The natural history of Lancashire, Cheshire, and the Peak in Derbyshire with an account of the British, Phœnician, Armenian, Gr. and Rom. antiquities in those parts / by Charles Leigh ...

THE Natural History OF LANCASHIRE, CHESHIRE, AND THE PEAK in DERBYSHIRE. (Book 1)

CHAP. 1.

Of the Ancient Inhabitants, and of the Air in those Counties.

LANCASHIRE, my Native Soil, hath its Denomi∣nation from Lancaster, the County Town, an An∣cient Corporation, in which there are many and spacious Buildings: It is Situated upon the River Lune, of which I shall have occasion to treat hereafter. This Country was formerly Inhabited by the Brigantes, who settled behind the Mountains, towards the Western Ocean: From what Country these Men came is not very certain, (as Mr. Cambden affirms) some deriving them from Spain, others from the Alps, and a third sort giving them that Name from the Piracies they committed, as the French: However thus far we may conclude, They were a Warlike People, inhabiting amongst the Ancient Britains; and the further Disquisition of that matter I leave to the Antiquaries, it being forein to this Undertaking: Where∣fore I shall hasten to the Natural History, and according to my design'd Method, First, Treat of the natural and va∣rious Temperaments of the Air, and afterwards of the un∣usual Phaenomena which have hapen'd in that Element.

However before I leave the Ancient Inhabitants of this County, take a farther Account of them, given by that Learned and Eminent Antiquary, Mr. Hollingworth, once Fellow of the Collegiate-Church of Manchester, his Ma∣nuscript being now Reposited in the Publick-Library there.

The Ancient Inhabitants (says he) of Yorkshire, Lan∣cashire, Westmorland, Cumberland and Durham, were the Brigantes, their chief City was York, sometimes call'd Brigantia: In Vespasian's Time, Petilius Cerialis struck a Terrour into the whole Land, by Invading at his first Entry the Brigantes, the most populous of all the whole Provinces; many Battles, and some Bloody ones, were fought, and the greatest part of the Brigantes were either conquer'd or wasted.

I dare not be positive in Matters of so abstruse a Nature, but my own Opinion is, That they Originally were Phoe∣nicians; and this I shall in some measure endeavour to make out, from the Name of the Island in general, and the Phoenician Name of a River in these parts. As to the Island it self, as some have asserted, it was anciently call'd Bratanac, that word in the Phoenician Language signifying Tin, which was the chief product of the Isle they Traffick'd in: However, tho' that may seem to admit of a debate, yet it is well known to be the Custom of the Eastern Na∣tions to express themselves by Allegories, Metaphors, and concise Expressions, and so the Hypothesis is not irrational. As to the derivation of the word Britannia, it may thus be accounted for in another sense, Brit in the British Language signifies Paint, and all our Historians agree the Britains were a painted People; and, as is imagined, made use of the Juice of Glastum or Woad, and the Land at that time probably had no other Name save that Monosyllable: But upon the Phoenicians arrival to Trade upon their Coasts, which chiefly they did in Cornwal, where the Tin Mines were discover'd, and whose Inhabitants were call'd by the Greeks Cassiterides; it is very likely then their

Weights, which were the Standards of Commerce, were made of Tin, Lead perhaps not being then discover'd. Hence, it may be, the Phoenician Merchants to the word Brit added anac, which in the Phoenician Language is Poise or Ballance by which they Trade; nor do the Arabians differ much from that, stiling it ana, which by an easy corruption may be reduced to Britannia. As to the Bri∣gantes, it is reasonable to conclude, a greater part of them Phoenicians, a People of Syria, very industrious Improvers of Navigation, since we have a remarkable River in Lan∣cashire call'd Ribbel, by Ptolomy stiled Bellisama, which word undoubtedly he derived from the Phoenician words Belus and sama, signifying in that Language, the Moon, or Goddess of Heaven, she being suppos'd to have a particular Influence over Waters, and at that time the Deity they Adored. Hence it is evident, That before the Greeks Traded into Britany, the Phoenicians had been there, and no doubt discover'd the greatest part of the Island: Since therefore a River in this Country, in those early days, retain'd a Phoenician Name, as the Greek Geographer Ptolomy makes it manifest it did, to me it seems an un∣deniable Conjecture to suppose, that that Name must be attributed to it from the People of that Country, viz. Phoe∣nicia, that resided near it; probably in the pleasant and beautiful Town now stiled Preston▪

To this we may introduce one reasonable Allegation more, That these People were of an Asiatic Origin, that is, from their manner of making War, which was in ma∣naging their Chariots, as the Eastern Nations practiced, a Custom not made use of in any European Kingdom, save this Island only: This Iulius Caesar found upon his Inva∣sion of the Isle, which way of Fighting he had not met with, either in Germany, Gaul, Belgium, or other his con∣quer'd Countries.

To these may be added the Reverse of a Roman Coin of Asia minor, which shews the Expertness of those People in

Navigation, above all the World; which may still more easily induce us to believe, they were a great part of 'em a People of that Nation; but that will be explain'd in its proper place, viz. in the Chapter of Antiquities: However thus far we may venture to conjecture, since the Asiaticks were so great Masters of that Art, that they might easily Transplant themselves hither.

For the further Confirmation of what is here laid down, I shall only produce one Instance more, and so close this Head. It is affirm'd by Strabo, and several others, that the most Northern part of Britany was anciently stiled Thule, which at this Day the Scots term Orkney, and the Latins Orcades. Now Thule being a Phoenician word, signifying Darkness, by an easy Train of Thought we may reasonably infer, the Phoenicians might give that Name to those Islands; either from the great Shadows of their Woods, which were then numerous, or the Shortness of their Days, many of which are but Five Hours. Since therefore we may reasonably suppose, the Phoenicians were in those more Northern parts, to me there appears no difficulty to conceive, how they might Transplant themselves into Lancashire, and other Counties Inhabited by the Brigantes. Having now accounted for that River stiled by Ptolomy Bellisama, and likewise made it highly probable, that the Phoenicians were in those Parts, it remains in the last place, that I assign some Conjectures, why afterwards that River was call'd Ribbel. Concerning this the Suppositions are va∣rious, some deriving it from the Greek Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which to me seems irrational; since Bel, which is a Phoenician word, cannot be accounted for in the Greek Language. Others would make it British, but I do not see how in that Language that can be made out; since in British, Avon or Savon are the Names for River, which Words cannot bear any relation to Ribbel. Wherefore, with submission to the more Knowing in those Languages, it is my Thoughts, that since from the preceding Topicks, we may reasonably

infer the Phoenicians were in those Parts, and cohabited with the Britains, who being a People of vast Industry and Experience in Navigation, might from their Neighbours, the Persians, with their Colonies, send hither several of that Country. The Persians, as well as they, in those Days Deify'd their Rivers, sometimes stiling them Heaven, and the God and Goddess of Heaven: Wherefore Arribel in the Armenian Language (which is the Language com∣monly spoke in Persia) signifying Heaven, thence Ribbel may be accounted for, and not otherwise. So far as from the Harmony of Languages I am able to conjecture, the radical Letters in the Armenian Tongue, and in the River now stiled Ribbel, being in a great measure the same; and the Rivers then, by those People, being sometimes stiled Heaven, I do not see how that consent of Languages and History can be reconciled, but by supposing People from that Country inhabiting amongst the Britains.

The more clearly to illustrate, that the Brigantes were a mixt People of Phoenicians and Britains, I shall produce but one Instance more, and upon that Head not further pre∣sume upon the Reader's Patience. The Instance is taken from a Rivulet, a Branch of that River before treated of, stiled Ribbel; this Rivulet is at this day vulgarly stiled Savig: Now ig in the British Language being a Diminutive to shew the distinction betwixt a River and a Rivulet, which is therefore added to Avon, which in that Language signi∣fies a River, Afonig and Savonig in the British Language signifying Rivulet, from thence may easily be accounted for the Name of that Rivulet now stiled Savig: Since therefore in those Parts we find a mixture of Phoenician, Armenian and British Languages, we may thence make this reasonable Corollary, that those People lived together. And why they were stiled Brigantes, I presume may be ac∣counted for from Tacitus, who very likely might take 'em to be a People from Gaul or Belgium, that is, from the Bri∣gantines Rovers and Pirates; since in those Countries, to

this very time, the Vessels commonly made use of for ex∣pedite Sailing, are stiled Brigantines.

The Air for the most part is mild, serene and healthful, excepting on the Fenny and Maritime parts of the County, where they are frequently visited with malignant and in∣termitting Fevers, Scurvies, Consumptions, Dropsies, Rheu∣matisms, and the like; occasion'd by Sulphureous Saline Effluvia, sometimes extremely foetid, which I have fre∣quently observ'd to be so, before the approaching of some extraordinary Storm; and it is most certain, the Inhabi∣tants upon the Sea Coasts, from the hollow murmuring Noise, which is frequently heard from the Ocean, and the offensive Smells perceiv'd from those Coasts, will make as early and certain a Prognostick of the Change of Weather, as the Modern Virtuosi can do by their Mercurial Tubes.

It is observable, whilst this Noise is heard in the Ocean, the Surface of the Water is elevated after an unusual manner; and upon the subsiding of the Water it is observ'd, the Storm immediately succeeds: From which Phaenomena it is reasonable to conclude, the following Tempests to be occasion'd by Eruptions from the Bowels of the Earth, strugling with that mighty Element, till they had forced their way through its immense Body, which afterwards flying about in the circumambient Atmosphere, frequently occasion tempestuous Commotions, and sometimes pesti∣lential Distempers. These being the Phaenomena which are almost each Year observable, I hasten to more unusual Ac∣cidents; and, first, shall begin with those of Lightning and Thunder, and other Appearances in the Heavens.

About Eight Years ago, in a small Village, call'd Elswick, upon a Sunday about Three of the Clock in the Afternoon happen'd a terrible Tempest of Lightning and Thunder, which produced very dismal Effects. The particulars of it were these: After several amazing Claps of Thunder, and dreadful Flashes of Lightning, at last struck thro' the Air

a Blaze, not much unlike that of an artificial Serpent; it took its course into a Chimney, and beat down the Bricks outwardly, seemed to burst like a Squib upon the ground, and afterwards clouded the House with Fumes, which had exactly the smell of Sulphur. A Man lying in the Range of the Chimney, was Killed, and lay as if he had been sleep∣ing; the Bench upon which he lay was split under him, and under that an Hound-Bitch Killed; near to him was sitting the Wife of the House, with a little Child upon her Knee, the Mother afterwards was wore away with the Fluor Albus, and the Child fell into the Rickets, which distorted the Spine, and after some Years, being confined to his Bed, died of that Distemper.

Behind a Table several Persons were sitting, and from amongst Four or Five, only One was struck off his Seat into the midst of the Room, and was for some time Paralytick in his lower Parts; but I afterwards by a due Course of Physick, and Bleeding, and Blistering him immediately upon the Accident, restored him to his former Health. Another Gentleman sitting in a Chair near him was struck out of it, and lay upon the Ground in most violent Tor∣ture, in which I saw him; but by Bleeding and Blistering in some Days recover'd him.

In the outward Porch were sitting several Persons, and a young Man Kill'd out of the midst of 'em, none of the rest being Injured, or sensible of any Disturbance; only one Wo∣man perceiv'd a Waft, like a Gust of Wind, under her Coats, but receiv'd no damage.

In the Rooms above I observ'd the following Phaeno∣mena: The Chamber Door was thrown off the Hinges into the midst of the Room, the Curtains of the Bed were singed, and its two diagonal Posts split in pieces; the Win∣dows, tho' fix'd firm in a Brick-Wall, were forced from their stations, but no Glass broke; upon the out-side of the Glass I observ'd a black Steam, which was insipid, and had no smell; the Brick Pillars, in which they were fix'd, were

pierced through with the Lightning, the Holes were about an Inch diameter, and seem'd as if done Artificially. From these its plain the Matter of the Lightning was in part Sul∣phureous, and in this I am further confirm'd by some Phae∣nomena communicated to me by several, who had made Voyages to the West-Indies, who do all affirm, that in those Parts are frequent and terrible Lightnings, in which dread∣ful Hours the Smell of Brimstone is very distinguishable; and sometimes upon their Hats, and the Decks of the Ships, they find perfect Brimstone collected. Wherefore it may suffice us Mortals, to be satisfy'd what is the material Cause of Lightning and Thunder; but Mechanically to explain how they produce these wonderful Effects, I do judge is not in the Power of Human Understanding: But in gene∣ral, by the Symptoms in the Instances recited, we may con∣clude, there was a total Dissipation of the Animal Spirits, and a Coagulation of the Blood: Wherefore Bleeding and Epispasticks, if any thing be to be done, must certainly be the Method that ought to be taken.

Many more Instances of this kind might be produced, but it has never been my Temper to swell a Book with un∣necessary Quotations, or to trangress so far upon the Reader, as to tire out his Patience with Instances of Authors tend∣ing to the same purpose; unless something occurr'd, that might clearly and fully evidence the Truth of an Hypo∣thesis, or some wise conduce to the Good of Mankind: If therefore this History be compris'd in a smaller Volume, than perhaps some might expect, let such be satisfy'd 'tis for the Reasons alledg'd; and as that hitherto has been, so shall still continue my Resolution.

Mock-Suns, or Parhelii, and Moon-Bows have been ob∣serv'd in this Country; but as they have not happen'd in this Generation I shall pass them over, and proceed to give an Account of some Damps which Infect the Air, in which no Creature can live. It is observable in several Cellars, especially against hot Weather, a suffocating Damp

arises out of the Earth, this is usually most violent when any Quantity of strong Liquors are fermenting; in this I have seen Candles extinguish'd, Creatures render'd Le∣thargick, Asthmatical, and their Tongues lolling out and salivating, and Boys thrown into Swoonings or Deliqui∣ums. The time I stay'd in the Damp, which exceeded not one Minute, I found a very unaccountable Chilness seize my Spirits, and was sensible of an universal Weakness, was deeply Asthmatical, and could abide it no longer: This is removed by Opening the Cellar-Windows, and putting Fires into the Place, which will not Burn till Vent first be given. Of this I shall have occasion to treat more fully in the Discourse of Mineral Damps, wherefore shall in this place pass it over.

The next things remarkable are Hailstones, of which the Year 1697. afforded us a pregnant Instance. The Wind blowing high at North-west, happen'd a violent Storm of Hail, several Stones were Nine Inches in circumference, others were Six, Seven and Eight. In this Storm several Rooks were Kill'd in their Nests; some Hares upon their Seats; vast Quantities of Glass broke, and all Kinds of Cattle in a general Consternation. Before the Storm hap∣pen'd, several Birds were taken up, never before that time seen in these Parts; from this its probable to conjecture, the Tempest arose from the more remote Northern Climes, and spent it self when it came into a warmer Climate, but was driven by the Wind: For it was observable, it was al∣most forced directly cross the County, in a direct line from the Sea Coasts. Allowing Nitrous, Saline Particles to be the Cause of Snow and Hail, it is easy to solve the rest of the Phaenomena, by alledging a greater quantity of those Particles collected in the Atmosphere, at those times, when these Storms invaded us: Wherefore I shall not form un∣necessary Schemes of Reasoning upon that matter, but pro∣ceed to what I next design; and that is to give an Account of the various Alterations observ'd in Quicksilver, upon its

Surface in the different Tempers of the Air, and shall then close this Chapter.

The Learned Mr. Boyle, in his Hydrostatick Experiments, and Linus and Torricellius in theirs, upon Tops, and at the Bottoms of Mountains, have sufficiently demonstrated, by the Quicksilver ascending the higher, by how much the more it was immersed in Water; and likewise by rising higher in the Valleys, than on the Tops of Mountains: The ascending of it in the Weather-glasses to be by pressure, the weight of the Atmosphere in those Cases being much greater, and consequently the pressure more. To these I shall add what has been observ'd by our Learned Warden, the Rev^d Dr. Wroe, who for several Years has kept an exact Diary of the Weather-glass: He always observ'd the Quick∣silver, upon its ascending, to alter its Surface, insomuch as in very dry Weather to become perfectly Convex; and upon an Alteration of the Air to a wet Temper, to alter to a plain Surface, and in extreme wet Weather to a perfect Concave, the Mercurial Particles hanging on the sides of the Glass: By this it should seem, that besides the Ascent made by the Pressure, there is another also made by the in∣testine Fermentation of the Quicksilver; and in this I am the farther confirm'd, since Quicksilver in Glass Tubes Her∣metically Seal'd, has been observ'd to Rise and Fall; which could not be, was the Ascent by Pressure wholly upon the Surface of the Quicksilver contain'd in the Cup.

Another thing remarkable in the Air, is the exposing openly dry'd Leaves of Tobacco, which in the hottest Days do soonest grow Moist; for which no other Reasons can be assign'd, but the Exhalations in hot Weather are far greater, and consequently the aqueous Particles more numerously ranged in the Atmosphere: And this I take to be the reason why the Drops of Rain are then usually larger; and per∣haps, for the same reason, the Bigness of Hailstones may in some measure be solv'd.

CHESHIRE, a County Palatine, and amongst other Things, Famous for its Earls, who had a Palatine Juris∣diction belonging to them; and all the Inhabitants held of them as in Chief, and were under a Sovereign Allegiance and Fealty to them, as they to the KING. This County was anciently Inhabited by part of the Cornavii: The Air there may be said to be more Healthful and Mild than in Lancashire, this County not so much abounding with Fens, Salt-Marshes and Mosses: What is said more of the Air in Lancashire, may serve as to this Place; and as to its farther Antiquities, the following Account may be added.

According to Sir Thomas Elliot, the First Name given to this City was Neomagus, so call'd from Magus Son of Samothes, Son of Iaphet, its Founder, (see Lambert pag. 17^th) about 240 Years after the Flood. Were this Account true, for ought I know it may stand in Competition with the most antique City in the Universe. Its Second Name was Caerleon, (see Albion Mareoticus) so nominated from Leon Vaur or Gauer; who, as some will have it, was a Giant in Albion, and One of its Restorers. The reason of this Conjecture I suppose may, in some measure, be grounded upon the following History, i. e. upon a Giant's Skull being dug up in Pepper-street, with the rest of the Bones. Upon the Britains coming over and settling there, it was afterwards call'd Caerleil; and afterwards Caerleir, because these Two British Kings were Enlargers and Beauti∣fiers of it, according to Iackson, Stow, and others. Before the Arrival of the Romans here, it is probable this City was call'd Genuina or Gunia, as will more fully appear from the Inscription of a Votive Altar, dug up in this City, and Dedicated to Iupiter Tanar, that is, in the Welch Lan∣guage, the Thunderer; which language it is likely the Ro∣mans might make use of in this Inscription, to demon∣strate their Conquests over the Britains. After the Ro∣mans had six'd here their conquering Legion, stiled Valens & Victrix, it was then stiled Caerlheon; Caerlegion,

or as 'tis otherwise commonly call'd, Ardourdwy; and Caer by way of Excellence, as Mr. Cambden observes, to distinguish it from the other Caerleon, or Caerusk, in South Wales. The Latin Historians stile it Cestria, that is, a Castris which the Romans had fix'd there; and Leincestria, that is, the City of the Legions. It has likewise been stiled (as is evident from the Roman Tiles dug up there) Deunana, Deva, and Devana Civitas; and these Names I presume to be attributed to it from its Proximity to the River Dee. In later Ages it was stiled Legan-Chester, Lege-Cestre; but in these Days West-Chester, or Chester, as the Greeks express it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, to denote its Pre∣ference to Dorchester, or Rochester. By Ptolomy it is some∣times call'd Oxcellum, Uxcellum, Plegimundham, and Leo∣gria, or Locrinus Land; of which the Three first denote no more (as Hollingshed observes in the First Volume of his Chronicles of England) than a Rock, an Island, or Place of strong Defence; by which we may easily observe, that this was the Boundary of King Locrinus's Kingdom West∣ward: This was the chief City of the Ordovices before the coming in of the Romans, (as most of our ancient Histo∣rians do affirm) those People were the Inhabitants of North Wales.

The Greatness of this ancient City is still the more con∣spicuous, from those stately Remains of its Ruins: I mean the subterraneous Vaults in Cellars through Free-stone Rock; the Entrances into them are ranged into several An∣gles, and by what I can learn from the Descriptions of the Catacombs in Italy, we may reasonably conclude, these to have been made for the same purpose. This Instance suf∣ficiently demonstrates the Greatness of the Roman Power at Chester; and likewise, that it is probable, since by their Conquering Legion there, they had Block'd up the Britains in Wales, that they were resolv'd, not only to keep Incor∣porated while living, but likewise to preserve even their very Ashes together. In these Passages have been found

several Roman Coins, as I have been inform'd, which more fully illustrates these Vaults to have been Heathen, and not those subterraneous Passages made use of by the Monks, which may be observ'd in various Monasteries. This may be seen in a Cellar in Bridge-street, belonging to Mr. Iohn Minshull.

DERBYSHIRE was anciently Inhabited by the Coritani, who these were, as well as the Cornavii, is uncertain. The Air in the Peak of that Country, is more subject to Rains and Winds than in Lancashire and Cheshire; and its not unpleasant to see the Clouds riding after the sides of the Mountains, which by dashing upon them are frequent∣ly forced down in Showers; and by the sudden Rarefaction of the Meteors in the Air, pent up betwixt the Hills and the Clouds, and getting vent in the spaces betwixt the Hills, I think may fairly illustrate, why Winds are in those Parts so frequent; but this will be more easily conceiv'd, if we consider those Artificial Winds, which are made by an Aeolipile; which Instrument it was, gave me the first hint of Dulcifying Salt-Water, which Experiment I shew'd to the University of Oxford, some Years before Mr. Fitz-Gerald had a Patent for doing it; who Communicated this Experiment to him I know not, but its most certain it was not his own. Having now given Account of what is most remarkable in the Air, I shall proceed to consider the next Element, and that is Water.

But before I enter upon that, must beg leave to add Two remarkable Observations. The first is to illustrate the Ela∣sticity of the Atmosphere: The second is a Description of a Noted Echo at Norton-Hall in Cheshire, the Seat of my Honoured Kinsman Sr. Richard Brooke, Baronet. The first was Communicated to me, and Experimented by Christo∣pher Dauson of Langcliff in the County of Yorkshire, Esq which he did in the following manner. At the Bottom of a prodigious high Hill call'd Engleborough in Yorkshire, he

took a Bladder about a quarter blown, and tyed the Neck of it very close; as he ascended the Hill the Cylinders of the Atmosphere growing shorter, and consequently pres∣sing less upon the sides of the Bladder, the internal Air expanded it self so far, that when he came to the Top of the Mountain it was fully blown, and as he descended the Hill again, gradually subsided, so that at his coming to the Bottom it was but a quarter blown as at first; from which Phaenomenon the Elasticity, or Spring of the Air, is mani∣festly evident.

At Norton in Cheshire there is a remarkable Echo, where at about 60 Yards distant from the Hall Stairs, the sound of a Flute can scarce be discern'd, but may be heard exactly in an opposite Gate about 30 Yards from the Place above∣mention'd; but moving some Six Yards further, in a direct line towards the opposite Gate, the Sound then vanishes from the said Gate, but may then be very clearly heard from the Place where the Instrument is sounded: The Sound is doubtless reverberated from the first Gate-house, and then repercussed again by the opposite Gate-house, and forms a Triangle, as near as I cou'd think, by the opposite and parallel Stations: I observ'd by distinguishing the sound in this, the sphere of Activity in Perception is evident, and cannot be more aptly compar'd to any thing, than that of Sight; in which to have a true Idea of an Object, a due distance is necessary, both as to Proximity and Remoteness, otherwise the Object is not adequately discern'd; as we may observe by holding any Object too near, or too remote from the Organ.

To these may be added an Experiment no less diverting, from Two Chymical Preparations, e. g. From Spirit of Harts-horn, and Elixir of Vitriol, prepared by Vigani. Open Two distinct Vials of these, neither of them will emit any visible Effluvia; but by bringing the Glasses near to each other, you may then perceive a continu'd Cloud hang over them. I do not remember the like Phaenomenon

to be observ'd from any other Two Liquors in distinct Vials; which Experiment may demonstrate to us, the strange Pro∣pensity there is in Matter to separate or unite; but it is most probable, the Volatile Alkalious Particles of the Harts-horn, and the Volatile Acids of the Elixir, even in the Air, by their Points and Pores united, by their mag∣nitude become visible, which before cou'd not be discern'd separately: And this I think is the first Experiment that presents us with a Fermentation hovering in the Air, and likewise demonstrates to us abundantly, how Saline Par∣ticles may, and do invisibly float in the Atmosphere; but are undiscernible, till concreting into Moleculae, and a∣dapted to the Figures of the several Pores of their distinct Ores, where they form Efflorescences; this granted, it will be no difficult matter to account for Renascences of Salts, and may likewise hint to us, how by such Concretions of Saline Particles, Distempers are frequently caused in Ani∣mals. I have in some Persons in acute Distempers, order'd the Patient to hold his Finger upon a Thermometer, or small Glass Tube, impleted with Spirit of Wine; but per∣ceiv'd nothing further remarkable, than a quick and con∣siderable Ascent, which I might have expected from the like degree of Heat in any other Body.

These following Observations of the Barometer, were Communicated very lately to me, by Mr. Prideaux near Ludgate-hill in London, which take as follows. It is evi∣dent, that the Ascent of Mercury in the Barometer, is in a great measure made by pressure; but whether that pressure be from the circumambient Atmosphere, upon the superficies of the Mercury contain'd in the Glass, in which a Tube containing Mercury is immers'd; or from the va∣rious Elasticities of the Air, that implete the Top of the Tube, is the next Thing that merits our Enquiry. For my part I cannot but adhere to the latter Hypothesis, since the subsequent Experiments seem to demonstrate it: As first, Let there be immers'd a Mercurial Tube, in another

of a larger size, containing Quicksilver; the smaller Tube is to be annex'd to the end of a Trabea, the opposite end of which is ballanced by a Weight or Pondus, that keeps those Two in Aequilibrio; so that the smallest pressure upon the Superficies of the Mercury, contain'd in the larger Tube, in which the small One is immers'd, depresses it; thence it must necessarily follow, as the Mercury in the smaller Tube ascends, the larger must subside, and alter the Equilibrium, were the pressure upon the Superficies of the Mercury con∣tain'd in the Dish. The contrary of which is Matter of Fact: For as the Mercury in the small Tube ascends, the Ballance rises at the same Time, which it could not possibly do, were the pressure upon the Superficies of the Quick∣silver, contain'd in the larger Tube, but a different Phaeno∣menon must necessarily have follow'd.

Besides it is evident, that a Mercurial Tube, immers'd in a Cup, containing Quicksilver, does not considerably ascend so high in the Tube, as the Quicksilver in a Tube of the same Length and Diameter, suspended in the Air: The Reason is, the Air contain'd in the Top of the Tube, has only that Mercury, contain'd within the small Tube to raise, and not that contain'd in the Dish, which doubtless must clog its Spring, or Elasticity.

To these may be added a Third Experiment, and that is, Let Two Tubes of equal Size and Diameter, be immers'd in Two Cups containing Mercury; the one a plain simple Tube, the other in the form of a Bicornu; at the Top of this last the Mercury ascends considerably higher than in the former; the Reason is plain, because the Elasticity of the Air in the Bicornu, is double to that in the single Tube. Now were the Ascent of the Mercury occasion'd by the pressure of the circumambient Air, upon the Superficies of the Quicksilver, contain'd in the Dish, its Ascent in the Two different Tubes wou'd be the same; the con∣trary of which is Matter of Fact. Any of the Curious may any Day see these, and many other Observations at

the aforesaid Gentleman's House. I cou'd wish the Gen∣tleman, for his ingenious Experiments, by an Assent of the Learned to his Hypothesis, might receive his due Honour: Or that our Modern Virtuosi, because the No∣tion is New, wou'd not, but upon solid Reasons, endeavour to explode it. The most material Argument against it is, that of Bladders carry'd up to the Tops of Mountains; but supposing the Air to be Thinner at the Bottom of the Mountain, than it generally is at the Top, and consequent∣ly the Spring of the Air not so clog'd, which I am positive is true, that Objection vanishes; wherefore I shall not ex∣patiate further on this Topick, but leave every Man to his own Conjecture.

CHAP. II.

In which is accounted for, Waters remarkable for their Levity, those that have their Flux and Reflux; Mineral Waters of all sorts, those that have been thought to Tran∣sude through Glass Bottles; Subterraneous Eruptions, and the most Remarkable Rivers and Ponds.

AS these Counties are more subject to Rains, than some of the more Inland Ones, they likewise afford us greater Variety of Waters, than any One; or indeed, than all the Counties in England. The most Remarkable are, either Ponds, which they vulgarly call Meers, Rivers, or Springs. The most Noted Ponds are only Two, and both of them call'd by the Name of Martin-Meer: The Larger of which is now Drein'd by that Ingenious Gen∣tleman, and Generous Undertaker, Thomas Fleetwood of the Bank, Esq and will, no doubt, turn to his extraordi∣nary Advantage, Part of it being a fat, muddy Soil, and containing a great Quantity of Marle. Its Circumference is about Eighteen Miles, its Diameter Two: In it were

found great Quantities of Fish, as Roach, Eels, Pikes, Pearch, Breams, and the like. Upon the Dreining of this Meer were found, no less than Eight Canoos, in Figure and Dimensions not much unlike those used in America: And in a Morass in Sawick, about Nine Miles distant from the Meer, was taken up a Stone, not unlike a sort of Whet∣stone, tho' different from any other Stone I yet saw; and with it an Instrument of a mix'd Metal, resembling the Securis, or Roman Sacrificing-Ax, tho' somewhat less; nor unlike that which the Native Indians of Old used, form'd of Stone, in making Hollow their Canoos after Burning, and in Barking their Trees, which they call a Tomahoke; how therefore, in these Places, these came to be lodg'd, is next to be enquired into.

As to the Kinds of Boats the Ancient Britains made use of, we have only this Tradition from Iulius Caesar, that they used Wicker-Boats cover'd with Hides, that his Ships of War and Galleys were an unknown Terror to the In∣habitants here. He likewise tells us, the Britains on the the Maritime Coasts, Traded to Belgium and Gallia, by which he probably means, Holland, Flanders, &c. that their Buildings were very Eminent, their Manners, Cu∣stoms and Politeness, like their transmarine Neighbours; that they made use of Brass Imported, that Iron was a Product of the Country, but in small quantity; but that Lead was discover'd in the Inland Counties, and so proceeds.

