OF SELBOUNK. 19 



coming slippery in frost or rain ; is ex- 

 cellent for dry walls, and is sometimes 

 used in buildings. In many parts of 

 that waste it lies scattered on the surface 

 of the ground; but is dug on Weaver s 

 Down, a vast hill on the eastern verge of 

 that forest, where the pits are shallow, 

 and the stratum thin. This stone is im- 

 perishable. 



From a notion of rendering their work 

 the more elegant, and giving it a finish, 

 masons chip this stone into small frag- 

 ments about the size of the head of a 

 large nail ; and then stick the pieces 

 into the wet mortar along the joints of 

 their freestone walls : this embellish- 

 ment carries an odd appearance, and 

 has occasioned strangers sometimes to 

 ask us pleasantly, ** whether we fastened 

 *' our walls together with tenpenny 

 " nails ?" 



c 2 



