43"^ IMEANKING. 



of every pnrt of these islands, as well as other countries, 

 some effect, if the sea leaves only a running sand, the 

 saline particles are soon washed away or exhaled ; the land 

 may be barren, though never in tlie degree of vulgar con- 

 ception. But when the sand is mixed with, or covered by 

 a more retentive substance, such as an argillaceous or cal- 

 careousearth, then (he particles, whether saline or mucila- 

 ginous, are retained, and the surface classes amongst, or 

 rather is at the head of all, fertile soils. 



I observed that the whole country has been a present 

 from the ocean : this is ol)vious from numerous appear- 

 ances ; but those who wish to know its history particu- 

 larly, should consult Dugdale. I may remark, that 

 there are ranges of banks at a distance from each other, 

 which shew the progressive advances which industry has 

 efl-'edled, eager to seize the trads which so dreaded an 

 enemy relinquishes. One of these banks is called the 

 Roman, which naturally brings to our mind the vast exer- 

 tions which that people made in agriculture, wherever 

 their victorious eagles flew. The distance of this bank 

 from the shore, it it really is Roman, and not a misnomer, 

 is not so great as it would have been, liad the sea in all 

 ages been as liberal as it is in this. It probably varies 

 considerably in this respedl in different periods : at present 

 it retires very rapidly, so that though Count Bentinck's 

 embankment has been finished but a few y«ars, there will 

 be, in twenty years, a thousand acres more ready to be 

 taken in, belonging to Mr. Bentinck, the present pos- 

 sessor. 



The mud deposited by the sea, is at first, and for some 

 years, bare of all vegetation : the first plant that appears is 

 the marsh samphire ; by degrees grasses rise, which, from 

 their appearance ai the time I viewed them (06lober), and 

 eaten close down by cattle, seemed to be the common ones 



of 



