kingdom, intending to visit in our way its beautiful and admired environs, Clifton and the Hotwells.
To give you any adequate description of this elegant village, and fashionable resort of the children of affliction or votaries of pleasure; its romantic situation, extraordinary waters, delightful walks and rides on the contiguous downs, accommodations, amusements and fashions of the place, would require a volume. Our object in this visit was to trace the rare productions of its rocks in botany and mineralogy; but more especially as this was an important Roman station, intimately connected with a chain of military posts, extending through the country we were going to traverse. No sooner had the Romans subdued any British towns of conse qence, than they surrounded them with fortified camps-("Civitates præsidiis et castellis circumdatæ." TAC.)-for their protection and their own security; some temporary, others permanent and stationary; especially on the banks of navigable rivers, and other commanding situations. Thus forming a line of fortified posts, for defensive or offensive co-operations. About the year of Christ 50, their victories, which commenced in Kent, were extended under the Proprætor Ostorius, to the banks of the Severn. And, as a collateral defence, that prudent general secured the navigation of Bristol river. Julius Frontinus having crossed the former river, and completed the reduction of the Silures, the line was extended still westward to Caerwent and Callena, to Maridunum and Menapia.