24^ NATURAL HISTORY 
LETTER XLV. 
TO THE SAME. 
Selborne. 
" — — — Mugire videbis 
" Sub pedibus terram, et defcendere mondbus ornos." 
When I was a boy I ufed to read, with aftonifhment and im- 
plicit aflent, accounts in Baker's Chronicle of walking hills and 
travelling mountains, yobn Philips, in his Cyder, alfudes to the 
credit that was given to fuch ftories with a delicate but quaint 
vein of humour peculiar to the author of the Splendid Shilling. 
" I nor advife, nor reprehend the choice 
«' Of Mardey Hill ; the apple no where finds 
" A kinder mould ; yet 'tis unfafe to truft 
" Deceitful ground : who knows but that once more 
*♦ This mount may journey, and his prefent fite 
** Forfaken, to thy neighbour's bounds transfer 
" Thy goodly plants, affording matter ftrange 
«' For law debates !" 
But, when I came to confider better, I began to fufped that 
though our hills may never have journeyed far, yet that the ends 
of many of them have flipped and fallen away at diftant periods, 
leaving the cliffs bare and abrupt. This feems to have been the 
cafe with Nore and Whetham Hills ; and efpecially with the ridge 
between Harteley Park and JVord-le-ham, where the ground has Aid 
into vaft fwellings and furrows ; and lies ftill in fuch romantic 
confufion 
