SOUTH HAMS. 283 



variations are only incidental ; and it may 

 be faid of this Diftrid, as of Weft Devon- 

 fhire, that its lands are clean and found, 

 adapted either to corn or grafs ;— inclining 

 towards the extreme of abforbency, rather 

 than to that of retentivenefs. 



VIII. TOWNSHIPS. Some of thofe 

 on the Northern margin of the Diftrid, at 

 the feet of the Dartmore Hills, are very 

 extenfive : a circumftance which has pro- 

 bably arifen from the unreclaimed ftate of 

 their lands, at the time they were diftributed 

 into Townfhips. But the more remarkable 

 circumftance of the lands of the area of the 

 Diftrid — of lands fo dry, rich, and habitable 

 as thofe of the South Hams — lying in 

 Townftiips above the ordinary iize, mav be 

 more difficult to be accounted for, Per- 

 haps, the beft reafons that can be afligned 

 for it are, their having been kept long in a 

 ftate of open pafture, as their name would 

 feem to import they were ^ and, in courfe^ 

 their prefent ftate of inclofure and culti- 

 vation being of comparatively modern 

 dat?. 



IX. TOWNS, 



