IV. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. VZ7 



liast it was no doubt continuous land with the neigli- 

 bouring portions of France, and possibl}' also with Bel- 

 gium and Holland, though insulated in its present con- 

 ditions. At the south-eastern angle of England, the 

 coasts of the island and continent are still only from 

 twenty to thii'ty miles apart at their nearest j)oints. In 

 the northerly and westerly directions from those points 

 of aj)proach, the coasts of Britain and Europe recede 

 gradually from each other ; the continental coasts opposed 

 to the eastern and southern coasts of the island becoming 

 more distant. The south-eastern portion of England is 

 thus sub -continental in position, and consequently also 

 in climate, comparatively with the rest of Britain ; while 

 the northern and western portions become more insular 

 in chai-acter and climate ; peculiarities which modify also 

 the general vegetation. The position of Ireland, situate 

 opposite to the western coasts of Britain, partially inter- 

 feres with the climatal results of this increased insularity, 

 by impeding the full influence of a western ocean on 

 those coasts and their climate, unless at the two extremes, 

 north and south. On the contrarj^ the insularity of the 

 climate is increased by the western coasts being much 

 indented by the sea, and cut into numerous islets towards 

 the northern end of the main island. Elongated points 

 or peninsular prolongations also stretch out from various 

 parts of the western side of the island, as those of Corn- 

 wall, Pembroke, Caernarvon, Wigton, Argyle, &c. And 

 the climate of these seaward projections is consequently 

 more maritime or subinsular, than that of an even coast 

 line, with sea only on its front. 



Commencing almost under the fiftieth pai'allel of lati- 

 tude, at the north-west point of England, the main land 

 of Britain extends northward beyond the line of 58, saj' 

 to 58^ ; with the addition of another degree for the 



