When we contemplate the elegance of this country of _Wiltshire_, and the great works of antiquity therein, we may be persuaded, that the two atlantic islands, and the islands of the blessed, which _Plato_ and other ancient writers mention, were those _in reality_ of _Britain_ and _Ireland_. They who first took possession of this country, thought it worthy of their care, and built those noble works therein, which have been the admiration of all ages. _Stonehenge_ we have endeavoured to describe; and we are not more surpriz’d at the extraordinary magnitude of this work of _Abury_, than that it should have escap’d the observation of the curious: a place in the direct _Bath_-road from _London_. Passing from _Marlborough_ hither, ’tis the common topic of amusement for travellers, to observe the gray weathers on _Marlborough_ downs, which are the same kind of stones as this of our antiquity, lying dispers’d, on the surface of the ground, as nature originally laid them. When we come to this village, we see the largest of those stones in great numbers, set upright in the earth, in circles, in parallel lines and other regular figures, and a great part inclos’d in a vast circular ditch, of above 1000 foot diameter. And what will further excite one’s curiosity, the _vallum_ or earth, which is of solid chalk, dug out of that ditch, thrown on the outside; quite contrary to the nature of castles and fortifications. The ditch alone, which is wide and deep, is a very great labour, and the rampart very high, and makes the appearance of a huge amphitheatre, for an innumerable company of spectators; but cannot possibly be design’d for offence or defence. This is twice passed by all the travellers: and its oddness would arrest one’s attention, if the stones escap’d it. [Illustration: TAB. VIII. _A Scenographic view of the Druid temple of ABVRY in north Wiltshire, as in its original._ _W. Stukeley Delin._ _Præhonorabili Dño. Dño. Philippo Dño. Hardwick, summo magnæ Brittanniæ Cancellario tabulam. L.M.D. W. Stukeley._] The mighty carcase of _Stonehenge_ draws great numbers of people, out of their way every day, as to see a sight: and it has exercis’d the pens of the learned to account for it. But _Abury_ a much greater work and more extensive design, by I know not what unkind fate, was altogether overlooked, and in the utmost danger of perishing, thro’ the humor of the country people, but of late taken up, of demolishing the stones. Mr. _Camden_ the great light of _British_ antiquities, took _Kennet_ avenue to be plain rocks, and that the village of _Rockley_ took its name from them. It is strange that two parallel lines of great stones, set at equal distance and intervals, for a mile together, should be taken for rocks in their natural site. As for the town of _Rockley_, ’tis four miles off, has nothing to do with this antiquity, tho’ probably had its name from the adjacent gray weathers, whence our stones were drawn.