'Tis true, no man can tell the force and fury of the unbridled winds, that are ſo mad that they know not whence they come, nor whither they will. But yet were ſuch heterogeneities which are found ſo deep this way brought, they ſhould be found in all or moſt places alike; and they ſhould be found above ground too, unleſs we can imagine that immediately on their falling the Earth ſuffer ſome Chaſm, and doth ingulf and ſwallow them into its bowels. And therefore it is moſt probable they are brought to ſuch places from the Sea, the place of their Generation, generally under the Earth.

3. If they are brought from the Sea to the place they are found in, under the Earth, it muſt be either by a natural or by a ſupernatural impellent or mover; by ſpirits, or by a natural vehicle. No man that is either a Philoſopher or a Chriſtian can doubt of the power of ſpirits, by Gods command or permiſsion, to effect this and many more actions that are far more difficult and unlikely. And Paracelſus with ſome others would have us believe that there are innumerable ſuch ſpirits or genii that inhabit the Earth, as he hath projected there are Inhabitants of the Sun, Moon, and other Planets, which he calls Solar, Lunar, Saturnine, &c. and of the air which he ſtyles aerial. And to their managements referreth all the natural motions of Generation and Corruption, and the violent, as of Chaſms, Earthquakes, and other alterations in the bowels of the Earth. Nay, they reduce them to ſeveral Claſſes and Orders, and with a little invitation would be ready to ſwear, that many of them are Engineers that contrive the Water-works, and make Rivers and Aqueducts; that ſome are Blackſmiths by Trade that work in the Vulcanoes; that ſome are Brewers that boil natural baths, and uſe Minerals inſtead of Mault. But theſe opinions are ſuch, that beſides their own natural abſurdity, our Religion will teach us to explode, and are then confuted when they are only named. For though we grant that ſome ſuch things are poſsible to be done by the Devil; that is not ſo the Prince of the power of the air, as not to be the God of this lower world; yet to impute all things to them muſt needs be aſylum ignorantiae, and a Remora to all ingenuous and Philoſophical diſquiſitions, of the nature and cauſes of all things and actions in the bowels of the Earth, and a means to make us know no more of nature than what is obvious to ſenſe. So that I take it for granted, that ſome natural, ordinary vehicle there is under the Earth that brings ſuch heterogeneous bodies from their native and genial ſeat, and proper place, to ſuch Vaults, Hills, Veins, and Caverns where they are found.

4. Now the moſt likely movers of all others to carry bodies of weight under the Earth are two; either exhalations or waters; for as for vapours, I look not on them as capable of carrying any thing of weight, eſpecially ſo low in the Earth, where they cannot be ſo much rarefied, by reaſon of the natural coldneſs of that Element. 'Tis true, May-dew which is a vapour condenſed will carry up an Egg-ſhell in which it is put, by the help of a Pike or Spear placed by it. But this is in the ſight of the Sun, and if ſo much as a thin cloud interpoſe it falls again immediately: Again, the ſhell is exceeding light; beſides that, the dew is ſealed in it that it cannot get out; and even this moves upwards towards the Sun, not ſidewayes along the Earth. So that it muſt be concluded, that vapours cannot be ſerviceable to our purpoſe, ſo as to force whole veins of ſhels or other bodies to places ſo far diſtant from the Sea, and there to ram them in. It remains then, that this be effected by one or other of the former means.

