look upon corn fields, under whose surface alone can be met with the foundations, and other interesting, though scanty remains of a vast population, whose ability and power have long ceased to be exerted for good or evil. The superior nature of the clay in the outskirts of the town was early remarked, and a pottery was consequently established. In after years, this pottery became a most extensive establishment, a fact evidenced by the endless varieties of elegant, yet useful, fictile vessels and urnæ, portions of which are daily discovered. In the still-called TILER'S FIELD, was a tegularium, or tile-manufactory. The agriculturists have repeatedly marvelled at the astonishing quantities of thick baked and unbaked broken tiles their coulters have exposed. Adjacent to the navalia was situated the manufactory for querns or hand-mills. Within the last few years two perfect ones (vide etching.) and very many pieces have been picked up; one of the former in most perfect condition, exhibiting the denticulated surface which triturated the corn. The pebbles used in their manufacture, were collected from the adjacent fields, but the ingredients and composition of the cement which bound them together is utterly unknown. These querns were used by the slaves to grind corn, for water mills were not invented till the reign of Augustus. (Vide Greek Epigram, by Antipater, who celebrates it as a new invention.-Athol. Cephala. 653.) It was not only the work of slaves, but the hardest work, and often inflicted on them as a severe punishment. "Molendum in pistrino, vapulandum, habendæ compedes." Ter. Phor. ii. 1. 19. "Hominem pistrino dignum."-Id. Heaut, iii. 2, 10. R CHAP. EX. THE ROMAN TOWN-SPRINGHEAD. "Mind creates and re-creates, Bids cities, long destroyed, resume Their pomp of pride, and all life's stir, Then leaves them once more to their doom KEANE ULIUS Frontinus succeeded Suetonius in the command of the Roman forces in Britain, A.D. 75-8, and not only added some defences to the rising town, but commenced the construction of the pharos, on the north-eastern heights, to command the entrance of the estuary. During the mild and equitable sway of Agricola, (the next pro-consul,) the town experienced vast improvements. The sheds erected at the suggestion of Scribonius over the most clear and translucent waters in the county, gave place to shady piazzas and luxu rious baths;-parts of the remains of which were laid bare in 1814, and now form a foundation for the lodge at the entrance of the grounds. The thermæ constructed at Springhead, were upon a similar model to those in "Rome, the Imperial City". They stood among beautiful gardens; nearly, if not wholly, surrounded with lofty walls, composed of flint and stone, the foundations of which still exist, partly in grounds belonging to Edward Colyer, esq., and Mr. Brenchley. The foundation-flints were set in clay and afterwards built up with lime mortar. The Roman lime is of browner hue than that of the present day. The road which crosses the current, from the "head" spring, (which rises in the hollows on the west side of the road,*) was doubtless the original way or via which led to these thermæ and the navalia, after a divergence from the Watling street. The Britons rapidly appreciated the luxuries of their corrupted masters and eagerly emulated their proceedings. Apt scholars in vice, they followed in the track, and adopted amongst other practices, the use of the therma.-Upon entering which, they hired persons termed capsarii to attend to their habiliments. Then they proceeded into the unctuarium, where they were anointed. Adjoining, was the elæothesium, an heated apartment, in which were preserved the purest odoriferous unguents for anointing the bather, after the performance of the tedious process. Every choice perfume, apician tastes could conceive were here to be obtained, and with them, delicate, softhanded officiating male and female assistants, called unctores. The bathers, after being anointed, passed into a heated room called the sphæristerium, where they amused themselves with gymnastic exercises ;they thence adjourned into a room still more heated, where the primal ablution was made; here they sat in a baptisterium, below the surface of the water, and their attendants scraped them with strigils, one of 1 Information of W. Crafter, esq., chief of the Ordnance department, Gravesend Fort,-who remembers the spot before the grounds underwent alteration. |