vi The P R E F A C E. 



Propitious alfo to the culture of the human mind have been 

 thefe later ages, both at home and abroad. Under the auf- 

 pices of Princes, of Nobles, of Prelates, and the principal 

 gentry of Europe^ focieties have been formed for promoting 

 natural knowledge, and the ftudy of antiquity, to the great 

 emolument and honour of their refpedtive ftates and king- 

 doms. 



T r i vi t 



[n luch an enlightened age as this, to fend abroad the Na- 

 tural Hiftory and Antiquities of a County, is an arduous work. 

 How well I have fucceeded, muft be left to the decifioa of 

 able and competent judges, poffefTed of the happy fpirit Q f urr 

 banity and good nature. It is. now upwards of twenty years 

 fmce I firft turned my thoughts to the ftudy of Natural Hi- 

 ftory, rather then for amufement, than .from any de%n of 

 carting my obfervations under an hiftorical form for public view j- 

 rocks and dales, woods, heaths, hill^and mountains, the fhorel 

 of rivulets and the ocean being my company in the hours of 

 leifure and relaxation, after leaving that auguft and venerable, 

 and truly charming and delightful feat of leatning, the mnv r - 

 fity of Oxford, wherein upwards of feven years of ray earlieft 



days were fpent. 



- 



' ** 1 " " '* JF , r- - , : ^,~. ft 



In my fearches after Foffih, I have met with fame hitherto 

 fuppofed by eminent and learned Lithologifts. not to be of 

 Britijh t but of trao/marine origin. 



-;-^ ' . ,--:;. , .. . ... , Jn 



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