As for exhalations, and that their force is ſuch that can impetuouſly move bodies of the greateſt weight, we need look no further than our Gun-powder, and the Machines or Engines that are uſed by or with it; ſuch as Cannons, Bullets, Balls of Lead or Iron, Stones, Granadoes, &c. of which ſome, by the help of a cold and dry exhalation pent in the Niter or Salt-Peter, and ſuddenly by fire flying out, make as ſtupend refractions of the air, and obtain a violence equal to that of our uſual thunder and lightnings. And after the ſame manner is their force and light cauſed, the violence and noiſe of Aurum Fulminans. And theſe exhalations which have ſuch effects above, have the ſame ſtrength under ground, as appears by Earthquakes, with which there are uſually heard aTerra mugi u tremuit M. Cat. Quint. Mart. Coſs. Fremitus infernus ad Coelum ferri viſus M. Anton. A. Poſth. Coſs. Fremitus terrae etiam Faeſulis auditus M. Perpenn. Cai. Claud. Coſs. The City Ferrara in the year 1570. was ſurprized with a fearful noiſe, as if it had been battered with great Ordnance, afterwards with a moſt violent trembling. murmur and ſound. When Sempronius Gracchus was ſetting on the Picaeni, and they were juſt joyning battel;Oroſ. lib. 4. cap. 4. tam horrendo fragore terra tremuit, ut ſtupore miraculi utrumque pavefactum agmen hebeſceret. Theſe make the Earth tremble, the Mountains rowl, the Rocks quake, and eſpecially if the exhalation that cauſeth them be impregnate with Nitroſulphureous ſpirits, which have ſometimes thruſt out hills where there were plains, Iſlands in the midſt of Seas, made huge Rivers where there were none, turned the current of ſome, ſtopped others, left vaſt caverns and holes, depreſſed Mountains, ſwallowed Cities and Armies, ſubverted Temples and Palaces. Cizicus a City of Miſia minor, with the famous Temple of Jupiter there, were both ſwallowed in an Earthquake; and ſo was Philadelphia another City of the ſame Miſia, and one of the Churches St. John writ to. Apoc. 3.7. In an Earthquake in Vinianfu in China, the Nitroſulphureous ſpirits burſt out of the Earth in ſuch an actuall flame, that it conſumed the whole City and innumerable people. At Hien in the ſame Country, the fall of the houſes by the ſame Earthquake ſlew eight thouſand. At Enchinoen an hundred thouſand periſhed. Immediately on the bitter perſecution of Diocleſian, a fearful Earthquake happened in Syria, Oroſ. lib. 7. c. 17. by which Tyre and Sydon were almoſt deſtroyed, and many thouſands were kil'd. Lucan. lib. 1. —Quatiente ruina Nutantes pendere domos.— Or as the ſame Author elſewhere deſcribeth an earthquake, — Cardine tellus Subſedit, veterém que jugis nutantibus Alpes Diſcuſſere nivem.— We read of one in Judeah, Joſ. Antiq. l. 9. c. 11. at Uzzah's uſurpation of the Prieſts office, which rent the Temple, and a Hill in the Eaſt was removed four furlongs towards the Weſt; of another in Herods Reign, that ſlew ten thouſand Jews. l. 15. c. 7. Marcley hill with us in Hereford-ſhire, Anno 1571. with a great noiſe removed it ſelf from its place, and went continually for three dayes together, overthrowing Kinnaſton Chapel, bearing the earth 400. yards before it. And therefore Exhalations may be granted to remove ſtones and ſands, and with them ſuch heterogeneous bodies as lie on them, from one place to another, from the ſea to the hills, from a coaſt far into a countrey. But Earthquakes are not frequent in any places unleſs near Vulcanoes, and are leſs uſual in theſe parts; and yet in moſt places all over Europe, ſuch heterogeneous bodies have been found under the Earth, at great diſtance from the Sea. Again, the force of Exhalations is moſt evident in mountainous, rocky countreys, becauſe when they are pent into ſuch places they cannot have vent; whereas theſe bodies are often found in moſſes, bogs, and mariſh grounds, as frequently as in other earth.

5. So that they are moſt likely to be hurried thither by the force of waters, paſsing from the Sea through the caverns of the Earth. The reaſonableneſs of which opinion will the better appear, if we conſider that,

1. As the Earth is of a vaſt compaſs, and no leſs than 7000 miles in Diameter, of which the Water doth not make above one third part of the Globe, and that on the ſurface of Earth too; and ſo far as was ever yet diſcovered of the Earth, no part of it is deſtitute of ſome mineral ſubstance continually generating in it, unleſs where either the Sun exhales the force of it, or Nature is otherwiſe imployed in producing Vegetables. So that if the Earth be kept from the ſight of the Sun, and the production of plants, nor is apt to other generations, yet it fails not to produce Saltpeter or Nitre in good quantity. And this is the reaſon that Saltpeter-men dig in Stables, Cellars, and other houſes. So that in the whole bowels of the Earth, what vaſt heaps, what mountains of metalls are there? Some in fieri, ſome in facto eſſe; perfect and imperfect; mean metalls, Stones, Fluors of all ſorts, Salts, and concrete Juices; beſides the ſeveral ſorts of Earths, Chalks, Boles, Bitumina, and the mixtures of all or any of theſe, of which it were much too large, and more beſides my purpoſe particularly to diſcourſe.

