houses, equal in colour and grain to the Bath stone ; 

 and superior in one respect, that, when seasoned, it 

 does not scale. Decent chimney-pieces are worked 

 from it of much closer and finer grain than Portland ; 

 and rooms are floored with it ; but it proves rather 

 too soft for this purpose. It is a freestone, cutting in 

 all directions ; yet has something of a grain parallel 

 with the horizon, and therefore should not be sur- 

 l?edded—tha.t is, set edgewise, contrary to its position 

 in the quarry — but laid in the same position that it 

 occupies there. On the ground abroad this fire-stone 

 will not succeed for pavements, because, probably, 

 some degree of saltness prevailing within it, the rain 

 tears the slabs to pieces."^ Though this stone is too 

 hard to be acted on by vinegar, yet both the white 

 part and even the blue rag ferment strongly in min- 

 eral acids. Though the white stone will not bear 

 wet, yet in every quarry at intervals there are thin 

 strata of blue rag, which resist rain and frost, and are 

 excellent for pitching of stables, paths, and courts, 

 and for building of dry walls against banks ; a valu- 

 able species of fencing, much in use in this village; 

 and for mending of roads. This rag is rugged and 

 stubborn, and will not hew to a smooth face ; but is 

 very durable : yet, as these strata are shallow and lie 

 deep, large quantities cannot be procured but at con- 



* "Fire-stone is full of salts, and has no sulphur: it must be close 

 grained, and have no interstices. Nothing supports fire like salts ; salt- 

 stone perishes when exposed to wet and frost," — Plot's Sfa^. p. 152. 



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