As to these Canoos, One of which had some Plates of Iron upon it, 'tis my Opinion, they were made use of by the Ancient Britains in Fishing these Meers, and passing Rivers; not that the Inhabitants were so long in form∣ing them, by burning them hollow, and shaping them with sharp Stones, as the American's were, before the Eu∣ropean Metals came amongst them; which as the Missiona∣ries inform us, with One of our Instruments, cou'd in One Day dispatch as much as in Six Months before. The Brit∣tains doubtless had the Use of Iron, &c. and were furnish'd

with it from the Maritime Ports, and they from the fo∣rein Merchants; these Canoos might probably be sunk here, that they might be render'd of no Advantage to the Romans, when the Natives were forc'd to quit their Ha∣bitations, by their prevailing Arms; nor can I imagine these an Effect of the Deluge, neither the Metal Instru∣ment, nor Stone found in the foremention'd Moss, but that they further confirm what I shall make out after∣wards, that Morasses Vegetate, and that they proceed and encrease from the Plants that grow upon them; and notwithstanding the Subterraneous Trees found there, tho' we consent to omit them in the Argument, there are yet so many others of different Species, together with Marine Shells, and other Exotic Exuviae, found many Yards in Marle in the Inland Counties, that without sup∣posing Morasses to proceed from the Deluge, as many con∣tend, they may fairly and fully be otherwise accounted for. As to the Instrument and Stone, they might casually be lost there, and lie absconded for successive Generations.

I had almost slipt one thing, which may give us a clear Idea of the Greatness and Difficulty of this noble and use∣ful Enterprize, the Dreining of this remarkable Meer, in effecting of which there were sometimes no less than two Thousand Hands at once employ'd; so that to surmount all the natural and artificial Oppositions of the Work, there was highly needful a Person of so generous and piercing a Spirit, and so extraordinary a Temper, as the worthy and successful Undertaker.

Besides these sorts of Canoos, it is unquestionably true the Britains made use of another kind of Boats, the use of which prov'd of great Service to Iulius Caesar, as we find in the first Book, de Bello Civili, cap. 11. for when he had pitch'd his Tents betwixt Sicoris and Cinga, two Rivers in Spain, over which he had the Convenience of two Bridges, a sudden Inundation broke them both down, and overflow∣ing the Banks, cut off all Communication betwixt his Fo∣ragers

that were sent out, and his Friends marching to his Assistance, and his distressed Army. He was reduc'd to great Extremity, nor could he possibly repair the Bridges, by all the Efforts he made, the Opposition of the Enemy's Co∣horts were so vigorous on the other side. His last Refuge was for building these light Boats, the use of which he had learn'd in Britain, and which prov'd of high Advantage to his perishing Army: Imperat militibus (says Caesar) ut naves faciant, cujus generis eum annis superioribus usus Britanniae docuerat. Carinae primum ac statumina, ex levi materia fiebant: reliquum corpus navium, viminibus con∣textum, coriis integebatur. And Lucan, speaking of the same thing, expresses himself thus, lib. 4. ver. 130.

Utque habuit ripas Sicoris, camposque reliquit, Primum cana salix madefacto vimine parvam Texitur in puppim, caesoque inducta juvenco Vectoris patiens tumidum superenatat amnem. Sic Venetus stagnante Pado, fusoque Britannus Navigat Oceano: sic cum tenet omnia Nilus, Conseritur bibula Memphitis cymba papyro.

The Commentator upon the Place quotes Pliny, lib. 4. c. 16. Ad eam Britanni vitilibus navigiis corio circumsutis navi∣gare. From the whole it may seem probable the Britains upon the Ocean might make use of their Wicker-Boats, in Meers and standing Waters of their Canoos. Lucan's Verses may be thus render'd:

Caesar the Champain leaves and spreading Ground, When Sicoris Waves his daring Troops surround; The twisting Willows to the Keel he joins, And reeking Hides cement and close their Lines: Proud of their Crews, they waft them to the Shore; Such Venice knows, such Britain taught before, Such Boats has Nile it self to Memphis bore.

The other Meer is about Two Miles in Length, and One in Breadth; and is famous for Pearches, and vast quantities of Fowls, as Curlews, Curleyhilps, Wild-Ducks, Wild-Geese, and Swans, which are there sometimes in great Numbers: There was kill'd upon that Water an Asper, of which I prepar'd the Oyl, but did not find that it answer'd the Cha∣racter generally given of it for taking of Fish. These Meers lie in low Grounds, have Rivulets or little Rivers, that discharge themselves into them, and having but little Vent out, form themselves into these large Area's. In the Meer that was drein'd were found great Numbers of Firr Stocks, and Firr-Apples; so that Mr. Cambden is certainly mistaken, when he asserts those Stocks not to be really Firrs, but other Woods only made Resinous by a Bituminous Earth, in which they have been lodg'd, as is commonly conjectur'd, since the noted Deluge; however the Woods might be alter'd, its certain the Apples could not belong to any other Tree: But I shall have occasion to treat more fully of these, when I come to treat of the Mosses.

The Rivers of most Note are, the Mersey, Ribbel, Lune, and Wire; the Dee and the Dove in Cheshire and Derby∣shire. Mersey runs by Warrington anciently remarkable for its Lords, the Butlers, who obtain'd for it the Privi∣lege of a Market-Town in Edward the First's Time; and is now a Town famous for its Trade and Market, where I think I may safely affirm, Maulting is brought to as great Perfection as at Derby, or elsewhere, the Liquors brew'd from it being no ways inferior to the most noted Ales in England. From Warrington the Mersey grows broader, and soon after contracts it self again, but at last opens into a wide Mouth very Commodious for Trade; and then runs into the Sea near Leverpool, a Town formerly but mean, but now the Third Sea-Port of England, and as well Built as any I have seen. In this River are taken vast quantities of Sparlings, or Smelts, a Fish remarkable for its Smell, as well as Tast.

Ribbel, called anciently Bellisama, has its Rise from a∣mongst the Mountains in Yorkshire, and runs by Ribchester and Preston; from thence grows wider, and in the Meales empties it self into the Sea. This River affords us plenty of Salmon, Codfish, Flounders, Turbut and Plaise; but a River by reason of its Sands, very unfit for Trading.

The Lune, (from what will hereafter be observ'd, may take its Name from Luna, the Moon or the Goddess of Heaven) runs by Lancaster, and arises from the Mountains in Westmorland: Upon this River is a noted Salmon-Fish∣ing, the best I have eat any where, and is very Commodi∣ous for Trading, which is there now blooming.

Wire issues from the Mountains in Wiresdale, runs not far from a Market-Town call'd Poulton, as Commodious for Trading as any of the rest: This River affords us a Pearl-Fishing, which are frequently found in large Muscles, call'd by the Inhabitants Hambilton-Hookins, from their manner of taking them, which is done by plucking them from their Skeers or Beds with Hooks; but of these I shall have occasion to treat more fully, when I come to speak of Shell-Fishes, and the Germination of Pearls.

The River Dee is the most Noted in Cheshire, in Latin called Deva, as appears by the Roman Tiles dug up there, upon some of which are these Letters in Roman Characters, COLL. DEVA LEG. XX. V. V. In British it is called Dyfyrdwy, as springing from two Fountains in Wales, from which some believe it had its Denomination, dwy in the British Language signifying Two: Others say those words signify black Water; but why that Epithet should be apply'd to this River, I see no ground for it, the River being large and open, and the Water clear and pellucid. Some allege these Words signify a divine Water, and hence a Foun∣tain sacred to the Gods was call'd Divona; and upon some Roman Tiles dug up at Chester I have seen that word in Roman Characters: Nor is this Conjecture altogether improbable, since in those Days divine Honours were

paid to Rivers, as Gildas informs us, the Thessalians paid them to Peneus, upon account of its Pleasantness; the Scythians to Ister, for its Largeness; the Germans to the Rhine, because it was their Judge in Cases of Jealousy betwixt Married Persons. It is said moreover of this River Dee, it seemed Holy to the Christian Britains, for when they were drawn up in Order of Battle, ready to engage the Saxons, they first kiss'd the Earth, then devout∣ly drank of this Water, in Memory of the Blood of their Holy Saviour.

The River Dove in Derbyshire, called so by the Inhabi∣tants from its Transparency, I imagine, as resembling the silver Feathers of that Bird, is remarkable for a Fish call'd the Grailing, and likewise Trouts said to be the best in England. It runs for the greatest part thro' a Lime-Stone, which renders its Water so fertile a Manure, that even in Winter the Meadows on both sides of it appear fresh and green; and if it overflows them in the Spring, like another Nile, it enriches them: In Commemoration of which high Improvements, the People have this Saying:

In April Dove's Flood Is worth a King's Good.

But of this River in a far loftier Strain the Ingenious Charles Cotton Esq writes; for by his witty Flights on these Streams, one would rather conclude they wash'd the Banks of Helicon, than the rugged, unpolish'd Mountains in Derbyshire. This River swells sometimes so much in twelve Hours time, to the great terror of the Inhabitants, that it carries down their Sheep and other Cattle; yet in the same Compass of Time falls again, and returns to its old Mounds; whereas the Trent, when it overflows its Banks, keeps the Fields in float four or five Days: these Reasons are manifest; because in one the Country is Moun∣tainous, the other is a large extended Flat. This River runs to Ulcester seated upon an Hill of easy Ascent, where it draws to the Trent; it inclines towards Tutbury-Castle

formerly very large, and also called Stutesbury, command∣ing as it were the lower Country by its high Situation on an Alabaster-Hill, where there is a little Monastery built by Henry de Feriers, a Noble Norman, to whom William the First gave large Possessions hereabouts; but they were all lost by Robert de Feriers, Earl of Derby, upon his Se∣cond Revolt from Henry the Third.

There are now Proposals for making the River Dee Na∣vigable, which, if effected, will doubtless be very advanta∣geous to that ancient City, where that Honourable Legion, viz. the Twentieth was fixed, stiled by the Romans, Va∣lens Victrix, which was of those by Tacitus term'd Eme∣riti or Veterani.

Having done with the Meers and Rivers, according to my propos'd Method I come now to treat, first, Of the Springs, not properly to be call'd Mineral-Waters, but yet remark∣able, either for their Lightness, Coldness, Perspiration, Flux and Reflux; and of these some are continual, others at certain Seasons, as after wet Weather, and some are re∣markable for throwing up several Marine Shells. Secondly, of Mineral-Waters, and the various Kinds of these, with an Account of their Principles and Uses; and of those, these Counties afford us a great Variety.

Near to a Noble Seat call'd Ashton-Hall about two Miles from Lancaster, which Seat is now in Possession of the R^t Hon^ble the Lady Gerrard of Bromley, from a white Marle issues a pleasant and smooth Water remarkable for its a∣greeable Tast and Lightness: This Water is lighter by an Ounce in a Pint than any I have seen in these Parts. Now all Waters containing more or less of Earthly Particles, and in the various Consistencies and Quantities of those, differ∣ing one from another in Gravity; it may be imagin'd this Water to receive its Oily Tast and Lightness from the white Marle, that being an Oily and light Body, and the best Tillage this Country affords.

A Spring remarkable for its Perspiration is that near Stalo-Bridge in Cheshire: This Water, if put into a Glass Bottle closely Corked, will force its way thro' the Pores of the Glass; or the Water by emitting cold Effluvia upon the external Superficies of the Glass condenses the aqueous Particles of the Air, and so forms that Dew, or Sweat so often observable there: For my part, considering how diffi∣cult it is for any Menstruum whatever to penetrate the Pores of Glass, nay even for Air it self, as is sufficiently evidenced by the Experiments in the Air Pump: I must own my assent to the latter; and this may be farther illu∣strated by the Dews upon Bottles in Wine-Cellars, which are wholly insipid, and consequently cannot be spirituous Liquor that perspires through the Pores, but the aqueous Particles of the Air there condensed.

Springs remarkable for their Coldness in these Countries we have none, save One near Larbrick, which is a Water extreamly Cold, and of which I shall treat in its proper place; this Water is the Coldest I have seen in these Parts, and may no doubt answer the ends perform'd by that of St. Mungus in Yorkshire.

We have only One Spring that Ebbs and Flows, and that is call'd Tideswell in the Peak in Derbyshire, tho' nothing so Noted as that near Gigleswig in Yorkshire, where I have seen the Water to ebb and flow several times in an Hour; and always upon the subsiding of the Water, heard a gut∣ling Noise within the Mountain, not unlike that obvious to us in pouring Liquors out of Bottles, only it is much louder; Conjectures about this Flux and Reflux are various, some imagining it to be caused by the return of a Stone, that in an Aqueduct hangs in aequilibrio, as the Learned Mr. Hobbs; others that a large Receptacle fill'd with Water by subterraneous Winds from the opposite part is blown over, as LeGrand and others of the French Virtuosi.

Tho' Mr. Hobbs's Hypothesis seems to carry the greater stress of Reason along with it, yet at the same time if we

consider the Effects Water has upon Stone, upon which it continually falls, or runs over, in diminishing its Super∣ficies, or over-turning those of a prodigious Bigness upon Floods, or other Eruptions, it will be as difficult to con∣ceive, how a Stone should be so exactly poised in an Aque∣duct so long a space of time as this must needs have been, so as to occasion a Flux and Reflux of the Waters, as is ob∣servable in these Fountains. Wherefore I shall venture to form a different Hypothesis, and that it may be perform'd with all the Perspicuity so dark a matter will admit, in the first place I will describe the Spring, and its situation, as ex∣actly as I remember. The most noted Spring of this Na∣ture is at Gigleswig in Yorkshire, as above-mention'd: The Well lies at the Bottom of a Mountain of a considerable Height, and is almost contiguous to a great Road betwixt Settle, Lancashire, and Westmorland. The Diameter of the Spring, as I think, is about a Yard, and the Perpendicu∣lar near the same dimension: The Flux and Reflux is not always certain being sometimes only once, again twice, sometimes thrice an Hour; and I think the Water upon the Flux may subside about three quarters of a Yard, and then you always hear an hollow gutling Noise within the Moun∣tain, as is above recited: From these Phaenomena it seems reasonable to conjecture, that within the Mountain is a considerable Cavity impleted with Air, from which the Aqueducts that form the Spring run; and that those and their Exits are but small, and it is very probable from this Cavity they do not run in direct, but spiral Lines like those in a Worm used in Distillation: Now when the Water that ascends out of the Earth, which composes these Springs, reaches this Cavity, they must necessarily, as it fills gradually, press the Air into the spiral Aqueducts, and force it forward to the end of the Aqueduct; it is there then obstructed by the Water in the Well, only a little Air and Water getting vent raises gradually the Spring; the Duct still continues to fill higher and higher with Water,

till at length by its Gravity the Air is forced through, and then it is the Flux happens, and the hollow gutling Noise is heard, occasion'd undoubtedly by the external Air rush∣ing in, and strugling with the Water to supply the Cavity of the Mountain, which is now discharg'd of that Water, but still impleted with Air; it is now the Flux ceases, and again renews as before, and so it reciprocally succeeds. Such spiral Aqueducts I have frequently observ'd in the Mountains in Derbyshire, particularly near Tideswell, where that other Spring ebbs and flows, hence it seems ra∣tional the same may be here also: However here is not any thing dogmatically asserted, nor am I so bigotted to this Hypothesis, but can easily quit it when any more rea∣sonable is offer'd, and more exactly quadrates with the Phae∣nomena of these Springs. Now as these Aqueducts are more or less Spiral, or of different Dimensions from the Sinus within the Mountain impleted with Air; or as the Spring that fills the Duct with Water is but easy, or rapid, so its probable the Flux and Reflux becomes so uncertain, for in some it flows not once in several Hours, as in that call'd Tideswell, the Water perhaps being sometimes di∣verted by other Aqueducts, and reaches not the Cavity or Sinus within the Mountain; this may happen by several accidents, as the falling in of Earth, or Pebles, which for a time may divert the common course of the Spring, till by a continual currency it forces its passage again.

Several Springs we have which are only at certain Seasons, as some near the Manour in Furness, these are occasion'd by Rains, or an hazy Atmosphere. At this Abbey are the most stately Ruins I have any where observ'd, as most beautiful Pillars, spacious Windows, noble Arches, and subterraneous Vaults. Near this place is a considerable Salmon Fishing, and a large Park, in which are variety of Deer, as Red, Fallow and White, and is by much the most curious Seat in these Parts: It was formerly possest by Sir Thomas Preston, who quitted it; and as I have been in∣form'd,

is one of the Religious, and amongst them one of the meanest Order: But is now possest by the noble and virtuous Lady Madam Katharine Preston, Daughter and Heiress of Thomas Preston of Holker Esq. Tho' this Di∣gression be foreign to a Natural History, yet I hope the Reader will pardon it, since I could not well pass by so considerable a Building.

Some Waters we have which cast up Marine Shells, as Latham Spaw did formerly; but that being troublesome to the Drinkers has been prèvented by laying Mill-stones upon the Spring, so that the Sand and Shells cannot boyl up so high as formerly: This is one of the best sorts of Vitriolic Chalybeates, and is remote from the Sea, or any Salt Rivers; whence therefore these Shells come may be worth our enquiry, and a clear decision of that may far∣ther illustrate those other Marine Shells found in Marle; as the Echini, Cochleae, Torculars, Whilks and Periwinkles, of which I have great Numbers by me, and took them my self out of firm Marle at three Fathom deep, some being entire, others broken, but all soft and friable, yet grew hard as Coral being expos'd to the Air. The Decision of this Phaenomenon in a great measure depending upon the Origin of Fountains, I think it a pardonable digression, if I a little expatiate on that subject before we descend to the particular Case.

Springs by the French Virtuosi are suppos'd to flow from the Dews, Rains and Mists imbibed in the Earth, and after∣wards form'd into various Currents, which are those we commonly call Springs: Now this being a Notion incon∣sistent with Reason I cannot adhere to it; for were this Hypothesis true, it would hence follow in the various Seasons of the Year, as Summer and Winter, they would vary very much in their Currents as to quantity, which in several Springs is not discernible. Secondly, Several Springs are found in Mines in the Bowels of the Earth, deeper than the Dews and Rains are suppos'd to descend. Thirdly,

Some Countries abound with Springs where Dews and Rains are never known to fall; from all these it is evident con∣tinual Springs can never be imagin'd to be caused by Rains and Dews; it remains therefore that they either proceed from the Ocean, or a subterraneous Abyss: The latter of these the Learned Dr. Woodward adheres to, and could such a thing be made out, his Hypothesis would be undeniable; but such a thing as an Abyss being no where to be disco∣ver'd in Nature, and that what Notions we have of it are only from Moses that divine Philosopher: In what sence the inspired Legislator might take the Abyss we pretend not to determine, whether the Ocean in general, or a sub∣terraneous collection of Waters equal to it, and keeping a Communication with it, as Dr. Woodward supposes: Wherefore we rather assert what the great Aristotle sup∣poses concerning Springs, that they have their Rise from the Sea; of this Caesar had a clear Demonstration when he Invaded this Island, and Encamp'd upon the Sea Coasts, where by digging in the Sands he was instantly supply'd with a sufficient quantity of fresh Water, which by filtring through the Sand became sweet the saline Particles stick∣ing in the Sand. A Phaenomenon like to this was observ'd when that great General Duke Schomberg Encamp'd upon a Plain call'd the Mels near Hile-Lake: This granted then that Springs have their Rise from the Ocean, it is easy to imagin how they may bring up Marine Shells, and unless this be allow'd, I think the Phaenomenon cannot otherwise be fairly illustrated; but how this becomes a Mineral Wa∣ter is from the Mineral Bass from which it springs. A∣gainst this Hypothesis there remains yet one material Ob∣jection, viz. If Fountains have their Rise from the Sea, how comes it to pass that there are Springs upon the Tops of Mountains, which are higher than the Sea, since it is evident from Hydrostatick Experiments Water will not naturally rise above its level. To this I answer, in the first place it is no wise demonstrable that there is any Moun∣tain

higher than the highest part of the Ocean, since it is suppos'd to be a Globe of equal Magnitude with the Earth. Secondly, Granting it were so, yet it is probable those Mountains lying in the middle Region, a sufficient quan∣tity of aqueous Particles might be imbibed by the Earth to produce Springs there, and yet this particular Instance does no ways invalidate the general Hypothesis, in which is meant the generality of Springs, and not each particular Fountain. It is true subterraneous Eruptions of Waters especially after Earthquakes, as at Port-Royal in Iamaica, and at Kirby in Furness in Lancashire have happen'd, which have drove down Houses, and Rocks of that magnitude, that many Teams of Oxen could not move, by which it may be concluded there is a subterraneous Abyss of Waters: To this I say, it is not certain whether these come from the Ocean, or from an Abyss, and shall not therefore pre∣tend to determine it, but shall proceed to what I next pro∣pos'd, and that is to treat of Mineral Waters: In doing of which I begin with those impregnated with Vitriol.

The Vitriol Spring in the Kennel-Pits at Haigh, when I first try'd it, yielded an Ounce of Vitriol from a Quart of Water; nay it was so highly impleted with Vitriol, that any common Alkaly wou'd raise a Fermentation with it, and cause a Precipitation: The Vitriol it yields is White for the greatest part, tho' there is some Green mix'd with it; it is not now of that strength several fresh Springs having broken in, which yet might easily be diverted; of this the Rev^d Dr. Wroe our Warden has been frequently an Eye-witness: Notwithstanding this Dr. Lister with un∣equal'd Assurance tells the World Vitriol is not to be found in any Waters in England, but that all Waters of a Vitriolic Taste are only impregnated with a Pyrites (which we vulgarly call Fire-Stone) Germinating in the Waters; and this must be impos'd upon the World as im∣plicitly, as if it was an Article of Faith in Philosophy: For any Man to oppose him he brands him strait with

the Character of Mean and Impudent, and such like oppro∣brious Epithets, a Language, if I mistake not, unaccounta∣ble for one of his Gown and Dignity: For my part what I relate is matter of Fact, and the Dr. may be fully con∣vinc'd if he pleases, if not it is no fault of mine; and since I cannot as firmly believe the Germination of the Pyrites in our Chalybeat Waters (as they are commonly called) to be like that of Mint in Bottles of Water, I hope the Dr. will pardon my Infidelity till he give me better grounds for it, at which he has not yet offer'd any farther than a capricious ipse dixit.

Adjacent to a Place call'd Humblesco-Green, in a small Farm in Maudsley is a Spring impregnated with Sulphur and a Marine Salt; the Water is extremely foetid, tinges Silver a Copper colour by its Sulphur; in Distillation a Quart of Water yields half an Ounce of sulphur Salt. This Spring no question would answer all the Intentions of the sulphur Water near Knaseborough in Yorkshire either as to Bathing or Drinking; and no doubt by the addition of Rock Salt might be made an advantageous Salt-work, ha∣ving Coals so convenient. The Salt at the first boyling is brown and foetid, but dissolv'd and evaporated again makes as good a Salt as any I have seen; it springs out of Bass and has I presume from that its sulphureous and saline Par∣ticles: The various Kinds of Bass I shall discourse of in their proper place, and there shew how they are impreg∣nated with different Principles.

There are other Springs that arise out of Bass, and are sulphureous and saline yet different from the former, as St. Anne's, and the hot Baths at Buxton in Derbyshire; here the Waters are sulphureous and saline, yet not foetid, but very palatable, because in these Waters the Sulphur is not united with any Vitriolic Particles, or but very few saline, it tinges not Silver, nor is Purgative, by reason its saline Parts are dispensed in such small proportions, which saline Particles make up a compound Salt constituted of a

marine Salt, and the Sal Catharticum Amarum, which in∣deed is the Nitrum Calcarium, that impregnates Epsom, Northall, Dulech, and the rest of the Purging-Waters in those Parts. These Waters if drank create a good Appe∣tite, open Obstructions, and no doubt, if mix'd with the Chalybeat Waters that are there, may answer all the In∣tentions of the Bath Waters in Somersetshire, and that of St. Vincent's near Bristol so noted for Curing the Diabetes, of which I have seen several Instances in these Parts; and likewise for Curing of Bloody Urines arising from the weak∣ness of the Urinary Vessels, of which I saw a most noted Instance in Leverpool. This Bath is of a temperate Heat, and without question by reverberating the Halitus, might be brought to any degree of Heat; but I think in its own natural Heat it may in general be said to be more agree∣able to the Constitutions of those Parts, and where the hot Baths cannot be safely used this may. This last Sum∣mer I saw remarkable Instances of its Effects in scorbutick Rheumatisms, in Persons that could not go before without the help of Crutches, who came from thence to Man∣chester on Foot without them, distant from Buxton full sixteen Northern Miles.

But the Virtues as well as Use of Bathing are so particu∣larly described by my Honoured Friend Sir Iohn Floyer of Lichfield, that for your further satisfaction I refer you to his elaborate Piece, and shall only abridge those Cases he recites. These hot Baths spring out of a Bass not unlike Marble, and it is pleasant to see in what Bubbles the sul∣phureous Halitus breaks out of its Matrix, and impreg∣nates the Waters. After our worthy Author had given us a most exact Account of Perspiration, from his Own and Sanctorius's Observations (in rightly considering which con∣sists the Basis and Usefulness of all Bathing) in the first place he enumerates the Mischiefs of the hot Baths.

In his 2^d Part, p. 2.

I observ'd (says he) that many Per∣sons came to the hot Baths at Bathe without any good

Advice; or they who came with it used it indiscreetly, and imprudently manag'd their Bathing, by using it with∣out any due Evacuation, or continuing it too long, that they went from thence worse than they came; some ha∣ving enflamed their Blood, and thicken'd its Serum, so as to renew their Rheumatick Pains; others Died of Fevers, Consumptions, Convulsions, Bleeding, and Imposthumes.

In∣stances of these I have seen in several in these Parts; but this Point Dr. Pierce is pleased to touch as tenderly as an Hypothesis about the Waters, of which he seems afraid, but wou'd have us rest satisfy'd without asking Questions, and bring the Ingenuity of the most polite Parts, to an equal level with the most unthinking Animal: For my part I shall not fear to deliver my Sentiments, since I have no other end in it than to inform the World, in the Phaenomena I observ'd in Nature; and if these be exposing One's self to be thrown at like a Shrove-tide Cock, as he ob∣serves, if I escape the terrible Blow of being Neck'd, and survive the Combate, the Comb shall be at his Service.

These Instances, as he proceeds, may convince all con∣sidering Persons, that we ought not to use hot Baths for Pleasure, especially where there is a fulness of Humours, and a hot Constitution; and since the following Accidents frequently happen upon Bathing, they will certainly over∣balance all the Pleasure of it; the Inconveniencies he reckons are profuse Sweats and Haemorrhages, Apoplexies, Sleepiness, Vertigo's, Convulsions, Asthma's, debility of the Sight, Swooning, a general lassitude and dejection of the Appetite, Torpor of the Mind, and Effeminacy of the Flesh, pag. 4. My Journey to Buxton this last Year discover'd to me a Bath, very different to that at Bathe, it being a very temperate one, producing no Sweating after it, but rather a Coldness; and upon a due Consideration I found the Bath very useful in many Cases, in which that of Bathe did Injury, as in Comsumptions, hot Scor∣butick Pains, and all Defluxions of Humours, and Bleed∣ings,

and all hot inordinate Flatulencies of the animal Spirits, in Hysteric and Hypocondriac Cases.

The far∣ther Particulars may be seen at large in his third Chapter, to which I refer you, as likewise to his Extract out of Dr. Iones, and the Observations annex'd to his ingenious Treatise.

Before I close the Discourse of this Bath it may be en∣quired, why the Sulphur in one Bath tinges Silver a Copper colour, as that at Knarseborough and Maudsley; why others of a Golden or Yellowish colour, as those in Somersetshire; and why others impregnated with Sulphur tinge not at all. To these I answer, Where Sulphur tinges a Copper colour, it is from the addition of a Vitriolic Salt, as is common to observe from the solutions of Sulphur and Vitriol; but where a Golden colour ensues it is from a greater propor∣tion of mineral Sulphur, and but little of Vitriol, as in the sulphur Auratum of Antimony, and the golden Pyrites: But where they Tinge not at all, its from Sulphur only, as that at Buxton, which seems to arise out of a Bassy Marble.

The Waters we shall next consider are the Acidulae, or those commonly call'd Chalybeats, with which these Coun∣ties abound. The most Notes are those near Lantham, Wigan, Stockport, Burnley, Bolton, Plumpton, Middleton, Strangeway near Manchester, Lancaster, Larbrick, Chor∣ley, and of these Stockport is much the strongest; these Waters spring out at the Bottom of a great Rock, in strength are much the same in Winter as Summer, which is a Conveniency very few in England besides them have; these Waters give as deep a Tincture with Galls, as any I ever saw, and where Chalybeats are indicated exceed those of Knarseborough and Tunbridge; they will in twenty-four Hours, by being expos'd to the Air become insipid, and then yield no Tincture; these Waters lie very light, not heavy upon the Stomach, which is a Convenience the Drinkers of Knarseborough and Tunbridge have not.

These Waters are impregnated with Sulphur, Vitriol and Ocre, a little of the Lapis Scissilis, and a marine Salt united with the bitter purging Salt, as in the Chalybeat Water at Latham, but these Two last it yields in small quantities, a Gallon of Water not affording many Grains of Salt, but Ocre and Vitriol they contain plentifully; the Ocre is im∣pregnated with Iron, and for that reason, and no other, may these Waters be call'd Chalybeats: the Sulphur is only discernible early in the Morning, and that chiefly by their smell, tho' there is a Chalybeat near Manchester, whose smell is very Sulphureous at all times; these Waters most com∣monly spring out of a Bass that is impregnated with Sul∣phur, Ocre and Vitriol, which I demonstrated to the Hon^d Sir Iohn Floyer at Buxton: I shew'd him the Shale or Bass, and by infusing various Proportions of it in common Wa∣ter, you may have all the various Colours of the Acidulae, viz. A pale Red, a deep Red, a Violet and a Purple: As therefore the Acidulae are differently impregnated with this Bass, their Colours are likewise different. At the same time I shew'd him an Acidula springing out of this Bass, and likewise that the Bass was impregnated with Sulphur, Vitriol and Ocre, tho' Dr. Lister vehemently affirms, no Stone but the Pyrites contains Vitriol; but when a Man writes only what he fancies, and not what he sees, it can∣not be imagin'd but he must assert many Paradoxes; and by too tenaciously adhering to a well woven Hypothesis, in effect makes himself one of the meanest of Philosophers. It is not the mechanisme of Reason, and the espousing of a Word which sounds pleasantly, that illustrates the Phae∣nomena of Nature; but that which is plain, easy and in∣telligible, and what may rationally from Experiments be deduced, that gives a Man a true Gust in natural Learn∣ing: The Dr. then may rail as long as he pleases, but he can never make me disbelieve my Senses, or assent to that which is contrary to the common Reason of Mankind. Of these I have given a full Account in my Tentamen of

Mineral Waters, and my Exercitations, to those there∣fore I refer my Reader; I shall only presume so far upon the Reader's Patience to annex the following Experiments, and shall not expatiate further on this Subject.

