STONE-HENGB. 565 



towards the east, four feet broad, and sixteen feet long ; which, 

 whether it be an altar or no, this author refers to the judgment of 

 others. The great stones which are made the entrances from the 

 outside of the trench, are seven feet broad, three feet thick, and 

 twenty feet high. The parallel stones on the inside of the trench 

 are four feet broad, and three feet thick; but they are so broken, 

 that their proportions in height cannot be exactly measured. The 

 stones which make the outward circle are seven feet broad, three 

 feet and a half thick, and fifteen feet and a half high ; each stone 

 having two tenons mortised into the architrave continuing upon 

 them, throughout the whole circumference. For these architraves 

 being jointed exactly in the middle of each of the perpendicular 

 stones, that their weight might have an equal bearing ; and upon 

 each side of the joint a tendon wrought (as remains yet to be seen) 

 it may hence positively be concluded, that the architrave is con. 

 tinned round about this outward circle. The smaller stones of 

 the inner circle are one foot and a half broad, one foot thick, and 

 six feet high. These had no architrave upon them, but were raised 

 perpendicular, of a pyramidal form. The stones of the greater 

 hexagon are seven feet and a half broad, three feet and three, 

 quarters thick, and twenty feet high, each stone having one tenon 

 in the middle. The stones of the inner hexagon are two feet and 

 a half broad, one foot and a half thick, and eight feet high, in 

 form pyramidal, like those of the inner circle. The architrave 

 lying round about upon the perpendicular stones of the outward 

 circle, is three feet and a half broad, and two feet and a half high. 

 The architrave on the top of the great stones of the outward hexa- 

 gon, is sixteen feet long, 3| feet broad, and 3| feet high. This 

 architrave, continuing only from stone to stone, left betwixt every 

 two and two, a void space free to the air, uncovered. The vulgar 

 have thought it ominous, and indeed absolutely impossible, to count 

 the number of stones composing this ancient monument. To this 

 legendary tale Sydney refers in his sonnet of the wonders of Eng. 

 land, when he says, 



Near Wilton sweet, huge heaps of stones are found, 

 But so confused, that neither any eye 

 Can count them just, nor reason try, 



What forcn brought them to so unlikely ground. 

 In reference to this absurd superstition, Mr. Jones says, that if 

 any one will observe the orders of the circles as they now appear, 



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