PLIOCENE PERIOD 
BRITANNIA, carved to hills and vales and plains, 
With Scandinavia, as of old, remains 
Contiguous. And though the cold north main 
Knocks at the gate, it knocks as yet in vain. 
And battered, but unconquered, land afar, 5 
From Greenland's plains to Scandinavia, 
To its advance still stands effective bar. 
The German sea that had o'er Belgia swept, 
And on Britannia's south-east terrane crept, 
Has here and there up country further strayed, 10 
And bigger gulf within Britannia made : 
And part of Suffolk land of time to be 
Is lying tens of fathoms in the sea. 
Old chalky plateaus, on the southern strand, 
Still hold Britannia linked with Francia's land. 1 5 
Warm are the waters of this land-locked sea ; 
Warm-climate mollusks live here prosperously, 
And ill could they the shock of change sustain, 
Should cold north waters enter their domain. 
The Midland sea, that long had far and wide 20 
Europa ploughed, has now indrawn its tide, 
149 
