Thus we have conducted one half, the forepart of the snake, in this mighty work, up to _Overton-hill_, where it reposed its bulky head, and not long ago made a most beautiful appearance. I happen’d to frequent this place in the very point of time, when there was a possibility just left, of preserving the memory of it. In order to do it, I have laid down the groundplot thereof in plate XX. just as I found it for three years together, before it was demolish’d. I found that a line drawn between _Overton-mill_ and the entrance of _Kennet_ avenue in _Abury_ town, is the ground-line of this avenue, from which it makes two vast curves contrary ways, to imitate the winding of a snake, and the hieroglyphic figures we see on _Egyptian_ and other monuments. From _Overton-mill_ is a most glorious prospect, overlooking the whole extent of _Abury_ temple, and the sacred field it stands in, and beyond that, into _Gloucestershire_ and _Somersetshire_. _Explicat hinc tellus campos effusa patentes, Vix oculo prendente modum_—— Lucan IV. As we descend _Overton-hill_ by the neck of the snake, we discern the main part of the track of this avenue between here and _Abury_ town, and may observe its huge curves both ways. And when we are near entring _Abury_ town again, upon mounting the hill by the hedge-corner, at about eighteen intervals of stones from the _vallum_, you see a most advantageous prospect or approach to the temple, partly represented in plate XVIII. _Windmill-hill_, with its easy acclivity, fronting you directly, the northern end of _Hakpen_ on the right and _Cherill-hill_ on the left closing the horizon like scenes at a theater. I observed many of these studied opportunities in this work, of introducing the ground and prospects, to render it more picture-like. _Pausanias in Bœotic._ writes, that in the way from _Thebes_ to _Glisas_, is a space fenc’d round with select stones, which the _Thebans_ call the _snake’s head_. And they tell a silly story about it, of a snake putting his head out of a hole there, which _Tiresius_ struck with his sword. Just by it, he says, is a hill call’d the _supreme_, and a temple to _Jupiter the supreme_, and the brook _Thermodon_ runs under it. Can we doubt but this was an ancient temple, like what we are describing? It was built by _Cadmus_, or some of his people, of whom we shall talk more in chapter XIV. I conclude this account with a verse of the poet’s, which I believe was upon a work of the very same nature, as we shall explain by and by. _Quod caput antè fuit, summo est in monte cacumen, Ossa lapis fiunt_—— Ovid. Met. IV. CHAP. VIII.