These deposits consist of clay, gravel, and sand, in various proportions, and scattered over the country with capricious irregularity. Where the sand predominates, it is often of great service in lightening and fertilizing the otherwise clayey soil. The clay is in many places dug for brickmaking, and the gravel is a valuable material for the roads. The latter is composed of a variety of broken rocks, for the most part of older formation than those of this district, but chalk flints are not unfrequent, and the Echinocorys Scutatus, and Spatangus cor-anguinum, two well known chalk fossils, have been met with. In the neighbourhood of the Lias, the diluvial beds often contain rolled fragments of the fossils of that formation, such as Gryphæa incurva, Ammonites, &c. At the village of Bredon, the Hippopodium Ponderosum occurs in the gravel in addition to the above fossils. Near the oolite hills the diluvial beds contain, as might be expected, fragments of oolite.

Besides borrowed fossils, the diluvial beds occasionally contain fossil remains peculiar to themselves, consisting of the bones of land animals, which appear to have been living in this country at the time of the catastrophe which caused the deposits in which they are now imbedded. This Society possesses several bones of the hippopotamus, ox, and deer, found at Cropthorne.* In a gravel pit at Chadbury, bones of the rhinoceros have been found; also, a fine molar tooth of that animal, which has been presented to this Society by W. Perrot, Esq. of Fladbury. Fossil bones of some large animal have also been found in Mr. Day's claypit at Bengworth, and the Society is indebted to Mr. Stokes, the Surveyor of the Roads, for a fine tooth of the elephant from Stratford-on-Avon.†

Thus, then, there is ample evidence of the existence, in our diluvial deposits, of these interesting remains, which carry us back to a period, and, geologically speaking, not a distant one, when the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, and elephant roamed, undisturbed, in the vallies of Worcestershire; and hence I beg to recommend to the attention of the Society the numerous pits of gravel, sand, and clay, which abound in the county, not doubting that many valuable relics may thus be rescued from the workmen, who, unless taught otherwise, will still continue to throw them aside as worthless and unprofitable.

It is now time to close these imperfect remarks, which may suffice to shew that this county contains much that is interesting to the geologist, by whom Worcestershire has hitherto

* The excavations at Cropthorne have been lately resumed, and have brought to light a considerable number of bones, accompanied by many species of land and fresh water shells, the same as now exist in the neighbourhood. An account of this discovery was read to the Society on Nov. 25, 1834.

† Since the reading of this paper, the Museum has been enriched by two molar teeth of the rhinoceros, from Sandlin, near Malvern, and the tooth of an elephant from Powick.

February, 1835.-VOL. II. NO. VII.

C

been much neglected, but we may hope that, under the auspices of the Natural History Society, it will recieve a thorough investigation, and that the treasures it contains will be added to the commonwealth of Science.

P. S. With a view to illustrate the order and position of the several formations above described, an imaginary section, No. III. is introduced, commencing at Severn Stoke, and intersecting Bredon and Dumbleton hills, till it meets the Broadway or Cotteswold range.

H. E. STRICKLAND.

THE SWITCH, OR MAID OF KENDAL.

BY WILLIAM CAREY.

THE Muses' green retreat beneath,
From busy themes, awhile, I breathe;
No more the plastic arts rehearse;
Dear, lovely Woman claims my verse.
Ye Maids, who beauty justly prize,
And, in the mirror, turn your eyes,
To triumph in the vermeil glow,
That Love and Hope on Youth bestow;
To practise o'er to-morrow's wiles,
Of radiant looks and tender smiles;
To teach the ringlets where to play,
That o'er the lovely forehead stray,
The braid coronal proudly deck;
Or lightly shade the snowy neck;
The rising bosom-but beware,
My Muse!-nor let description dare,
With bold, unhallow'd thought, to rove,
Beneath the mystic veil of Love.

Ye Fair-my serious tale attend,

And own the Poet for your friend;

What though you pride in show and dressing,
A husband's a substantial blessing.

Near Kendal, in a neat abode,
Sequester'd from the dusty road,

With lands, which brought an income clear
Of just six hundred pounds a-year,
There liv'd-I don't exactly know,
Nor is it fix'd-how long ago-
A widow, who, at sixty, found
Old envious Time, with steady pace,
Upon her footsteps gaining ground
And pushing fast to win the race.

Her tresses fell; she knew not how
"It could befal so young a woman"-

And wrinkles lin❜d her pallid brow,

Which " at her years, were more uncommon.'
Her sight grew dim; from day to day,
She felt her appetite decay;

A growing tremor shook her head;
Refreshing sleep her pillow fled;

A whizzing deafness stopp'd her ears;
Yet, still, she struggled with her fears:
But, when a palsy seiz'd her tongue,
A weight upon her spirits hung,
For she was sure that fatal sign
Foretold a woman's last decline.

Fearing to leave alone her daughter,
To wed, she earnestly besought her.
Blithe as the Throstle on the spray,
And lovely as the fragrant flow'r,

That blooms upon the lap of May,
Refresh'd by genial sun and show'r,
Fair Dora, though, in all things, still
Obedient to her mother's will,

When Fame's loud trump her beauty sounded,
And Suitors in her train abounded,
No witchcraft needed to discover,
Or fancy, failings in each lover.
Instructed in Lavater's school,
To love, or hate, by settled rule,

The Maiden boasted of her skill,

By signs and tokens, to foretell

What youth would play the bridegroom ill,

Or act, for life, the husband well.
Her system taught her to detect
Hypocrisy in every sect,

And in the fleeting gestures, find
Each latent feature of the mind.

By form of eye-brow, lip and chin,
She prov'd the owner void of grace,
And pried into each secret sin,
By dint of his immoral face.