The First is to shew, Why Galls, Oak-leaves, &c. will give a Tincture with those Waters vulgarly Chalybeats, and why other Acids will not. The Second is to illustrate, How by mixing Acids with those Waters before you put the Galls to 'em, that then the Galls, &c. will not. To clear these Phaenomena we must premise these Hypotheses, viz. That several of the mineral Particles are suspended in the fluid, perhaps as near to an Equilibrium or Balance as can easily be conceiv'd; so that the least addition of another Body to 'em, must instantly cause a Precipitation, and con∣sequently then give a Tincture to these Waters, by imple∣ting their Pores, and so in different Angles transmitting the Light, which must needs introduce a Diversity of Co∣lours, viz. A pale Red, Agat, Violet, Purple, or intense Red, according to the various Proportions of the Mineral impregnating the Water: Hence therefore it is, that the Galls containing a volatile Acid, or rather austere, that by their hooked Particles they easily clasp themselves about the mineral Particles, and must therefore (as is evident from the Premises laid down) necessarily cause a precipita∣tion of the Mineral; which I shall more fully illustrate, by making it probable, that the mineral Particles are sus∣pended in the fluid in the manner recited. It is observable, that the Earth over which these Springs run is always co∣ver'd with an Ocre; which to me seems evidently to hint, that the mineral to the fluid retains so equal a balance, that the least motion occasions a separation; and thence it is, that in those places where they have their currents, they constantly drop an Ocre, and colour the Earth as before observ'd.

The second Experiment is this: If before you put in the Gall you add an Acid to the Water, as for example, Spirit

of Vitriol or Sulphur, the Gall then gives little or no Tincture to the Water; and the Reason I take to be this, the Acid you mix with it being specifically heavier than either the mineral Particles or the fluid, by their rigid in∣flexible Particles keep the Mineral suspended; so that con∣sequently the acid of the Gall being volatile, it is not power∣ful enough to bring 'em down, and thence it is that by this method they usually hover upon the surface of the Water in an azure Cloud, the Mineral as well as that being Vola∣tile; which is abundantly evident, both in the Evapora∣tion of those Waters, and likewise by exposing them to the Sun, which in twenty-four Hours makes them insipid, and in that space of time so sequester'd of the mineral Par∣ticles, that then they will not yield any Tincture with a Gall, or if any but a faint one: So volatile is the Vitriol in those Waters, which no doubt is carry'd off by the Sul∣phur, which from its Volatility might justly be drawn like the Statue of Mercury wing'd, and still pointing upwards.

To these I thought necessary to add the following Ex∣periments, that I might do Justice both to the publick, and to that most Learned and Ingenious Gentleman Richard Townley of Townley Esq who Communicated them to me.

In the Water at Burnley in Lancashire he has observ'd the following Phaenomena: First, That if that Water be expos'd to the Air there will subside a Scarlet sediment. This being a Phaenomenon never observed before in any Water in England I ever heard of, it may therefore justly challenge our Conjectures about it. Ocre and Lapis Scissilis, which are the usual Hypostases of those kind of Waters, it is most evident it cou'd not be; the one being of a Yellow, the other of a Greyish colour; but to me it seems to be a Bituminous exalted Sulphur, and this will more fully ap∣pear when we come to examine its Salts, of which it con∣tains Three different species: First, A small proportion of Natron, or Aegyptian Nitre, which if exposed to the Air will like that, or Salt of Tartar, dissolve per deliquium;

will ferment with any Acid, and has a strong lixivial Taste. After the Natron has run per deliquium there remains ano∣ther Salt entire, which if dissolv'd in Spirit of Wine or Water totally flies off; by which it is plain the Salt is vola∣tile, and most probably the volatile Salt of the Natron, which is the only fix'd Alcali in the World I know of, that by this method, or by the fix'd Salt of Tartar, will yield a volatile Alcalisate Salt: From which Phaenomena it is undeniably evident Dr. Lister was mistaken, when (to use his own words) he violently affirms, No Waters in Eng∣land contain'd Natron; a Gallon of this Water contains about twelve Grains of Sediments, and four or five of Salts; the Salts when separated from their Earths are White, but will not shoot into any regular Chrystals; have a smell much like that of Natural Balsam, which to me seems to be the scarlet Sulphur that precipitates in the Water by exposing it to the Air; this Water has a vitriolate Taste, and with Galls yields a Tincture of an Agate colour; has been experimented in scorbutick Cases, and answered the desired end.

The Hanbridge Water, a small Spring which lies be∣twixt Burnley and Townley, yields a Natron or natural Al∣cali, as those Bourbon Waters in France, cited by Monsieur Du-Closs; and another alcalious Salt, which like a Terebin∣thinate or Resinous Body, will melt with a small degree of Heat; it is plain, the Reason why this Salt melts by Heat is only from a volatile Bitumen united with it, for the Salt being long kept in a glass Vial, will not melt by any mo∣derate degree of Heat, but is then purely Alcalious, the Bitumen being wholly evaporated, as I found in my Ob∣servations at Townley. This Water at the Fountain with Galls yields a Tincture inclining to a faint Orange; if kept any considerable time in Glass Bottles a perfect Citrine; contains the greatest quantity of Natron of any in these parts; purges by Stool and Urine, and is of great Use in the Stone and Scurvy, as hath been found by several Per∣sons,

who in those Cases have try'd them with great suc∣cess.

The Water near Emmet, which is about two Miles di∣stant from those fore-mention'd Waters, is of a vitriolate Taste, and sulphureous Smell, which with a solution of Sublimate yields a white Precipitate, which no other Wa∣ters in those parts will do, nor any in France, as the French Virtuosi have observ'd, and indeed only those at Spada in Germany; and if so it may be highly worth our time by frequent and strict Tryals, both in Cases in Phy∣sick, and Experiments in Chymistry, to find out the Princi∣ples and Use of it, which may perhaps save us the Expences of a tedious Fatigue to Spada.

At the same time I saw there a Salt prepared from a Water in Yorkshire, which had exactly the smell of Hippose∣linum or Horse-Parsley, a Phaenomenon never yet observ'd in any Salt before; this smell proceeds from a certain pro∣portion of bituminous, saline and terrene Particles; for what remain'd after evaporation was of a Yellowish colour, and contain'd a great deal of terrene Matter, but the Salt when separated is perfect concocted Vitriol. Dr. Lister may here again be satisfy'd of his Error, for not only the Waters in Lancashire, but those likewise in Yorkshire con∣tain perfect concocted Vitriol: Nay, in the same Coal-Mines near Burnley, there are Springs of perfect Vitriol, and under these others that contain Natron or Aegyptian Nitre, as the above-mention'd ingenious Gentleman fully demon∣strated to me when I was last there. Another Salt the said Richard Townley of Townley Esq shew'd me, which was perfect Salt-petre, prepared from a very rapid Spring, a Gallon of which contain'd half an Ounce of this Salt, which upon Chrystallization shoots like Salt-petre from India into long Striae, and fulminates with Sulphur. This Salt he had from a Gentleman that discover'd the Spring, but at present conceals the Place: So that what my self and others have alleged in affirming, no Waters in England to contain Salt-petre

is erroneous; let others retract when they think con∣venient, for my part I fairly own my Error, and from re∣peated Observations can positively affirm, there is no marine Salt but what contains more or less of Indian Nitre, but the proportion is so small, and the method of preparing it so tedious, it wou'd not be of any farther use than to sa∣tisfy the curious Enquirer; but the Advantages that may accrue from the before recited Spring, may for ought I know be one of the greatest Treasures, as well as Secrets in Nature.

The next Mineral-Waters I shall consider, are those springing out of Bass, and Sulphureous only; of these the most Noted is One near a Place call'd Inglewhite, this springs out of a Black Bass, which by Calcination I found to contain Sulphur; the Water has a very sulphureous Smell, as strong as that near Harrigate in Yorkshire, but contains little or no Salt, which is the reason it is not Pur∣gative like that, but by adding the like proportion of com∣mon Salt to it, viz. about a Dram to a Pint of Water, that Inconvenience is remedy'd, and then you have either sulphureous Baths, or purging Waters; for my part I shou'd rather choose to add the bitter purging Salt, as being most agreeable.

Having now examin'd all the various Waters springing out of Bass, we proceed in the next place to give Account of saline sulphureous Waters arising out of other Minerals.

And I shall begin first with the sulphur Water near Wigan, call'd by the Inhabitants of that place, the Burning-Well; this is a very diverting Phaenomenon, and for its Rarity is visited by most Persons whose Curiosity leads them to Na∣tural Enquiries. It is about two Miles from Wigan, in a Village call'd Aucliff, in the Ground of William Mollineux of that Place Esq. The Well is at the Bottom of a Tree, the Water Cold, and without any Smell; when any Person comes to see it, a Man clears the Well from all its Water, that done you will immediately hear a hissing Noise in a

Corner of it, and by holding a lighted Candle near to it, the sulphureous Halitus immediately takes Fire, and after∣wards spreads it self upon what Water has issued in, and 'tis only then, indeed, it ought to be call'd the Burning-Well: 'Tis observable, tho' this sulphureous Halitus continually mixes with Water, yet the Water continues Cold, nor will it tinge Silver; wherefore I imagine this Halitus is purely sulphureous, consisting only of Oily inflammable Par∣ticles, without any mixture of Vitriol, or if any but in∣considerable, and 'tis reasonable to suppose this kind of Sul∣phur to impregnate the Baths at Buxton. 'Tis plain from these and the sulphur Wells at Maudsley, and those at Har∣rigate in Yorkshire, which are all sulphureous, and yet all Cold Waters, that it is only by accident that sulphur Wa∣ters become hot, viz. by Collision of the sulphureous Par∣ticles, when in the Spiracles of the Earth they have not a free open passage, they beat and dash one upon another, and by that Collision grow hot, as we may observe in the rubbing of the Phosphorus, which immediately takes Fire; likewise in new Hay, and in Wheels taking Fire by Mo∣tion only: For to imagine the Heat of the Baths to proceed from Fermentation in the Waters, or from subterraneous Fires, is no wise consistent with Experience, which after all our Hypotheses must be the true Touchstone of our Reason.

The foregoing Instances may convince the World, that sulphureous Particles grow hot without Ignition, and that there are sulphureous Particles in all hot Baths is abundant∣ly demonstrated: But for a farther Illustration of this Hy∣pothesis take this following Experiment, Let some Brim∣stone be set on Fire in a Glass Body, immediately upon its taking Flame stop the Mouth of the Glass and the Flame expires, yet by the sulphureous Fumes dashing upon each other the sides of the Glass wax warm; a certain signal this must needs be, that where sulphureous Particles are deny'd a passage, or where they force their way through

uneven Sinuosities, by beating upon and encountring one another, an Heat must be produced, as is apparent by the Sun-beams in Convex Glasses. And this is farther con∣firm'd by the Learned Dr. Browne in his Treatise of the Mines in Hungary; in some Places of the same Mine it was extreamly Cold, in others so intensely Hot, that tho' his Cloaths were never so thin, the Heat would be trouble∣some to him. The Miners work all Naked, and Eight Hours are as much as most can endure.

The Heat in these Waters cannot arise from Fermenta∣tion, because no fermentation can be discover'd in them; nor by any Experiments, either in Distillation, Precipita∣tion, or any other Method cou'd I ever observe such a Con∣trariety of Matter in them, that one part wou'd ferment upon another, so as to cause any sensible Heat.

From subterraneous Fires they cannot proceed, because in these parts such were never known; or were there any, cou'd not but discover themselves, since no Fires will burn without admission of Air, and there must likewise be Flues and Chasms whence they vent their Smoke and foeculent parts; but since none of these were ever disclos'd in these parts, it is not probable the Baths should grow hot by any such cause; and when the Heat of the Baths may be suffici∣ently explain'd by the Collision of sulphureous Particles, what necessity is there we should have recourse to any such unwarrantable Hypothesis, as a Fermentation in the Wa∣ters, or to subterraneous Fires: Those two Notions are lately espoused by Dr. Guidot and Dr. Pierce of Bathe, but I am apt to think those Gentlemen rather fancy than observe the Phaenomena of Nature: For I am very well satisfy'd, had they made strict Enquiries into those Wa∣ters, they wou'd never have troubled the World with such Chimerical Hypotheses. Dr. Pierce indeed does not much trouble himself or the World with any Scrutiny into the Contents of the Baths, or the Causes of the Heat of them; but only gives you an Instance from Savoy, which is as re∣mote

as that place to his Undertaking: And as for Dr. Guidot he is so Inconsistent with himself, that unless he have the Art of reconciling Contradictions, I am sure his Thermae Britannicae are not to be accounted for. I do not speak this as any wise arrogating a greater Genius to my self, or to lessen those worthy Persons, but only from the Phaenomena I have observ'd in Nature; and if they please to do the same, I despair not of their Pardons.

Having now done with the sulphureous saline Waters, in the next place I shall proceed to treat of saline Ones only, as those at Northwich, Namptwich, Middlewich, Dunham in Cheshire, and Barton in Lancashire. Various have been the Notions concerning the Rise of these Springs, some imagining they proceeded from the Sea, others from sub∣terraneous Rocks of Salt which have of late Years been discover'd, and first made Useful by my self, in refining that Rock to a White granulated Salt, which is now pra∣cticed in many places. These Springs sometimes break out in the Rock, but oftner either above or under it; some of them in a Quart of Water contain about seven or eight Ounces of Salt, whence its plain that quatenus Salt-springs they proceed not from the Sea, because a Quart of the best of that Water affords seldome above an Ounce and Half of Salt. Some of these Springs will tinge with Galls, but most refuse it; whence its plain Dr. Lister in his usual man∣ner is much mistaken, in forcing the Pyrites upon us. 'Tis true from the sulphureous Smell that may be observ'd in the Fermentation betwixt this Salt and Oyl of Vitriol, that there is a Sulphur contain'd in the Salt, but that no wise warrants a Pyrites, since that is an aggregate of different Principles, viz. Ocre and Vitriol, besides Sulphur; which Bodies by the Dr's own Confession Salt does not contain, which is the only true Notion he lays down about those Wa∣ters, and that he may assume as an Observation of his own.

It is likewise observable, that the Salt made from the Brine-springs, and the Rock-salt dissolv'd in fresh Water,

that these Salts will shoot into different Figures; whence it is evident the Brine-springs proceed not from the Rocks of Salt that are discover'd, but from Rocks of Salt that lie deeper in the Bowels of the Earth.

Besides in different Springs I have observ'd the Figures of the Salt to differ, as some in Middlewich, from those at Northwich, where by Chrystallization they shoot into quite contrary Figures; so that the Sal Mediterraneum, as the Dr. stiles it, is like to lose its Character: Nay, Rock-salt it self will never shoot into any regular Figure at all, whence it may be averr'd, these Salt-springs have not their Saltness from any subterraneous Rocks of Salt yet known; it follows therefore, if they are not saturated either from the Sea, or from subterraneous Rocks of Salt, we may then form another Hypothesis, and conclude them to arise from Aerial saline Particles impregnating a proper Bass, and so by various Solutions and Impregnations, keeping a con∣tinual Circulation, and so constantly supplying us; and what chiefly gives umbrage to this, is the Renascence of marine Salt, which is so prodigiously made out by Untzerus, in his Ac∣count of those Mountains of Salt that supply Russia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Media, and those vast Countries; which as he affirms, every Year Vegetates, and the places whence the Salt was digg'd is the Year following as full of Salt as before. Phaenomena like to this may be observ'd in the Vitriol-stone near Hesse-Cassel, and in those Iron-Mines belonging to the Duke of Florence, as is related by Fallopius. Besides the marine Salt these Springs do likewise contain the Nitrum Calcarium: Its observable the Salt of some of these Springs will not easily precipitate, but a little Allum and fresh Butter will effect it, and then it makes a larger Grain and stronger Salt than any of the rest. In the Evaporation of these Salts there is likewise observ'd a white Sand, which is thrown to the Corners of the Pan; and this by frequent Evaporation and Filtrations I found to be the Particles of the Bass, out of which these Salt-springs arise.

The most noted Purging-Waters in these parts are those in a Village call'd Rougham, adjacent to the remarkable Sands which are the great Road into Furnace nine Miles in breadth, and at each Spring-tide entirely cover'd with Water; these in calm Weather afford us very pleasant Tra∣velling, but in tempestuous Seasons no less dismal, than we can suppose the wild Desarts of Arabia. From the bottom of an high Rock near these, the Water issues forth in a very plentiful Current; it is a little brackish, taken in∣wardly it purges both by Urine and Stool, and no doubt, by a due preparation of the Body they become of extra∣ordinary use in the Scurvy, Worms, crude Digestions, and Distempers of that Nature; the Water by Evaporation at the last becomes lixivial, and is then extremely brackish; as the Water evaporates, there successively arise Films at first reddish, and afterwards of a grey Colour: these Films will ferment with any Acid, and contain a little of a natural alcalious Salt, which I take to be the Natron of the Ancients; the Salt which remains after Evaporation, seems to be a Marine, but by frequent Filtrations and Chry∣stallizations, I found it likewise contain'd a bitter purging Salt, which is truly Dr. Lister's Nitrum Calcarium, and is that purging Salt which impregnates Epsom, Dullech, Northall, and other purging Waters in England, as is hint∣ed above; besides the Salt there likewise remains a greyish Earth, which will ferment with any Acid. When the Water is evaporated to a lixivial Colour, if you then drop Spirit of Harts-horn into it, it immediately makes a Coa∣gulum, and precipitates; which Phaenomenon is only ob∣servable in those Waters that contain the Sal Catharticum Amarum, which demonstrates that Salt likewise to contain a natural Acid, and if in the like Water you drop any acid Spirit, as that of Sulphur and Vitriol, you will then per∣ceive a very sulphureous smell. From these it is plain these Waters contain three different sorts of Salts, as the Natron, the Marine, and the Sal Catharticum Amarum;

likewise two sorts of Lapis Scissilis, either of which will ferment with an Acid, and Sulphur too. From a mix∣ture of such Principles as these, what Effects may not be hoped for, in Scrophulous and Leprous Persons, and o∣ther Distempers of that nature? Nay, I have been assur'd by some of the Inhabitants there, that some Persons by drinking these Waters have been recover'd from periodical Epilepsies: but again, I say, the Body ought to be rightly prepar'd before the drinking of them, and that Consump∣tive Persons ought not to meddle with them, at least very sparingly; some Persons by drinking of these have been freed from the Jaundice, others from Quartan Agues, and in the Pica Virginis, if the Patient be not emaciated, you may reckon it a specifick; by drinking of these, prodigious Worms, as the Cucurbitae, the Ascarides, and Bunches of Worms, have frequently been voided, and I do not think in that Distemper the like to these are to be had.

There are other Purging-Waters which arise out of a Morass in a Village call'd Witherslack: these Waters con∣tain a marine and a bitter purging Salt, but are inferior to the former. There is another purging Water which springs out of the Sand, near a Place call'd Mine-End, which is the Mouth of the River Wire: This no doubt is the Sea-Water, which filters thro' the Sand, but by reason of the shortness of the Filtration, (the Spring lying so near the River) or the looseness of the Sand, the marine Water is not perfectly dulcify'd, but retains a pleasing Brackishness, not unlike that which is observable in the Milk of a Far∣row Cow, or one that has Conceiv'd; this Water purges a little, but is much inferior to either of the other. These Waters give no Tincture with Galls, tho' Dr. Lister violent∣ly affirms all saline Springs will do it. These are the most noted Purging-Waters that I have seen in these Parts, I shall therefore in the next place proceed to those, which may be ranked amongst the Acidulae, but do likewise con∣tain Natron: and those are the Waters near Burnley and

Emmett, which were first discover'd to me by that most Learn'd and Accomplish'd Gentleman Richard Townley of Townley Esq The like to these Mons. du Clos affirms are in several places in France; for a full Account of which, I refer the Reader to that ingenious Author.

From the Experiments made by the Royal Academy in Paris in the Bourbon-Waters, and the parallel Observati∣ons those in these Parts entertain us with, we may make a probable Conjecture of their Principles, and I think may safely affirm that in the Cases where those are proper, these as a most natural Succedaneum may be made use of, and will, I question not, answer what Intentions may be expect∣ed from the former. These Waters with Galls give a Citrine Tincture, and the Gall immediately precipitates in white perpendicular Lines: but you must note these Experi∣ments were made in the Waters remote from the Fountains; I evaporated several Quarts of the Water, and towards the latter end found it to have a little of a lixivial Tast, after the surface was cover'd with a thin greyish Film; this Film consisted of saline, alcalious and terrene Particles, and would make a brisk Fermentation with any Acid; after∣wards the Salts rise in perpendicular Lines upon the sides of the Retort. The like Phaenomenon I observ'd in eva∣porating the Water that came from Nitria in Egypt; and the like may be observ'd in Evaporation of other alcalious Salts: After the Water was wholly evaporated there stuck to the sides of the Retort a greyish Matter of a very lixi∣vial tast, and would ferment with any Acid. By Filtra∣tion the Earth is easily separated from the Salt, and then you have a natural alcalious Salt the true Natron of the Ancients, as is manifest from those Specimens of Egyptian Nitre, brought from Nitria to the Musaeum at Oxford by the Learned Dr. H. and likewise by the Description of Na∣tron recited by Dioscordes; tho' our Countryman Dr. Lister boldly affirms there is no such Salt in any Waters in England: but this is not the first piece of Boldness he is

pleas'd to arrogate; and if his Reason be not totally screen'd, he may, if he pleases, be satisfy'd he's mistaken. These Waters are of great use in the Stone, Scurvy, and other Chronical Diseases, of which I have seen several Instances. There are other Waters of an austere styptick Tast, that will coagulate Milk, but give no Tincture with Galls, as some Pumps near Bury and Chorley; these I conjecture a∣rise out of Allum Ore, or Marle; they lather not with Sope, but make a perfect Coagulum from the Acid and the Alcaly fixing together. Some Springs we have that petri∣fy, as one in a Wood near Bury, and another by the side of a Rivulet near Manchester; these Waters superficially in∣crustate as the Chymists call it, stratum super stratum; are of an austere Tast like those in Yorkshire; in Evaporation they yield a great quantity of a greyish Earth that will ferment with an Acid, and some little proportion of Salt. By these Phaenomena I do conjecture the terrene Particles are dissol∣ved in Minimis. by the natural Acid, or (as Helmont calls it) the Esurine Spirit, and when on the surface of any Body they are united they form these Incrustations: I am the farther confirm'd in this Hypothesis, because I have observ'd Petrefactions where only there could be an Acid halitus, as in several Plants and Roots adjacent to the petrefying Wa∣ters near Knarseborough. These Waters inwardly taken are commended by several in Dysenteries, and for the same reason they are proper in those Cases; I do judge them of use in the Cure of a Diabetes. These are the most remark∣able Phaenomena I could ever observe of the Waters in these Parts: having therefore examin'd those, I shall, ac∣cording to my propos'd Method, in the next place proceed to give an Account of the various Earths these Counties afford us.

An Appendix to the WATERS.

AFter I had finish'd my Experiments of Mineral Wa∣ters, I had the fortune to meet with an elaborate Tract entituled, The Natural History of the Chalybeat and Purging Waters in England, with their particular Essays and Uses, with likewise Observations on the Bath in Somer∣setshire, dedicated to the R^t Hon^ble the Earl of Manchester, by Benjamin Allen, Med. Bacc. Th••se I shall examine in their Order, and shall in the first place take notice of his Observations concerning the Rise of Chalybeat Waters: Pag. 14. he says, the Earth and Soil of these Springs is ever a Sand or Gravel, and that the Water issues from, or ra∣ther makes a Rock cemented of Stones, which are never to be found but where the Water is Vitriolic. How true this is, the World may judge from the following Observations: In the Rocks at Strangeway near Manchester in Lancashire, three or four Yards in Free-stone Rock, are several Chaly∣beat Springs, which with Powder of Galls give a deep Claret Tincture, and will answer all other Experiments usually try'd upon the Acidulae. Eight or nine Yards within a Free-stone Rock near Stockport, in the same County, are several Chalybeat Springs, which with Galls yield a purple, fully as deep as Tunbridge, or Knarseborough, and will turn green with Syrup of Violets; in these Rocks are found sometimes small Vitriol-stones, a small quantity of which scrap'd into common Water, instantly makes the artificial Chalybeat Waters, but there is not the minutest Particle of the Pyrites to be found here. It is plain hence, that these Springs proceed, not always, from Sand and Gravel, nor are they (as he alledges) Marcasitical, that is, Springs impreg∣nated with the Pyrites; for to satisfy his Curiosity farther, the Pyrites here is neither discoverable by Ocular Demon∣stration, nor by dissolving the Rock in Aqua fortis, which he asserts, if it contains the Pyrites, will turn to a Gelly;

and yet that very Assertion is without ground, for because the Pyrites will turn to a Gelly, does it thence follow all Bodies that will do so, participate of the Pyrites? By the same reason he may aver, That because Bones and Harts∣horns with a little common Water, in Mons. Papin's Di∣gesting Instrument, become gelatinous, that either the Bones contain the Horns, or vice versa, the Horns the Bones. Now since these Rocks answer not this end, it is evident these Springs, according to his own Notions, cannot be de∣riv'd from the Pyrit••••; but this, I presume, he only assert∣ed as a Compliment▪ to an eminent Physician, and if he prefers his Friendship before strict and true Observations in Nature, I envy not his Choice. His other Experiments upon the Acidulae are no more than what have been before observ'd by other Authors, I shall therefore pass them over.

As to the Purging-Waters, he derives them from the Pyrites, Selenites, and Loame, and are (as he alledges) im∣pregnated with purging Salts of various kinds, form'd into a saline Nature, by an acid Mineral Juice in the Loame. Hence, pag. 117. he has this Period:

So I conclude the Salt of these purging Waters to be of a middle Nature, betwixt Nitres and Vitriols, and form'd out of the Loame by the help of a Vitriolic Juice, or liquid Salt, and col∣lected in most Cavities.

As to this Hypothesis, from the following Phaenomena, I doubt not but to convince him that he is again mistaken; that is, that there are Springs which do contain the bitter purging Salt, and yet arise not out of Loame, (e. g.) At Rougham in Furness in the County of Lancaster, at the bottom of a Rock issues a purging Spring, at least twenty Yards perpendicular from its Summit, where there is neither the Pyrites, the Belemnites, nor Loame: the Spring flows in a luxuriant Current. This Water, upon the first Evaporation, affords a Salt not much unlike Sea-Salt, but the marine may be easily separated from the bit∣ter or purging Salt; and then you have a Salt which affords Bacilli, or Stiriae, which will easily dissolve even by the heat

of the Hand, nay even by the Air it self, and answers all the Experiments Dr. Grew made upon Epsome-Salt: It is hence evident that these Salts have not their Origin (as he alledges) from the Pyrites, Selenites, and Loame; the Earth after distillation was light and of a greyish Colour, and would strongly ferment with an Acid. But to give him an ampler demonstration of his Error, I shall produce him a∣nother Instance or two: At Thernham in the County of Lancaster, there is an Earth which contains Loame, and a great quantity of Selenites; and the same Phaenomena may be observ'd upon the Ridge of Hills that run upon the Sea-Coasts towards Rossall, in the same County: out of both these Earths issue several Springs, which will neither tinge with Galls, nor are they Purgative; hence it is evi∣dent, tho' the Principles he lays down do all concur, yet that thence does not necessarily follow a Marcasitical, or Pur∣ging Water, nor are the Salts, as was observ'd before, col∣lected so superficially as he alledges; 'tis true indeed I have seen the Salt Bass, by being expos'd to the Air, shoot out various Efflorescences, at the same time from a Spring is∣suing out of the same Bass, at least 20 Yards within the Earth, may be prepar'd the true bitter purging Salt: So that what he has inform'd us in relation to the Purging Waters, is as groundless as the former. As to his Method of preparing a Salt from Loame, by Spirit of Nitre, it is no wise convincing, since the Phaenomena he recites may happen barely from the Spirit, without a Salt congenite to the Loame▪ the different Salts he prepared from the Pur∣ging Waters, may, for ought I know, be true and exact; but what I alledge is, that neither the Chalybeats are always from the Pyrites, nor the Purging Waters▪ from Loame, Marcasite, and the Selenites. His other Experiments are but what were before observ'd by Dr. Plot, and Monsieur du Clos, to whom I refer the Reader.

I shall in the next place examine his Observation upon the Bath in Somersetshire▪ P. 178. he says, that

The Salt con∣tain'd

in this Water appear'd fully to be Salt-petre, in that it did not disturb a solution of Sal Saturni in fair Wea∣ther.

But this is no Demonstration at all of Salt-petre, for the bitter purging Salt will do the same, which is not at all Nitrous, altho' it bears the same Bacilli or Stiriae with Nitre; for since the Salt is not inflammable, there is no reason to suppose the Existence of Salt-petre. It now ap∣pears his Attempts upon Bath-Waters are as fruitless as his other Experiments, and in his reasoning about them he is inconsistent with himself: I shall only remark one thing more, that when this Purging Salt becomes stiriated, if it be dissolv'd in a small quantity of Water, in a few Days it drops an hard pellucid Salt, which will not dissolve in the Air; is bitter and pungent, the Figures of it are various, sometimes Cubical, sometimes Pentagons, and Parallelope∣pedons; so that it is manifest it is very difficult to reduce Salts to their distinct species, by determinate Figures. It is certain by these Experiments, that the Salt in this Pur∣ging Water, which at first by its Tast and Figure seem'd only to be a common marine Salt, consists of three different Kinds; why therefore it should be stiled a Nitre, I can see no reason. I have often wondred why some Per∣sons ambitiously affect the Imposing of Terms, assuming to themselves Titles of New Discoverers, without any ground at all: For if from the mere Trunk of a Mole, I should go about to prove it was the species of an Elephant, the World would doubtless conclude me the blinder Creature.

I shall beg leave to add to this Appendix one thing more relating to Cold Springs; in which, as the Moralists assure us of the two contrary Passions, Ioy and Sorrow, that the for∣mer is an Expansion, the other a Depressure of the Spirits; so it is no less probable in these two opposite Qualities, Heat and Cold, that in one the Nerves are dilated, in the other shri∣vel'd or contracted: But since the Cause of intense Coldness is the Subject of this Paragraph, I shall only expatiate on the latter; in order to that I shall lay down a general Hypo∣thesis,

and afterwards illustrate it, first by the Effects of Cold, and afterwards by parallel Experiments that produce it. Coldness therefore in Waters I suppose to proceed from volatile saline Particles, which by their Points contracting the Extremities of the Nerves, obstruct the Spirits, and thence proceeds an Horrour or Trembling; and if the Cold be intense, a Stupor, or Numbness, hence it is that the Ca∣pillaries in the Skin, by the Punctures of those saline Par∣ticles corrugate, and the Blood thereby stagnates, and by the distention of those Vessels the Skin appears extremely red. That Coldness in Waters proceeds from these saline Par∣ticles, is evident from solutions of Snow in common Water, in which those Particles are so volatile, that upon Distilla∣tion I found them wholly to evaporate: It is not therefore as the Peripateticks imagine, that Coldness proceeds from dull unactive Principles, but from volatile saline ones, which by their Inflexibility or Rigidness, like so many Bar∣riers, fix the Particles in Water, which are of a softer Tem∣per; and thence it is that it freezes, and is turn'd into Ice: In Springs therefore that are naturally intensely Cold, I suppose the Loam, from whence these arise, to have Pores so configurated, as constantly to imbibe these saline Parti∣cles from the circumambient Atmosphere, which doubtless are of as Volatile nature as those of Snow; for I never could find in the Distillation of Cold Baths any Salt that could be reduc'd to a Chrystal, except a marine one, and that in so small a proportion, that it is impossible to sup∣pose that the Coldness should proceed from thence. 'Tis true indeed in artificial Cold Baths the Water is made vio∣lently so by solutions of marine Salt, and Salt-petre, but then to effect that, there are those quantities of Salts, that are never to be found in Baths naturally Cold; whence it is evident the Coldness in them cannot proceed from a solution of those Salts, but from a Volatile Aerial Nitre doubtless brought into the Atmosphere by particular Winds; for it is evident in opposite Parallels from the Line, in the one

you have violent Frosts, in the other intense Heats, as the Ingenious Dr. Munday of All-Souls College in Oxford, be∣yond contradiction has made evident.