2. Where there are ſo vaſt and numerous generations, 'tis impoſsible that they ſhould ſucceed without vaſt quantities of water. Nay, to ſpeak more home, the firſt matter that hath been yet diſcovered of all Minerals, is no other than a certain Juice or water impregnate with the ſeminal vertue of this or that Mineral ſtone or Metall, which from water (vvhen it hath found a convenient matrix) becomes a gelly, and from a gelly this or that ſtone or metall. This is obvious from ſeveral ſprings, whoſe water impregnate with the ſeeds of ſtone, having found a place of reſt convert into perfect ſtone. Of which ſort, we read of ſome inWarner. de Aq. Hungar. Hungary, of others in Peru byWarner. de Aq. Hungar. Acoſt. l. 3. c. 17. Acoſta. In Guancavilica there is a Fountain that turns into a Rock, with which an whole village is built. At Newnham Regis in Warwick-ſhire, our Geographers tell us of a Well that after the ſame manner turneth wood into ſtone; of another in the the North, that dropping from above into a Cave, becomes clear and very hard ſtone beneath.Bert. Geog. p. 127. Rivus eſt apud Scotos Ratra dictus, in cujus ripa eſt ſpelunca, in qua guttatìm ex fornice diſtillans nnda lapideſcit in metas, quae niſi tollantur humana induſtria, ſpatium totum opplerent. Some Minerals are no other than certain kind of Juices accreted, as Allum, Vitriol, &c. And Mine-maſters have ſometimes found Metalls liquid and unconcrete when they have peirced a Mine too ſoon; Matheſius mentions liquid Silver found by ſome. And for this without doubt among other cauſes, is water by the Ancients called Panſpermia; for that the ſeeds of things in the Earth have very little vertue without this, Moſes inſinuates, Gen. 2.5. where he gives this reaſon why no Plants yet grew, viz. becauſe they lay in arido, for the Lord had not cauſed it to rain on the earth. I am very confident that the Poets did not only call Venus the Goddeſſe of generation, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the ſpume-born Goddeſſe, from the ſaltneſs of the ſpume, (though ſome of later date have therefore called her 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) but from the waters that bare it. Nor is there any queſtion to be made, but that the Inhabitants of the waters are therefore more numerous than other creatures, not for any ſaltneſs, which at the moſt can butAegyptii ideo à ſale abſtinuerunt (teſte Plutarcho) quod ſalem venerem irritare perſuaſū haberent. Levin. Lemn. de Nat. Miracul. l. 2. p. 228. irritate to copulation, but doth not render the ſeed ever the more prolifical. For freſh water fiſh are as multiplicative of their ſpecies as the other in proportion. There is not a fiſh that ſwimmeth in the deep that hath a greater quantity of ſpawn conſidering his bulk, than a Carp; yet it is a freſh water fiſh.

Nor can I believe there can any other reaſon be given, why the Iriſh women have ſo many Children, than becauſe their Country, and conſequently themſelves, are ſo exceeding moiſt, as appears by their ſtature, their pale countenances, their flaccid, ſoft and phlegmatick habit of body. And indeed I think that it were as reaſonable to ſeek for taſte in an egg, Ex ovo omnia. Harv. And what taſte is there in the white of an egg? Job. as for ſalt in the ſperm of fiſh or any other creature; for by virulent Gonorrhaea's it appears that a ſharp and ſaline quality, is a token rather of corruption than of any active and generative energy. Et quod veriſsimum eſt dicimus; Novimus & jam noſco mulieres varias conjugatas ſat juvenes, quae ab erroribus dietae à Pica ſive Malacia cauſatis, praecipuè à ſalitorum, vel potiùs ab incommiſti ſalis eſu, non tandum ſordidos pallidos faetidoſque obtinuere colores; cutes impolitas & rugoſas, ventriculos nauſeabundos; verumetiam ſuffocatae omnino evaſerunt & steriles. But although I attribute the effects above mentioned to water rather than ſalt; yet I would not be conceived to imbibe Thales Mileſius opinion, that aqua is ſo named, quaſi à qua omnia, as if all things were from it; and yet do believe that it is cauſa ſine qua non, and a great nurſe and foſterer of Generations, if not a Parent of them. And of Minerals too; eſpecially if we ſhould embrace the opinion of the Peripateticks, that all mixed bodies are immediately compoſed of the four Elements; for then theſe being the moſt ponderous bodies, muſt needs have in them the moſt weighty Elements in good quantity, and thoſe are Earth and Water.