Red hair a cruel soul betray'd,
And tyrants mortally she hated;
A flaxen hue a knave betray'd,
And with a knave she ne'er debated;
A thrifty suitor woo'd her pelf;
(Yet was she not averse to saving ;)

The handsome only lov'd-himself,
Although of flames and Cupids raving;
The vice of play, in this, she fear'd;
Too light and fickle that appear'd;
This short in person; that too tall;
An income, or a nose too small;

In these, or crimes like these, detected,
One Lover fast pursu'd another,

And each, in turn, with scorn rejected, Iu sorrow found a luckless brother.

The Matron, an experienc'd Dame, Who knew the world and all its chances, Would seriously her Daughter blame, And preach against her "silly fancies." She quaver'd, oft, the ancient saying, "There's danger in a maid's delaying. "A bird above us, in the bush, "Is dearly purchas'd at a rush;

"One caught-good sportsmen understand, "Is worth an hundred out of hand."

"Dorinda dear," one day, she said,

"A whimsy flutters in my brain;

"Haste to the hedge in yonder mead,"I long, and must not long in vain

"The STRAIGHTEST SWITCH I'd have you choose;
"And all your maiden wisdom use;
"The issue will my thought explain ;-
"Waste not your time in hesitation;
"For much it will my heart rejoice,
"If acting with discrimination,
"You make a quick and cunning choice.
"The search at yonder elm commence,

Pray Heaven you may approve your sense!
"For, mark me, when you once refuse,
"And pass a growing sapling by,

"You must NOT TURN AGAIN TO CHOOSE,
"But, further on, your fortune try."

The Maid replied:-" By yonder stile, "I'll haste and stay so short a while, "You may fill out my tea to cool.

"Thank Heav'n! I'm not so very blind,
"Nor-dear Mamma-so great a fool,

"But what you want I'll quickly find.”
Then breathing sweets-with spirits gay,
Light o'er the turf, she tripp'd away;
Soon pass'd the stile-the elm beside,

A TALL STRAIGHT SWITCH, at once, she spied.
She stretch'd her hand-but hesitating-
Though settled not to loiter long,

And inwardly deliberating,

"To choose so quickly might be wrong."Mamma was good-her stay might fret her, "But further on she saw a better.”

To that she flew-but found, when near,

It did not quite so straight appear.

One further still, she saw,
and then,

She found herself deceiv'd again.

'Twas odd, but, with more crooked bent,
They grew, the further on she went.
At every step, now more perplex'd,
She oft look'd back, asham'd, and vext;
Through apprehension of the worst,
Regretting that she left the first;
And choosing none, when all were pass'd,
Return'd WITHOUT A SWITCH, AT LAST.

Ye maids, alas! her tea was cold;
For dear Mamma the cup had fill'd ;-
The prudent lady still could scold,
And was in many points self-will'd :
But, having fully gain'd her view,
This moral from her failure drew:
"There is a tide-I hate delays,-
"In man's affairs-as Milton* says→→→
"He might have said in woman's too-
"And, if he had, 'twere full as true-
"That should be taken at the flood,
"Or neither ever come to good.
"Dear Dora, as you could not find,

"In yon, a swITCH to please your mind,

'I greatly fear your curious eye

"Will pass the crowd of lovers by.

"Remember, youth not long will tarry;

"And years bring on most woful changes ;

* Milton for Shakspeare, a proof that the good Lady's memory had partaken in the decay of her other powers.

"How often do our hopes miscarry ;—

"From Fair to Fair the fancy ranges"The Toast to-day, despis'd to-morrow, "Discovers, to her endless sorrow, "A maid, too late, may wish to marry. "You, too, may for a husband sigh,

"And feel, too late, the tender passion, "When men, with scorn, will pass you by, "And younger beauties rule the fashion." She ceas'd.-The Maid, with frowns, replied. The wise old Dame, soon after, died.

Dorinda, long the envi'd Fair,
Fresh Lovers still her hand pursuing,

Saw years roll on devoid of care,
'Till eas'd from all the plague of wooing.
Ah! who is safe from Fortune's frown?
Alike, the Scholar and the Clown,
The Brave, the Fair, the Rich and Great,
Must, in their turn, submit to Fate.
A law-suit par'd her income down,

And clatter went the tongue of Scandal;
Her loss was magnified through town,

And few deplor'd her luck, in Kendal.
But, though of half her lands bereft,
She had enough for comfort left;
And, graver grown, when somewhat mellow,
She vow'd to please some charming fellow.
At forty, rather in a haste,

Resolv'd no more her youth to waste:

The tender frolic seiz'd her head,

Like other blushing girls, to wed;

But strange, alas! no lover offer'd,

Where crowds, so oft, their vows had proffer'd. The years roll'd on. The luckless Maid

Felt all the pangs of hope delay'd,

The Gossips whisper'd that she swore

(But surely 'twas upon her honour,)

To trust Lavater's rules no more,

Which had drawn down such sorrow on her. Paints, patches, powders, cosmetics, She vainly tried her charms to fix; Call'd ev'ry fashion to her aid, And every rage of mode display'd; But Art with Nature strove in vain ; Through all disguise the wreck was plain. Time stole her bloom, and in despair, She saw him thin her changing hair. Her cats and lapdogs multiplied. Her Monkey chatter'd at her side. But, fretful, pale and discontented, She bitterly the past repented; At balls and routs appear'd no more; Neglected dress, and cards gave o'er; Dropp'd rouge and fard, and took to snuff, Nay, Malice said to stronger stuff;" A private cure for spleen and vapours, Though never yet made up in papers, 'Twas lock'd so closely in her closet That none but Nelly knew what was it. But Nelly, in right buxom health, Had tri'd the elixir by stealth: