236

TEMPLES OF THE ANCIENT BRITONS.

the earth its surface is but little marked with fissures or indentations; the square of its sides is from seven to eight yards, and its extreme height about eighteen feet. Several other insulated stones of a similar description occupy the same high range of ground: how they were originally placed there, and for what purposes they were designed, can now only be conjectured.

Quintus Cicero, who was with Julius Cæsar when he invaded this country, writing to his brother, Marcus Tullius Cicero, says, "The temples of the Britons are raised in the depths of the woods, and constructed in a circular form, with obelisks of stone, over which are imposts, all of huge dimensions, untouched by the chisel. One of these I saw while it was erecting by the rude unskilful hands of the natives, as a peace-offering to their Grianus, or Apollo, to mediate the good offices of Cæsar.

"The huge stones of which it was composed lay scattered by the hand of nature on the plain; these (with myriads of the votaries of the god to afford their labour) the high priest, who directed the operations, caused to be rolled up on inclined planes of solid earth, which had been formed by the excavation of trenches, until they had attained a height equal to their own altitude; then pits being dug, they were launched from the terrace, and sunk so as to stand perpendicularly, at due and equal distances in the circle, and over these were placed others horizontally. After having completed one circle, they form another that is concentric, at some distance, and towards the extremity of the area of the inner circle they place a huge stone for the performance of religious rites.

"When the sun enters into Cancer is the great festival of the god; and on all high mountains and eminences of the country they light fires at the approach of that day, and make their wives, their children, and their cattle, to pass through the fire, in honour of the Deity. Deep and profound is the silence of the multitude during this ceremony, until the appearance of the sun above the horizon when, with loud and continued exclamations, and songs of joy, they hail the utmost exaltation of that luminary, as the supreme triumph of the god of their adoration."

This account has a more particular reference to the formation of those circles of stones which are generally regarded as druidical, than to the insulated monuments that are found on Stanton Moor: yet that the same mode of rolling these vast

PLANTATIONS ON STANTON MOOR.

237

masses up inclined planes of solid earth, for the purpose of placing them in a perpendicular position, must have been resorted to, seems highly probable. They are striking indications of what the skill and labour of an ingenious people could accomplish, who were unacquainted with mechanical powers.

As we traversed the extensive plantations on Stanton Moor, we passed the upright stone which Major Rooke has mentioned by the name of Andle Stone; and, a little further on, we came to a barrow, that had been recently opened, when an unbaked urn, containing human bones, was found within it.

The whole of this eminence is covered with plantations of fir, larch, oak, and Spanish chesnut. A few years ago it was only a heathy moor; and it now strongly exemplifies to what useful purposes even a barren waste may be applied. From the year 1808 to the present time, a considerable number of labourers have been employed by the worthy proprietor of Stanton, from early in autumn to late in the spring of the year, in progressively covering the wild wastes around his mansion with extensive plantations, which will one day richly remunerate him for the expense he has incurred in his truly patriotic speculation. Upwards of six hundred acres of wood, planted by his own exertions, will wave its branches round his mansion, and give a sylvan character to the park and grounds of Stanton.

We followed the direction of a narrow path tangled with heath, until we came to the extreme verge of Stanton Moor, where another massive Druidical monument stands, called Cat Stone. The station we now occupied commands a wide horizon, within whose ample sweep high moorland wastes, woody eminences, beautiful vallies studded with cottages and hamlets, and the devious windings of the river Derwent, are included. Though the whole view here presented is of a magnificent description, yet there is a character of loveliness in the detail and parts of which it is composed, that is more powerfully interesting, and excites more pleasing associations than mere magnificence, when unaccompanied with the more fascinating graces of landscape, can possibly produce. Stanton Lees, a little village, composed of neat but humble cottages, thrown as it were promiscuously amongst orchards and flower-gardens, is a delightful feature in the scene. Tranquilly reposing in a sweet vale, at the foot of an almost perpendicular eminence, that rises several hundred feet above it,

declination of the strata is from one common centre, and the confusion into which they are thrown favours the idea that has been suggested. Within the hollow of this capacious limestone bason lies an immense mound of toadstone, which is full of bladder holes, and has the appearance of the scoria of metals. Whitehurst says, it is indisputably lava; and certainly in colour, composition, and character, it strongly resembles a product of fire.

