An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. VIII. Of the various Generation of Stones.

I. Stones are generated of Sand or Clay. ALL Stones have their Rise either from Sand or Clay; and that either from Sand dis∣solved, or Sand consolidated.

Stones are generated of dissolved Sand, when any quantity thereof becomes coagulated; whence therefore proceeds a Stone, transpa∣rent like a grain of Sand, and of a different figure, as it is variously compressed by its Neigh∣bouring Bodies: So some Precious Stones are found of no distinct shape or figure, and others that have 6 sides or surfaces. Again, Stones are generated of consolidated Sand, that is, when a great num∣ber of the grains of Sand do grow together, by means of Steams or Exhalations filling the Inter∣vals between them, and joyning them together; and there fore these Stones are opake or dark, and rugged, by means of many Prominences, and therefore may be made use of for the sharpning of Stones. It may be also added, that Stones may be made of Clay, which by the admission of some petrifying Exhalations may become stone.

II. Whence it it that some Stones are found in Provence in France, of the figure of a Lozenge, or Quarry of Glass. There is a sort of Stones found in Provence in France, whereof some are Red, and others trans∣parent like Crystal, and of the figure of a Lo∣zenge, which when they are broken, fall into parts of the same figure, tho' subdivided never so often.

The Reason of this is to be attributed, to the more perfect and elaborate disposition of the Mat∣ter whereof these Stones are generated, which is so regularly distributed, that every one of its least particles bestow their own figure upon the whole, and upon the lesser, as well as greater parts of it. We must therefore suppose, that in the first formation of these Stones, some particles of the petrifying Juice, were by the force of Heat stretched out in length, to which others joyning, themselves, did by degrees constitute some small Tables, to which others afterwards were joyned, lying athwart them, so that the Angles somewhat resembled those of Talk or Izinglass. As we find that in the formation of Salts their basis is of a square figure. Thus the particles of Sal Gem are of a square figure like a Dice, and breaks into Bits of the same figure; and after the same manner, and for the same Reason, do these Stones before∣mentioned break into bits that express the figure of Lozenges, and tho' broke never so small, retain the same figure inviolably.

III. What is the Cause of those Glassy-Stones that are some∣times sound in the Earth. Sometimes Glassy-stones are found in the Earth, which do equal others in weight, as well as hard∣ness; save only that they are brittle like Glass, and are easily broke to pieces.

The Original of these Stones must be attributed to Sand, which being melted by a most vehement fire, and afterwards cooled, become as hard as Stone. After the same manner as the particles of Ashes, when agitated by a most vehement fire, have their Ruggedness pared off, and become smooth, and sticking together constitute Glass. Thus it sometimes happens, that after great Burn∣ings of the Earth, many of these Glassy-stones are digg'd forth from the Bowels of it, which are of different shapes and figures, according to the variety of those places into which the melted Salt lighted. PLINY is of Opinion, that the ma∣king of Glass was first found out by a Casual melting of Sand and Nitre: It is reported, saith he, that a Merchant's Ship, laden with Nitre, being arrived, when the Ships Company were about to prepare a Feast upon the Shoar, and wanted Stones to fix their Kettles upon, they took great lumps of Salt-Peter out of the Ship for that purpose, which catching fire, and being mingled with the Sand of the shoar, made transparent Rivulets of Liquid Glass to run down. Book 36. Chap. 20.

IV. How Stones are gene∣rated in the Body of Man. Stones are generated in the Body of Man, dif∣fering in bigness as well as hardness: For some of them are easily crumbled to pouder, whereas others are hard, and cannot easily be dissolved.

The Original of Stones, that are formed in the Kidneys, or in the Bladder, is the same with those

that are generated in the Earth, viz. when by reason of the obstruction of the pores, the grains of Sand are lockt in, and at last growing together, do constitute a hard Body. For it is certain, that the Blood and Urine are strained, and do carry along with them the particles of Terrestrial Bodies, which are endued with such figures, as that when the Blood or Urine are more slowly moved in the Reins or Bladder, they grow into a Stone. For the Sand or Gravel which is generated in the Body of Man, have very uneven and rough surfaces, by means whereof they are easily entangled together, and constitute a mass or lump of Stone. And this is the Reason why they are discharged out of the Body of Man with such extream pain; for being carried with the Urine, and hitting against the Membrans with their sharp Corners, they rend and tear them.

