170 DRINKING P O OLS. 7, 



But this pracftice, evidently abfurd as it un- 

 doubtedly is in this Diflrid, was firfl efta- 

 bliflied upon the JVddsy whofe Jlone is of a 

 peri{l;iable nature ; a Ipecies of chalk ; which, 

 on being expofed to air and water and to the 

 treading of cattle, unites into a cement j 

 which, forming a regular cafing, preferves 

 the clay from injury for a confiderable length 

 of time. Loofe chalk as a covering was there- 

 fore a good thought of thefiriT: inventors (in-r 

 deed upon the Wolds there was no alterna- 

 tive) ; and it is not to be wondered at that 

 their pupils, mofdy day-labourers, fhould 

 imitate the practice, in this country, by mak- 

 ing ufe of loofejlones. 



Pcrifliable or/c//y?<?;?^j of any fpecies, a 

 il;rong rough graz-el, or even fa/2i^, would, I 

 believe, be better than loofe hard unperifli- 

 able ftoncs. 



But in this neighbourhood where ftones 

 of various kinds abound ; or in any country 

 where Hones of a proper fize can be pro- 

 cured at a moderate expence •, there appears 

 to me to be no choice with refpcdt to cover- 

 ing. A regul.u- firm pavement, flrong 

 enough to bear Rock without an imprefijon, 



would 



