remarkable Cromlech and Logan stone, both in the parish, promised full employment for the pencil.

The Cromlech is in an inclosed field belonging to Shilston farm, and is formed from four huge granite rocks; three being upright supporters to the fourth, which lies almost horizontally on them: the stones appear in the same rude state as those are in the adjoining moors, and to be untouched by any implement of art. The height

of the table-stone from the ground, at its upper surface, is near nine feet and a half, and on an average about eight feet; the greatest length between its two most distant angles is about fifteen feet, but taken parallel to its sides about fourteen, and at a medium not above thirteen and a half; its greatest breadth ten feet; but this, measured at right angles in that part where its two opposite sides are nearly parallel, is at a medium but nine feet ten inches.

The upper part of this table-stone is, as usual in other cromlechs, bulging and gibbous, or, as the country people express it, saddle-backed; but its under surface, though not smoothly polished, is, or originally was, every where a plane, and free from irregular knobs or bunches *.

On the use of this species of rude structure, various dissertations have been written: some consider it as a sepulchral monument, and others as an altar for the purposes of sacrifice. When the arguments for each are so equally balanced, it is difficult to decide; where so little light is afforded by ancient history respecting the Druids (to

* Polwhele, Historical Views.

I

whom this is attributed), the fancy unrestrained roams over the wide field of conjecture: but were it an object of considerable importance, we should more severely regret the bewildered state of doubt and uncertainty which each hypothesis leaves. When the question respecting its use is reduced to so confined an inquiry; were it possible to ascertain either one or the other as the real cause of its erection, it becomes merely a subject for the exercise of ingenuity, and of harmless and inoffensive amusement. The religious rites of the Druids were performed in the midst of groves on high places; and their altars and temples were made of rude rocks, which no tool was suffered to touch. The majestic oak was their favourite tree, and within the consecrated pale of their worship a mound of earth enclosed the whole mountain, to prevent the intrusion of the profane. The appearance of the cromlech suggests the conviction of its being Druidical; it has just so much assistance from art that it does not appear the production of nature; and when the enormous structure at Stonehenge, the imposts of which are morticed, is recollected, no astonish

ment can arise from considering the difficulty of placing the tabular stone of this cromlech, which is simply laid on three others. It is well known that the neighbouring country is full of the same rough materials as it is composed of.

If this building were devoted to a monumental purpose, it must have been for a person of great consideration in the order, probably the chief Druid. Whatever may have been the origin of it, its present appearance is highly picturesque ; calculated to compose with fine old oaks, and the venerable figures of Druids, an historical picture of unequalled effect.

The Logan stones, rocks, basins, and circular arrangement of stones, were used for the purpose of intimidating the ignorant by the mysteriousness of their character: the rocking-stone in particular they had recourse to, to confirm their authority, either as prophets or judges, pretending that its motion was miraculous.

A most extraordinary hypothesis was formed by the late Mr. Chapple *, respecting the crom

* Chapple's Description and Exegesis of the Drewsteinton Cromlech.

lech; he considered it designed for the apparatus of an astronomical observatory, and perceived "an exact correspondence with every circle in the heavens. The first thing he mentioned was a most exact meridian line, made by the coincidence of the three supporters; that is, that the outside edges of two, and the inside edge of the third, are as truly fixed on the meridian as could possibly be done by the most accurate astronomer. The next was the latitude of the place, which was shewn by some part of the cromlech, even to the nearest minute; as were the sun's greatest meridian altitude in summer, the least in winter, and consequently the obliquity of the ecliptic; which last article afforded a most curious discovery; for, by allowing the known diminution of the obliquity, he found that upwards of two thousand two hundred years had elapsed since the cromlech was erected. After describing these and many other astronomical properties, he said, he had lastly discovered that the coverstone was inscribable in an ellipsis; and that the cromlech served also for gnomonical purposes he had the most positive proof; for by its construction he found that there was a certain point