V. Why Wo∣men are less trou∣bled with the Stone, than Men. Women are less troubled with the Stone than Men, because they can discharge the peccant Matter with greater ease than they, by reason of the wideness of the Passages through which it is to pass, as also because they are both straiter and shorter, their Terms also being beneficial to them in this case. Moreover it is observed, that Fat and Pursy persons are most troubled with this Disease, because such Bodies abound with Earthy dregs and volatile acids; as also, for that by reason of the bulk and weight of their Body, they are fain to live an idle and sedentary Life, which alone contributes not a little to the forming of this Disease.

VI. Some sup∣pose that Stones are generated in the Body of Man, by a petrifying Spirit. Some suppose that there is a Petrifying Spirit in the Body of Man, which is the Cause of this generation of Stones, more especially in the pores of the Kidneys and Bladder, which transmutes the dreggy and thicker parts of the Blood into Stone, to which formation that Volatile Salt, which is hid in the Stone, and drawn thence by Chimistry, doth not a little contribute; for by means of these saline Volatile particles, the thicker parts of the Blood are joyned together. Now that there is such a Petri∣fying Spirit in Nature, may be proved from many Springs, which turn all the things that are cast into them into Stone; such as is that Spring which is near Bergen in Norway, and many others elsewhere. And therefore some think, that the like spirit may lye hid in the Bodies of Men, seeing that it is evident beyond contradiction, that a spirit not much unlike this is found in it, which changeth the parts of the Chyle into Bones, Gristles, &c.

VII. Sometimes the Kid∣neys them∣selves, yea, and whole Infants in the Womb, have been turned into Stone. That Stones in the Bodies of Men do sometimes grow to a great bulk, is testified by ISRAEL, a Professour of Heidelberg, who says, that a Woman had a Kidney cut out of her Body, that was wholly turned to stone: Yea, what is far more strange, he tells us, that a whole and entire Birth, compleat and formed in all his parts, and which the Mother had carried in her Body no less than 28 years, was after her Death found as hard as Marble, and taken out of her Body. Which wonderful Effect cannot be ascribed to any thing else, but this Petrifying or Volatile acid Spirit, which is always endued with a great virtue of acting, figuring, and con∣gealing: For the swiftness of this spirit doth rea∣dily pass through all pores, and clinging to them, makes the Body to become harder, much like Coral, which being taken out of the bottom of the Sea, is hardned by the Volatile Acid which is lodged in the Air, and becomes stony.

VIII. The Stone is esten Hereditary. The Disease of the Stone is frequently con∣veyed from Parents to their Children; for seeing that the Particles whereof the Stone is formed, owe much of their tendency towards the producing of this Disease, to the Texture of the Fibres through which they are strained; and that the same de∣pends on the first forming of the Parts of the Body, which proceeds from the Parents, this Dis∣ease may very well be said to be traduced by them to their Posterity.

IX. Of a Stone which lies still in Fresh-water; but being put into Vine∣gar moves up and down. MERSENNUS makes mention of a Stone, which being cast into Fresh-water lies quiet; but when put into Vinegar, or Spirit of Vitriol, is moved; and more in Spirit of Vitriol, than in Vinegar.

The Reason of this may be supposed to be, because this Stone is full of pores, which do readily admit the particles of Vinegar and Spirit of Vitriol; but are not fitted to receive the particles of Fresh-water. So that Particles of Vinegar entring the pores of this Stone, drive out the particles of the Air or Water, which dilating themselves at their coming forth, do lift up and agitate the same.

X. Whether it be true that Stone is turned into Wood, not far from Rome Some Historians tell us, that there are certain Quarries of Stone near Rome, the stones whereof are changed into wood.

But I should be much more apt to believe, that these Stones are not changed into the substance of Wood, but only represent the outward appear∣ance of it. Much in the same manner as that Vein of Stones which is found at Novigentum, on the River Sein, do imitate the figures of certain Plants and Trees.

XI. Of a Stone that being cast into the water, changeth its colour. There is a certain Stone as white as Alabaster, by some called the Eye of the World, which being for some time suffer'd to lye in the water, doth not only become more heavy, but likewise grows transparent, and receives a new Colour.

The Reason is, because the Liquor that enters into the pores of this Stone, doth more dilate and diffuse the Light, and refracts the Rays much in the same manner as the grains of Sand might do. For it cannot be doubted, but that this Stone hath many pellucid particles, and that the Air which is got into the pores, being thrust out by the par∣ticles of the water, make the stone to lose its transparency, and to be changed into a white Colour; for as soon as the Stone is dried, it loseth its white Colour, and becomes transparent, as before.

