VOL. XXII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 6l§ 



quaries, that France and England were anciently joined by an isthmus, or neck 

 of land, where now is the narrow passage uetween Dover and Calais ; which, 

 many ages since, was by the violent beating of the sea on both sides worn away, 

 or broken through. 



In support of which opinion I may add one argument more, of which Mr. 

 Camden takes no notice, viz. from the unity of language between the ancient 

 Gauls and Britons, and from the great intercourse between the Druids in Gaul 

 and those in Brittany; which is not likely to have been the case, if there had 

 not been an easy communication between them. 



I think it not amiss to enforce Mr. Somner's arguments by considering what 

 must have happened if this hypothesis be true, and how it agrees with what we 

 see. 1. If such an isthmus had once existed, then the great seas on both sides 

 must have continually beaten upon it, with a fierce impetuous tide, twice in 24 

 hours, viz. the northern sea between us and Holland, called the German Ocean, 

 on the eastern side : and the western sea, between us and France, called the 

 British Ocean, on the western side ; which in process of time may well be sup- 

 posed likely enough to wear away, or break through a narrow isthmus. The 

 western tide coming in fiercely between us and France, and fretting on the 

 coast on both sides, must needs be supposed to bring with it a great deal of 

 earth, sand, or mud ; but being stopped in its current by this isthmus, did not 

 deposit it, as might be thought, on its side, which might strengthen it, but 

 found an opportunity of discharging itself on the spacious level of Romney- 

 marsh, fretting that isthmus as it came along : and then, at about the tide's 

 recess, letting it fall on that level, and lodging it there ; but then again fretting 

 that isthmus and the coast all along, as the tide returned with a like force as it 

 came in. Which gives us a fair account, both how that isthmus might be 

 washed away, and how that level might be raised to the height it is now at. 

 For no man can doubt, who well knows the situation of the place and the 

 nature of the soil, but that all that level had heretofore been sea. And, even 

 at this day, it lies so much lower than the surface of the sea at high water, that 

 much of it would be overflowed every tide, if not defended by Dim-church 

 wall for many miles together. Whether it had a like opportunity of such an 

 in-draught, and in what proportion on the French coast, I cannot tell ; but that 

 this is the condition of Romney-marsh no man doubts. 



The northern sea, between us and Holland, must in like manner have beat 

 on the east side of the isthmus with a like impetuous tide, twice in 24 hours. 

 But, being there stopped in its course, would have the like opportunity of dis- 

 charging itself on the coast of Holland, as the western sea did on Romney- 

 marsh. Whence it is that Holland and Zealand, which by all is judged to have 



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