The philosophie, commonlie called, the morals vvritten by the learned philosopher Plutarch of Chæronea. Translated out of Greeke into English, and conferred with the Latine translations and the French, by Philemon Holland of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke. VVhereunto are annexed the summaries necessary to be read before every treatise

CHAP. XVI. Of the Sea, how it was made and commeth to be bitter.

ANAXIMANDER affirmeth, that the Sea is a residue remaining of the primitive humidity, whereof the Sunne hauing burnt up and consumed a great part, the rest behind he altered and turned from the naturall kind by his excessive ardent heat.

ANAXAGORAS is of opinion, that the said first humiditie being diffused and spred abroad in manner of a poole or great meere, was burnt by the motion of the sunne about it: and when [ 10] the oileous substance thereof was exhaled and consumed, the rest setled below, and turned into a brackish and bitter-saltnesse, which is the Sea.

EMPEDOCLES saith, that the Sea is the sweat of the earth, enchafed by the sunne, being ba∣thed and washed all over aloft.

ANTISTON thinketh it to be the sweat of heat, the moisture whereof which was within, being by much seething and boiling sent out, becommeth salt; a thing ordinary in all sweats.

METRODORUS supposeth the Sea to be that moisture, which running thorough the earth, reteined some part of the densitie thereof, like as that which passeth through ashes.

The disciples of PLATO imagine, that so much of the elementarie water which is congealed of the aire by refrigeration, is sweet and fresh; but whatsoever did evaporate by burning and [ 20] inflammation, became salt.