the summit of Scawfell), porphyritic greenstone, and syenite. The chert
decomposes deeply, and assumes a rough brown granular surface, deeply
worn and furrowed. The clay-slate or gray-wacke, as it is shattered by
frost, and carried down by torrents, of course forms itself into
irregular flattish masses. The splintery edges of these are in some
degree worn off by the action of water; and, slight decomposition taking
place on the surface of the clay-slate, furnishes an aluminous soil,
which is immediately taken advantage of by innumerable lichens, which
change the dark gray of the original substance into an infinite variety
of pale and warm colors. These stones, thus shaped to his hand, are the
most convenient building materials the peasant can obtain.[8] He lays
his foundation and strengthens his angles with large masses, filling up
the intervals with pieces of a more moderate size; and using here and
there a little cement to bind the whole together, and to keep the wind
from getting through the interstices; but never enough to fill them
altogether up, or to render the face of the wall smooth. At intervals of
from 4 ft. to 6 ft. a horizontal line of flat and broad fragments is
introduced projecting about a foot from the wall. Whether this is
supposed to give strength, I know not; but as it is invariably covered
by luxuriant stonecrop, it is always a delightful object.

[Footnote 7: That is to say, a _flinty_ volcanic ash.]

[Footnote 8: Compare the treatment of a similar theme in _Modern
Painters_, vol. iv., chaps. viii.-x.]

52. The door is flanked and roofed by three large oblong sheets of gray
rock, whose form seems not to be considered of the slightest
consequence. Those which form the cheeks of the windows are generally
selected with more care from the debris of some rock, which is naturally
smooth and polished, after being subjected to the weather, such as
granite or syenite. The window itself is narrow and deep set; in the
better sort of cottages, latticed, but with no affectation of
sweetbrier or eglantine about it. It may be observed of the whole of the
cottage, that, though all is beautiful, nothing is pretty. The roof is
rather flat, and covered with heavy fragments of the stone of which the
walls are built, originally very loose; but generally cemented by
accumulated soil, and bound together by houseleek, moss, and stonecrop:
brilliant in color, and singular in abundance. The form of the larger
cottages, b