The most remarkable Cold Spring in these Parts is that at Larbrick, of which take the following Account. Upon immersing your Hand into it, the Part immediately grows extreamly red, and you will then perceive a most violent Pain; Fishes of several sorts I have seen put into this Spring, which make but one Effort, and instantly expire. It is an Acidula, or Chalybeat Water, and therefore is ac∣counted for in another place; as likewise the Effects of Cold Baths, which are consider'd in the following Treatise of the Scurvy and Rickets.

But more fully to illustrate the unaccountable Penetrancy, Agility and Rigidness of those Particles that produce Cold, take the following Experiment: Let a Thermometer of a Foot long, and Hermetically seal'd at both ends, and about half fill'd with Spirit of Wine, be immers'd in a Cold Spring, for Instance in that at Larbrick, and continue suspended in it about half an Hour; in that space of Time the Spirit in the Tube will subside a full Inch, which Instance fully de∣monstrates how penetrating those frigorific Particles must be, that thus enter the Pores of the Glass, and force the Spirit to subside to that degree: This Instance likewise de∣monstrates their Inflexibility, that by penetrating the Pores of the Glass, they should so fix their Points upon the superficies of the Vinous Spirit, which being of a softer Texture must necessarily give way and subside. By this Experiment you may easily find out the various Degrees of Cold in Springs, and by comparing those with Observa∣tions of the like nature, made in the two noted Baths, Holywell in Wales, and St. Mungus in Yorkshire, may easily find of what use the Springs in these Counties may be in the like Cases which these are eminent for. I must needs own that in Leprous Distempers, Scorbutic Rheumatisms, the Rickets, and Scorbutic Atrophies, before the Hectic heat

is grown too intense, I have not seen any Medicines per∣form the Effects which these Waters frequently do.

CHAP. III.

Of Earths, Clays, Boles, Marles, Improvements by Shells, Shell-Fishes, Hares and Rabbit-Skins, Sope-Boylers Ashes, and Putrify'd Ferns; of Morasses, and their various Im∣provements.

THese Countries afford us various sorts of Earths, but the most noted are the Black Soil, the Foxglove-Earth, and the Clay-Earth, which indeed is a mixture of Clay and Marle. The Black Earth is commonly rich Pa∣sture, or Meadowing, or good Corn-Land; the Foxglove-Earth, which is a tender Earth, and of a brownish Colour, is usually good Pasture, and by Improvement brings plen∣tiful Harvests of Corn; the Clay-Earth is chiefly for Corn, and in that either for continuing long, or producing a well fed Corn, exceeds both the other. Sometimes these Earths abound with great quantities of Lime-stones and other Stones, which mightily contribute to their plentiful Pro∣ductions, as is observable in the Closes near Lancaster, and other parts in the North; the Country People imagine it proceeds from the Warmth they impart to the various Earths, but I rather attribute it to their Nitrous or Al∣calious Salts, which, as I shall demonstrate hereafter, conduce to the fructifying of Earths. These Earths are usually improv'd either by Marle, Dung, Lime, Shell-Fishes, Shells, Rags, Hares, or Rabbit-skins, Sope-maker's Ashes, Sea-Mud, the common Dirt of the Lanes, or pu∣trify'd Ferns. The Marles, where there is depth of Soil are usually the best Improvements; and indeed a good Marling is often counted equal to the Purchase of the Land; the Marle affords a Nitrous Salt, and Oyl, which I take to

be the Principles that make it so fertile; its Salt I con∣jecture is imbib'd from the Air, which may be the reason that the longer it lies expos'd, the more prolific it is: Hence it is common amongst Persons that can afford, to Marle their Ground, and break it up several Years afterwards, by w^ch it be∣comes more fruitful, and continues much longer. The white Marle is of a brittle, short Body, and consequently more easily wash'd away by the Weather; for this reason it only renders the Soil fruitful for a few Years, not comparable to the other for continuance. The like may be said of Lime, and putrify'd Marine-Fishes, and Shells, which by their Calcination by the Sun-beams are converted into Lime, these being of a looser Body than the Clay-Marle, more speedily mix with the Earths, and for that reason, as the Country People term it, will sooner white, that is, will sooner produce Corn; the same may be said of Sea-mud, however the Continuance of these are far inferior to the other: The Fruitfulness of the last mention'd I judge may proceed in a great measure from their Oyls and alca∣lious Salts, with a due proportion of Earth, and no doubt but Acid and Alcaly have the same use in fructifying Soils, as they have in Animals; and hence I believe that from the Dung of the Sea-Fowl in Fowley-Island, which takes that Name from the abundance of Sea-Fowl there, the Pasture becomes so pregnant, that it surpasses all in these Parts; a Sheep from thence is usually sold for 50 s. or 3 l.

The most noted Clays in these Parts are the Potters-Clay, Tobacco-pipe-Clay, and Sope-stone, as the Miners call it. The Potters-Clay is usually blew or yellowish, or of a Dove or Coushat-Colour, as the Workmen term it; after it is moulded into Pots, it is burned in a circular Oven, and is glazed with a Slurry, and Lead-Ore finely powder'd: This Slurry is made of a different Clay to what the Pot is; it is usually reddish, and will run to a Glass, which the others will not; which is the reason that with this and Lead-Ore they glaze their Pots. It is observable this Slurry upon

one sort of Clay will be yellow, upon another black, on another green, and on others of the Colour of the Duke of Alva's Bottles, which must proceed from various Metals that flux from the Clays, and consequently produce va∣rious Colours.

I was inform'd from my Ever-honour'd Friend Sr. Roger Bradshaw of Haigh, that it was upon a whitish yellowish Earth, in a Field near the Kennel-Pits at Haigh, that Mr. Dwight made his first Discovery of his most incomparable Metal: I have attempted several Colours with Smalts, and found that by those, and an azurine Spar frequently found in Lead and Copper Mines, I could upon Barnstable-Clay run a Glass not easily distinguishable from Tortoise, and no doubt if experimented by an Artist, he would find it of extraordinary use. I have likewise with several of these Earths run black Lead, by which and a little Horse-Dung finely powder'd and then wrought together, I have seen it stand Fire, when a good German Crucible has broke in pieces. Instruments of this may doubtless be made of great use to the Essayers and Refiners of Metals, and be had at far more easy Rates than those brought from Ger∣many. Tiles of any sorts are likewise made from these Earths.

The Tobacco-pipe-Clay is usually blew, or of a Colour betwixt white and yellow; there are at Rainforth tolerable Pipes made of this, but not comparable to those at Chester, these are made of Clays brought from the Isle of Wight, Poole and Biddiford, which are esteem'd the best in England, and if I mistake not the best in Europe. Boles we have only in two places, Eller and Heesham; these are of a yel∣low Colour, stick close to the Tongue, and will ferment with an Acid. In the same place we have likewise a white Earth, or Sope-stone; this will lather with Water, I have seen some Persons trimm'd with it; this is usually full of the Pyrites, when wet very Oily, but when dry put into Water will make an hissing like unquenchable Lime:

Upon which Phaenomenon I shall beg your patience, to expatiate a little before I proceed to the next particular. Mons. L'Emery has observ'd, That the reason of the Ebulli∣tion of unquenchable Lime with Water, proceeds from the setting at liberty the igneous Particles lock'd up in the Lime, hence they disentangle themselves, and rallying with united Forces, must consequently produce that Ebullition. The like I think may be affirm'd of this, only here the Ebul∣lition causes not any sensible Heat, which notwithstanding may be, tho' igneous Particles be contain'd in the Water, as I have seen in the Burning-Well near Wigan, which is actually Cold. But that this Ebullition does proceed from sulphureous Particles, I have reason to conjecture, because out of these Earths, thro' the salt Water, frequent flashes of Flame may be observ'd like Lightning to dart by In∣tervals; it appears a diverting Phosphorus in the Night∣season, at which time spreading the said Earth upon my Hand, I have discern'd the like Phaenomenon.

Morasses we have several in these parts, which may be distinguish'd into these Classes, the White, the Grey, the Black: It is plain from Microscopical Observations, that the White is nothing but a Compages of the Leaves, Seeds, Flowers, Stalks and Roots of Herbs, and Fruits or Shrubs which no doubt increase every Year; these burn to white Ashes, but yield but little of lixivial Salt. The Grey is har∣der and more ponderous, and to me seems to be but a more perfect putrefaction of the former. The Black is the best Fire, and the most Bituminous, which I take to be a con∣summated putrefaction of the Plants that grow upon these places, as Elaeagnus, Ros Solis, Erica, and the like; and in this I am farther confirm'd, because I have frequently observ'd the white Moss, which is demonstrably a Com∣pages of the recited Plants, converted easily to black Moss, which is done by draining of the Dales, or cutting Sluces thorow the Morasses; by which means the white Moss which before was like a Spunge saturated with Water, now

drain'd, contracts to a more compact Body. Besides these are the Heath-Turffs, and a bituminous Earth near Orms∣kirk, but of that I shall discourse in its proper place. 'Tis the receiv'd Opinion, that these Morasses had their Rise from Noah's Deluge, and this Hypothesis seems to be back'd by the great quantities of exotic Trees, marine Shells, and other Phaenomena that are observ'd there; I have likewise seen a Brass-Kettle which was given me by Major George Westby, and a small Mill-stone found in those places, as likewise Beads of Amber. 'Tis plain these could not be brought thither by Noah's Deluge, since in those early days the Refining of Metals was not known, and 'tis very pro∣bable such kind of Mill-stones not made use of: But since I have shown how Moss may, and doubtless does increase, it is easy to conceive how such things may sometimes be found in Morasses; but whether these subterraneous Trees, Pine-Cones, Nuts and Shells did grow in these places, or were brought thither by the universal Flood, is a Question that may challenge our next Consideration. I must con∣fess I have not seen Firrs grow naturally in any part of this Kingdom, but what there are have been rais'd by great Care and Industry; and Caesar assures us, that when he first invaded this Island there did not any Firrs grow in it. From these to me it seems plain, that these could not come from any other Cause but a Deluge, and it is most probable from that dreadful one recited by Moses: Some persons I know have endeavour'd to evade this Assertion by averring, that these subterraneous Trees were not really Firrs, but only Woods made Resinous by a bituminous Earth, and so conse∣quently might be there without a Deluge. To these I answer; Not only Firr-stocks, but Firr-Apples are likewise found in these Morasses, and these I hope those Gentlemen will al∣low me could not belong to any other Tree but to the Firr; besides the grain of the Wood, and the Turpentine that upon burning drops from it, sufficiently demonstrate it to be really Firr: so that what is argued upon that account

is but a meer Subterfuge, and bears nothing of Argument along with it. I have often indeed wondred how upon the tops of Mountains there are sometimes these Morasses, and the adjacent Valleys Arable Ground; but in that ter∣rible Confusion which doubtless was at the Deluge, I think the Phaenomena of Nature cannot be mechanically account∣ed for: so that if a Naturalist can but demonstrate a De∣luge by Matter of Fact, that it only could produce these wonderful Effects; whether he can or not assign the Modus of doing it, is not material. These Firrs are split and dried, and by the poorer People made use of instead of Candles.

It is urged by the Learn'd Dr. Plot, that these Morasses were the products of the Woods that grew upon them, w^ch by putrefaction of the Leaves, Rains and Dews, may, as we daily see, be converted into Boggs or Morasses; and that the Firrs found there were not brought thither by any Deluge, but were the product of the Soil, and in proba∣bility ruin'd by the Britains, in revenge to the Danes, the Pines being their darling Tree; and he adds that Caesar ha∣ving never seen the Northern Parts where the Pines grew, might easily be mistaken in that as well as in the Beech-Tree, which he asserts was not in this Island, tho' found contrary by Experience. To these I answer, Tho' the Hypothesis be ingenious, yet for the following reasons I think it not to be defended: For in the first place I think it not rational to conjecture, that the Pine thro' the whole Island could be so universally destroy'd, as that for the future it should never be the natural product of the Soil, as we find at this day it is not; besides had the Pine, as he asserts, been de∣stroy'd in revenge to the Danes, by the Britains, they would for the same reason have destroy'd the Oak too, the Danes at that time being an Heathenish People, and their Druids Worship'd that Tree, for which therefore they must doubtless have a far greater Veneration than for the Pine. Wherefore had the Pines been destroy'd for this

reason only, the Oak likewise could not but have falln a Sa∣crifice to their fury; for surely their own Superstition in that revengeful Juncture could never have been a Curb to their unbounded Rage. Secondly, The Postures the Firr∣stocks are found in, evince they were brought thither by a Deluge; I have seen seven or eight of a vast Thickness contiguous to each other, and whoever considers the Cir∣cumference of them must necessarily conclude they could never grow there in that Order, it being impossible there should be a distance betwixt each Tree for the ascending Boughs. Thirdly, Under these are frequently found the Exuviae of Animals, as Shells, Bones of Fishes, under one particularly I saw the Head of the Hippopotamus; it is plain from hence these could not come from any other Cause but a Deluge; and if so, since the Pine is not the product of this Island, we may as reasonably suppose those to be brought thither after the same manner. What Caesar alledges of the Beech not growing here, I am apt to think that kind of Beech he saw in Italy never grew wild in this Country; we may conjecture this from the description Virgil gives of the Beech-Tree, when he terms it Patula Fagus, which cannot be affirm'd of those produced usually in England: And this may serve for an Answer to what is espous'd by Dr. Plot. I shall therefore in the next place proceed to consider the bituminous Earth near Ormskirk, that being another species of Moss; but before we close this Paragraph I shall presume so far upon your Patience, as to give a solution to an Objection urg'd by some, and then conclude. It is observ'd by some the Pines by themselves are found in Numbers, and likewise other Trees rang'd in order are discover'd together, as Birch, Ashe and Oak, di∣stinguish'd in several Lines, whence they probably infer that Woods of those distinct Trees once grew there. To this I answer, That tho' they may be observ'd so in Mar∣tin-Meer, yet the Assertion is not generally true, for I have observ'd them in other places to lie promiscuously;

here a Firr-stock, next to it a Birch, an Oak, or an Ashe, not keeping any Order at all; so that what one particular place may do, no wise illustrates a general History of those fossile Trees, since generally speaking the quite contrary is observ'd. Secondly, These Ranks of Trees found together no wise invalidates the Deluge, for the same Argument may be urg'd against fossile Shells, which are frequently found collected there; yet I suppose no Man will urge this as an Argument of their not being brought thither by a Deluge, but rather the contrary, since upon the Sea-shore in their native Beds they are always found in great Num∣bers.

To these may be added that remarkable Mountain call'd Naphat in the Province of Conought in the Kingdom of Ire∣land, which is several hundred Fathom above the surface of the Sea, yet at the top of this Mountain ten Yards within it are vast Beds of all sorts of marine Shells, as Whelks, Muscles, Cockles, Perewinkles, Torculars, Pecti∣nites, Turbinites, Oysters, &c. which doubtless, considering the immense height of the Mountain, could not be depo∣sited there by any means but a Deluge, and that an univer∣sal one. Parallel to these are those vast Mountains of Oyster-shells in Virginia, and other parts of the West-Indies; likewise the vast quantities of marine Shells found several Yards deep in firm Marle in Lands remote from the Sea, in which five Yards within the Marle I saw the Skeleton of a Buck standing upon his Feet, and his Horns on its Head, which are yet preserv'd at Ellel-Grange near Lancaster.

I'll give you one Instance more, That eight Yards within Marle in Larbrick near Preston in Lancashire, was found the entire Head of a Stag, with the Vertebrae of the Neck whole, which by its Branches and Magnitude is forein to any I ever observ'd in these parts; but by the Cuts of those in Canada, I cannot judge them any other than of those in that Country: These are now in the Custody of Richard Long∣worth of St. Michaels Esq when they were taken out of

the Earth they were soft and pliable, but now hard and firm. A Phaenomenon not unlike to this is observable in Coral, which immediately grows hard, the humid Particles being spent by the heat of the Air; so that the saline and terre∣strial Particles are not longer disunited, but thence come to a strict union, and consequently an hard and firm Body. More Instances of this nature might be produc'd, but what are recited are sufficient to confirm an impartial Reader in the truth of what is alledg'd; and to others I think it not worth while to make any Address at all.

However I shall produce another Instance, and then leave every one to his particular Sentiments: In a Place in Lan∣cashire call'd the Meales, under the Moss four Yards with∣in Marle was found an exotic Head, which by the descrip∣tion given me of it by the Country People, may doubtless be that of an Elke; the Brow-Antlers were bigger than u∣sually the Arm of a Man is, the Beams were near 2 Yards in height, and betwixt the two opposite Tips of the Horns, which is the Diameter, was 2 Yards likewise. Such a Cu∣riosity never before seen in these Parts induc'd the Country People to cut it asunder into many pieces, each preserving a part as a Rarity; so that had it been entire, it had been much greater: The scatter'd remains of it may now be seen in different Places, but that is but a slender satisfaction to a curious Enquirer. The Elke most certainly is and ever was a Creature forein to this Nation, how therefore so many Yards in Marle under the Moss this should come to be deposited, by any other means than an universal Deluge, I would gladly be inform'd; considering likewise the wild∣ness of the Place, and the thin number of People where this Phaenomenon was observ'd, (for the Meales are little more cultivated than the Desarts of Arabia) I think I may venture to affirm, if a Man will lay aside Prejudice, and not be too fond of an over-weening Opinion, he cannot account for it any other way.

To close this Head it may be agreeable enough to insert that remarkable Instance of Andrea de Valeta, Commu∣nicated to me by Signior Vigani, who had itfrom the Person himself: viz. That in the Kingdom of Granada, remote from the Sea, he saw an Indian Canoo or Boat dug out of a so∣lid Rock. These all throughly consider'd undeniably evince an universal Deluge, which doubtless could not be any other than that of Noah, of which Moses gives so ample a relation; and if so, the recited Phaenomena amount to no less than a Demonstration of the Truth of what that inspired Philosopher has transmitted to us.

As to the Forms of other Fossile Plants found in solid Rocks, as some not far from the Coal-Mines adjacent to Latham, where I have seen the Impressions of Polypody, Maiden-hair and Thorn Leaves in an hard greyish Rock, imprinted in a Black bituminous Matter. I likewise ob∣serv'd in a Marble near Holker, the Lineaments of a Man; and in Pool's Hole near Buxton Bath, the Representations of several other Creatures, and various Modifications of Matter. These I take to be purely the wanton Sportings of the Fluor Stalactites, and do believe these Lusus Naturae are caused by different Mixtures of bituminous, saline and terrene Particles; and are not the Exuviae of Plants in the Deluge, which in that universal Destruction subsided with the broken Strata according to specifick Gravitation.

At Halsil near Ormskirk is a Bituminous Turf, which emits a Smell like the Oyl of Amber; and from it may be prepared an Oyl not easily distinguishable from the former, and answers all the Intentions of that noble Medicine, but this must be discreetly manag'd, otherwise it contracts a foetid Empyeuma. Pieces of this by the Country People are made use of instead of Candles, and burn like Torches; I have seen it flame upon the surface of Water, as long as any part above its superficies remain'd. Where this is got there floats a bituminous Oyl, I have seen strange Effects of it in preserving Raw Flesh, which comes near to the Aegyptian Mummy.

The Morasses are made Arable by Draining and Marling them, and bring then very good Corn; they frequently pare off the Tops of these with Push-plows, which the amass together in small Heaps, when they are dry they set them on Fire, and by their alcalious Ashes the Ground is made very Fertile, but will not continue so above three Years, after that it is very Barren. One thing had almost slipt me, how sometimes in Mosses are found human Bodies entire and uncorrupted, as in a Moss near the Meales in Lancashire. In Eller-Moss was found the Skeleton of a Stag standing upon its Feet: These are the most remarka∣ble Phaenomena I have observ'd in Morasses, I shall not therefore swell these Sheets with unnecessary Recapitula∣tions, but according to our Design proceed to the next Chapter.

CHAP. IV.

Of Mines and Minerals, as Coal-Mines, Kennel-Mines their various sorts; the Method of Discovering them. An Ac∣count of Sparrs, Talcs, Stalactites, Asbestus, Allum and Vitriol Ores; Salt Ores of various sorts, Salt Rocks, Sul∣phur Ores; the Pyrites, Native Vitriol, Salts of various kinds; Mineral Damps, and Diamonds.

IT is an Observation as common as true, and which may justly challenge our Admiration, That the Mines in all Parts of the World (I mean Coal and Kennel-Mines) are always found in Strata, shelving towards the Center; or as the Miners call it, Dipping: Insomuch, that the same which in one part perhaps cannot be discover'd under Twenty Fa∣thome, is yet at the Rise of the Mine frequently found near the Surface of the Ground: These generally keep the same Dip as the Coal Slat that lies over them, and by find∣ing that you speedily disclose the Mine; and whatever the Miners may pretend, so far as I have been able to ob∣serve,

more certain Directions for the Discovery of these Mines cannot be given. If the Mines ly in any con∣siderable Strata, (or as the Work-men stile it) ly True, their usual Dip is East or West; or as they vulgarly word it, to the Twelve-a-Clock, or Four-a-Clock Sun. In these Mines are those luxuriant Springs of Acidulae, that it would be impossible ever to make them serviceable, if they lay not in this shelving Posture: For did they ly in an Horizon∣tal Plane, they wou'd most commonly not be found under some Hundred Fathoms, and then the Quantities of Water wou'd be too great for any Engine to discharge. It was therefore, no doubt, the wonderful Providence of the Al∣mighty at the universal Deluge, in the Disruption of the Earth, that as the Psalmist terms it, They started aside like a broken Bow, to remain as everlasting Monuments of his Power, as well as Kindness to Mankind: And a farther Argument of his infinite Goodness is, that they are most commonly found in cold Climes, and not in those Regions where they have a more kindly Influence of the Sun. To pretend to solve the Postures of these, in so great a Con∣fusion as was at the Deluge, by specifick Gravity, is I think but to trifle in Terms: For Mechanically to account for these wonderful Phaenomena, wou'd be an Undertaking equal to that Genius who so easily discover'd a Pacing-Saddle, or preserv'd Antiphthisical Air in Bottles brought from Montpellier. In these Mines it is plain no specifick Gravitation is observ'd, for Coals, Strata of Marle, Coal Slats, in all the Mines I have seen always ly promiscuously; for sometimes you come to a Stratum of Marle, afterwards to a Stratum of Free-stone, Iron-stone, or the Pyrites; then to a Coal or Kennel-Mine, then to a Stratum of several Kinds again, and then to Coals or Kennel again, and sometimes to Coals above them all; from which it is evident, that in their subsidence they were not determin'd to any specifick Gravi∣tation, but as Dr. More terms it, were solely govern'd by an Hylarchic Spirit. These things premised, I shall pro∣ceed

to the Phaenomena frequently observ'd in them, As the constituent Principles of Coals, their Mineral Waters, Damps, and Pyrites.

Coals may be said to consist of Bitumen or Sulphureous parts, Vitriolic and Ferruginous, sometimes interlarded with a mixture of Ocre and Terrence parts; the sulphu∣reous Particles are easily distinguishable by their Burning, viz. By their Smell and the azure Colour of the Flame; the Vitriolic parts are prov'd two ways, first, I have some∣times seen Native Vitriol in these Mines: secondly, By Di∣stillation; as more particularly in the Kennel near Haigh, from which by Distillation in a Retort, will come over a very austere Vitriolic Water: Besides the Springs that issue out of these do sometimes afford us quantities of Vitriol, as I have before remark'd. Their ferruginous Particles are discover'd in the Cinder, by their adhesion to the Magnet, which I take to be a Pathognomonical Symptom of Iron in that case, tho' Dr. Lister is pleas'd to stile it one of the Pyrites: But when the Dr. is framing an Hypothesis, he is no Slave to his Senses; and by the same Parity of Reason, he might put forth Comments upon Transubstantiation. Ocres frequently adhere to Coal, as do the Bass and Ter∣rene parts: As to the Pyrites, that darling Proteus of the Dr. which at a dead-lift helps him to a Solution of any Phaenomenon, and which has given him the Character of a profound Naturalist amongst several Persons, perhaps be∣cause they were incapable to apprehend him; nor indeed can I think he apprehends, or believes himself those Asser∣tions he lays down concerning this Pythagorical Gentleman the Pyrites. This Pyrites is frequently found betwixt the Lamellae of the Coals, and sometimes in Fissures and Strata: These by their Configuration to the Receptacles in which they are disclosed, appear to have once been fluid; I have seen some Cubical, others in Pentagons, and some rolled up in Magdalons, and Striated like Cockle-shells, in lines exactly like those; a Collection of these I have by me, and

design them for the Musaeum at Oxford. Others I have seen in the Shape of the Pectinites. The Pyrites consists of Sulphur, Vitriol, Ocre, Metallick parts, as Iron, Copper, &c. Of this there are various sorts, as the Aureus, Argen∣teus, Ferreus, Cupreus. The Sulphur is distinguishable in it by the Detonation it makes with Nitre, as likewise by the sulphureous Smell which by Collision may be observ'd in it. The Vitriol is known by its Germination, which it frequently emits expos'd in the Air. The Ocre, and Me∣tallick parts are discover'd by Calcination and Fusion, and of these I have seen several Essays. These are the most noted Phaenomena I cou'd ever observe in this Minion of Dr. Lister; but if he wou'd have greater Matters credited of it, he surely writes not what he has seen, but what he fancies: Let him first oblige the World with more ample and convincing Discoveries of its Merit, otherwise why should we Attribute to it more than its Value? It may be freely said of this as of most of the Dr's Notions, All is not Gold that glisters.

Sparrs there are of several sorts, but the most Noted may be reduced to these Classes, the Rhomboidal Pellucid Spar, the Sapphirine Rhomboidal, or Azure Spar, the O∣pace Azurine Spar, the Alabastrites and the Stalactites, the Pellucid irregular Spar, the Diamond Spar, so denominated from its figure: These all will run, and are commonly made use of by the Miners to run down their Ores. These are a Composition of Vitriolic Salts, Sulphurs, and Ter∣rene Particles: The Sulphur is discernible by Calcination, as are likewise the Saline, and Terrene Particles, which are very austere, and like a Bole will adhere to the Tongue. The Rhomboidal Spar is frequently found in the Mines in Derbyshire, and is constituted with various Lamellae, which are all Rhomboidal; which figure no doubt proceeds from a particular mixture of Saline and Terrene parts. Some∣times I have seen Sparrs consisting of various Parallelo∣grams; these are Pellucid like Diamonds, and will cut Glass,

and are frequently found in Mole-Hills, at Downham in Lancashire: These are not to be found by Digging, as I have been inform'd by several of the Neighbouring Inhabi∣tants, from what Depth therefore these Earthy Pioneers do bring them up is uncertain; they are call'd by the Names of Downham-Diamonds. The Sapphirine or Azure Spar is frequently found in Copper and Lead Mines in Lan∣cashire and Derbyshire; some are more Opace than others, which no doubt proceeds from the different mixture of Saline and Earthy parts. The Alabastrites and Stalactites are found plentifully in those most noted Cavities, Pool's Hole, and the Devil's-Arse in the Peak in Derbyshire: These are not so pellucid as the other, therefore seem to contain a greater proportion of Terrene, and less of Saline Particles. The Figures which these Stalactites shoot into are Wonderful, and to a Thinking Man the most diverting Objects in the Universe. In some places the Cavity is scarce a Yard deep, in others an Hundred Fathoms perpen∣dicular, of a most magnificent Arch: From the Top of this vast Roof there continually drops a Water, which forms various Lamellae of the Stalactites, in the shape of Hay-cocks, Lyons, Men, Fret-work, and several other di∣verting Phaenomena.

Dr. Woodward supposes the Stalactites to be form'd by the Water in some Strata of Earth, filtring from the Spar, and so according to the position of Particles, to constitute various Lamellae of Spar. I shall not deny but this in part may be true, yet in those Cavities it is most certain the Water forms various Lamellae of Spar, after it is fallen from the Rock, as is very discernible in those little Hills call'd Hay-cocks, upon which the Water is continually drop∣ping, and each Year forms various Lamellae of the Sta∣lactites; the Water is clear, and of a pleasant Tast, and in Distillation yields a good quantity of this Sparry Matter: Wherefore it is most probable, there is a continual solution of this kind of Matter, by some acid Esurine Halitus,

which may likely be the Effluvia of some of the Mines, or Minerals in those parts. I am farther confirm'd in this, because the Sparrs by Calcination are of a very austere styptick Tast; therefore it is most rational to think, that they may be some Vitriolate Effluvia which make this solu∣tion, but are not to be discern'd in the Water, because the Saline Particles are sheath'd in the Terrene, and so cannot exert their pungent Qualities until they are disentangled: And hence it is that the Water, tho' it be highly saturated with these Spars, is yet of a pleasing Tast; and no doubt but a thorough Discovery of the Principles of these Wa∣ters, wou'd give us a satisfactory Account of the Forma∣tion of Gems, and might likewise be of Use in Physick.

There are different Kinds of these Sparrs; as to their internal Qualities, some if taken inwardly will Vomit, and Purge most violently, as that in the Lead Mines near Andlesack in Lancashire; and this no doubt consists in a great measure of Salt and Sulphur, which I take to be the reason that it is Emetic. But the Nature of this Spar will be more fully made out from the subsequent Instances, and the first is by Calcination, in which you may easily discover that a Pound of this will yield a Dram of Arsenic at the least, lying betwixt the Lamellae of the Spar. Whence therefore this comes to be of so Poisonous a Nature is plain∣ly evident: Notwithstanding this, the Neighbours there∣about will frequently take a Scruple at least of this in Fits of the Stone, in whom it vomits, purges, and works violently by Urine; in this Case, as they have frequently assured me, they have found great Relief: Whence the Vomiting and Purging proceed is evident, as we have be∣fore observ'd, viz. from the Arsenical Sulphur; as likewise from that profuse quantity of Urine, which may sufficiently hint to us what kind of morbifick Matter it is, that causes the Diabetes, both from the Quickness of its poysonous Quality, and likewise the Sweetness of the Urine. There are some have been so daring, as to venture to take a Dram

of this, particularly One Iames Barns's Wife and Child, but alas! to their woful Experience they found the sad Effects of it; for in about Nine Hours afterwards they both Ex∣pired. The like Quantity of this, in about Three Hours time, will Kill a Dog; and it is observable, that the Dog while living is deeply Lethargick, which may farther il∣lustrate to us, in malignant Feavers attended with those Symptoms, what kind of Matter probably it is that causes those Symptoms; but that is more fully Discussed in its proper place. Nay, so spreading is the Poyson of this Spar, that it has not only been fatal to the Creature that has taken it, but a Dog by licking the Blood of a Swine, which had accidentally taken it mix'd with Meal and Butter, expired likewise; and it is farther observable, that the Flesh of the Swine was afterwards Eaten, and did no mis∣chief tho' the Blood was poysonous; because as we may reasonably conjecture, the Arsenic had not spread it self farther than the Mass of Blood.

There is likewise in the same Mine a Black Spar, which affords a diverting Phaenomenon; or perhaps by some may be esteem'd a melancholly Scene, which is in the following manner, If you calcine this Spar in a Crucible, its sulphu∣reous Particles so diffuse themselves in the ambient Air, that the Persons standing by, by their Paleness resemble the Corps of so many deceas'd Persons. It is further remarka∣ble, that there are sometimes Cavities in the Body of this, and likewise in the Lead-Ore, which are impleted with Wa∣ter, tho' there are no apparent Aqueducts leading to them; these by the Miners are stiled Self-Loughs: Whence this Water is deriv'd may merit our Consideration; but it is most probable it is rais'd from the more remote Bowels of the Earth, by a subterraneous Heat, and collected in those Cavities; so that it is undeniably demonstrable, that the aqueous Particles must penetrate the Pores of the Rocks, Sparrs and Ores, which will more plainly illustrate to us how sometimes in those kinds of Cavities there are found

living Toads, which some have had the vanity to fix there ever since Noah's Deluge; but from the Ova, or Eggs float∣ing in the Particles of the Water, it is most probable to conclude they bred there. Others are Diuretical, and are frequently taken with success in the Gout and Stone, which no doubt they effect by their saline Particles inciding the Lentor in the Blood, and so consequently give ease in those Cases: Instances of this kind I have seen several, but to insert them here is forein to this Undertaking. These are the most remarkable Phaenomena I have observ'd of Sparrs, I shall therefore in the next place hasten to Talcs and Amianthus, or that which is call'd Feather'd Allum.

The Talcs are pellucid, and frequently found in Marle, and will easily calcine into brittle white Lamellae, and would no doubt make a very good Plaister, which in the Malt-Kilns might be of great use, being far better than those common Clay-Floors; this is not at present made use of any farther than a common Mortar, but its farther Im∣provement succeeding Generations may discover.

The Amianthus is likewise found in Marle, it consists of various Filaments, and is that which the Ancients made their perpetual Lamp with; I have seen Cloath and Paper made of this, which would stand Fire, and doubtless it would be highly worth the while of some of our ingenious Mechanicks to make farther Essays upon it. It is call'd by some the Salamander's Wool, because, as I imagin, like that it is able to withstand the fury of the Flame: Iuncker and Etmuller give us an account of its Principles, and like∣wise of some Tryals they have made upon it; I shall there∣fore refer the Reader to those Authors. It is used by some Physicians in Unguents, in Distempers of the Nerves, but for my part I cannot see what use it can be of in those Cases; I cannot conceive how so sluggish and unactive a Body can penetrate and open the Obstructions of the Nerves, nor is it likely that its Particles should be absorb'd by the Capil∣lary Vessels, and so destroy that Acidity of the Blood that

may occasion the Distemper. The next thing to be con∣sider'd are the Allum and Vitriol-Ores, and of these there are various sorts.

Vitriol is a Salt so denominated from its being like Glass pellucid, and of this there are three sorts, White, Red and Green. The Red is found in the Mines in Hungary, and the White and Green in Lancashire and Derbyshire: The Green is either Natural or Artificial; Natural, such as is that in the Kennel-Pits at Haigh in Lancashire, and in some Lead-Mines near Castleton in Derbyshire; Artificial, such as is prepar'd from the Pyrites, by Calcination and Fer∣mentation. Of the Green there are two sorts, the one spongy and the other solid, but with Galls all yield the same Phaenomena. Of the White likewise are two sorts, the solid and the Trichites, the solid is found sometimes in Laminae, betwixt those of the mineral Bass, or Shiver, as the Miners term it; the Trichites is an Efflorescence from the Ores in the form of Hairs, and for that reason so stiled from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies an Hair; the Ores of these are commonly Bass, and as I suppose have their Pores so configurated, as not to admit of other Salts, and with these Salts we do imagin they may be impregna∣ted from the Bowels of the Earth, by the ascending Ef∣fluvia, or by those Particles which fall from the Atmosphere, as is evident from those Stones near Hess-Cassel in Germany, which by exposing them to the Air, afford at several times a greater quantity of Vitriol than the whole substance of the Stone amounts to. The white Vitriol is frequently found mixed with Allum, which I suppose might give oc∣casion to some to make no difference betwixt those Salts; but they may easily be distinguish'd, for the vitriolic Par∣ticles will spend themselves in Efflorescences in the Air, but the alluminous remain fix'd; and then it is, and not till then, that the Allum ought to be prepar'd. Roch-Allum we have at Brindle and Houghton in Lancashire, where great quantities might be made, those Parts being most

modious of any in the Kingdom for this Business, since they may be so easily supply'd with that Sea-plant which the Arabians call'd Kali, and we in our Idiome Kolp.

Allum, as well as Vitriol, is most commonly found in Bass, and as we suppose may challenge the like production; they differ likewise in their Figure in Chrystallization, yet neither of them do at all times shoot into one and the same Figure. Here one Question of moment offers it self to our Enquiry, (viz) Whether or no green and white Vitriol be specifically different, or only differ in Colour as they are differently saturated with some Ore or Mineral: It is cer∣tain I have in the same mineral Water observ'd, both green and white Vitriol, and likewise out of the same Ore both green and white Vitriol make their Efflorescences; where∣fore it seems probable to me that these two are not specifical∣ly different, but that the one consists of a more compact and close Texture, and the other of more loose Particles: I am farther confirm'd in this Opinion, because I find that they will both turn black with Galls, and are both Emetic. The Ores of Vitriol are either Marcasite, or Bass; the Methods of making Vitriol have been before recited, both in the Philosophical Transactions, and in a Piece of Mr. Ray's; I shall not therefore transgress on the patience of my Reader.

As to marine Salts they either make their Efflorescences out of some kind of Limes, or Bass, as I have observ'd upon several Walls in Lancashire; and upon the blew Bass in Cheshire sometimes upon old Walls may be observ'd Salt∣petre, and oftentimes an alcalious fix'd Salt, which I take to be the Natron of the Ancients; and which we likewise find in some Waters in Lancashire, as in those near Town∣ley and Burnley. If the Use of this Salt was fully prose∣cuted, it would doubtless be of great Benefit, as far sur∣passing all our artificial Alcalies, if we may judge of it either by the Phaenomena observable in it, or from those Accounts which the Ancients give of it, as Hippocrates and Dios∣corides;

and Vauslebius, a modern Author, in his Account of the Plague at Grand Cairo, assures us of the wonderful Efficacy of this Salt, of which he himself was an Eye-wit∣ness; for tho' Hundreds in a Week constantly expir'd of the Plague then raging, yet so soon as the Nitre falls, which they know by the Turgidness of the Nile, and the fer∣menting and rising of the Nitre-Pits, the Sickness imme∣diately ceases. Polyd. Virgil informs us that the first Inven∣tion of Glass was by an Accident which happen'd from this Salt, (viz.) Some Merchants who had been at Nitria, a place in Egypt where it is collected in greatest quantities, taking several large pieces of Natron on board their Vessels, and having a mind to go on Shore for their Diversion, or∣der'd some Piles of it to be rais'd on the Ground, upon which they might fix their Kettles, as on Furnaces, to boil their Meat; but when the Fire grew to an intense heat, the Salt and Sand flux'd together, and ran into a transpa∣rent Glass, a Method not much unlike that which is pra∣ctic'd from the Ashes of Kali; how far therefore it might be useful upon this Account, deserves our Consideration.

Rocks of Salt of a vast thickness are frequently found in Cheshire, some of them twenty-five Yards or more thick; but whence these came, whether from the universal Cata∣strophe of the World at the Deluge, or have been since form'd in the bowels of the Earth, admits our next En∣quiry. It is observ'd that such a quantity of Water will only dissolve such a proportion of Salt, nor will the Salt after dissolution precipitate; if then we imagin these Rocks to proceed from the Deluge, we must conclude that vast Globe of Water that drown'd the World, to be more satu∣rated with Salt than any of the Brine-springs in Cheshire; and if so, the Rocks of Salt had been universal over the World. Wherefore to me the most rational Conjecture is, That upon the Rupture of the Strata of the Earth, Islands of those Salt-Rocks floated in the Flood, and so for a con∣siderable time might be tossed to and fro undissolv'd, and

in that general Confusion upon the subsiding of the Water, might settle with the rest of the Mines and Minerals, and so have continued in the Posture we find them ever since. I have before demonstrated that the Brine-springs do not proceed from the Rocks of Salt that are already discover'd, but from the Rocks that lie deeper in the Bowels of the Earth, or it may be from none at all, because the Figures of the Salt are different; I shall not therefore insist further upon that Point, but pass on to what I next propos'd; and that is to give an Account of Allum, and its various Ores.

Allum may be divided into three Classes, the Roch, the Feather'd, and the Trichites, the which is made most com∣monly from an Ash-colour'd Bass, and is frequently mix'd with white Vitriol, as may be observ'd in the Ores in Lan∣cashire and Derbyshire: The Feather'd Allum, as was noted before, is often found in reddish Marles near Thern∣ham in Lancashire. The Uses of these are so notorious, I shall not insist upon them.

The next Mineral that bears the nearest affinity to its Salts is the Downham-Diamond; these, as we hinted, are cast up by the Moles, and in those little Mountains often discover'd after showers of Rain, I have seen some of them as dazling as those from India, and would likewise for some time cut Glass, but not like those continue it. The Lear∣ned Mr. Boyle, and Seignior Bret have given us a large Ac∣count of their Formation, to whom therefore I refer my Reader; only in short I shall give you my own Conjecture, which is that I take them to be a Composition of saline and terrene Particles, perhaps not unlike those of the most refin'd Sparrs; and in this I was confirm'd by the Cal∣cination of them, in which I could discover a perfect vitriolic Taste, and found a cretaceous Matter; but this I presume is in that small proportion, and so curiously in∣terwoven with the saline Particles, that the whole Body becomes transparent, as we see in those of Glass the like Phaenomena are observable.

The next Minerals to be prosecuted are the Sulphurs, of which various kinds are observable in these Countries, as in Mines, Metals and Minerals; and these, as they are united with different Bodies, may be rang'd into several Classes: some may be call'd Vitriolic Sulphurs, because con∣sisting of oily and vitriolic Particles, and form that Body which we commonly call Brimstone, and these are observa∣ble in Coal-Mines, Mineral-Basses, Ores, Metals and Mine∣rals; others are Oleaginous Sulphurs, as the Halitus in the Burning-Well near Wigan, the Sulphur-Damps in several Mines, and the burning Turf near Halls-hall, and a Sul∣phur different from all these is observable in Lead, Copper, and the Pyrites. But to give a clear Idea of all these I shall delineate their several Effects, by which the Reader will the better judge of their constituent parts.

I shall therefore in the next place proceed to the Oily and Metallic Sulphurs: The Oily Sulphurs are easily in∣flammable, but in their burning have no smell; these are observable in the Burning-Well near Wigan, and the burn∣ing Damps in Coal-Mines, as was before hinted: sometimes these take Fire by Collision, and sometimes by Accension, as from the flames of the Candles the Miners work with, and then too often produce dismal Effects, as the blowing Men out of the Shafts, scorching them to Death, and some∣times destroying the Works. The Effects of these are as fatal as those of Lightning, and frequently present us with very odd Phaenomena, as the rending in pieces prodigious Rocks, ejecting several great Stones perpendicular, with a thousand other Disasters in the Works. From these things to me it seems plain, the wonderful Effects produc'd from Lightning upon Animals, are chiefly from their sulphureous Particles, by a total and sudden dissipation of the animal Spirits, whence necessarily follows a coagulation of the Blood, and consequently Death: Wherefore in these Cases to save the Life of the Patient, if possible, as was inserted before in the Chapter of Air, speedy bleeding in the Jugu∣lars

or Arms is to be us'd, Cupping-Glasses, volatile Alca∣lies, Friction, Epispastics, and the like, are the Methods to be taken; and not to trifle with Milk, expecting that to imbibe the Poyson, as is the common Custom.

Other Sulphurs are observable in Lead and Lead-Ores, the Effluvia of which are apt to produce Palsies, the Byon, and Consumption; in these a metallic corrosive Salt is united with the Sulphur, and so either by causing a coagulation of the Lympha, or serum of the Blood, entangles the Spi∣rits, obstructs the Lungs or Nerves, and so produces the fore-recited Distempers. The Byon is not much unlike a Quinsy, the symptoms running parallel, and no doubt but the like Method in that as in an essential Quinsy ought to be taken. The Sulphur of the Pyrites will easily fulmi∣nate with Nitre, which Pyrites is a Complex of different metallic Particles, as they are found in different Mines, as in Lead, Copper, Iron, Antimony, &c. as was before related. Sulphur is discernable in some mineral Waters by their smell, and by a Reverberation of the sulphureous Steams of hot Baths in Cupulos, native Sulphur may be collected. Sulphur by the Greeks is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because they thought in this, in those times of Heathenism, the Gods descended, and by Thunder and Lightning destroy'd the Provinces: But by modern Authors it is taken for an in∣flammable or oily Concrete from some mineral Acid, which is render'd evident in the preparation of common Brimstone, which contains both an inflammable Oyl, and an acid Spirit, and accordingly as the Acid is united with the Sulphur, the Sulphur is benign or poysonous; hence it is that com∣mon Brimstone may more safely be taken, because it con∣tains a mild Acid; but the Sulphurs of Antimony, Arsenic, and other Minerals, are poysonous because they contain more penetrating Salts, and so inflame and lacerate the Vessels.

As to Mineral Damps it is observable that they will con∣tinue upon the surface of the Water in the Mine the space

of a Month at least, in an Oval form, as the Miners assur'd me, and then frequently break; at which time, if the Miners be within the Works, they are often suffocated: I discours'd with one who had like to have perish'd by them; he told me he perceiv'd a sudden Coldness to strike to his Heart, as he term'd it, and an extraordinary sweetness in his Mouth, that he lay like a Person in a Swooning Fit, and was not sensible of either Pain or Sickness, nor could he remember any thing farther, save that he drew his Breath short as he recover'd, and was drowsy for some time afterwards. The Phaenomena seem to indicate these Damps to consist of arsenical Sulphurs, and vitriolic Effluvia, which suddenly entangle the Spirits, and so produce a Coagulation of the whole Mass of Blood, and consequently Death it self, if not speedily prevented. The way the Persons have in those Cases to save themselves, is by digging an Hole in the Earth, and lieing in it upon their Faces till such time as the Damp has spent it self; and sometimes by shooting at it, and so firing it out: One of the Men, whose Ignorance led him to Superstition, affirm'd it to be an infernal Spirit; and indeed if a Man reflect upon the Wickedness of most of the Miners, one might have too much reason to conclude that they have too great a Correspondence with such sort of Company, their Morals being inconsistent with any Re∣ligion; there is scarce a vicious Act but they are guilty of it, their Folly is as notorious as their Vice; after all their toilsom Labours for a whole Week in dismal obscure Cells, the product of all their six Days Work is generally on the seventh expended in Drunkenness and Lewdness.

Sometimes in these Mines are observable mineral Earths, by the Miners call'd Coke, and Toftan, but to me they seem a courser sort of Sparrs: These, as the Miners affirm, are unerring Indications of Lead, and when they come to those Minerals, they will pretend to tell you how far they are from Lead; but too much Confidence is not to be given to these Assertions, for I have observ'd these Minerals to be where

no Lead could ever be found; nor indeed considering the various Bodies Lead is found in, is there any reason to con∣clude these to be the preceding Characteristicks of that Metal; but these things being to be more fully consider'd in the Chapter of Metals, I shall not expatiate upon them in this, but to that refer the Reader.

The Metals in these Countries are Lead, Iron, and Cop∣per; the Metallis affinia, or Bodies betwixt Metals and Minerals, are Antimony, Black-Lead, and La∣pis Calaminaris. Lead-Ore is frequently found either in Sparrs, white Sand, (some of which is as white as the most refin'd Sugars I have seen) in the Fissures either of Lime∣stone or Free-stone, and then it runs in Veins, as the Work∣men call it: These are of different sizes, sometimes the Mine being a quarter of a Yard diameter, and the same Mine sometimes not above an Inch, and a little after the the Rock clasping together, the Vein entirely disappears, thro' which the Miners continuing to work recover the Vein of Metal as formerly; this kind of Ore is most com∣monly found in the Fissures of Lime and Free-stone. An∣other kind of Lead-Ore is found in Lumps, and that in white Sand, as in the Lead-Mines near Keswick. There are four sorts of Lead-Ore, viz. the Spar-Ore, Coke-Ore, Potter's Ore, and White Ore: The Spar and Coke-Ore are about equal Value, and are fluxed with white Wood in Furnaces for that purpose, and they usually run about a fourth or fifth; Potter's Ore will not lose above a seventh, and frequently contains a proportion of Silver; the White Ore is a natural Ceruss, and yields a greater quantity of Metal than any of the rest.

Iron Ores there are of four sorts, as the Raddle-Ore, Clay-Ore, Blue Ore, and the Button-Ore, so call'd from lit∣tle globular Protuberances that cover its superficies: The common way of fluxing these is by a large Blast with Wood-Charcoal; but I am inform'd that lately by the Cakes of Pit-Coal those Ores may be run into a malleable Iron; and

if so, the Profit in the Northern Parts will be extraordi∣nary, they having vast quantities of that Ore, and like∣wise of Coals. 'Tis most certain it is nothing but the Sul∣phur of the Pit-Coal that renders the Iron brittle, and runs it to a Regulus, but whoever understands the fluxing of Metals, may easily by Lixivials and due Preparations know how to manage that Point. In the running down of all Metals a particular care ought to be taken of the Work∣men, otherwise they will too often evaporate it, sink it into a Lithorhage, or run it down with the Cinders, by which means they have an opportunity at leisure to convert it to their own Use, and so to defraud the Proprietor: And unless this Disadvantage is prevented, tho there is a vast gainful prospect from the Mines in Lancashire, they will never answer expectation; for I my self have fluxed the same sort of Ore to a fourth of malleable Metal, whereas the Forger has only run it, as he averr'd, to a twentieth, nor would he account for any more to the Proprietor.

Copper Ores may be reduc'd to the following Classes, viz. The Azure, the Green, the Golden, and the Cinerous, or Ash-colour'd; and these are found simply of themselves, and sometimes mixed with Iron, Lead and Antimony, of which I have various Specimens, but when the Ores are so compounded they never turn to Account. The Azure might for ought I know answer all the Intents of Ultra-Marine, and in fluxing will not lose above a twentieth Part; but of this the quantity is so small, that no great Ad∣vantage can be expected from it. The Golden Ore is so call'd from the Pyrites Aureus mixed with it, which gives it that Colour: Of these there are quantities sufficient, I do think, to supply all Europe, and were the Mines rightly manag'd, we should not have any necessity to import our Copper from Sweden, which would be of vast Advantage to the Kingdom; but either the Ignorance or Fraud of the Smel∣ters is such, that the Product is in a manner destroy'd. The Method of rightly running this Metal is, by reducing

the Ore to a small Powder, and afterwards roasting it till all the Sulphur is evaporated, and then by an addition of lixivial Ashes. Nitre and Tartan, the Ore in a proper Fur∣nace will run to a fourth Part of malleable Copper; whence it is plain by the quantity of Ore got Weekly, that the Profit would be vastly considerable, but at present, for ought I can learn, they are so miserably manag'd, that they turn to no Account at all. The Green Ore is of two sorts, the Vitrio∣lic, and the Stoney: The Vitriolic will run to an half malleable, the Stoney not to a twentieth; and this may be done without either Roasting, or the Flux-powder, which in the Golden Ore cannot be effected. The Cinerous Ore must be fluxed as the Golden, and then it will run to one half malleable; and of this kind there are in Lancashire quantities sufficient.

But that the Method of Essaying Metals may be more easily apprehended, I shall in each of them set down the particular Forms, which I found most practicable; and shall in the first place begin with Iron, and so descend to the rest. The Species of Iron Ore are all enumerated be∣fore, wherefore I shall directly begin with the Process in running down that Metal, with some Experiments upon the Haematites or Blood-stone. The Furnace in which this is run down is about two Yards square, and so rises per∣pendicular a Yard or more; it is lined within with a Wall of the best Free-stone, to keep off the force of the Fire from the Walls of the Furnace; the Bellows which are large and moved by Water, enter about the middle of the Focus. The rest of the Furnace is rais'd upon this, six or seven Yards in a square or quadrangle, but tapering, so that the sides draw each other by degrees, and the top Hole or Orifice where they throw in Baskets of Stone and Fewel, is but half a Yard square; into this place they put down a Pole, to know how far it hath rested for a certain time, and when they find it to have subsided about a Yard and half, then they put in more till the Furnace is full again. There

is a sort of Iron Ore that yields an Iron that is brittle when it is cold, this abounds with too great a quantity of Sul∣phur, however it may be made a Metal malleable as any of the rest, by reducing to Powder, and roasting the Ore till the Sulphur is sublimed, then running it down with common Salt or Pot-Ashes, or the Ashes of Ferns. There is another sort of Ore they call Red-shire, that is such an Ore which yields an Iron, which if hammer'd when red-hot proves very brittle; therefore these two melted down together produce a good sort of Iron. Their Fuel is Turf and Char∣coal, and in some places Charcoal only; several trials have been made with Pit-coal, but all hitherto unsuccessful, that Fuel abounding with too great a quantity of Sulphur, by which the Metal is render'd friable; but I am apt to think if they used the Pit-coal made into Coke, that In∣conveniency might be avoided; the dusty part of the Char∣coal is useful for burning the Iron-stone; to every Basket of this burnt Stone they put in one of Brimstone, to make it melt freely, and cast the Cinders. This Mineral has a strange Effect upon Iron, as we see by the various Prepara∣tions made from it by this Body; the Rationale of which I take to be this, That the Body of the Iron is open'd by the Acid of the Sulphur, and so quits it self of the Cinder, or terrence Particles. 'Tis strange to imagin the wonder∣ful Effects Acids have upon Iron, even the least of them making an alteration in that Body; the very Acidity of a Potato, which is not distinguishable by the Palate, will make the Metal when polish'd livid, and raise a Rust or Crocus upon its Superficies; other stronger Acids make a perfect solution of it, particularly Oyl of Vitriol converts its Body into a green Chrystalline Salt, which may again be run down into malleable Iron: So wonderfully are the terreous Particles dissolv'd in Minimis, or as we express it, in Minia∣ture, that they are not to be discern'd by the naked Eye, or the best Microscopes. This Metal, if rightly prepar'd, comes nearer to a Panacea, or universal Medicine, than

any Drug yet known, and in Chronic Scorbutic Cases is doubtless as much a Specific as the Peruvian Bark in Inter∣mitting Distempers, but this by the By; I shall now pro∣ceed to other Phaenomena observable in its Fusion. In the midst of the Furnace is a Tunnel, at which they put in Charcoal, where it is kindled, then they add Ore broken into pieces about the bigness of a Pigeon's Egg, so much as they intend to melt down; then they set their Bellows at work, and continue blowing about twelve Hours, feeding it still with new Charcoal as it settles; the glassy Cinder being very liquid, is let thro' an Hole at the bottom of the Wall; the Iron is left in a Conical Hole in the midst of the Hearth, which they take out with great Tongs, then put it under heavy Hammers, moved as the Bellows by Water, whereby after several heatings, in the same Furnace it is melted in, it is beaten into Bars: About an hundred Pounds Weight of Metal is gain'd at one Melting, which is the Product of about three times as much Ore. This indeed was the ancient way of running down Iron Ore, but of late the following Method is practic'd. They have a plain and open Hearth like that of a Black-Smith, without any en∣closing Walls, excepting where the Bellows enter there is an hollow place, which they fill and heap up with Charcoal; then lay the Ore broken small round it upon the flat of the Hearth to bake, or as some express it, to Roast or Aneel, and by degrees thrust it into the hollow, where it is melt∣ed by the Blast; the glassy Scoriae run very thin, but the Metal is never in a perfect Fusion, but runs into Clods or Masses, which taken out are beaten into Bars, as before: To some of this Ore adheres a green Chrystalline Spar, which consists of ferreous, vitriolic and terrene Particles; the ferreous Particles may be discover'd by Fusion, and the vitriolic, terrene and sulphureous Particles by Calcination; by which Method you may distinguish a strong sulphure∣ous Smell, and afterwards by exposing it to the Air may di∣scern * 1.1

vitriolic Efflorescences form'd like Needles, or small Bacilli. The soft Clay Ore is reddish, and is that which we may stile Haematites, equally good as that from East-India; the Tea-Pots in London made of it, and in Staffordshire, for Art and beautiful Colour, are not behind any from China. This Ore is frequently used with success for the Murrain in Cattle, and for all Diseases in Swine, to which latter they will give an handful or two in Milk; which may sufficient∣ly hint to us of what extraordinary Use it may be in In∣flammatory Diseases, Quinsies, and Pestilential Fevers, and may in all likelihood, by a particular Composition of ferreous, saline and sulphureous Particles, far surpass all those Boles and seal'd Earths which we import from the Levant and the Indies; and may for ought I know in Chronic Cases likewise be a better Mixture to reduce the Mass of Blood to a right Crasis, than the most eminent Chymists could yet effect by their elaborate Preparations: And why may not this Ore, being open'd by a Volatile temperate Acid, answer all the Indications of the Acidulae in England? since what Phaenomena we find in the Acidulae by Galls, either as to Tincture, Precipitation, or Evaporation, may by preparing this Ore, as recited, and infusing it in com∣mon Water, be observed. These are the most remarkable things which I took notice of in this Metal, we proceed next to Copper Ores.

And here I shall give you a Process in making a small Essay to satisfy the Curious, what quantity of Copper the yellow Ore contains; it is effected in this following Me∣thod: Take twenty Penny-weight of Copper Ore, beat it in a Mortar and searce it fine, then put it into a Crucible thorowly Anneil'd; keep it constantly stirring in the Cru∣cible, placed in the Fire, with an Iron Spatula, otherwise it will run into minute Masses, and be very difficult to flux down the Metal, because the Flux-powder cannot so entire∣ly mix with the Copper Particles, so many of the Scoriae interposing: Let it thus be stirred about two Hours, or till

it be of a dark Colour, not much unlike Aethiops Mineral, and emits no sulphureous Smell at all; for if the Sulphur be not entirely burnt off, it will carry off the Metal in Fu∣sion, or at least if there be any considerable quantity of it, convert it to a perfect Regulus, and be as brittle as Glass. I have seen a Regulus run from this sort of Copper Ore, which when taken out of the Furnace after Fusion, has been hard, but brittle, yet it has by lieing in the Air moul∣der'd to a small Powder, in Colour not unlike the Pyrites, which I presume might be occasion'd by the Particles of the Air making a solution of the fixed Salt, which the Metal was run down withal, and so the Mass must necessarily be re∣duced to Powder, not unlike Coal-slates, in which by their long continuance in open Air we may observe the parallel Phaenomena. After the Ore is thus prepar'd, if it be that of Tilberthet or Cocklebeg in High-Furness in Lancashire, it will then weigh about seventeen Penny-weight and an half. After this to run down the Metal, proceed in the fol∣lowing Method: Take of Crude Tartar and Nitre each, one Ounce, powder and mix them well together, afterwards flux them in a Mortar, which is thus done. Put an Iron Spatula, or any other piece of Iron red-hot into the mix∣ture, continually stirring it till the great Emotion ceases, powder the remaining part when cool, and add to it two Penny-weight of Pit-coal beaten also to Powder; mix these with the prepared Ore, then put them all into a Crucible, place it in a Furnace armed with Bricks, with a Wall about a Foot square, and as much in perpendicular; cover the Crucible with a Plate of Iron, to reverberate the heat upon the Ore, by which means it more easily fuses; let the Bel∣lows be blown with a moderate Blast, and keep the Focus of the Furnace from suffocating with Cinder, by frequent∣ly elevating the Fire with the Spatula, or Iron Salaman∣der; in about half an Hours time, or less, the Ore will run, which may be discern'd by the violent Boyling of the Salts: Then remove the Crucible from the Furnace, and

strike it easily for some little time upon the Ground, which motion makes the Metal more readily to separate from the Scoriae. If when the Crucible is thus hot, you should im∣merse it half way in cold Water, it is diverting to observe, that this glowing Heat emits for a considerable time an actual Flame, occasion'd (as it is probable) by a Concen∣tration of the Igneous or fiery Particles: The Crucible be∣ing cool, you will find at the bottom of it about six Penny weight of Copper; so that it is evident the Ore contains betwixt a third and fourth Part of Metal. If the Metal, occasion'd by the remaining Sulphur, should prove brittle after it is thus run down, you must then run it down again in the same Furnace, by addition of some Saltpetre, and by repeating the Fusion twice or thrice, you will have a malleable Copper, or that which the Workmen call fine Copper. This is the best Method for Essaying this sort of Ore that I ever yet could learn, nor do I think it can be well effected otherwise. The reason why the Saltpetre and Tar∣tar are thus prepar'd, is this, (tho' it is not usual in other Flux-powders, because the Ore abounds with so great a quantity of Sulphur) If the Saltpetre was not thus bridled with the fix'd Salt of Tartar, it would doubtless carry a∣way the greatest part of the Metal: I have been inform'd that this Ore when prepar'd as directed above, may be run down with Flanders-Ashes; and it is very likely it may be so; to Experiment which would be highly worth the time of the Gentlemen that are concern'd in Copper Mines; for by that means they may perhaps prevent the Expence of repeated Fires, which they are at before they can reduce it to malleable Copper. These are the most remarkable Phaenomena I have observ'd in Fusion of Copper Ore, I pro∣ceed next to treat of the Fusion of Lead Ores; which is done only by roasting of the Sulphur, and afterwards in a common Furnace by running it down with white Wood.

