[It is not very clear that “blew clay,” however fine, could be “proper for the making of porcilane,” the chief characteristic of which is its transparent whiteness. Apart from this however, Aubrey’s remark is curious; as it intimates that the manufacture of it was attempted in this country at an earlier period than is generally believed. The famous porcelain works at Chelsea were not established till long afterwards; and according to Dr. Plott, whose “Natural History of Staffordshire” was published in 1686, the only kinds of pottery then made in this country were the coarse yellow, red, black, and mottled wares; and of those the chief sale was to “poor crate-men, who carried them on their backs all over the country”, I have not found any account of the Mr. Dwight mentioned by Aubrey, or of his attempts to improve the art of pottery.—J. B.] Clay abounds, particularly about Malmesbury, Kington St. Michael, Allington, Easton Piers (as also a hungry marle), Dracott-Cerne, Yatton-Keynell, Minty, and Bradon-forest. At Minty, and at a place called Woburn, in the parish of Hankerton, is very good fullers’-earth. The fullers’-earth at Minty-common, at the place called the Gogges, when I tooke it up, was as black as black polished marble; but, having carryed it in my pocket five or six dayes, it became gray. At Hedington, at the foot of the hill, is a kind of white fullers’-earth which the cloth-workers doe use; and on the north side of the river at Broad Chalke, by a poole where are fine springs (where the hermitage is), is a kind of fullers’-earth which the weavers doe use for their chaines: ’tis good Tripoly, or “lac lunæ”. Lac lunæ is the mother of silver, and is a cosmetick. In Boudon-parke, fifteen foot deep under the barren sand, is a great plenty of blew marle, with which George Johnson, Esq., councellor-at-law, hath much improved his estate there. The soile of the parke was so exceedingly barren, that it did beare a gray mosse, like that of an old park pale, which skreeks as one walkes on it, and putts ones teeth on edge. Furzes did peep a little above the ground, but were dwarfes and did not thrive. At Bitteston, in the highway, blew marle appears. Mr. Montjoy hath drawn the water that runnes through it, and is impregnated with its nitre, into his pasture grounds, by which meanes they are improved from —— to —— per annum. In Bradon-forest, and at Ashton Kaynes, is a pottery. There is potters’ clay also at . .. . Deverell, on the common towards Frome, and potts are made there. At Clarendon-parke is lately discovered (1684) an earth that cleanseth better than Woburne earthe in Bedfordshire; and Mr. Cutler, the cloathier of Wilton, tells me he now makes only use of it. There is at Burton-hill, juxta Malmesbury, fullers’ earth, as also about Westport, and elsewhere thereabout, which the cloathiers use.