ound-swell from the ocean continues, and meeting the slope of these
rocks, the waves often break upon them with great violence.

The largest and highest of the Eddystone rocks is now called the
House-rock, because every building which has been attempted has had
its foundation there; but even on this the most favourable spot for
such efforts, there is a peculiar difficulty, arising out of its shape
and position. There is a sudden drop in the surface of the rock,
forming a step of about four and a half or five feet high, the upper
part somewhat over-hanging the perpendicular, so that the seas, which
in moderate weather come swelling towards that step, meet so sudden a
check thereby that they frequently fly to the height of thirty or
forty feet. This proved a great interruption to the works during the
building of the lighthouse, for the water coming down from this height
on the area of the building completely wetted the work-people, and
either suspended their employment or caused them to execute it in a
very uncomfortable situation. This is not the case at all times, but
only when the ground-swell comes in from the bay, which, however, is
constant during south-westerly winds, and for some time after they
have subsided.

It would appear that the many fatal accidents which occurred to
homeward-bound ships had long made it much desired, as it was highly
necessary, that some beacon should be erected on the Eddystone rocks.
The formidable nature of the undertaking, and the almost insuperable
difficulties connected with it, may be supposed to have long repressed
the ardour of the zealous and the humane; but at length, in the year
1696, a person was found hardy enough to undertake the task, and he
was soon invested with the necessary powers to put it in execution.

This person was Mr. Henry Winstanley, of Littlebury, Essex, whose
mechanical abilities had previously been known rather by a series of
eccentric contrivances than by any remarkable proof of skill. For
instance:--in his house at Littlebury, if a visitor entered an
apartment and saw an old slipper lying on the floor, and very
naturally proceeded to kick it aside with his foot, a ghost-like
figure would immediately start up before him, and if he retreated from
it and took his seat in a chair, a couple of arms would immediately
clasp him in, so that it would be impossible to disengage himself
without the assistance of an attendant.

These unpleasant jokes were not conf