This Ore contains a very corrosive Sulphur, insomuch that when it was Essay'd in an Iron Vessel, I have known

it corrode it quite in pieces, which Sulphur is I doubt not, the occasion of that Distemper the Smelters call the Byon. I have in some of these Mines observ'd a liquid Metal, not much unlike Quicksilver, but cannot aver it to be the same; and have frequently in Copper Mines seen small pieces of Virgin Copper malleable without Fusion; but how it came to be so, I do not determine, considering with what difficul∣ty the Metal is ravish'd from its Ore; on that Topic there∣fore I leave every Person to his own Conjecture. There is some Lead Ore which contains Silver, which after Fusion may be separated from it with Spirit of Nitre, and so both the Metals preserv'd. But let us consider farther this poysonous Sulphur of Lead, which will better be understood by the tragical and various effects which it produces, not only upon Human Kind, but upon Quadrupedes. The other Di∣stemper is by the Miners call'd the Belland, which disco∣vers it self in the following Symptoms, A continual Asthma or difficulty of Breathing seizes the Patient, with a deje∣ction of Appetite, his Complexion turns pale and yellowish; these are attended with a dry Cough and Hoarseness; swel∣ling of the Limbs and Joynts ensue, which are render'd useless. This Distemper may be taken either by working in the Lead-Mines, or by the Fumes of the Ore in smelt∣ing of it: These very Symptoms happen to Horses and other Cattle; these generally take the Distemper either by feed∣ing on the Grass where the Lead-Ore is wash'd, or by drink∣ing of that Water: In some Horses that have died of this Disease, the Ore has been found in Lumps and Masses in the Stomach. Let us now enquire into the Cause of these Distempers, since it may perhaps seem strange how an Ore without any diminution of its Substance in appearance, should so far affect the extreme Parts, as to cause them to swell, and render them useless: In prosecution of w^ch I alledge that it is probable the Sulphur of the Lead is a Substance as minute as that of Antimony in Crocus Metallorum, which we find by daily Experience will cause most violent Vomit∣ings,

without the least diminution of its Weight, why may not this Sulphur then enter the very Penetralia of the Nerves, and in those by its saline Particles produce a Corrugation, and by that means obstruct the Influence of such a proportion of Spirits as are necessary to Nutrition? Hence the Blood becomes dispirited, and performs not its due Circulation, but stagnates in various parts of the Body; the Serum becomes Effoete and Viscid, and thence proceed the Hoarseness, Asthma, weakness and swellings of the Joynts. It is probable this Distemper in the begin∣ning, before it has too far affected the Nerves, might be cured by repeated Emeticks, but after it has once advanc'd to that State, all Endeavours are vain.

In the Discovery of these Mines, I do not find that the Miners use the Virgula Divina, or the Forked and Vir∣gin Hasel, but the Ore generally discovers it self in the Fissures of Rocks; and this they follow till they break into the Bole or Trunk of it, which resembles the Trunk, and its Veins, the Boughs of a Tree. I have sometimes obser∣ved in the Center of a piece of Lime-stone, like a Frog in∣volv'd in Amber; an entire piece of Ore, without any Strings or Leaders directing to it; which brings me in the next place to consider the Formation of Ores, whether they germinate, or are the Exuviae of the Deluge.

It is affirm'd of the Iron Mines in the Duke of Florence's Country, that in 3 Years time the same Mine will be as pregnant with Ore, as it was before it was exhausted: Which Instance to luxurious Wits has afforded sufficient grounds to descant upon the Germination of Metals, even to that excess, that some fond Opiniatres who have obser∣ved the metallic Tree in a Course of Chymistry, have almost reduc'd the Metals to Vegetables; but he that considers the Fissures of the Rocks, and the closing of those again, where the Metal entirely disappears, no Strings leading to the subsequent Body, and likewise the preceding Instance in Lime-stone, together sometimes with petrify'd Plants,

Shells, Bones, and the Exuviae of Fishes, unless for the fake of being stiled an Atheist, he would be esteem'd a Philoso∣pher, he cannot conclude these to be any thing else but the Ruins of an universal Deluge; and in a serious Contem∣plation of these in those dark Recesses of Nature, the Power of the Almighty is as discernible, as in the great Lumi∣naries of the Universe. As to that Instance of the Iron Mine in the Grand Duke of Tuscany's Country, this may be said: 'Tis probable it is a soft Ore, which by the Effluvia continually ascending from the Central part of the Earth, may carry along with them metallic Particles, and con∣sequently in such a space of time fill up those Vacuities a∣gain, or the empty spaces whence the Ore was extracted; which Phaenomenon to an inconsidering Eye, might give reason to judge the Ore Vegetated. Having now discover'd the ways of Finding, Essaying, the Site and Formation of Metals, I proceed in the next place to the Methods of their Separation, and thence to the Metallis affinia, and so I shall close this Chapter.

The Separation of Metals from Ores is twofold, either by Menstruum, or the Test, which Artificers call the Couple: The Menstruum, if the Ore contains Copper, Gold or Silver, is Spirit of Nitre, Aqua fortis, or Aqua Regia, which make a solution of the metallic Particles, and by Alcalies may easily be precipitated, and then by Fusion you may judge what quantity of Metal the Ore contains. The Separation by the Test is the common Method of the Mint, and of the Silver-Smiths; which being a particular Trade, and not properly the Province of Natural History, I shall not interfere in that Business, but to those I shall refer the Curious.

Quicksilver is found sometimes, but that rarely and in small quantities; I remember once out of a Lead-Mine I saw about a Pound of Virgin Quicksilver, but never any native Cinnaber in these Parts, which is its usual Ore. Black Lead we have near Keswick, which might be got in

great quantities, but the Mines are open'd only once in seven Years, that being engrossed by the Dutch and Ger∣mans, and by them made use of in glazing Earthen Ware, and in making their Melting-pots, but I presume they make a farther Use of it, in mixing it with Metals, which is not yet communicated to us; but by mixing this with Red-Lead, I have seen it run upon an Earth near Haigh, a Glass scarce discernible from Tortoise. The Lapis Calami∣naris is sometimes found in the Copper Mines, and made use of in converting Copper into Brass, and is likewise us'd in the Dysentery, which being a strong Alcaly, by imbi∣bing the Acid, may be a Specific in that Distemper. I ha∣ving now accounted for the most remarkable Phaenomena in Metals and Metallis affinia, I shall in the next place, according to my intended Method, proceed to give an Ac∣count of Vegetables remarkable in these Countries, and their various Operations.

CHAP. V.

Of Plants, the various Species of Marine, Amphibious, Sea Plants, and their Vegetations illustrated; of Plants peculiar to the Counties; of the Physical and Poysonous Plants, with a Rationale of their Effects; Fossile Plants examined, and demonstrated from various Observations, that they are but Lusus Naturae.

THE Learned and Indefatigable Mr. Ray has discours'd with that accuracy and fullness of these, that there is little room left to enlarge upon this Subject; wherefore what I shall offer in this Chapter shall be chiefly about their Germination, and some particular Phaenomena which I have observ'd in some of them. Their Virtues and Classes being before by that incomparable Man so fully explain'd, that to touch upon those wou'd be but to Copy him, and wou'd be indeed superfluous.

In some of the Alga's or Sea-Oaks I have observ'd various Capsulae impleted with a pellucid Gelly, and in those an in∣finite Number of globular Grains, which I cannot imagin but to be their Seed; wherefore it seems probable to me, that when those Capsulae are come to their full Maturity, as in those of a foetus, there is a Disruption of their Membranes, then that chrystalline Humour, (so I call it because it so nearly resembles that of the Eye) with the Seeds is excluded; the Tast of it is a little Mucilaginous and somewhat Saline, which Phaenomena demonstrate it to be a proper ferment to propagate the Germination of those Plants: I am far∣ther confirm'd in this Opinion, because upon the Rocks where these Plants grow, I have frequently seen this kind of chrystalline Humour, and out of that, various kinds of Alga's or Sea-Oaks germinating, first sprouting with two small Leaves, and afterwards successively form'd into the whole figure of the Plant. What therefore the ancient Botanists, and some of our modern Ones have alledged of these, asserting them to be amphibious Plants, only pro∣duced without Seed, if we fully consider the above-recited Phaenomena I think may fairly be judg'd an Error. I can only speak experimentally as to the Alga, but for the Seeds of the Corals, Corallines, Mosses, Spunges, Alcyoneas, I will not be obliged so strictly to account for.

Coralline we have in these parts in great quantities, and it is almost noted to any vulgar Eye for its eminent Vir∣tues in killing Worms; and I think it may be prefer'd to any other Alcaly, it being a composition of marine and al∣calious Particles, and by that means answering two Inten∣tions; and by reason of its safeness, in giving of which there can be no mistake in the Dose, it may challenge a greater Fame than Mercurius Dulcis, which by being given either in too great a quantity, or not being rightly sublimed, has sometimes produced most dismal Effects; wherefore the Person who meddles with this ought to know the right Dose for the Years, and particular Constitution of the Pa∣tient,

and likewise be rightly satisfy'd that the Medicine is true, for I am certain no one Remedy is so commonly adulte∣rated; so that he who prescribes it, not only runs the risk of his Reputation, but hazards likewise the Life of his Patient: by mistaking this I saw Two Persons Poison'd beyond re∣covery; which Instance I think may sufficiently caution us when, and how to prescribe it, and that Ladies, Nurses, and Apothecaries, and wise Women, who are not compe∣tent Judges whether it is rightly, or not rightly prepared, may not hereafter attempt to give it so liberally as they have done.

Spunges we frequently find thrown upon the Shores, but I do not remember that I ever saw them growing. Corals we have not any, but Mosses and Alcyonia of various sorts. The Alga Saccarifera is frequently found upon these Coasts, and by hanging in the Air it will yield repeated Efflore∣scences of a white Sugar, as sweet as any prepar'd from the Sugar-Canes; it is not for the present of any known use, but perhaps by Experiments which may easily be made upon it, succeeding Ages may farther inform us; how∣ever I can only add this, that the quantity of Sugar that may be had from one of these Alga's is very considera∣ble. There are other kinds of Alga's which the Inhabi∣tants commonly call Mermaids Purses, of these there are Two sorts, the Black and the Yellow: I do not remember any One to have given an account of these, nor can I in∣form my self to what Species they belong, having never yet seen them growing, and I only found them scatter'd on the Sea-shores. The Sea-Grapes may likewise be observ'd on these Coasts; and these I think are the most remarkable of Amphibious Plants in these parts.

The perfect Marine Plants are not very numerous, but the following are common enough, Eringo, Soldanella, Buck∣thorn, Plantain, Sea-Colewort, Spurge, Squills, Sea-Purslain, Sedum Minimum, Sea-Spurge, Thrift Marsh-Pinks, Rock Samphire, Marsh Samphire, Horned Poppy Flore Luteo,

Sea-Scurvy-grass, Serpillum, Carduus Mariae, Verbena, Rocket, Absinthium Abrotani Folio, or Sea-Wormwood. The Eringo is of frequent use in Scorbutic and Consumptive cases, and makes a most pleasant Ale by infusion. Solda∣nella is commonly used in Hydropic Cases, and often with success; nor have I observ'd it to be so rough an Hydragogue as some Botanists have pretended. Squills that grow here are not used, but I see no reason why they may not answer all the ends of the other. Serpillum is a Plant often success∣fully made use of in Catarrhs, and in the Fluor Albus. Rock Samphire makes a most delicate Pickle, and may be ranged in the first Class amongst Anti-scorbuticks. Sea-Worm∣wood is a Plant of extraordinary Virtues, yielding an Aro∣matic Oyl, a volatile and fixed Salt, and is of great use in Hysteric, Hypocondriac, and Hydropic Cases. Carduus Mariae in Pleuritic Cases may be styl'd amongst the first; and no doubt but the Juice of it taken in inflammatory Di∣stempers may be of great use. Marsh Samphire has a Tast perfectly Saline, makes an agreeable Pickle, and doubtless helps Digestion. These Plants may be counted Specifics for the Distempers incident to those Coasts, which if duly consider'd, give us pregnant reason to admire the Goodness of Him that made them. The amphibious Plants are not of use in Physick, but their Ashes are serviceable to Glass∣makers, and spread upon Ground make very good Tillage. Some have pretended that in dulcifying Sea-Water these have been made use of; and it may be the Mucilage of these Plants may bridle the Sulphureous part of the Salt, which makes the Water unhealthful, but however this me∣thod can never be serviceable at Sea, nor is there any ne∣cessity for it.

Having now dispatch'd the amphibious and perfect ma∣rine Plants, I shall in the next place proceed to the Inland Plants of these Countries; but shall not give an account of each particular Plant, but only of those that are esteem'd rare. The Vaccinia Nubis, or Cloud-berries, are found upon

Pendle-Hill in Lancashire, a Fruit of a pleasant Tast, and a good Anti-scorbutic. The Lilly of the Valley is in many of our Woods, and is a noted Sternutatory. Herba Paris is in many places, and is an eminent Counter-poyson. An∣drosaemum grows frequently about our Mosses, a most ex∣cellent Balsamic and Vulnerary. Nummularia grows in many of our Mosses, a Balsamic. Ros Solis is very com∣mon, carries a pellucid Mucilage, in which I presume con∣sist its Vertues in Atrophies; and no doubt were these fully enquired into, they might give reason to enlarge farther upon its Qualities, for where there is a necessity to bridle an Acid, as there is in most chronic and acute Distempers, this may doubtless be a proper Vehicle to entangle those Salts; be∣sides which it yields a volatile Oyl and Salt, which suffici∣ently correct Acids. The Services we have growing in great quantities upon the Rocks near Rougham, which yield a delicious Acid. The Dwarf Cynorhoidon grows in great plenty, the Conserve of its Fruit is a good Anti∣scorbutic, and of great use in Consumptive cases. Scolo∣pendrium grows frequently upon the Rocks. Ophioglossum or Adder's-Tongue grows near some of our Meers, as Mar∣tin-Meer. Calamus Aromaticus grows in several places: as Osmund Royal frequently upon the Morasses, the Root of which is of great use in the Worms, Rickets, and Consump∣tions; and I think I may aver that I was the first that in that Case prescribed it. Virga Aurea grows upon the Sea Coasts in Furness. A particular kind of Scurvy-grass grows upon the Rocks near Castleton in Derbyshire, more acrid and pungent than any I have observ'd, and has a small Leaf, exactly resembling that call'd the Danish Scurvy-grass. The fresh Water Plants in these parts are common with most others, therefore I shall not insist upon them. Lunaria is in some places, but very rare; Origanum is common, Moun∣tain Sage and Buckbane are likewise so; and I think a∣mongst the Vegetables they may be esteem'd Two of the best Anti-scorbutics, either in infusion or decoction. Rocamboes

grow in the Meadows near Preston, and make an agreeable Sawce. The Dutch Myrtle or Gale is common upon the Mosses. Erica or Cypress-Heath is common in these parts, and of great use in Hydropic cases. Telephium is in plenty, and useful in curing the Piles. We have the Filipendula Aquatica, as likewise Solanum Lethale, Sphondylium, Hy∣oscyamos, and other Herbs of poysonous qualities. The Viscus Corilinus is common, but I have not observ'd the Quercinus, but either of them will answer in the Cases di∣rected for: These by the Ingenious Mr. Ray are supposed to Vegetate from a Seed devour'd by some Birds, which in their Bowels receives a Fermentation, and by a Mucus which is injected with it adheres to the Tree, and so by the imbib'd ferment begins its Germination.

An Instance not much unlike this Tavernier gives us of the growing of Nutmegs in East-India, which he affirms are swallow'd by the Birds of Paradise, which by intoxicating them, urge them to vomit them up again; then by a fer∣ment which adheres to the Nutmegs, ejected from the Sto∣machs of the Birds, they begin to germinate, and cannot any otherwise be propagated: But this by some is looked upon only as a Stratagem of the Dutch to keep the world in Ignorance, they having engross'd all the Nutmeg-Islands; and to divert others from attempting the planting of them. Tavernier is positive in the Instance, so that what he lays down whether true or not I shall not pretend to determine; but if it be so, it fairly illustrates the other Instance.

The Lady-slipper we have in several of our Woods, and the Geranium Robertianum, which is of extraordinary use in scrophulous Cases, either in Powder or Decoction. Spa∣tula foetida grows in some parts, but very rare. Lamium album grows in several places, and is a good Anti-strumatic. Dulcamara grows very common, and is an Anti-scorbutic, good in the Jaundice and Dropsies; the Bark of it is used, and that in infusion. Upon the Draining of Martin-Meer several unusual Plants were observable, never be∣fore

seen in these Parts, particularly a kind of Grass which grows to a prodigious length, and is as sweet as Liquorice; this in a very short time fattens Sheep and other Cattle, and makes them very delicious Food, but then they must be slaughter'd out of it when thorowly fatten'd, otherwise they are apt to grow rotten and dye: Which Distemper (by what I can observe in the Dissection of those Creatures) is nothing but an Anasarca, or Dropsy of the whole Body; and in these we have the fairest opportunity of discovering the Lymphatic Vessels, which if thorowly known both as to their Uses and Rise, would bring Matters in Physick very near to a Demonstration, and in Hydropic Cases might save the Lives of several Persons, by having a clear Idea of the Cause of that Distemper in those Creatures. Ery∣simum we have in these Parts, and it is of use in Asthma's, Consumptions and Dropsies. Feverfew grows common, a noted Anticsteric and Diuretic. White Hoare-hound likewise, and is an excellent Pectoral. Scabios is plenti∣ful, and Tragopogon or Goats-beard, of great use in Con∣sumptive Cases. Centaury and Celandine are very common, and are used in the Jaundice and Intermitting Distempers. Asarum grows in several places, and likewise Arum or Wake Robin, its Water is an Antiscorbutick, and the Roots are used in Distempers of the Stomach, and the Pica Vir∣ginis. Enula Campana is very common, as likewise Bistort, Echiums, and Buglosses; we have both the Hispidum and Glabrum, and Hieracia of several sorts, particularly the Lactescens, which deserves our strict Enquiry into its Ver∣tues, of which the Botanists have not taken notice. Wa∣ter-Plantain grows common, and is much used in Arthritic Cases; we have likewise the Plantago Rotundi-folio; other Plantains are common, which in the Autumnal Season are apt to collect a white Powder from the Air, about which time Intermitting Distempers are generally Epidemical: This Powder has no peculiar Taste, I have given it to Dogs and Cats, but never found any Effects from it. Ebulum or

Dwarf-Elder grows in several places, and is of great use in Hydropic Cases. There are several other Plants in these Counties, but these being the most remarkable for their Vertues in Physick, I have only given an Account of them for the benefit of the Inhabitants of these parts, the other are already describ'd at large by the incomparable Dr. Mor∣rison, Mr. Ray, Dr. Plackenet, Dr. Sloane, Dr. Robinson, and Mr. Dale; wherefore for a full and entire satisfaction in those Matters, to those eminent and learn'd Authors refer the Reader.

As to fossile Plants, Dr. Woodward in his Essay towards an universal Natural History, seems not to give a more probable Conjecture of a total dissolution of the Strata of the Earth at the universal Deluge, than by the Observa∣tions he has made upon Plants discover'd in Rocks: But since this Hypothesis labours under so many unanswerable Difficulties, I cannot till more pregnant Proofs are produc'd, adhere to it; nor can we reasonably suppose a dissolution of the Strata of the Earth, and yet conceive these to be kept entire: That very Instance in Coal-Mines is a demon∣stration against it. To these I shall add another Instance, I have now by me of a stony Substance of the exact resem∣blance and magnitude of a Cockle-shell, found many Yards in Stone, yet much lighter than any Cockle-shell of the same bigness; which could never be perform'd by specifick Gra∣vitation, as the Dr. alledges. In the next place to imagin a dissolution of most solid Rocks, and Bodies of more ob∣durate substance, this surely must be effected by some pe∣culiar Menstruum, distinct from Water; and why then in the Name of common Reason should not Plants run the same risque? That Menstruum that could make so severe an Impression, and disunite those compact Bodies, would certainly have easily reduc'd Plants to ruin. That there was a Disruption of the Strata of the Earth, is but reason∣able to allow, and likewise that various Bodies floated in that general Inundation; but that these Plants are any

Argument for a Dissolution, or that they were the Exuviae of the Deluge, is in the next place to be consider'd. In the Rocks in these Parts are only found Polypody, Wall-Rue, Scolopendrium, or Leaves of Thorns; doubtless other Plants as well as these would have occur'd to our Observa∣tion, had these been deposited here by Noah's Deluge. A∣gain, these Leaves are never found doubled, which certain∣ly in so dismal a Confusion as the Deluge was, would have happen'd had they here been deposited in that general Ca∣tastrophe. My Sentiment of the whole is this, (That as it is observable in Chymistry that the Salts of some Plants will di∣varicate themselves into the figure of the Plants) that these representations of Plants in Rocks are nothing but diffe∣rent Concretions of saline, bituminous and terrene Parti∣cles; and I am farther confirm'd in this Hypothesis, since they, as well as the Capsulae they are found in, seldom fail to afford us that mixture. Various Specimens we have of these in Rocks in these Counties, in one particularly near Ormskirk in Lancashire, in which Scolopendrium may be seen exactly delineated: This was communicated to me by Mr. William Barton Apothecary in that Town, and is as I remember in some Rocks near Latham, belonging to the R^t Hon^ble William Earl of Derby, to whom I am in∣finitely oblig'd for the Honour done me, in having had the Honour to be frequently Physician to his Lordship, and to that unparallel'd Youth, his Son, the R^t Hon^ble Iames L^d Strange. There are other Rocks in which may be observ'd Leaves of Thorns, as in some Rocks near Heesham, and in the Coal-Pits near Burnley in Lancashire. These are all the reputed Plants that I have found remarkable in these Parts.

Having now fairly illustrated it to be highly improbable, that these Plants shou'd be the Exuviae of the Deluge, but rather Concretions of Matter, or the Disports of Nature, it may perhaps be expected by some, that I shou'd give an account of the different Opinions concerning the Uni∣versality of the Deluge, as well in respect of the Terre∣strial

Globe, as of the total Destruction of all its Inhabitants. I shall therefore give you a Scheme of the most principal amongst them: The first is of the Iews, who extend the Universality of the Deluge, not only to all the Terrestrial Creatures, but the Fish they say, were suffocated by the Heat of the Rains, and Waters which broke out of the deep Fountains of the Earth. There are others also a∣mongst the Jews, who deny this Universality of the De∣luge, not only to all terrestrial Creatures, but pretend that besides the Eight Persons included in the Ark, Og the King of Basan was preserv'd. But to these I reply, that whoever considers those prodigious Mountains of marine Shells, in Ireland, Virginia, the East and West-Indies, cannot but conclude that they were deposited there by the Deluge; and then considering the height of the Mountains, and the vast remoteness of the Places, one from another, that the Deluge must be Universal also: But this particular is fully discours'd of in a preceding Chapter. The third Opinion re∣lating to a Deluge is that of the Scholasticks, who are of Opinion that Enoch, who they say at that time liv'd in Paradise, was not involv'd in the Deluge: But since the holy Writ is silent in that matter, and that neither the Aegyptian, Chaldee, Hebrew, or Greek Versions of the Old Testament take any notice of that Opinion, I cannot but conclude it erroneous and unwarrantable. There was a fourth Opinion of the Jews, who maintain, that not only a few Persons, but whole Nations never felt the Effects of this great Inundation, but that the Jews only, and other Inhabitants in Palestine perish'd in it; but what has been said in answer to the preceding Opinion may serve for this. There was a fifth Rank, who affirm'd that there was a total Destruction of Mankind at the Deluge, yet so as that the whole Terrestrial Globe was not overwhelm'd by the Waters; which Opinion is founded on two other Hypo∣theses, viz. That at the time of the Flood the Earth remain'd for the greatest part desolate and without Inhabitants,

and that all the Waters in the Universe were not sufficient to cause so general a Deluge: Abraham Mylius pretends to demonstrate, that if all the Waters of the Universe had been sent down upon the Earth, they could not have cover'd the tops of the highest Mountains. Isaac Vossius approves of both these Hypotheses, but since from the vast Beds of marine Shells even upon the tops of the highest Mountains, it is undeniably evident that the highest Moun∣tains were cover'd; it thence follows that the Deluge must be universal, and that Mylius and Vossius are both mistaken. The sixth and last are those that have chosen the truest O∣pinion, and maintain that the Deluge was universal, both in respect to the Terrestrial Globe, and its Inhabitants; be∣cause the Motive that induc'd God was universal; God com∣plains that the Imaginations of mens hearts were only evil continually; his Threats likewise were universal, I will de∣stroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and every creeping thing, and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. Hence therefore it is evident from the holy Scriptures, and from the Phaenomena in Natural History, that there was a Deluge, and that this Deluge was universal too; wherefore I cannot but admire that the great St. Austin should be so far mistaken, as to affirm that there were not the least foot-steps of the Deluge, either in the Greek or Latin Writers, since the contrary is so clearly demonstrated by Hugo Grotius.

I shall now in the last place lay down some Hypotheses concerning the Qualities in Plants, and so close this Chap∣ter, and by drawing a Parallel betwixt Chymical Prepara∣tions, and the Qualities in Physical Herbs, endeavour to give a Rationale of their Effects. But this having in a great measure been attempted by Pechlinius, Wedelius, Sr. Iohn Floyer, and others, I shall but briefly treat upon that Head, and that in the following Method: First, By giving an account of Emetics, and the Rationale of their Quali∣ties; afterwards of Cathartic or Purgative Plants, Anti∣scorbutics,

Balsamics, Diuretics, Antistrumatics, Stoma∣chics, Cardiacs, Anti-hydropics, Anticterics, Antepilep∣tics, Restringents, Opiates, Paragorics, Alexipharmacs. The Emetic Plants are only two, Squills and Asarum, and both are of a bitter and nauseous Tast: first therefore we shall enquire into the Cause of the Bitterness in these, and then how that becomes Emetical. Bitterness consists in rigid, pungent and inflexible Particles, pointed upon terrene ones; hence the Points, by their continual Irritations, contract the Fibres of the Stomach, and still pressing it by their In∣flexibility, at length they throw it into Convulsions, and so become Emetical, or Vomiting: Thus we see in a solution of Silver in Spirit of Nitre that the Points of the corroding Spirit being sheathed in the metallic Particles, it not only becomes extremely bitter, but likewise Emetical; the like may be observ'd by pouring Spirit of Nitre upon the Lapis Calaminaris: and doubtless thus it is that the Leaves of Asarum are so famous an Errhine, and of so great use in inveterate Head-achs, viz. Their acrid saline Particles continually pressing the Glands of the Nostrils, force them to discharge that acrid Serum, which occasions that Distemper.

The most noted Cathartics are Buckthorn, Monks Rhubarb, Elder, Damask Roses, Iris, Soldanella, Spurge, Mezereon. Buckthorn is extremely bitter, and affords an Oyl and a pun∣gent Spirit, neither of which are bitter, or in the least Purgative; whence it seems evident to me, that its bitter∣ness and Purging quality consist in its saline Particles be∣ing strictly united with terrene ones, and so by that means contracting the Fibres of the Bowels, they become purga∣tive. Roses, Iris, and the rest are likewise bitter, but they all differ in their Pungency. Mezereon, Spurge and Iris are both Emetic and Cathartic, which sometimes not only cauterize the Coates of the Stomach, but the Skin it self, if externally apply'd: No doubt but by due Corrections these might be made most noble Medicines, and the likeliest

Method to effect this (as far as I can conjecture) would be by obtunding their saline Particles by the Lapis Calamina∣ris, or some such Alcaly; or if their Vertues consist in an acrid Alcaly, a proper Acid might be thought on; and I think it would be highly worth our while to make strict Enquiries into these Matters, that being the likeliest Me∣thod to bring us to a Certainty in the Practice of Physick. Before I close this Head I shall only offer two Experiments, and then proceed: The first is concerning Aloes, which by being infus'd in Spirit of Wine loses its Purgative quality, but yet retains its Bitterness; the second is con∣cerning a solution of Aloes, which being injected into the Veins of a Dog, will inevitably purge him: From which Observations naturally arises this Question, Whether Ca∣thartics effect their ends in the first passages, or by working Elective in the Mass of Blood, as the Physicians stile it? I affirm the former, and to the first Experiment make this reply; The volatile, acrid, saline Particles in the Aloes be∣ing dissolv'd by the Spirit of Wine, it must of necessity (for the Reasons before alledg'd) be depriv'd of its purga∣tive quality, yet so as still to retain its Bitterness, because it is probable some saline Particles are so inveloped with the oily and terrene ones, that a separation is not easily made, perhaps not without Distillation or Calcination; so that the Aloes in some measure may retain its Bitterness, yet be depriv'd of its purging quality. To the second I re∣ply thus, A solution of Aloes being injected into the Mass of Blood, it is most probable its Particles are again sepa∣rated from the Blood, by the conglomerate Glands of the Bowels; it is not therefore that they work Elective in the Mass of Blood, but by their contracting of the Bowels upon their separation: for it is undeniably evident, that several Purges will operate before they could possibly be suppos'd to have mixt with the Mass of Blood.

In the next place Anti-scorbutics may be said to be either Bitters, Acrids, or Nitrous Plants: The Bitters are La∣pathum

acutum, Mountain-sage and Water-Trefoil, and these all afford an Oyl, and acid Spirit, and a fixt alcalious Salt, but the Salt in the greatest proportion, next to that the Oyl, and then the Spirit; hence it is that these Herbs, by their saline and oily Particles attenuating the Serum of the Blood, coagulated by its Acids, restore it to its due Circu∣lation, and are for that reason of great use in Anti-scor∣butic Cases. The Acrids are the Cresses, Asarum, Scurvy∣grass, and Radishes, and do all of them afford Oyls, and volatile alcalious Salts, wherefore for the Reasons before alledg'd they may properly be stiled Anti-scorbutics. The Nitrous are the Aparine, Vetches, Ground-Ivy and Nettles, these all yield a volatile, nitrous, essential Salt, as may be seen in the freezing of their depurated Juices; and hence it is that by tempering and diluting the bilious Particles in the Blood, they allay those Scorbutic heats, and are of great use in violent Bleeding, particularly Ground-Ivy, which by its saline Particles, not only deterses and quits the Breast from an oppressive Phlegm, but likewise by its Bal∣samics, consolidates. Balsamics do all of them afford tere∣binthinate Oyls, and the chief amongst these are St. Iohn's∣wort, Herb Robert, Tutsal and Pennywort. Diuretics are generally Anti-scorbutics, and those being treated of be∣fore, I shall not enlarge farther on that Head. Cardiacs are either mild Acids that temper too volatile a Bile, which continually irritates the Spirits, as in several Fevers, and of this sort are Wood-sorrel, Berberries, Rasberries, and the like: or those that yield volatile Aromatic Oyls, and so disentangle the Spirits, strugling in a Viscid Serum, and of this sort are Butter-bur, Angelico, Eringo, Balm, and the like. Antistrumatics are Whitlow-grass, Herb Robert, stinking Gladdon, and Dropwort, and no doubt but they effect their Ends by terebinthinate Particles, since most of them emit Effluvia of that Nature, which doubtless cor∣rect the Acid, that make the Gland scrophulous, by coa∣gulating the Lympha, as may be observ'd in scrophulous

Glands. Anti-hydropics, as Alteratives, are in the Class of Anti-scorbutics. Stomachics for the most part being Bit∣ters, I shall not enlarge further on them. Anticterics consist of volatile acrid Particles, which attenuate a foeculent Bile, and the chief of these are Celandine, Pilewort, and Madder. Pectorals are Maiden-hairs, Ferns, and Bitters, the two first are Nitrous. Opiates and Paregorics are the white and red Poppies, and Cowslips, but how these bridle the impetuous Tumults of the Spirits shall be accounted for in its proper place.

