Effects attending the Blomng up of a Pcmder Mill. 507 



tain rock, in a plane parallel to the general direction of the 

 mountain chain, has been seen one of the strongest proofs of 

 the stratification of that rock. The same disposition may be 

 observed in the mountains formed of old red sandstone in the 

 vicinity of Alet, &c. 



It is almost needless to mention how much the external as- 

 pect of the mountains varies between the lateral and the prin- 

 cipal chains : the latter present everywhere bold yet beautiful 

 features, the tints of a Guido with the colouring of a Raphael. 

 They are nowhere more striking in their outline than in the 

 central part of the chain. To him who has visited the Py- 

 renees, the names of the Port de Benasque d*Or, and the Col 

 de Moines, recal scenes of irregular beauty and wildness 

 equalled in few parts of the world. 



It is of Tavernie that the French say, " II nous faudroit 

 ici BufFon pour la decrire, et Delille pour la chanter." * 



The eloquent and lamented Ramond, speaking of the 

 Breach of Roland, says, " Figure to yourself a wall of rocks 

 from three to six hundred feet high, elevated between France 

 and Spain, and physically separating them : suppose, again, 

 this wall curved in the form of a crescent, with its convexity 

 towards France : and finally imagine that, in the very centre, 

 Roland himself, mounted on his war-horse, wished to force a 

 passage ; and that, with a single blow of his famous sword, he 

 made a breach of three hundred feet in width, and you will 

 have an idea of what the mountaineer calls La Breche de 

 Bolandr 



Art. III. Certain Effects attending the Blowing up of Stohs's 

 Powder Mill in Peebleshire, and other Matters. By Agronome. 



Sir, 

 As you have thought well to treat your readers with my 

 live toad and dead cockle, it is but natural that I should en- 

 deavour to find you something better by way of second course. 

 I think I may as well go a hunting and fishing for articles in 

 the same track which I pursued in my youth, from the days 

 of my flaxen hair to the days of my hoary hairs and bald pate. 

 This, I think, will be my most natural track, as I can take up 

 every thing in succession worth noting down ; or rather, in 

 sportsman's phrase, " worth bagging or basketing." But 

 though I may esteem " all fish that comes in the net," you 

 are quite at liberty to pick and cull as you think proper. You 



* " It would require BufFon to describe it, and Delille to sing it." 

 L L 2 



