ITS PROPERTIES AND DIVISIONS. 2Q3 



-declivity Over these, the waters of the tide steal by almost im- 

 perceptible degrees, covering them for a large extent, and leaving 

 them bare on its recess. Upon these shores the sea seldom beats 

 with any great violence, as a large wave has not depth sufficient to 

 float it onwards ; so that here only are to be seen gentle surges 

 making calmly towards land, and lessening as they approach. As 

 the sea, in the former description, is generally seen to present 

 prospects of tumult and uproar, here it more usually exhibits *a 

 scene of repose and tranquil beauty- Its waters, which when sur- 

 veyed from the precipice afforded a muddy greenish hue- arising 

 from their depth and position to the eye, when regarded from a 

 shelving shore wear the colour of the sky, and seem rising to meet 

 it. Tfie deafening noise of the deep sea, is here converted into 

 gentle murmurs ; instead of the water's dashing against the face of 

 the rock, it advances and recedes, still going forward, but with 

 jut force enough to push its weeds and shells, by insensible ap- 

 proaches, to the shore. 



There are other shores, beside those already described, which 

 either have been raised ly urt to oppose the sea's approaches, or 

 from the sea's gaining ground, are threatened with imminent -de- 

 struction. The sea being thus seen to give and take away lands 

 at pleasure, is, without question, one of the most extraordinary 

 considerations in all natural history. In some places it is seen to 

 obtain the superiority by slow and certain approaches j or to burst 

 in at once, and overwhelm all things in undistinguished destruc- 

 tion ; in other places it departs from its shores, and where its 

 waters have been known to rage it leaves fields covered with the 

 most beautiful verdure. 



The formation of new lands, by the sea's continually bringing 

 its sediment to one place, and by the accumulation of its sands in 

 another, is easily conceived. We have had many instances of this 

 in England. The island of Oxney, which is adjacent to Romncy- 

 maish, was produced in this manner. This had for a long time 

 been a low level, continually in danger of being overflown by the 

 river Rother ; but the sea, by its depositions, has gradually raised 

 the bottom of the river, while it has hollowed the mouth ; so that 

 ilie one is sufficiently secured from inundations, and the other is 

 deep enough to admit ships of considerable burthen. The like also 

 may be seen at that bank called the Dogger-sands, where two tides 



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