COAL MINES OF

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his memory, he would shudder in the antic!-*pation of death to those who were enclosed inthe dark and dismal cavern, he beheld. Butdid he go still further, and descend this aper-ture of catth, it would require all the fortitudeof nature to refrain from fear, and to examineevery thing with calmness and precision. Theimmense depth, the innumerable windings,and the dark solitary wastes of a coal mine,are truly astonishing, and create a sensationof horror in the imagination. It is impossibleunder the impression every circumstance gives,and the frequent loss of lives enforces, not tofeel great anxiety that legislative interferencewill at length obviate some portion of the mi-sery occasioned by the taciturnity of personsemployed, and the tardiness of proprietors inadopting means of security.

Mr. Farey senior, speaking of mines, thusexpresses himself: “ The vast importance, bothto the owners and the public, of the extensiveand curious works which are carried on underground in these kingdoms for procuring thattruly essential article fossil coal, seems to havefailed of attracting such a general attention tothem, and to the principle on which they areand may be best and most securely conducted,as their importance has demanded; until of

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