ir silver-bosom'd Nymphs abhor,
90 The blood-smear'd mansion of gigantic THOR,--
--Erst, fires volcanic in the marble womb
Of cloud-wrapp'd WETTON raised the massy dome;
Rocks rear'd on rocks in huge disjointed piles
Form the tall turrets, and the lengthen'd ailes;

[_Gigantic Thor._ l. 90. Near the village of Wetton, a mile or two above
Dove-Dale, near Ashburn in Dirbyshire, there is a spacious cavern about
the middle of the ascent of the mountain, which still retains the Name of
Thor's house; below is an extensive and romantic common, where the rivers
Hamps and Manifold sink into the earth, and rise again in Ham gardens,
the seat of John Port, Esq. about three miles below. Where these rivers
rise again there are impressions resembling Fish, which appear to be of
Jasper bedded in Limestone. Calcareous Spars, Shells converted into a
kind of Agate, corallines in Marble, ores of Lead, Copper, and Zinc, and
many strata of Flint, or Chert, and of Toadstone, or Lava, abound in this
part of the country. The Druids are said to have offered human sacrifices
inclosed in wicker idols to Thor. Thursday had its name from this Deity.

The broken appearance of the surface of many parts of this country; with
the Swallows, as they are called, or basons on some of the mountains,
like volcanic Craters, where the rain-water sinks into the earth; and the
numerous large stones, which seem to have been thrown over the land by
volcanic explosions; as well as the great masses of Toadstone or Lava;
evince the existence of violent earthquakes at some early period of the
world. At this time the channels of these subterraneous rivers seem to
have been formed, when a long tract of rocks were raised by the sea
flowing in upon the central fires, and thus producing an irresistable
explosion of steam; and when these rocks again subsided, their parts
did not exactly correspond, but left a long cavity arched over in this
operation of nature. The cavities at Castleton and Buxton in Derbyshire
seem to have had a similar origin, as well as this cavern termed Thor's
house. See Mr. Whitehurst's and Dr. Hutton's Theories of the Earth.]

95 Broad ponderous piers sustain the roof, and wide
Branch the vast rain-bow ribs from side to side.
While from above descends in milky streams
One scanty pencil of illusive beams,
Suspended crags and gaping gulphs illumes,
100 And gilds the horrors o