIXE. 9 9 



Others found in the Fields or Quarries apart. Of thefirft fort 

 of thefe we have a curious inftance in the pofieffions of the Right 

 Honorable Henry Earl of Clarendon, at Langley in the confines of 

 Wbichwood-forreft, where there is a Quarry of very hard ftone, 

 wholly compofed of a clofe union of Cockles, fcarce any of them 

 exceeding a Pea in bignefs, and ftreaked circularly to the hinges 

 of the valves, as in Tab. 3. Fig. 12. they are none of them hol- 

 low, but firmer within, than they are to the bed of ftone where 

 they lye ; and yet even to that they are fo clofely knit, that the 

 mafs receives a very good poliflh, infomuch that his Lordjhip in- 

 tends to pave the new Cbappel now building at Cornbury with it. 



57. This fort of Marble is niention'd by Steno d , and called 

 (as he fays) by the Italians, Nephiri ; whereof there is alfo a very 

 good fort at Charleton Towns end, upon the edge of Otmoor *, 

 differing from that of Langley only in this, that the grofs of the 

 ftone is fomwhat whiter, the Cockles larger, and not fo thick fet. 

 However, of fo firm and clofe a texture, that of it they make 

 Tomb-ftones, Tables, 4&c, fo curioufly fpotted and fet with rings, 

 that it very much pleafes the eye of the beholder, and has alrea- 

 dy gotten (though but lately found) a reputation at Oxford and 

 the parts adjacent. 



58. Of this fort of ftone moft certainly it was, though fom- 

 what perhaps of a fofter kind, and different colour, that Paufa- 

 nia6 informs us (as quoted by Agricola) the Monument of Pbro-* 

 news, and many other works, were mede at Megara. Megard 

 infaxo valdealbo, (sr reliquvs lapidibm molliore, undique infunt con- 

 cha marina, ex quo iyc. are the words of Agricola e ; for which 

 very reafon this fort of ftone is there called Concbites, and fince 

 byjohnfion and Fred: Lachmund* (from the place where found) 

 Lapis Megaricu*. 



59. There is another fort of it in the Quarries near Adderbury t 

 thick fet with Cockles in their full proportion, as in Tab. 3. Fig.i^ t 

 Some of them are wonderfully Chryftallized, and beautiful to the 

 eye, but not being fo finely cemented together, but that a knock 

 will loofen or make them leap from their beds ; and many of them 

 being hollow, or filled with brittle Spar ; the ftone by no means 

 will receive a polifri, and upon that account fit for no other work 



* InFrodromo. * It is much prized by the Painters ^London, ithavinga grit that Cuts their colours 

 much better than other Marble. Mr. Aubrty'% notes. * Ve N*tw* Fofplium. Hi. 7. * Oevr.rt x *p. Hit- 

 drjbeim.feft.j.caf, 1$. 



N 2 than 