From the examination of the form and structure of the hills in the vicinity of Grange Mill we returned to Winster, and from thence along a good carriage-road we proceeded to Wenesley, a small village about a mile from Darley Bridge. Leaving Winster, some beautiful scenery lay on our left, amongst some deep dells, the sides and summits of which were finely wooded. Through the openings between they admitted a pleasing view of some of the most picturesque parts of Darley Dale. Nearer Wenesley, a valley on our right presented a landscape of a different character. At the foot of a steep declivity, some detached masses of upright rock are scattered amongst the trees, and a passage, in a semi-circular direction, runs between them and the craggy hill from which they appear to have been rent: ivy creeps along their sides, and some light and elegant foliage plays on their summits. Rocky fragments, partly covered with moss, and half hid amongst tufts of grass and tangling briars, compose the foreground of the romantic picture here presented.

At the distance of about a mile from Wenesley is Darley Bridge, a village very pleasantly situated on the banks of the Derwent. The bridge, which gives name to the village, is a good plain stone structure of four arches; and the views it commands, both up and down the river, are richly diversified with beautiful scenery. Looking up the dale, the tower of Darley church rises gracefully from amongst the surrounding foliage; and the hills on the left are in some places covered with wood; in others, their steep acclivities are cultivated, and their summits are crested with broken rock, every where liberally interspersed with heath and intervening verdure. are the materials that compose the scenery of Darley Dale. Having passed the bridge over the Derwent, instead of taking the nearest road to Matlock, we crossed some fields by the side of the river to Darley church, about half a mile higher up the dale. The church, as I have before intimated, is embosomed in trees: on the right, in mid distance, a rocky

Such

YEW TREE IN DARLEY CHURCH-YARD.

245

eminence, covered with pine, is a good feature in the landscape; and the distance is composed of well-wooded hills, that mark the course of the river, and display a pleasing variety of outline.

In Darley church-yard we stopped to contemplate the huge dimensions and wide-extended branches of a magnificent yewtree. The epithet is by no means extravagant, for a nobler object can hardly be met with than this venerable tree. Though many a rude and pitiless storm has howled through the branches for nearly six hundred years, its leafy honours yet remain in health and vigour. The trunk, for about four yards from the ground, measures upwards of thirty-four feet; it then assumes the appearance of two separate trees, which rise perpendicularly from the parent trunk, and throw out their ramifications over an area of between seventy and eighty yards in circumference. Some of its extreme branches have been lately cut away, but it is yet a noble object.*

We found nothing in the church of sufficient interest to detain us long in so chilling a place; but, returning through the porch, we observed a rudely-sculptured stone with a figure upon it, representing something like an ornamented battle-axe.

Since the above was written, this fine yew tree has been despoiled of some of its larger branches.

Approach to Matlock.

SECTION XI.

Visit to Lums-Dale. Lime-Tree Lane. Entrance into Matlock Dale. Approach to Matlock Bath. General Character of the Scenery of the Dale. Walk to Stonnis; - View from thence. Evening Scene from Masson. Morning in Matlock Dale. - Heights of Abraham. Museum. Inns and Lodging Houses.

WE were now nearly three miles from Matlock Bridge, and as the sun declined, we had a pleasant walk down Darley Dale. The shadows gradually became broader, and the scenery improved, as evening advanced. In our way to Matlock, we passed on our right the shaft of a lead mine, which was discovered a few years ago, when the new road to Bakewell was made. This mine has been the subject of much litigation, and it is highly probable that more money has been expended upon it than the concern will produce for many years. On examining the ore, I found it accompanied with more than an usual quantity of martial pyrites, many beautiful specimens of which may be found in the fences by the road-side. Remarking to one of the workmen that pyrites appeared to be very abundant in this mine, he very earnestly wished it was less so; for, added he, "if the lead ore do not eat out the pyrites, the pyrites will soon eat out the lead ore." The miner's mode of expression brought forcibly to my recollection a remark that I had many years before heard made in a sermon on the utility of prayer, by the celebrated Rowland Hill, when preaching in a theatre on a stage publicly devoted to profane purposes." If," said the reverend preacher, "praying do not make you give over sinning, sinning will soon make you give over praying."

Though we had not much leisure for botanizing during our evening walk, yet the luxuriant growth of the plants and flowers amongst the rocks on the left of the road attracted our attention. The mallow, the wild marjoram, the yarrow, and particularly the meadow geranium, were more beautiful