3. The Sea is the original of all Waters; nor could any fountain elſe afford enough to ſupply the Earth to all uſes. That which by the Neotericks hath lately been found out, of the Circulation of the Bloud and Humours in the Microcoſm, was long ſince diſcovered (which might poſsibly hint that) in the greater world. Eccles. 1.7. All rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. And what huge quantities of water muſt be neceſſary for the whole Earth, may be hence inferred, that the ſuperficies of it needs ſo much, that beſides the innumerable Springs, Fountains, Chanels, Rivers and Lakes with which it is irrigated, were it not for frequent ſhowres from above, would ſoon be parched up, and unable to produce ſuſtenance for Man or Beaſt; which help the bowels of the Earth are deſtitute of; for the moiſture of ſhowres peirceth not above ten foot deep at the moſt. And indeed, this is the onely reaſon that can be given of the Seas ſaltneſs, becauſe it doth waſh, and ſo diſſolve much ſalt from the rocks of Salt in ſubterraneal caverns where it doth paſs, and would long ere this have cauſed places, where ſuch rocks have been, to ſink in: But that, firſt, there is a continual generation and accretion, as well as a diſſolution; and ſecondly, becauſe that Salt is very hard, inſomuch that ſome ſtones of ſalt there are found in ſeveral waters undiſſolved; as thoſe of which Cambden informs us in the River Weere near Batterby in the Biſhoprick of Durham. Cambd. Brit. Brigant. And as for that dreadful ſtory of Lots wife turned into a pillar of ſalt, Gen. 19.26. as we are to believe the thing, ſo may it not be improbable that it was termed a pillar, as well for the ſolidity, durableneſs, and difficulty of diſſolution, as well as for its ſhape and form; God ſtriking her in that manner, as a more durable monument of his anger againſt Diſobedience. And our glaſs at this day is but ſalt after its higheſt fuſion, and yet it is very ſolid and durable, and imports no quality to water. Thirdly and laſtly, the Sea-water having imbibed ſo much ſalt before, is the leſs able to diſſolve more.

4. That though the Sea on the coast near the ſhore, may communicate its waters by perlocation, yet to places at great diſtance it cannot paſs ſo as to afford a due ſupply, but by Gulphs and ſubterraneal In-draughts. In many places of the world they make the ſea-water potable and freſh by digging of pits in the ſand, into which the ſea-water ſtreining it ſelf, leaves its ſaltneſs behind. But this muſt be done at no great diſtance from the Sea, and it muſt be in ſand or clay, or the like; for if the ſhore be rocky, it will not do; as we ſee in many places where they dig a very great depth for freſh water near the Sea, and cannot be ſupplied till they find a freſh ſpring, a great many foot under the ſurface of the Sea. So we ſee that when we filtrate liquors through ſhop-paper, if it be thin and bibulous, it paſſeth; if thick and too cloſe, it will not paſs. Some illuſtrate the percolation of the ſea-water by this experiment. Take a round ball of moiſt clay, make it hollow in the inſide, fill it with ſalt water, lay it to the fire, and it will extill by the pores of the clay, and become freſh and inſipid.

