13¢ 
land Smith, in Berkthire, contiguous to 
the Britifhb Ridge-way. 
5th. Separate Cromlechs, confifting of 
four, five, fix, or feven ftones. Many 
of thefe remain in Cornwall, Devonshire, 
Wilts, Wales, &c. : 
6th. Carns,* with cells in them. 
7th. Barrows, or Tumuli, of different 
fhapes, and apparently of various kinds. 
8th. Loggan, or Rocking-ftones. Sin- 
gle ftones ereci, Ac. 
~ Under one of the above heads, I be- 
lieve we may properly clafs every kind of 
Britifh monument now remaining in the 
ifland. In effeéting which it will be highly 
expedient to appropriate each to its pro- 
per clafs, and carefully avoid a ftrange 
erior, which appears in the writings of 
many fanciful antiquaries, of afligning 
natural rocks and natural combinations of 
ftone to Druidical rites. Before we 
pretend to explain their ufes, let us 
cautioufly deliberate ; for it feems a ma- 
gical theme, and, like the Jpnts-fatuus, 
poffefles fome bewildering agency—or 
whence the ftrange day-dreams that ap- 
pear in the generality of writings on this 
fubjeét ? 
In the firft clafs, the moft confider- 
able in magnitude and importance, is fi- 
tuated in the parifh of Avebury, about 
five miles weft from Marlborough in the 
county of Wilts. . This confifted of a 
Jarge circle of upright umbewz ftones, 
(one hundred in number) including two 
other circular or elliptical arrangements of 
fimilar ftones ; and the whole encompaffed 
with an immenfe bank and ditch. Cone 
nected with the great circle, and diverging 
from it, at nearly right angles weft and 
fouth, proceeded two avenues of large up- 
ight unhewn ftones, extending nearly 
one mile each way. At the extremity of 
the fouthern avenue were two concentric 
circles; and about half a mile fouth of 
the great circle is animmenfe Barrow, or 
Tumulus, now called Silbury Hill. This 
is acknowledged to be the largeft artificial 
Meunt, or Barrow, in the ifland; and 
feems to emulate the wondrous Egyptian 
pyramids. 
As a proof that it was formed anterior 
to the eftablifhment of the Romans in this 
Hiland, the great road called the Via Julia+ 
of that people takes a turn round its 
bafe. ‘The diameter of the great circle is 
* See Owen’s Welih and Englifh Diétion- 
ary, a work replete with curious archzologi- 
cal information. 
+ Beauties of Wiltthire, vol. i. p. 40, 
Monument at Carnac. - 
[March 1; 
about 1300 feet, and the circumference 
- of the whole entrenchment,’meafuring the 
foP of the Vallum or Bank, is about 4,000 
eet. 
It will be neceflary to remark that the - 
Vallum is on the outfide of the ditch; a 
convincing proof that it was not intended 
for an encampment, or fortified place, in’ 
time of war; and it equally proves that 
the people who could contrive and accom- 
plith fuch a vaft undertaking, knew alfo 
how to fortify themfelves againft an in- 
vading enemy, and conftruét formidable 
entrenchments or ftrong holds. This, be« 
ing admitted, completely annihilates that 
theory, which is founded on the fuppofi- 
tion that all circular entrenchments in — 
this country were formed by the Danes :-— 
a theory equally indefenfible and abfurd 
with the one which afferts, that ftations 
and encampments occupied by the Romans 
were gil of parallelogramatic fhapes, or 
of regular dimenfions. 
Concerning the extraordinary Britith 
monument at Avebury we haye no pub- 
lifhed accounts, except a {mall folio yo- 
lume by Stukeley, entitled * Abury, a 
Temple of the Britifh Druids, with fome 
others, defcribed, &c."’ Much praife is 
certainly due to the Doétor for his zealous 
inquiries after thefe remains, and for the 
defcriptions and views which he publifhed ; 
yet-we muft cautioufly read the former, 
and fcrupuloufly examine the latter; for 
he who implicitly adopts either will be 
liable to egregious errors. Man isa fal- 
lible being, and the Doétor was net ex. 
empt from this lot of humanity, He 
often fuffered fancy to govern reafon and 
judgment, and then poor probability and © 
truth were facrificed on the altar of falfe 
hypothefis. Befides, in drawing, he was 
carelefs or ignorant of perfpeétive and 
keeping, and brought objeéts and lines 
into the picture which it was totally ime 
poffible to fee from any given ftation. 
I truft that thefe remarks will not be 
deemed invidious; they emanate from a - 
defire to guard others, who may examine — 
his works, from the unpleafant decep- 
tions which I experienced in commencing 
my refearches and inquiries on this fub- 
ject. Several other authors have written 
about this extraordinary monument ; but 
as they only examined Dr. Stukely’s book, 
inftead of the place, we cannot expect 
they would correét, or much improve 
upon, the firft account. Indeed I find 
fo much the reverfe, that two popular — 
writers bave feleé&ted more of his theories 
than his facts. es 
If, 
