The Avon enters this county four or five miles to the south-east of Bath, is the boundary between this county and Gloucestershire, and passing by Bristol, runs into the mouth of the Severn, and terminates in the Bristol Channel.

The BRENT rises on the eastern edge of the county, and runs westward by the noble remains of Glastonbury Abbey; below which it becomes a large Lake, and then runs into the river Parrett. The BRUE takes its rise from Selwood Forest, on the edge of Wiltshire, and meets the Bristol Channel near the mouth of the Parrett, in the Bay of Bridge

water.

The FROME rises in the ornamented grounds of the Marquis of Bath at Long-Leat. The PARRETT has its source in the most southern part of the county, bordering on Dorsetshire. This river and the THONE form their junction* near the centre of Somersetshire; the latter rising in the Quantox hills. The Parrett likewise receives the Yeo and the Ivel, and, after traversing the extensive marsh of Sedgmoor, passes by Bridgewater, and forms a Bay in the Bristol Channel, nearly opposite to Cardiff, in Glamorganshire t. A small distance above Bath

* A river-island called Athelney, at the conflux of the Thone and Parrett, is memorable for having given shelter amidst its inaccessible Morasses to the great ALFRED after a defeat he sustained from the Danes.

† A variety of small Streams contribute to form a Basin in one of the Streets of CHARD in this County; and this curious circumstance attends it: A person, by stopping one of the little rivulets with the foot as it bubbles along,` may at will direct it into either the ENGLISH or the BRISTOL Channel.

there is good Trout angling, and most of these rivers produce other good fish, and are remarkable for the excellence of their Eels.

Staffordshire.

THE TRENT issues from three springs between Congleton and Leek, in what are termed the Moorlands, and augmented by the Sow and Eccleshall Water, passes Stone, and many other towns in this county, and runs easterly to Derbyshire, which it enters just after its junction with the DOVE, which river rising also on the Moorlands, divides this county from Derbyshire to the place where it meets the Trent, having received from the north of Staffordshire the Manyfold, the Churnett, and several other streams. The Sow rises a few miles to the west of Newcastle-underLine, and, passing by Stafford, runs parallel and near to the Trent, until its junction with it below that town; previous to which it receives the Penk from Penkridge, celebrated for its capital Horse Fair. The STOUR runs through the western angle of the county in its course to meet the Severn in Worcestershire.

The TAME (not that which joins the Isis) rises in the hundred of Sersden in this county, where being joined with Walsal water, it passes into Warwickshire, and entering Staffordshire again at Drayton Bassett, runs by Tamworth, and being increased by the Black Brook, and other rivulets, falls into the Trent. This county has Meres, Pools, and Lakes; as Ludford Pool, which contains sixty acres, Cock Mere, Eccleshall Castle, New, and Mare, Pools,

and many others, all abounding with various kinds of fish. The rivers also afford much sport to the Angler, and particularly the Trout and Grayling of the Trent.

Suffolk.

THE LESSER OUSE rises on the north side of this county, and for a considerable distance divides it from Norfolk. The source of the WAVENY is likewise in the north, and so near as to be separated by no very broad causeway from the Ouse; it runs to the north-east, and, after passing Beccles, forms two streams; one of which runs to the east towards Lowestoff, where at a short distance from the town it stops in a piece of water a mile and a half in length, called Lake Lothing; the other flows to the north, and joins the Yare near Yarmouth.

The ALD, the DEBEN, and the BLYTH, are three rivers penetrating through the county; the first has a long winding Estuary to Orford. The second rises near Rendlesham, passes by Debenham to Woodbridge; from whence it is navigable to the German Ocean, which it enters a little to the north of Harwich harbour. The third proceeds from two small springs, which unite near Halesworth, and, running to Roydon, empties itself into the sea at Southwold.

The ORWELL or GIPPING rises in the centre of Suffolk, at a place called Wulpit, near Stowmarket, pursuing a south-east direction to Ipswich, (from which place to the former the navigation of this

river is now completed ;) it then makes a curve to the south, and meets the Stour opposite to Harwich. The banks of this river are singularly picturesque, and when it becomes an Estuary below Ipswich, are adorned with several fine Seats; among which Mr. BERNER'S at Wolverston is most conspicuous.

The STOUR, already noticed, divides this county from Essex, until it falls into the sea with the Orwell at Harwich. The LARKE, rising in the south-west, runs to Bury, and a mile below that town becoming navigable, passes Mildenhall, and joins the Great Ouse near the north-west angle of this county. The BRETT passes by Lavenham. There is very good angling in most of these rivers, which contain a va riety of excellent fish, abundance of Eels, and some Crayfish.

Surry.

THE rivers (beside the THAMES) are the MOULSEY or MOLE*, which rises in the forest of Tilgate, just

* Mr. MANNING in his History of Surry, thus speaks of this River." The MOLE," says CAMDEN, "coming to White Hill (the same probably that is now called Box Hill) hides itself, or is rather swallowed up, at the foot of the Hill there; and for that reason the place is called the Swallow; but about two miles below it bubbles up, and rises again; so that the Inhabitants of this Tract, no less than the Spaniards, may boast of having a Bridge that feeds several Flocks of Sheep." From this fabulous Account, plainly founded on an Idea suggested by common report, a Reader might be led to imagine that the River actually disappears at this place, forms a Channel beneath the Surface of the Earth, and, at a certain distance, rises again, and pursues its course above Ground.

within the borders of Sussex; it has the peculiar attribute of burying itself under ground, and, after pursuing a subterraneous course for some miles, bursting again into sight: the spots where this incident takes place, bear the denomination of the Swallows. Some have supposed this river to have

But the Truth of the matter seems to be this:-The Soil, as well under the bed of the River as beneath the surface on each side, being of a spongy and porous texture, and, by degrees, probably became formed into Caverns of different Dimensions, admits through certain passages, in the Banks and Bottom, the Waters of the River. In ordinary seasons these receptacles being full, as not discharging their contents faster than they are supplied by the River, the Water of the River does not subside, and the Stream suffers no Diminution. But in times of Drought, the Water within these Caverns being gradually absorbed, that of the River is drawn off into them; and in proportion to the degree of Drought, the Stream is diminished. In very dry seasons the Current is, in certain places, (particularly at Burford Bridge, near Box Hill, and a little lower, between that and Norbury Park-gate, and at that Gate and Norbury Meadows) entirely exhausted, and the Channel remains dry, except here and there a standing Pool. By the Bridge at Thorncroft, it rises again in a strong Spring, and after that the Current is constant. At a place called the Way-pool, near the Turnpike-gate, but on the side of the River next to Box Hill, the method in which the Water is thus occasionally drawn off, is visible to the Observer. It has here formed a kind of circular Basin, about thirty feet in Diameter, which is supplied, in the ordinary state of the Current, by an Inlet from the River of about two feet in breadth, and one in depth. This Inlet being stopped, the Water in the Basin is soon observed to subside, and in less than an Hour totally disappears; when the Chasms through which it passes off, at different depths from the upper edge of the Basin, may easily be discerned. And from this circumstance of betaking itself occasionally to these Subterraneous passages, the River probably derived its present Name of the MOLE.