Poeony & Misleto are Antepileptics, and I am apt to think that it is by a Mucilage, which contains a volatile alcali∣ous Salt, that they are of use in that Case, (viz.) by the innate Heat of the Stomach and Bowels the Salt sub∣limes from the Mucilage, and is there immediately im∣bibed by the Extremities of the Nerves; and hence they become of use in Convulsive Cases; whereas other volatile Salts are spent before they can reach the Nerves. Restrin∣gents are all of them either of a mucilaginous or austere Taste, as Comfry, Horse-tail, Sloes, &c. The one by sheathing the Acid, which makes a Disruption of the Vessels, and the other by austere vitriolic Particles pursuing them up, no doubt, effect their Ends.

The poysonous Plants, it is plain, consist sometimes of saline, corroding, acrimonious Particles, such as inflame, and sometimes sphacelate the Stomach, and contract the Branch∣es of the Par vagum, and then produce Tremors and Convul∣sions, as is evident in the Dissection of those Creatures that have been poyson'd with these Herbs: Of this sort are the Cicuta aquatica, Ranunculus flammeus, Solanum lethale, A∣conitum hyemale, &c. Some poysonous Plants are of a Narcotic Quality, as Poppy and Henbane, these are of a bitter Taste, and no doubt contain a volatile acrid Salt, which by fixing its points upon the Fibrillae of the Brain, and the Extremities of the Nerves occasions a Corrugation in them, and by that means hinders a Separation of the

animal Spirits from the Mass of Blood, and consequently their Dispensation into the various parts of the Body: Hence they being taken in too great a quantity become poy∣sonous: Lettice likewise, Melons and Cucumbers, consist∣ing of a mucilaginous Water, doubtless entangle the ani∣mal Spirits, and hinder their Expansion; hence by being too liberally taken, the whole Oeconomy of the Body is disorder'd, the Spirits receding like the Sun-beams, which being screen'd by thick interposing Clouds leave all in Darkness.

An Appendix to the Chapter of PLANTS.

HAving compleated my Hypothesis concerning the Ve∣getation of Sea-Plants, I shall in the next place propose some Conjectures about the Vegetation of River and Land-Plants, and give an account of the Experiments on all sides, and add some Trials, which I proved my self, and amongst the rest offer my own Sentiments. The most ma∣terial Hypotheses relating to this Topic are reduc'd to Two, the one asserting that Vegetation is from Earth, the other from Water only; A Suffragan to the latter is the L^d Bacon, Nat. Hist. Cent. 5. Par. 411. Where he asserts,

That for Nourishment of Vegetables Water is all in all, that the Earth only keeps the Plant upright, and guards it from too great Heat or Cold.

Others in this Hypothesis are more positive, as the Hon^ble Mr. Boyle, Helmont, and his Followers; these back their Assertions with the two sub∣sequent Experiments, the first is that concerning Mint, and several other Plants, which prosper and thrive greatly in Water; the other which you have in the Sceptical Chymist, writ by Mr. Boyle, is as follows:

Take a certain quantity of Earth, bake it in an Oven, then weigh it, and having included it in an Earthen Pot well water'd, make choice of some fit Plant, as a Pompion, which being first carefully weigh'd and set in it, there let it grow, continuing to

water it till it is much advanced in Bigness; then take it up, and tho' the Bulk and Weight of the Plant be much greater than at first, yet the Earth will be found little or no∣thing diminished in Weight; therefore it may be concluded that it is not the Earth, but Water that Nourishes, and is converted into the Substance of the Plant.

Thus far like∣wise proceeds the ingenious Dr. Woodward, but had the Dr. given us a full account of his Sentiments on those Au∣thors, he might likewise have observed that they not only took Plants, and put them in the Earth prepared as he re∣cites it, but likewise the Seeds of Cucumbers and Pompions, which acquired their due Magnitude, and yet the Earth was not diminished in Weight; these Experiments indeed con∣sidering the minuteness of the Seeds of those Fruits, with the largeness of their Size when grown to perfection, and yet no decrease of the Earth, might give them very pregnant Reasons for their Conjectures, but these I shall examine in their place. The other Hypothesis is that of the Ancients, which Dr. Woodward asserts, for the confirmation of which the Dr. has offer'd the following Experiments.

Common Spear-Mint was set in spring Water, the Plant weighed when put in Iuly 20^th just 27 Grains, when taken forth October 5^th 42 Gr. so that in the space of 79 Days it had gained in Weight 15 Gr. the whole Water expended during the 79 Days amounted to 2558 Gr. and consequently the Weight of the Water taken up, was 170 8/••5 as much as the Plant had got in Weight. Com∣mon Spear-Mint was set in Rain-Water, the Mint weigh∣ed when put in 28 Gr. ¼ when taken out Gr. 45 ¼ having gained in 79 Days Gr. ½, the Dispendium of the Water Gr. 3004, which was 171 23/35 as much as the Plant had re∣ceived in Weight. Common Spear-Mint was set in Thames Water, the Plant when put in weighed Gr. 28, when taken forth Gr. 54, so that in 77 Days it had gained 26 Gr. the Water expended amounted to Gr. 2493

which was 92 21/26 times as much as the additional weight of the Mint. Solanum or Night-shade was set in Spring-Water, the Plant weighed when put in Gr. 49, when taken out 106, having gained in 77 Days 57 Gr. the Water expended during the said time was 3708 Gr. which was 65 3/7 times as much as the Augment of the Plant; this Specimen had se∣veral Buds upon it when first set in the Water, these in some Days became fair, and Flowers, which were at length succeeded by Berries. Lathyris, Sea-Cataputia Gerhardi was set in spring Water, it weighed when put in Gr. 98, when taken forth Gr. 101 ••••••, the additional Weight for this whole 77 Days being Gr. 3 〈…〉〈…〉 the Quantity of Water spent upon it during the Time was Gr. 2501, which is 714 4/7 times as much as the Plant was augmented. It is to be noted that the Orifices of these Glasses were covered with Parchment, perforated with an Hole, adapted to the Stem of the Plant. Mint was set in Hyde-Parke Conduit Water, which weighed when put in 127 Gr. when taken forth 255 Gr. the whole Quantity of Water expended upon this Plant amounted to 14190 Gr. the Plant had run up two Foot in height and had shot one considerable colla∣teral Branch, to the Fibrillae of the Roots adhered a ter∣restial Matter. Mint was set in Hyde-Parke Conduit Water, in which was dissolved an Ounce and half of com∣mon Garden-Earth, the Mint weighed when put in 76 Gr. when taken out 244 Gr. Water expended was Gr. 10731. Mint was set in Hyde-Parke Water with the same Quantity of Garden-mould as the former, the Mint weighed when put in 92 Gr. when taken out 376 Gr. the Water expended was 14950 Gr. the Earth in both these Glasses was very sensibly and considerably wasted, it left a green Substance here as above. Mint was set in Hyde-Park Water distilled off in a great Still, the Mint weighed when put in 114 Gr. when taken out 155 Gr. Water dispended was 8803 Gr. this Plant was pretty kind∣ly, had two small collateral Branches and several Roots,

with terrestrial Matter adhereing to them, the Water was pretty thick, had many and numerous terrestrial Par∣ticles swimming in it, and some Sediment at the bottom of the Glass, this Glass had none of the green Matter a∣bovemention'd in it; the residue of the Water remaining in the Still was very turbid, high colour'd and reddish, like ordinary Beer; the Mint weighed when put into this Wa∣ter 31 Gr. Water expended 4344 Gr. This Plant was very lively, and had sent out six collateral Branches, and seve∣ral Roots. I took Hyde-Park Conduit Water, in which was dissolv'd a Dram of Nitre, the Mint set in this sud∣denly began to wither and decay, and died in a few days, as likewise did two more Sprigs that were set in it succes∣sively. In another Glass I dissolv'd an Ounce of Garden∣mould, and a Dram of Nitre, and in a third half an Ounce of Wood-Ashes and a Dram of Nitre, but the Plants in these succeeded no better than in the former. In other Glasses were dissolv'd several sorts of Earths, Clays, Marles, and variety of Manures; Mint was set in distill'd Waters, and other Experiments I made of several kinds, in order to get Light and Information, what hastned or re∣tarded, what promoted and impeded Vegetation, but these do not belong to the Head that I am now upon. In Hyde-Park Conduit Water I fix'd a glass Tube about 10 Inches long, the Bore about one sixth of an Inch in diameter, fill'd with very fine and white Sand, which I kept from falling down out of the Tube into the Vial, by tying a thin piece of Silk over that end of the Tube which was downwards, upon the Immersion of the lower end of it the Water by little and little ascended to the upper O∣rifice of the Tube, and yet in all the 56 Days it stood thus, a very inconsiderable quantity of Water had gone off, viz. scarce 20 Grains, tho' the Sand continued moist to the very top to the last; the Water imparted a green Tincture to the Sand quite to the top of the Tube, and in the Vial it had precipitated a greenish Sediment mix'd with black,

to the bottom and sides of the Tube, as far as it was im∣mers'd in Water, adher'd pretty much of the green Sub∣stance describ'd above.

From these Experiments the Dr. draws these Corollaries, That Earth, and not Water, is the Matter that constitutes Vegetables, that Improvements by Nitrons, and Alcali∣zates, are only by the saline Particles attenuating the earth∣ly ones, and preparing them to be carried up by the Water, and dispos'd of into the substance of the Plant; that Water serves only as a Vehicle to the terrestrial Matter which forms Vegetables, and does not it self make any addition to them.

Now, if I mistake not, if we must make Earth a meer simple Body, and that to be the Matter only that is con∣verted into the substance of the Plant, this Hypothesis will labour under more Difficulties than the former, if (accord∣ing to the Doctor's Notion) the saline Particles contribute no farther than in preparing this Mould; for we may un∣doubtedly assure our selves, that the Manchinello in the West-Indies, that irresistable and deceiving Poyson, must needs consist of more Bodies than Earth alone, otherwise how comes its Fruit to be so fatal, that not only the Eat∣ing of it is present Death, but the very eating of the Crea∣tures that have fed upon it produces the same Effect; nay even the drops of Rain that fall from its Leaves are of so poysonous a Nature, as to blister and inflame the Skin: Here doubtless is more than a bare Contexture of Earth, and without question the most corroding, sulphureous and penetrating Particles we can have any Idea of. Besides, were Vegetation from Earth alone, I cannot see how one Plant could be distinguish'd from another; wherefore to me it seems rational to infer, That the Body which the Dr. calls Earth, consists of as many different Bodies as that which the Chymists call Water; so that from either of these two Bodies simply consider'd as such, it is equally absurd to derive Vegetation; but these two Bodies do indisputably con∣sist

of variety of Corpuscles, e. g. Saline, Terrene, Aerial, and Bituminous, and as the Vessels in Plants by their vari∣ous Orifices and Contextures, admit of different proporti∣ons of these, so accordingly the Plant is differently mo∣dify'd, and from their different digestions and proportions receives its Form, Colour, Substance and Virtues. And by this Hypothesis we may account for Plants physical, poysonous, fragrant, foetid, and of other kinds; hence Ia∣lop and Scamony a sort of Spurge in the West-Indies, by their resinous saline Particles, become purgative, and if taken in too large quantities, poysonous; the same may be affirm'd of Laureola, Aloes, Spurge, Senna and Agaric: It is manifest from the Dissection of those Creatures to which Night-shade, Nux Vomica, Calculus Indicus, and Water-Hemlock are given, that the Poysons of these con∣sist in acrimonious, saline Particles, corroding and inflaming the Stomach, of which the learned Wafer gives us various Instances; others by exalted Sulphurs quit from saline Particles, doubtless become Fragrant, Aromatic and Cor∣dial, being by their size and figure (which we presume to be Spherical) the more readily adapted to assist the animal Spirits by their activity. When these Sulphurs become pointed with Salts, 'tis most likely that the Plant becomes foetid and unpleasant, as the stinking Garden Orach, and Herb Robert: I might likewise account for the Heat, Bli∣sterings, and other qualities of Herbs, but those being in part done before, and not properly within the Verge of this Undertaking, I shall not recapitulate, but to the ingenious Sr. Iohn Floyer of Lichfield on that Head refer the Curious, in whose Works they may find variety of Experiments on those Subjects.

I must confess that the Experiments which Dr. Woodward has made relating to Vegetation, are exact as well as learn∣ed, he having besides the dispendium of the Water in so many Days, fully demonstrated the Plant to have gain'd a considerable Weight, which he affirms to have been from

Earth; but then (as I affirm'd before) the question is, what he calls Earth; for if by that he means a pure simple Ele∣ment, viz. a Body consisting only of one size and figure, then (from what has been hinted before) it is as absurd to deduce Vegetation from that, as from Water. I shall only beg leave to add an Experiment or two, and so conclude: I took the Seeds of Nymphaea or Water-Lilly when full ripe, and put them in glass Vials, in which they continued twelve Months, I added fresh Water to them as the other evaporated; the Seeds at the bottom of both Vials stood erect, and emitted a pellucid Mucilage, which stood in op∣posite Globules near the upper end of the Seed; the Water deposited a great deal of green and earthy Matter, but the Seed never vegetated or sprouted at all, tho' this be a Wa∣ter Plant. From this Experiment it is evident, that be∣sides Earth and Water barely consider'd as such, other Bo∣dies are necessary to the Vegetation of various Plants, and probably to this a fat sulphureous Ouze, in which it usually grows, and has Roots of an immense Magnitude, some I have seen as thick as the Thigh of a Man, which were ta∣ken out of the Pond at Tabley in Cheshire, when it was drein'd, where the remaining Earth or Mud, which was black and foetid, was wholly over-spread with them. This Instance, I think, may fairly serve to illustrate the Hypo∣thesis that I have laid down concerning the Vegetation of Plants.

To these may be added those extraordinary Improve∣ments made by Chandlers Ashes, consisting of oily and sa∣line Particles, as likewise the Impost of Malpighius, pre∣pared with an Infusion of Sheep's Dung, Pigeon's Dung, and a small quantity of Nitre; of which I saw an Instance the last Year at Edgecroft in Lancashire, by which from a fourth part of Seed, in the most barren part of the Field, I saw a very luxuriant Crop: It might do well for our Gentry (who inhabit their Country Seats) and Husbandmen thorowly to consider this, since the right application of it

to a proper Soil, may be of so great Advantage; and who knows what this, even in the most cold and barren Ground, may effect, which hitherto for the greatest part hath lain useless; but besides what is here offer'd, their Interest may be a more inciting Argument to induce them to Tryals of this Nature.

But can there be had a more ample Demonstration of this Hypothesis, than even from Water and Earth themselves? How common is it to observe Earth, by being long pent up, to emit sulphureous Effluvia? Hence we have foetid Smells by opening of Ditches and Sluces, and hence pro∣bably it is, that in Consumptive cases, from plowed Grounds that have for a considerable time been Pasture, many per∣sons have received Benefit, which must assuredly proceed from sulphureous benign Particles loosen'd from their Cells, and convey'd to the Mass of Blood, which by their activity obtund the saline Particles that make the Coagulum, and in short prevent the putrifaction, which brings on a Phthisis or Consumption. And as to Water, nothing is more com∣mon, than it to grow nauseously foetid by long keeping, which Phaenomenon sufficiently evinces the Existence of sulphureous Particles in that Element; besides, some sul∣phureous Waters in four Days by being close stopt, be∣come extremely foetid as St. Ann's at Buxton in Derbyshire, which expos'd to open Air, alters not at all, nor has the least ungrateful smell: The reason is, because those sulphu∣reous Effluvia which have spent themselves in a free Air, are now forc'd by their confinement, to unite with saline Particles, and thence by their Points grate upon the Organ, and are foetid and offensive.

It is likewise to be observ'd, that if these sulphureous Particles are pent up in any Aquaeduct, that then by their Collision upon one another, they become excessive hot; hence it is that the hot Baths at Aix la Chappel, in the Bishop of Leige's Country are caused, by retarding the hot Spring with a Stoppel, and in a little time after by

giving it Vent the Waters are render'd very hot, and even too intense to be endur'd. This Instance farther confirms our Hypothesis concerning the Heat in Baths, and by this Phaenomenon it is evident, that if the same Essay was put in practice at Buxton, the Bath there might be brought to any degree of Heat, and at the same time likewise they might have temperate Baths to answer the variety of Cases and Constitutions, and by that means acquire an advantage above any Baths yet discover'd. Thus I have made it evi∣dent how compounded those Bodies are which we common∣ly stile Earth and Water, nor can I see any reason to assign either of them as the principles of Vegetation barely con∣sider'd as such.

CHAP. VI.

Of Subterraneous Skeletons, Petrify'd Shells, Subterrane∣ous Shells, and Formed Stones.

A Midst all the Mazes and Recesses of Nature, none are more common or more amazing than these follow∣ing Phaenomena: Near Chippin in Lancashire, 20 Fathom in Lime-stone Rock, I have seen Cockles, Muscles, and the Pectinites, all of a perfect flinty Substance. In High-Fur∣ness in the same County I have observ'd, as to their out∣ward appearances, the Bones and Fins of Fishes, and some∣times Bones of a Gigantic Magnitude, and those of a sparry Substance, which may be reduc'd to the Fluor Alabastrites; I have likewise seen the Glossopetrae or Crow-Bills, and those invested with an hard flinty Film, the Matter contain'd therein being a black hard Stone. Upon these Phaenomena it is that Dr. Woodward supposes them to be the Exuviae of those Creatures at the Deluge, and deposited in those Rocks by specific Gravitation; for he takes it for granted, that there was a total dissolution of the Strata of the Earth, and that the whole Globe was but one continued

Fluid, and that in variety of Temperatures, and in some Balsamic mixtures these Shells, Fins, Fishes and Bones, have been embalm'd ever since that terrible Catastrophe. A Notion (could it be maintain'd) as wonderful for the profound Respect it bears to the Truth of Moses's History of the Deluge, as to Static Philosophy: But since the De∣luge has been before fully demonstrated from other Phae∣nomena observable in the Earth, and that against this Hy∣pothesis there are so many concluding Arguments, I shall in the first place to clear this Head, enquire into the Nature of these Petrifactions, and reduce them to their different Species, and then lay down some Arguments to convince the World, that they are not the Exuviae of those Animals.

As to the Testaceous Petrifactions, they are either the Cockle, Muscle, Oyster, or Pectinites; the three first are of a Flinty substance, of the Pectinites there are two sorts, the one is Flinty, and the other is the Pyrites Aureus, or golden Marcasite; I have likewise observ'd in that substance representations of Fibulae or Buttons, these may be ob∣serv'd in the Copper Mines in High-Furness; the Glossope∣trae are found in some Mines in Wales and Derbyshire, and of those there are three sorts, the one resembling the Bill of a Crow, another that of a Lapwing, and a third the Bill of a Perr, a small Bird very common upon the Sea-Coasts: These were given me by my worthy Friend and Relation Peter Legh of Booths in the County of Cheshire, Esq

We therefore come in the next place to lay down some Arguments, why these Bodies could not be the Exuviae of Animals at the Deluge; for had these been the Exuviae of Fowls, Fishes, and other Creatures, how is it possible but that other Shells, and Beaks of other Fowls, as well as of these, might sometime or other have been discover'd in these Rocks; but since no others are found, it seems pro∣bable to me that they are but what I formerly alledg'd, the Disports of Nature. In some Marbles gotten near Holker

in Lancashire, I have seen the exact shape of a Man, and that in six Inches compass. In some Mines in Derbyshire I have seen a Substance bearing exactly the similitude of a Man's Tooth, and that as big as a Child's Head, to which was annex'd an Head which would have contain'd several Measures, and the Limbs proportionable. In Pools-Hole there is the resemblance of a Lyon, a dead Man, a Chair, and a Flitch of Bacon; yet no Man (I suppose) will assert these to be Exuviae, or the Chair one of the Houshold goods of the Antediluvians, no more than the foremention'd Cloak-Buttons the Appendices of their Apparel. In other Mines I have observ'd the resemblances of Skrews, Stars, Feathers, Bones, and Shells, and all in the same Stratum: Now, I say, considering all these together, unless we will conclude the rest petrify'd, as well as the Shells, there is no necessity to assert the former, but that they may equally be different Modifications of Matter.

Once in an Earth that came from East-India, I saw the the perfect shape of Cockles of several sizes, where there were not the least signs of any Shell, or any Petrifaction at all; it was a brownish soft Earth, and indifferently friable; It was communicated to me by Mr. Edward Ent, Son to Sr. George Ent, and formerly of Balliol-College in Oxford. I have feen great variety of Petrifactions, perform'd by the Sea-Water it self, at Hagy Bar Hills in Lancashire: The Marle there shelves downwards, and several sorts of Pebbles are included in various Capsulae; this Marle is converted by the Sea-Water into a firm Grit, or Free-stone, in some pieces of which we find Shells of Sea-Snails embalmed, and those not in the least petrify'd. Consider we then this Pe∣trifaction of Earth, and tho' the Shell is often very mi∣nute and tender, yet it still retains its Identic Body; I say, if we reflect on this, it is not so easy to imagin (as some conceive) that after the Deluge the Petrifaction of Shells ensued with such facility; for in a multitude of Instances, here the Earth only, not the Shells have undergone that

This Marle, I presume, may be petrify'd after this follow∣ing manner, viz. Let us allow Marle to be a substance apt to dissolve in Water, it is probable then that the Sea-water by frequently overflowing it, in tract of time makes a so∣lution of its Particles, and in their room deposites white gritty Particles, with which even clear Sea-Water much abounds, which is demonstrable in the Evaporation of that Water into a granulated Salt, at which time vast quanti∣ties of Grit are collected in the corners of the Boylers; but the Particles of this Grit are so minute, that till they concrete into Moleculae, they are not discoverable either by Microscopes, or by the nicest Filtration: These then be∣ing amassed together by the motion of the Sea-Water, are wedg'd and riveted so close, as at last to form a perfect Free-stone; some large Columns there are of these, on which the Country People hang their Wooden Gates, and serve instead of Posts, others seem exactly to resemble Persons standing in old decayed Hats. From which Phaenomena it is demonstrable, that there may be perfect shapes of marine Shells, Bones, Plants, and Beaks of Birds in some Earths, and yet not the Exuviae of those Creatures.

I must confess the most compleat Collection of these (I do believe) in the World is in the Custody of Dr. Wood∣ward, and could I receive a satisfactory Answer to the Ar∣guments above recited, I would willingly adhere to his Hypothesis; but since they amount to no more than a Con∣jecture, and that those Phaenomena may be otherwise sol∣ved, and indeed that there are so many convincing Reasons to the contrary, I am forc'd to deviate from an Hypothesis, which I could wish were true: The divine Splendor of such an Undertaking, as well as the irresistible Charms of his Stile, almost commanding an assent to it. 'Tis true, what Mr. Robinson has reply'd to the Dr. carries not the air of an Orator and Philosopher, his Language for the most part being grating, particularly those unaccountable Terms of the Miners themselves; but since Truth walks

naked, and needs not the Embellishments of Eloquence to set her forth, I must needs own, that what he relates in his Observations of the lying of the Strata in several Mines, is true and exact; and tho' Dikes, Riders and Leaders, with several other Idioms, may look rather like a piece of Magic than Philosophy, yet surely the things signify'd by these, are observable in all the Mines which I ever yet saw.

But amidst all the Disports of Nature, there is none more remarkable occurs than that which I saw among the many and choice Curiosities of my Honoured Friend Mr. Henry Prescot of Chester, Deputy-Register of the Eccle∣siastical Court there. The Figure is as follows: There are six Calvae, or Skulls, contain'd in a Shell, with the repre∣sentation of Hats upon them, included one within another, with the Brims cock'd up; on the back-side of the Head are four rhomboidal Figures, an Ellipsis with an Ecliptic Line, and the Parallels upon a Globe, and branching from those the Vertebrae and Medulla Spinalis. If therefore the Dr. will still pertinaciously affirm that those representations of Plants, Bones and Shells in Rocks, were the Exuviae of real ones, deposited there by specific Gravity, and embalm∣ed ever since the universal Deluge, he may with the same parity of Reason alledge these to have been the Heads of the Antediluvian Patriarchs. From the Phaenomenon laid down we may now without great difficulty account for those representations of Shells, Bones, Fins of Fishes, and Plants, observable in Rocks and Quarreis, and may easily be convinc'd, that to solve these there is no necessity to suppose an universal dissolution of the Globe of the Earth at the Deluge, but indeed are Arguments conclusive to the contrary; wherefore to these I shall only add one general Remark, and so close this Head. Can it be imagin'd that in that general Destruction there should be such a Men∣struum, or universal Dissolvent in Nature, that should con∣vert all the Strata of the Earth, Mines, Minerals and Me∣tals into a liquid Form, and yet some few Shells, Bones and

Plants remain undissolved, which are of a much softer Texture, and as we find by repeated Experiments, far more easy to be dissolved? He, I say, that can averr this, cannot fairly tax a Rosicrucian with Enthusiasm, nor justly blame the Adeptist for his extravagant Notions re∣lating to the Alchahest, that Chymical universal Dissolvent, which he himself does not believe, yet would so far impose upon the World as to have others to do so; but for this the Dr. has promis'd to account in his general History of the World.

Having now dispatch'd this Point, I shall in the next place proceed to real Shells, Skeletons, and Fins of Fishes, which are sometimes found under Ground, and from those deduce some Corollaries. The subterraneous Skeletons ob∣servable in these Parts are only two, the one an human Body found in the Morasses of the Meales, and the other a Skeleton of a Buck, found erect in Ellel near Lancaster; both which being mention'd in a preceding Chapter, I shall not enlarge further upon them.

As to subterraneous Shells they are frequently found in Marle-Pits, about four Yards deep in solid Marle, and often in places remote from the Sea. These marine Shells are of various sorts, as Whilkes, Periwincles, Cockles, Muscles, Torculars, and the Echini Marini, and of these I have se∣veral Specimens in my Custody.

I consider next the formed Stones, and those are the Bufonites, the Belemnites, and the Ophites or Cornu Am∣monis, so denominated from the figure of a Serpent, or the Horn of a Ram. The Bufonites I have seen in Marle near Preston in Lancashire; the Belemnites in a Free-stone Rock near Stockport in Cheshire, in which Rock likewise are ob∣servable several small Pebbles, that lie frequently in black Capsulae, and as I have been inform'd by the Masons, some∣times a living Toad has been found in Free-stone Rock, in the like Cista or Cavity, which doubtless must be lodg'd there in this following manner: It is to be presum'd that

the Ovum of some Toad was brought thither by a Spring or Vein leading to that Cavity, for Springs are very often discern'd in Free-stone Rocks, ouzing thorow their Pores; now it cannot be imagin'd that it was lodg'd there ever since the Deluge, which must necessarily follow, unless we allow the recited Hypothesis. Of the Lapis Serpenta∣rius there are two sorts, the one bears the Image of a Viper wreath'd up in spiral Lines, and that I have seen in the Copper Slates in Furness in Lancashire; the other the shape of a Serpent at length, and this was found in a Free-stone Rock at Haigh in Lancashire, and communicated to me by that learned Lady, the Lady Guise.

As to the Shells remarkable in these Parts, they are either the large Sea-Cockle, in which I never yet saw Fish, the Navel Shells, the Turbo, the Echinites, the large Wilkes or Periwinckles; these are cast upon the Sea-Coasts in great numbers; there is likewise another Shell which resembles the Scabbard of a Sword, and by the Sea-men commonly call'd the Sword-Fish; the Echinites has several little Hairs that grow thro' small Orifices, but I could never discover a Fish in any of these, which that I should not, has often caus'd my wonder: I imagin therefore that they are brought from a great distance to the Shore, by the violence of Storms, and that the Fishes in those turbid Commotions quit their Shells. Of the Pectinites there are various sorts, and those variegated sometimes with red parallel Circles, some∣times they are smooth, sometimes they have little Protu∣berances upon their superficies, as has likewise the large Sea-Cockle.

Let us now come to that grand Enquiry of the learned Steno, (viz.) Whether or no Rocks were at first a Fluid, and by subsidence of terrene gross Particles form'd into that substance? The clearing of this point will depend upon the Phaenomena observable in them, and those are chiefly Flints, and a kind of Pebbles that will run into a Glass: Now it is most evident that these are of a Nature very different from

that of the Rock, and have likewise never in any Age been observ'd to germinate; we may hence reasonably allow that Rocks were first fluid, and that different kinds of Fluids did then precipitate by specific Gravity, that eternal stan∣dard communicated to them from the first formation of Bodies, which doubtless did in a great measure depend upon the Magnitude and Number of their Pores, and ac∣cording to those variously subsided: Conformable to these Phaenomena is Moses's History of the Creation, where in the first Chapter of Genesis he tells us, that the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and that the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. But these last Words are more aptly expressed by Iunius and Tremellius, those two great Masters of the He∣brew Language, who from the Hebrew Text translate it not Movebat, but Spiritus Dei incubabat superficiei aqua∣rum, that is, the spirit of God brooded upon the face of the waters; a Metaphor taken from a Fowl hatching her young ones. The Explication of which Text further evinces, that at the Creation, before any thing was reduc'd to form, this Globe was an immense Liquid, consisting of all sorts of Particles. Hence not only from Phaenomena in Nature, but likewise from Divine Writ it is evident that these prodigious Mountains were the subsidence of a Fluid; wherefore how rugged soever these may appear to the Eye, yet even these, if we pry into their innermost Recesses, undeniably evidence the Power of Nature, and the Exist∣ence of an omnipotent Being; so that tho' there was not an universal dissolution of their Strata at the Deluge, as was before manifested, yet to account for the various Phae∣nomena observable in those Mountains, it is certain that they must once have been fluid Bodies, and successively in∣durated into these hard Consistences by their own Gravity, and the Heat and Salts of the ambient Air, upon the re∣ceding of the Waters, as Moses clearly evinces in the same Chapter, where God said, Let the waters under the hea∣vens

be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so, and the evening and the morn∣ing were the first day. Which brings me to a small Digres∣sion, in enquiring what in those Antediluvian Ages was meant by a Day, an Hour, or a Year.