Now that there are vaſt gulphs and chanels from the ſea under the earth, will eaſily appear, when we conſider, that ſome great lakes and oceans there are, that have no other way to vent themſelves. What way can the Caſpian Sea exonerate it ſelf by, after it hath taken into it Volga, Jaxares, Ochus, Oxus, and other huge Rivers? What other reaſon can be given why ſome lakes are full of ſea fiſh, and yet at great diſtance from the Sea? In Bainoa, a Province of Hiſpaniola, is a lake of ſalt water which hath 24 Rivers running into it, yet never increaſeth, and hath Sharks and other ſea-fiſh in it. Again, there are ſalt ſprings in all Countreys that ebbe and flow as the Sea and the Coaſts do. There are alſo ſalt rivers, as Ochus and Oxus; ſalt lakes, as that before mentioned. Beſides this, it is ordinary for chanels and rivers to run a great way on the earth, and then to ingulp themſelves. Georg. Witnerus. The waters of the Cirknickzerkſey lake in Carniola, guſh with that violence and ſwiftneſſe out of the ground, that they will overtake a ſwift Horſe-man, and preſently are ſwallowed in a deep gulph again. In the Province of Cazcium in Hiſpaniola is a great cave in an hollow rock, under the root of a very high mountain, in which divers Rivers, after they have run fourſcore and ten miles, paſs as into an indraught, and are ſwallowed up. In moſt Countreys we read of the like. A mountain there is in Caermarthen-ſhire, where Careg-caſtle ſometimes ſtood, in which are many ſpacious holes and wide caves, with a Well that ebbs and flows as the Sea on the Coaſt doth, twice in four and twenty hours. The Current of one and the ſame Sea in ſeveral parts contrary ways demonſtrates this, as in the Atlantick Sea, in ſome places from, and in ſome places towards the North, like Liquor in a funnel. In ſome places there are whirlepools, whoſe waters turn clean round, inſomuch that if a Ship at ſuch times come over them, they are in moſt extreme danger of ſinking: Such an one there is in the North Sea, near the coaſt of Norway. At other times the waters with that violence come out of the earth, that a Cannon caſt overboard will not ſink. This cauſed Taurellus, and ſome others, to think theſe the onely cauſe of the Tides. Andreas Moralis Moral. decad. 7. c. 8. on the Coaſt of Hiſpaniola was ſucked into whirlepools, where with that violence the water was drawn into the earth, that with extraordinary toil the Ship hardly eſcaped ſinking. Again, the heterogeneous bodies that are found ſo deep, are ſuch uſually that either are generated, or moſt uſually dwell in the Sea; as ſhells, bones of fiſh, maſts, anchors, parts of ſhips. Simlerus, Ortelius. At Berna in Switzerland, Anno 1460. fifty fathom deep, in a Mine where they got metall-oar, Fracaſtorius. a Ship was digged up, in which were forty eight carkaſes of Men, with other merchandiſe. Out of the Ocean into the Mediterranean Sea, In Greenland a Maſt was digged out of the top of an high Hill with a pully hanging to it. there is a continual current by the ſtreights of Gibraltar; another Current into the ſame out of the Euxine Sea, by the Thraſian Boſphorus; beſides, very many and great Rivers. And which way can it exonerate it ſelf? for thoſe vaſt flouds do not increaſe it. And Solomons Circulation of humours in the Macrocoſm above mentioned, is very conſiderable; nor is the Analogy in this particular between that and the leſſer World obſcure. For the Sea in that anſwereth to the Fountain of bloud in this. The Subterraneal Rivers, and thoſe above ground, may anſwer to the veſſels containing the bloud. And both theſe anſwer to the vaſa attrahentia, & deferentia; for the ſubterraneal chanels carry the water from the Sea, the Rivers return it to the Sea. Again, as both ſorts of veſſels are greater near the fountain of bloud in the body; ſo are the chanels biggest neareſt the Sea their fountain; and though it may ſometimes happen otherwiſe, yet if the banks of any are wider, ſo that they look like lakes a great while before they diſcharge themſelves into the Ocean; I look on it but as caſuall, and bearing proportion with the divarications of veſſels in mans body. Again, veſſels in our bodies are from trunks (like trees) branched out, in ramulos, ſurculos, and other minute diſtributions (anſwering to the ſtalks of leaves or fruits) which are again ſubdivided into capillary conveyances, and thence the bloud and humours paſs per poros for the nutriment of the ſolid parts; ſo are the Rivers above (and without doubt the chanels under ground in proportion to them) from their main trunks divided into Brooks, thoſe Brooks into Rivulets, theſe into leſſer conveyances as it were capillary veſſels, and every where diſperſed and diſſeminated according to the exigence of nature, and thence paſſe through the pores of the Earth, that no part may be deſtitute of a due ſupply for the Generation and increaſe of all bodies. Again, the aeſtus maris bears ſome proportion to the pulſe of the bloud in the Microcoſm, the ebbing and contraction of the water is the ſyſtole; the turgeſcency, floating, and dilatation of the water, is the diaſtole; the ſpace between both the periſyſtole. Again, as in the heart and in ſome veſſels only that carry the bloud that motion is to be found; ſo is the aeſtus diſcovered in ſome veſſels only that conveigh the humour of the greater World. Not that I look on this as any kind of proof, but as an illuſtration, the better to guide our conceptions in Natures Water-works, by what is ſeen that we may the better underſtand that which is not ſeen, or at leaſt not ſo plainly. However enough to our purpoſe it is, that ſuch Subterraneal chanels there are from the Sea under the Earth. As for the common ſcruple of the improbability of the waters riſing ſo high out of the Sea to the ſuperfice of the Earth, it is the leaſt hindrance of an hundred; for if there be a continuity of the air, waters will riſe as high as the ſurface of the waters from whence they came, as appears in Siphunculis; and therefore may riſe to the tops of the higheſt hills. For the higheſt places of the Sea anſwer to the tops of the loftieſt mountains, or elſe the earth could not be ſpherical. Were it not for bounds God hath ſet, the waters are high enough to turn again and cover the earth, v. 9. He hath Chambers or Receptacles by which to water the hills, v. 13 To this the Pſalmiſt is conſonant, Pſalme 104. The waters go up by the Mountains, they go down by the Valleys unto the place which thou haſt founded for them. With what violence do the waters guſh out of Saint Winifreds Well in Wales on the top of a great hill? Again, compreſsion of thoſe vaſt quantities of water forcing them into Earth, may make them mount the higher; as Hoggſheads full and newly broached run the faſter. I'le illuſtrate this by the following experiment. Take two round Boards equally ſized, faſten ſtrong Leather to thoſe Boards above, below, and on the ſides ſo cloſe that they may hold water; from the lower board let an hollow pipe go up on the out-ſide higher than the upper board; fill this inſtrument with water; then put a weight on the upper board, and proportionable to the weight ſo will the waters mount to a greater or leſſer height, as in this Figure.