XII. How the Stones are produc'd, which are found at the bottom of Rivers. Stones are frequently generated in Rivers; yea, it hath been found that the whole bottoms of some Rivers have been changed into stone. PATRI∣TIUS tells us, that whilst he studied at Avig∣non, he frequently went to swim, in the lesser Arm or branch of the River Rhone, and that he found that the Bottom, which he had known before to be soft and smooth, was all cover'd with stone.

The Cause of this Change might be from the Earthquake, which sometime before hapned about the shut-up Valley, so called. For the Earth∣quake might probably cast up a great heap of Sand, which being conveyed from the River Sorga into the lesser Channel of the River Rhone, and setling there, might grow into a great mul∣tiplicity of stones. And this Conjecture seems the more probable; because those who frequent the the River Rhone and Druent, assure us, that they very often found at the Bottom of them, Horses∣shoes,

shees, Nails, and other Iron-work, to which the Sands did stick so close, and were grown so thick about them, that they were wholly cover'd with a Crust of stone, by the coalition or growing toge∣ther of the said Sands upon the Iron.

XIII. Whence those Stones proceed, which are found on the surface of the Ground. Great abundance of Stones are frequently found in Fields, that are in all respects like to those that we meet with at the bottom of Rivers; being of the same bulk and figure, somewhat Oval and in∣clining to a round figure.

It is probable, that these Stones were carried by the force of waters from the Tops of Moun∣tains to the Fields that lye under them, or else by the overflowing of the Rivers. For it is apparent that the Stones which are scattered up and down the Fields of Crautia, come from the overflowings of the Rivers Rhone and Druent, which left Mud and Sand enough behind them, for the forming of the said Stones. For all the Stones that are found there are not equal, but different in bulk, tho' not in figure: For those that are about the midst are bigger than the rest, and are lessened as they withdraw from it; and those are least of all that are towards the Extream parts; because the fore-mentioned two Rivers having stagnated there for a good while, more Sand was gathered about the midst, than about the other more remote and outward parts. And that this was the true Cause of the generation of these Stones may be gather'd from hence, that those Plains, which are far re∣mote from any Mountains, are destitute of these Stones, there being not so much as the least foot∣steps of them to be seen.

XIV. What is the cause of these Shells that are found near Bri∣stol. In some places not far from the City of Bristol, are found the shells of Fishes of a different colour and form; for some of them are twirl'd about like the Tendrils of a Vine; others, other∣wise.

As to the Original of these, it seems most pro∣bable, that they are not the effect of any Juice or Moisture, but were brought thither either by means of an Earthquake, or an Inundation; or by the entrance of some foreign Matter into their pores, which sticking there hath rendred them hard and stony.

XV. What is the Cause of those Stones which are found in Springs. Stones are likewise found to be generated in Springs; yea, sometimes the Bottom of them is so full of Stones, that they rise much higher than they were formerly. GASSENDUS makes men∣tion of a Fountain of Dinia, which covers all the Channels it runs through with a Stony Crust.

The Cause which generates Stones in Springs, is this: The Waters that constitute these Foun∣tains, running through Rocks, do carry some par∣ticles of them along to the said Spring; which being no longer swiftly agitated, as they were when they were when they passed through the Rocks, begin to settle and grow together. And that some Waters in their passage through Rocks, are impregnated with Stony particles, may be proved from that Fountain which is at Rome, which hath so covered all the sides of the Pipe that it runs through, that it hath long since been quite stopt with a kind of Alabaster. And the same happens in a Grotto near the City Tours in France, where the Drops of Water dropping down, are turned to Stone.

XVI. New Stones are formed daily. Wherefore we may conclude with P••ireskius, that all Stones were not created at the Beginning of the World; but that many are formed in process of time, as owing their original to certain proper Seeds, but their configuration, partly to Nature, and partly to chance. For seeing that a petrify∣ing Seed is found in several places, when the same is received into any Liquor, it immediately coagu∣lates the same, as Rennet doth milk, and imparts a special form to it.

XVII. Why Flints are for the most part of a round∣ish figure. Flints are for the most part of a round figure or approaching to it.

The Reason is, because the surface or outward part of the Earth abounding with many Slits, it cannot be, but that the Air which circulates continually in them, must force the parts of Flints, to range themselves into a round figure, because by this means they do less hinder or ob∣struct its motion.