But it may be objected, that this is an adventitious and external compreſsion; and not that of the water onely. But I anſwer, that ſuch a compreſsion there is in the Sea from agitation of the waters by wind, and other cauſes; and yet that waters by their own natural compreſsion will mount higher than the brims of the veſſel containing, may be evident from this, that if we take one of a conſiderable capacity, with a pipe on the outſide ſomething higher than its brims; and rub the brims with Roſin, or ſuch like Gum, and then fill it full till no more water can be poured in, ſtopping the orifice of the pipe in the mean time with ones finger, then removing the finger, it will preſently burſt out at the pipe. It may be demanded then, Why are not all Rivers ſalt? To this I anſwer; That moſt of them have their waters ſtopped and percolated, and ſo leave their ſaltneſſe behind. But as for thoſe that have no hinderance, they are not onely ſalt, but do conſtantly ebbe and flow, as hath been exemplified already. Thoſe that have a ſtoppage by a bank of earth to ſuch an heighth onely, iſſue freſh water at their ebbe, and at their flote ſalt; as that fountain in the Iſle of Gades doth.See Ortel. map. epitomixed in the deſcription of Gades. Thoſe that are ſalt, and have no tides, are ſuch as after percolation waſh ſome rocks of ſalt before their eruption.

5. Where mighty flouds come with violence, as theſe muſt of neceſsity do by reaſon of the vaſt quantity, the mighty compreſsion, and the unſpeakable weight of the waters of the Ocean, they will eaſily carry with them light, and with no great difficulty ponderous bodies. This needs not, and therefore ſhall not, have any proof.

6. Heterogeneous bodies by the weight and ſtrength of waters forced into a narrow place, cannot eaſily by the return of thoſe beyond them, (if they return at all the ſame way) be brought forth again. Becauſe there is little or no compreſsion, and therefore the return of the water is leaſurely, and by degrees. This is obvious to Senſe, and therefore needs no illuſtration.

7. And as much evident to ſenſe it is that any heterogeneous bodies ſo remaining unremoved, ſoon gather ſlime and ſand about them, and in a ſmall ſpace of time are lodged as it were in firm ground. This is no more wonderful than to have any veſſel in the Microcoſm obſtructed by crude and heterogeneous bodies, caeteris paribus. Nor need we ſeek for rare Water-works; for every ordinary gutter and ſink will demonſtrate this.

And thus (Doctor) you have my Opinion of the way by which thoſe Cockle, Muſcle, and Oyſterſhells you mentioned, were brought and lodged in that place. If they were truly ſhells, they were conveyed either above or under ground; but not ſo uſually above, therefore under. If under ground, then by natural or voluntary agents. If by natural and neceſſary, then either by Vapours, Exhalations, or Waters; but this is done uſually and commonly by none of the former, therefore by the laſt; which is the more likely to effect it,

1. Becauſe there are numerous generations in the Earth.

2. Where many generations are, much water is neceſſary.