The Latin word Hora has been judg'd by some to be de∣riv'd from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to limit or bound, because it is the measure of Time, so in Mathe∣thematics comes the word Horizon, because that termi∣nates the sight; but Macrobius and Pausanias both alledge that its original is owing to the Aegyptians, because the Sun in their Language was stiled Horum; the Septuagint In∣terpreters would have it indifferently to express a short space of time, hence in St. Luke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used for Sup∣per-time; some are of Opinion that Hours anciently sig∣nify'd the four Seasons of the Year, hence the Greek An∣nals call'd them their Hori, and their Writers Horographici; some there are that think the Greeks call'd that part of Time an Hour wherein the Dog-star arises, hence Galen in his Book De Alimentis, calls those Horean Fruits which spring up at that time wherein the Dog-star arose; In ge∣neral by an Hour the Ancients have signify'd an Age, and by the twelfth Hour Old Age, as some would have it, hence in that Dialogue of Marcus Crassus and the K. of Galatia, comes that Expression, What Man, says he, art not thou now arrived at the twelfth Hour, and yet talkest of build∣ing a new City? but I am apt to think this might rather be Metaphorically spoken, because in the computation of Time for the greatest part, so many Hours terminate the artificial Day; it might therefore not unaptly be compar'd to the Period of Old Age. Herodotus relates that the Gre∣cians from the Aegyptians receiv'd the use of the Pole, the Gnomon, and the twelve parts of the Day, and the origi∣nal of that Use among the Aegyptians was because their Priests in those Days were accustomed twelve times a Day to make a noise to their Cynocephalus; and Cicero takes

notice of such a Ceremony to Serapis, from which it seems clear that an Hour in those Days was the same as now in the computation of Time; and that Dial of Ahaz, where the Miracle was wrought of the Sun's going back ten Degrees, seems to confirm that the Iews in those days computed Time in the like manner, for all Interpreters agree those Degrees were the Indices of such parts of the Day; and the descri∣ption that Pancirollus gives us of an Instrument amongst the ancient Romans, farther evinces the truth of this Hy∣pothesis:

They took (says he) a Vessel made of Glass, in the bottom of which was a narrow Hole done about with Gold, lest the Water should wear it away; on the other part of the Vessel was drawn a right Line, having the 12 Hours set upon it; after which they filled the Vessel with Wa∣ter, which issued drop by drop out of the little Hole; they thrust a Cork into the Water fastned to a little Wand, the end of which pointed at the first Hour, and as the Water decreased at the second and third Hour, and so on; this the Greeks call'd Clepsydra.

From all which, both from the Practice of the Iews, Aegyptians, Greeks and Ro∣mans, it is most probable that the Antediluvians computed Time as we do now, and that Noah very likely transmitted those Instructions down to his Posterity.

The next thing therefore to be consider'd is to illustrate what is meant by Days: Days by all Nations are divided into two kinds, the one natural, the other artificial, the one consisting of twelve, the other of twenty-four Hours; having therefore fully explain'd what the Ancients meant by Hours, I need not farther to insist upon this Point. I shall then proceed to explain what is meant by a Year: The word Annus, or Year, in the three ancient Languages is deriv'd from a thing that turns round, or a Circle, for so much the Hebrew word does signify 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; hence the Aegyp∣tians represented the Year by a Snake biting its Tail, but whether a Lunar or Solar Year is meant by the Patriarchs, is next to be consider'd. The Turks and Arabians use

the Lunar Year, and the same Custom is observed in Tar∣tary, Siam, Iapan, Peru, and in other Places; but Kepler al∣ledges that the Iews after their departure out of Aegypt used only the Solar Year,

The Patriarchs, says he, used the Aegyptian Year of 365 Days, and divided them into 12 Months; and it is certain the Jewish Year, until the Gre∣cian Monarchy, was wholly Solar, that all their Months, save the last, consisted of 30 Days;

and Iosephus writes that there was no Innovation in their Rites as to their Year, wherefore from the afore-recited Authorities, and likewise from the Iewish and Aegyptian Hieroglyphical representati∣ons of a Year, it is highly reasonable to conclude, that the Years spoken of by the Patriarchs were Solar Years, or 12 Months, in which the Sun perfects its Course in the Zodiac: So that what some have offer'd to prove an Hour or Month to be a Year amongst the Ancients, is groundless, and is only a metaphorical Allusion to a Custom very frequent in the Eastern Countries.

To conclude, from all the recited Phaenomena, if we will but appeal to our Senses, it is evident that Moses's Narrative of the Deluge is not only the most true, but the most compleat; I cannot therefore but admire at the Theo∣rist, and Mr. Whiston, who affirm that before the Deluge there were no Mountains: In the first place the Argu∣ments they offer are no way conclusive, but barely Hypo∣thetical, a meer begging of the Question; they have in∣deed supply'd us with polite Schemes, and witty Allegories, and where they do not by dint of Reason convince us, like Sirens, by their Wit they charm us: but it is not Paint that can long preserve the Features, after that is once dis∣cover'd, the Face appears more deform'd; I can no more think the World before the Deluge was form'd like an Egg, or that there were no Mountains, or that upon the breach of the Shell the Waters gush'd out and overwhelm'd the Globe, than I can espouse that wild Notion of the Philoso∣pher, who fancy'd himself an Egg, and dreaded lest the

Heavens should fall and destroy him: What Moses has de∣liver'd upon that Subject exactly quadrates with Nature, and from his History it is very clear, that there were Mountains before the Flood; in the seventh Chapter of Genesis he says, the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered; fifteen cubits upwards did the wa∣ters prevail, and the mountains were covered. Whence it is plain that before the Deluge there were Mountains, other∣wise how could they be cover'd; he may as well reconcile the contradiction of a Man covering his Head with his Hat, when he had none upon his Shoulders, and the one Absur∣dity is as easily defended as the other. In the same Chap∣ter that inspir'd Philosopher very clearly conveys to us the beginning, progress, and conclusion of the Deluge, all which throughly consider'd, one would think, to any unbiass'd Person are Arguments too plain and convincing to be ob∣viated; for let us take him barely and literally as an Histo∣rian, where he acquaints us, that the fountains of the great deep were broken open, the windows or the clouds of hea∣ven poured down their waters, for it rained forty Days and forty Nights. What can we imagin those Fountains to be but the Freshes separated by the Earth from the Sea, which upon those Convulsions of the Earth, when it was broken open, issued forth upon its surface? And then that great fall of Waters from the Clouds, which doubtless incessant∣ly and vehemently pour'd down Night and Day, joyning with them, might easily cause that general Inundation. To those that alledge the deficiency of the Waters to ac∣complish so universal a Flood, let us by plain Text and Demonstration answer; in the first Chapter of Genesis, when the earth was without form and void, then darkness was upon the face of the deep, which plainly shews (as was asserted before) that this Globe was a meer immense Li∣quid, for the Earth surely would have had a Form, tho' Darkness had been upon it, had it then been separated from

the Waters, but upon their subsidence dry Land appeared, and received a Form; wherefore then by a very reasonable Consequence could not that Power, that made the first great separation of Fluids from Solids, once again cover all with Fluids? or why could not the same proportionate quantity of Liquids, that could dilute such a Mass of So∣lids, once again overwhelm them? but where was then the necessity of a total dissolution of all the Strata of the Earth at the Deluge? or why must all again return to its primitive Chaos without form? Besides the Evidence of all the recited Phaenomena, Moses very readily clears that difficulty, for Chap. 7. he tells us, that the Ark was lift∣ed up above the Earth, that all the high hills and mountains were covered; which lifting or floating of the Ark above the Earth, and covering of the Hills and Mountains, seems to be very dissonant to a Dissolution; not but that a strange Catastrophe occur'd to the superficies of the Earth, by the resistless motions of the Waters, which gave so many evidences of their Power and Universality at that time: Again, Chap. 8. The waters returned from off the earth, not separated as at the Creation, and again that they de∣creased continually, till the tops of the mountains were seen. Upon the whole I can see no reason why any should so elaborately endeavour to answer Difficulties, where none present themselves, and that by so quaint a Method, as to amuse the Reader by starting greater.

Having now from Observations in Nature and Divine History, given an account of the Deluge, that we may form some Idea of it, I thought it not inconsistent with my Design, to insert the following Phaenomenon. About three Years ago near Hyde in Cheshire happen'd an unusual Flood, which overwhelm'd the Banks of the River, and violently broke in at the Eye of a Coal-Pit, the Water in its impetuous Current thro' the hollows forc'd the Air be∣fore it, which when pent up in the Extremities of those Passages, by its Elasticity divided a solid Rock at least 20

Yards perpendicular; the Water over the greatest part of the Field appear'd in large Columns, not much unlike the Spouts in Africa; when having spent its force, the Rock clos'd again, and all over the Field were to be seen various pieces of Coal scatter'd. Hence we may imagin when all the Springs of the Deep were broken up, and the Clouds pour'd down their Waters in continued Cataracts for forty Days and Nights, in so strange a Convulsion, I say, from the recited Phaenomenon, we may form some inadequate Idea, how that terrible Destruction was accomplish'd.

And since we are treating of Floods, I think it a pardon∣able Digression, if I give an account of a Spout seen by my Brother within these two Years, in his Voyage to Vir∣ginia. The figure of it (as he affirms) was like a Spire-Steeple inverted, and hung for a considerable time from the Clouds to the surface of the Sea; it afterwards divided, and then the Sea was in a most violent Commotion, which was observ'd by the flowering of the Water, as he stiled it; the lower Pillar hung for a considerable time upon the sur∣face of the Water, but at length vanished, the upper part from the Clouds remain'd longer. His Conjecture is, that the Spout was not a Column of Water that ascended out of the Sea, but a Cloud only that hung down to the surface of the Water, and he gives these Reasons for it, first, be∣cause the upper part of the Pillar continued much longer than the lower part, after its division: in the second place, before the Spout appear'd the Air was extreamly dark, and by that the Sea-men predicted the appearance of a Spout. What former accounts we have of Spouts in Authors, are different from this, whether therefore there may be various sorts of Spouts, I shall not determine, as being forreign to this Undertaking.

Dampier confirms this Account, by the Description which he gives us of a Spout in his first Volume, pag. 451. he says,

It is a small ragged piece or part of a Cloud, hang∣ing down about a Yard seemingly from the blackest part

thereof; commonly it hangs down sloping from thence, or sometimes appearing with a small bending, or elbow in the middle; I never saw any hang perpendicularly down. It is small at the lower end, seeming no bigger than ones Arm, but it is fuller towards the Cloud from whence it proceeds. When the surface of the Water begins to work, you shall see the Sea for about 100 Paces in cir∣cumference foam and move gently round, till the whir∣ling Motion encreases, and then it flies upward in a Pil∣lar about 100 Paces in compass at the bottom, but lessen∣ing gradually upwards to the smallness of the Spout it self, there where it reacheth the lower end of the Spout, thro' which the rising Sea-Water seems to be convey'd into the Clouds; this visibly appears by the Clouds en∣creasing in bulk and blackness, then you shall presently see the Cloud drive along, altho' before it seem'd to be without any Motion, the Spout also keeping the same course with the Cloud, and still sucking up Water as it goes along, and they make a Wind as they go: thus it con∣tinues for the space of half an Hour, more or less, until the sucking is spent, and then breaking off, all the Water which was below the Spout, or pendulous piece of Cloud, falls down again into the Sea, making a great noise with its fall and clashing Motion in the Sea.

Pag. 452. he adds farther,

'One Capt. Records of London, bound for the Coasts of Guinea, in a Ship of 300 Tuns, and 16 Guns, call'd the Blessing; when he came into the Latitude of 7 or 8 Degrees North, he saw several Spouts, one of which came directly towards the Ship, and he having no Wind to get out of the way of the Spout, made ready to receive it, by furling his Sails; it came on very swift, and broke a little before it reach'd the Ship, making a great noise, and raising the Sea round it, as if a great House, or some such thing had been cast into the Sea. The fury of the Wind still lasted, and took the Ship on the Starboard-Bow with such violence, that it snapt off the Boltsprit and

Fore-Mast both at once, and blew the Ship all along, ready to over-set it; but the Ship did presently right a∣gain, and the Wind whirling round, took the Ship a se∣cond time with the like fury as before, but on the con∣trary side, and was again like to over-set her the other way; the Mizen-Mast felt the fury of the second Blast, and was snapt short off, as the Fore-Mast and Boltsprit had been before; it came on very swift, making a great noise, and raising the Sea round it, as if a great House, or some such thing had been cast into the Sea.

From these In∣stances it is undeniably evident, that a Spout is rather a Cloud, than a Pillar of Water, rising in a pyramidal form out of the Sea, as some affirm in their Voyages upon the Coasts of Africa, or such a Column of Water occasion'd by a Commotion in the subterraneous Abyss, as Dr Woodward in his Philosophical Essay alledges.

To these I will only add an Instance or two more, which might easily slip an undiscerning Eye, and tho' the Obser∣vation to some may seem trivial, yet I doubt not but the Matter when rightly consider'd, carries weight along with it, and may justly challenge our Enquiry. I have in some Parts several Leagues from the Ocean, two Yards within Marle, seen Stones of a considerable magnitude most exact∣ly divided, yet adapted to that height of Symmetry, and nice proportion of Parts when join'd, that no Tallies, nor the most curiously divided Bodies, could more exactly close their Fissures, and in an horizontal Line betwixt these 8 or 10 Yards of Marle interposing: Considering therefore that those Stones in all probability were originally but one, the distance betwixt them and their depth in the Marle, it must surely be most consonant to Reason to conclude that they were only split, not dissolved in that unaccountable hurry at the Deluge, and embalm'd there to perpetuate its Veracity; betwixt these are often to be found marine Shells, which sufficiently evidences this Hypothesis. Nor have we those Disports only of Shells and fossile Plants, in Bo∣dies

that are impregnated with Spar, Alabaster, Bitumen, and the Pyrites, but likewise other Phaenomena of the like Nature, particularly at the Kennel-Pits at Haigh in Lan∣cashire, in several Slates of which I have seen long parallel Cylinders join'd together, and running in direct Lines, im∣printed in solid Stone, twice the length of a Man's Finger, and the breadth or more of his Hand; an evident Demon∣stration that this firm Substance must originally be a Fluid, which allowed, it will be no difficulty to account for the various representations of Shells and Vegetables: These were first communicated to me by that honoured and learn∣ed Lady, the Lady Guise, Mother to the present Lady Bradshaw of Haigh.

But farther to demonstrate that Solids were originally Fluids, a more convincing Instance cannot be produc'd than in the Stone call'd Buphthalmos, or Ox-Eye, so stiled from the analogy it bears to that Organ: In this there is a Pebble of a sable Colour, included in an Alabaster Spar, and the Spar so strictly adheres to the surface of the Pebble, without the least unevenness, and composes so exactly a Con∣vex figure like that of an Eye, that it is impossible they should come into that shape, but as the Chymists term it, In statu fluoris: These are found on the Sea-Coasts in Lan∣cashire, and Wirehal in Cheshire.

CHAP. VII.

Of Fishes.

THE Curious here have a large Field of Philosophy to range in, since both the Seas and Rivers in these Counties present us almost with an infinite variety of these Creatures: I shall not expatiate upon each particular Spe∣cies of Fishes, but only take notice of the most remark∣able, which have occur'd to my Observation, in the Seas, Rivers, Ponds and Meers.

The Seas frequently afford us Seales, or Sea-Calfs, and those of different Magnitudes; they are often thrown up in Salt-Rivers form'd by the Tides, some I have seen eight, some twelve Foot long, but these are most common in the Baltic Ocean, where the Russes take them in great quantities; the Method is very remarkable, They gene∣rally go out in great Numbers to hunt them, sometimes they find three or four Thousand together, basking them∣selves upon the Ice; these then they surround, which when the Sea-Calfs discern, they pile themselves upon an heap (as it is probable) by that means to break the Ice, and quit themselves from the Enemy, which they sometimes do, and frequently so bend the Ice, that they are oblig'd to wade to a considerable depth to attack them; so remark∣able is the Principle of Self-preservation in all Creatures whatever. Their Food is upon Fish, but I found by one which I had alive, that he could not eat under Water, and when he div'd for his Prey he clos'd his Mouth and Eyes, and pursed up his Nostrils so close, that the least drop of Water could not enter: I did not find that he could continue long under Water, but frequently mounted up into the Air, and then immediately dived again. They are extreamly smooth, and will bite severely, having Mouths like those of Tygers, and indeed when provoked, make their Attacks with that kind of spitting, harring Noise.

I thought it not amiss to add the Account which Dam∣pier gives of the Sea-Dog, call'd by the Dutch Hound, which is agreeable to the shape and size of those which I saw:

They are (says he p. 89.) as big as Calves, the Head of them like a Dog, and therefore by the Dutchmen call'd Sea-Hounds, but it had been more proper if they had said English Bull-Dogs: Under each Shoulder grows a long thick Fin, these serve them to swim with when they are at Sea, and are instead of Legs to them when on Land, for raising their Bodies up on end by the help of these Fins or Strumps, and so having their Tail-parts drawn close

under them, they are bound, as it were, and throw their Bodies forward, drawing their hinder Parts after them, and then again rise up and springing forward with their fore Parts alternately, they lie tumbling thus up and down all the time they are moving on Land; from their Shoul∣ders to their Tails they grow tapering like Fish, and have two small Fins on each side the Rump, which is common∣ly cover'd with their Fins; these Fins serve instead of a Tail on the Sea, and on Land they sit on them when they give suck to their Young: Their Hair is of divers Co∣lours, as black, grey, dun, spotted, looking very sleek and pleasant when they come first out of the Sea.

The next remarkable Fish is the Sepia, or Ink-Fish, of which I have seen several upon these Shores; it has ten Horns, not much unlike those of a Snail, and with these, as with Oars, it rowes it self forward in the Water; it has two full Eyes, its substance seems to be a kind of Pulp, and one half of it is invested with a Membrane like a Leg within a Stocking, and therefore by some it is call'd the Hose or Stocking-Fish; it has only one Bone, and that upon its Back, thin, flat and pellucid; from its Mouth descend two pellucid Ducts, which terminate in a Vesica which contains its Ink, by pressing this the Ink quickly ascends, and as some Naturalists affirm, when they are-in danger of being taken, by contracting this they discharge such a quantity of Ink as blackens the Water, and secures them from dis∣covery; I have a Letter by me writ with this Ink about ten Years ago, which still continues: this Liquor was the Ink of the Ancients, hence came that Expression of the Poet, Nigro distillans Sepianodo; it has no remarkable Tast, and by reason that the whole substance seems to be a kind of Pulp, it is hard to determine whether this Liquor is its Chyle, or perhaps the Juices of some Sea-Plant which it lives upon, or else a Liquor separated from its nutritive Juices; for what else to term it I know not, since I could not observe in it either Veins or Arteries, yet doubtless there

are other Vessels adequate to those. This Fish sometimes the People eat, and it is observable, that it will mildly purge them, like Cassia, or some such Lenitive.

The next to be remark'd are the Pisces Vaginales, so call'd because they resemble the Pudenda of a Woman; these stick fast in the Sand, and are scarce to be pulled out, when you touch them, they contract strongly, and emit a Liquor like that of the Vagina in Coitu; of these there are great quantities on the Sands near Leverpoole, and other parts of the County of Lancaster.

We have frequently cast upon the Sea-shore the Sea-Blebs, the whole substance of which seems to be nothing but a perfect Gelly, and to view it, you would wonder how it had Life; only in the Center of it is a knot of Vessels which appears red, and is branched like the Leaves of the Herba Paris, or True Lovers Knot, and in these no doubt the greatest part of the Circulation is perform'd: 'Tis won∣derful to me, what the use of that Gelly can be, and whether or no it has any communication with that knot of Vessels, with Microscopes I could not discern any: This by being too long held in the Hand, is apt to make it break out in Pustules.

The Star-Fish, so call'd from the resemblance it bears to a Star, is very common in these Parts; its Stomach is in its Center, and the rest of its Body is fibrous, which no doubt conveys a Liquor analogous to Blood or Chyle; when touch'd it contracts very strongly, and I presume its Food is Sea-Plants: Male and Female in these I could not ob∣serve, but presume that they are rather of an Hermaphro∣dite species; these are not of any known use, as I remem∣ber. Sometimes we have Whales and Sturgeons, but these very rarely, one of the latter I saw taken near Warrington of about 12 Foot long, and 2 Foot deep.

Three Fishes I took of an unusual shape, and cannot find the figure of them in any Author; their Heads are extraor∣dinary large, and their Aspect terrible, they have two large

Eyes upon the midst of their Foreheads, an extraordinary wide Mouth, and different Rows of Teeth, like those of a Shark, and within the Stomach equal Rows of Teeth pa∣rallel to those above, and no doubt but there must be a Mastication there, as in the Mouth. They have no Gills, but instead of those Bones like cross Bars, from their Spine there are not any Bones that branch forth as in other Fishes, like Teeth from the midst of a Comb, instead of those they have a round pellucid Body, not unlike a blown Bladder; from the Head along the Body there are Bones descending in Lines, like the Meridians of a Globe: The rest of the Body is like that of a Dog-Fish, they have a Stomach, Bowels and Liver, but I could discern no Lungs; their Membra Genitalia seem to be after the manner of Dog-Fish.

The Green-back and Mullets are very common, they af∣ford an excellent Nourishment and a delicate Tast; we have likewise great quantities of Soles, a species of Flounders, these are in my thoughts the best of Fishes; the Turbut is likewise very common and very palatable; the Sand-Eels are very frequently taken, and dug out of the Sands by the Fishermen, like Worms; and it is not an un∣pleasing prospect to observe the infinite number of little heaps like Mole-hills, form'd by the Worms themselves upon the Sands; these are only the Faeces of the Worms, collected by their twisting round one another in so exact a figure, that the Fishermen by their magnitude can judge, what Worm is fittest for their purpose, and accordingly dig up such or such a Bed. The Oyster and Lobster are very common, and likewise the Shrimp and Prawn; the Prawn is a Fish not much unlike the Shrimp, but much larger, and far better Meat, and in my thoughts the most pleasing of any Shell-Fish whatever; it generates in Eggs, and of these it deposites an infinite number, which by a clammy Matter it fastens to the Rocks, and piles them one upon another, till they look like a Pyramid inverted, and hang like Icicles on the Verge of a Penthouse. We have

the best and largest Cockles in England here, and Muscles in that number, that upon the Sea-Coasts they manure their Ground with them. The Pearl-Muscles are very com∣mon: Which leads me to give an account of the Germina∣tion of Pearls.

The Formation of the Shells of Muscles I have observ'd from the bigness of a Pins head, to 2 Inches in length, and find in their first Formation, that the Shells are pellucid, but afterwards, as the Lamellae are constantly formed, they become opaque; their substance at first seems to me to be a Gluten thrown off from the Fish, and indurated by the Air; as the Fish grows in bigness, it still emits a greater quantity of this, and so the Shell continually encreases, till it arrives to its full hardness and maturity. In these Shells (and likewise in Oyster-shells) I have frequently found Pearls, some just appearing thro' the innermost Lamellae, others half thro', some hanging like Fruit upon a Pedestall, others dropt from the Mother of Pearl, and sticking on the out-side of the Fish; whence it is plain that Pearls are not form'd by Dews, (as some have observ'd,) nor within the Fish, (as others,) but in the Shell it self. I find the Pearls as well as the Shells to consist of various Laminae, wrapt one within another, and betwixt the Mater Perla∣rum and the Pearl I could never observe any extraordinary difference, only I think the Pearl makes a greater fermen∣tation with an Acid; whence it is most probable, that the most Volatile part of the Mater Perlarum protrudes it self from the rest of the Laminae, and so constantly presses forwards till it forces its passage into the Shell it self, and so forms the Pearl. They are generally of a Sphaerical fi∣gure, made so (I conjecture) by the figure of the Shell; these Pearls are of great use in Physic, and did the People industriously apply themselves to the getting of them, con∣siderable quantities might be acquired, at a less Price than Crabs Eyes, which they infinitely surpass, tho' they were genuine, but for the most part they are adulterated, and

instead of Crabs Eyes we have meerly a Composition of Chalk and Mucilage, or perhaps Tobacco-pipe Clay, to the infinite prejudice of the Patient.

From what has been observ'd in the Germination of Pearls, it is evident that what Christophorus Sandius from Hamburgh transmitted to the Royal Society at London, must necessarily be a Mistake; which that the Reader may more easily apprehend, I shall transcribe the Account he gave to that learn'd Body, and leave it to any unprejudic'd Person to judge of his Error: since any of the most Cu∣rious may any day in the Year, in the River Wire near Hambleton in Lancashire, have a full Demonstration to the contrary. The first Letter runs thus, being translated by the Publisher of the Philosophical Transactions, March 25. A. D. 1674.

Touching the Origin of Pearls, of which I formerly gave an Intimation, be pleas'd to receive the following Account. The Pearl-shells in Norway and elsewhere do breed in sweet Waters. Their Shells are like to those which commonly are call'd Muscles, but they are larger; the Fish in them looks like an Oyster, and it produces a great cluster of Eggs, like those of Cra-Fishes, some white, some black, (which latter will yet become white, the outer black Coat being taken off) these Eggs when ripe are cast out, and being cast out they grow, and become like those that cast them; but sometimes it happens that one or two of these Eggs stick fast to the sides of the Matrix, and are not voided with the rest: these are fed by the Oyster against its Will, and they do grow, according to the length of Time, into Pearls of different bignesses, and im∣print a Mark both in the Shell and Fish, by the situation conform to its figure.

Upon which I cannot but remark in the following man∣ner, and indeed in doing that, can scarce confine my self within the Rules of Decency, there being not one true Line in the whole Letter: For in the first place they do not

always breed in fresh, but likewise in salt Waters, as is evident in the River Wire, where the Water is continually salt, and when the Tide flows, little less brackish than the Sea it self; in the second place, the Shell is not only like that of a Muscle, but the Fish also is a real Muscle, and not an Oyster; in the third place, in those Fishes never any Eggs are discern'd, consequently it is not possible that the Pearl should be the Egg of the Fish, but on the con∣trary it is demonstrable, by the Instances above-recited, that the Pearls are various Protrusions from the Laminae of the Shell, and those I have observ'd as well in the black, as in the chrystalline Laminae, having frequently seen black Pearls, as well as the chrystalline ones, which are so many Enve∣lopments of the Mother of Pearls; Fourthly, by what is alledg'd it is evident, that these are not fed by the Oyster against its Will, and that they do not any farther imprint a Mark into the Shell, than by dropping out of it, but in∣deed after that they do commonly leave a Bruise there, by which you may easily discern how many Pearls have vegeta∣ted from each particular Shell: A Phaenomenon not much unlike this I once observ'd at Oxford in a Water-Rat that was pregnant, upon a Dissection of her, for by opening the Ovaria, we found as many Knots in those, as there were young ones in the Uterus. His second Letter was dated the 27. of February, 1674. and is as follows.

As to the Authority I have to assert such an Origin of Pearls, as I have done in my former, I here declare that a certain Dane, call'd Henricus Arnoldi, an ingenious and veracious Person, having by his own Experience found it so at Christiania in Norway, did in that manner relate it to me, as I imparted it to you, he having with great serious∣ness assur'd me of the truth thereof: besides the thing seems highly probable, neither do any considerable Ob∣jections appear against it; if I should chance to go into those Parts, or at least into the Country of the Duke of Brunswick, where also Pearls are found, not inferior to

the Oriental ones of the same size, I should not fail to en∣deavour to make the Observation my self.

From what has been before observ'd, it is plain his Hy∣pothesis is not probable, and that there are unanswerable Objections against it; so that his very All centring only in a Relation from the foremention'd Dane, is altogether fictitious, nor do I believe there are Pearls, either in Brun∣swick, or any other part of the World yet known, compa∣rable to those in East-India, the Mother of Pearl of the Oysters in those Parts being much finer than any discover'd here, or in the West-Indies: And if so (by what has been ob∣serv'd) it is most certain, that the Pearls must be finer also, which are only the most refin'd parts of those defecated Laminae of the Shell. It is true indeed there are in fresh Waters hereabout Muscles of the magnitude he mentions, which are commonly call'd Horse-Muscles, of these vast numbers were found in the Pond at Tabley in Cheshire, when it was drein'd, but not any of them contain'd Pearls, nor was the Fish palatable. These, I think, may serve for a full Answer to Sandius's Hypothesis, I shall not there∣fore transgress longer on the Reader's patience, but only take notice of the Phosphori, or flashes of Fire in the Night-time, frequently observable in Muscles and Oysters, and so close this Head.

It is observable that these Fishes abound with a great quantity of volatile Sulphur, and hence it is, that in Tabid Cases, as in scorbutic Atrophies, they are of extraor∣dinary use, for their sulphureous Particles being commu∣nicated to the Mass of Blood, they afresh inspirit and re∣store it to its due Circulation, and then the Blood distri∣butes its nourishment to the Body, which before stagnated in several Capillaries, where for want of a daily supply the Body emaciated. Another confirmation of their great quantity of Sulphur, is their extream foetidness upon Pu∣trefaction, which is as offensive as any preparation of Sul∣phur whatever. These granted, and that Flame it self is

only a due quantity of sulphureous Particles put into a particular Motion, and then again considering what vast numbers of those Particles abound in those Fishes, and their extraordinary Activity, it is easy to imagin how those Noctilucae, or flashes in the Night-time, when their Par∣ticles are not scatter'd by the Beams of the Sun, may fre∣quently be observ'd in them; and it is probable that if some of our Virtuosi made their Experiments upon foetid Oysters, they might more easily prepare the Phosphorus, than from Blood, Flesh, or Urine, which is the common, but very tedious Process.

The Echini are common, as likewise Torculars, Whilkes and Periwinkles; we have likewise another Fish shap'd like the Head of a Rabbit, and thence call'd the Rabbit-Fish. The Pap-Fish is common, so call'd from the likeness it bears to a Nipple, the Country People use them for their Nipples when sore, which by guarding them from fretting on their Cloaths, give relief. These are the most remark∣able of Sea-Fishes that I have observ'd in these Parts, wherefore I shall in the next place descend to River and Pond-Fish, and of these the most remarkable are the Sal∣mon, Sparling or Smelt, and the Char, as likewise Eeles in the River Erke near Manchester: And of these I shall shew the difference, and their manner of Generation, and so con∣clude this Chapter.

The Rivers abound with great quantities of Salmon, but chiefly those into which the Sea flows daily, as Ribble, Lune, Wire, and the Mersey, in these there are consider∣able numbers taken, but the most in Ribble and the Lune. Concerning the Growth of these the Opinions are various, some asserting that after the Salmon leaves the Sea, she makes to fresh Rivers, and constantly presses forward till she gains the Shallows, and in the Sands, Stones and Peb∣bles deposites her Spawn or Eggs, upon which the Male ejects a Milk which fecundates them, and so the formation of the Foetus is begun, which first is stiled a Salmon-Smelt,

the second Year a Sprod, the third a Mort, the fourth a Forktail, the fifth a Runner, and the sixth a Salmon. O∣thers assert that the Salmon comes to its Maturity in one Year, and the Morts, Forktails and Runners are a distinct species of Salmon, and will never attain to the magnitude of a grown Salmon, and that because (as they alledge) se∣veral of these have been put into Ponds, and never arriv'd to any other pitch of greatness. Now it is certain that the Salmon are always best, and grow most, when they immediately leave the Seas, and by their continuance in fresh Waters they still decline, and wax leaner; when they first quit the Seas their Flesh is firm and well-tasted, and at that time they have often abundance of little Insects upon them, which the Fishermen call the Salmon Lowse, and it is then that she is best in season: The Fishermen will actly tell you, by observing of these, how long they have left the Seas, but upon their continuance long in the Freshes they become extreamly lean, and not at all palatable; so that 'tis probable if these Morts and Sprods which were taken into Ponds, and did not encrease at all, 'twas because they were out of their proper Food, and so consequently instead of growing did emaciate; for 'tis most certain, when they deserted the salt Water, 'twas not for any Food they expected in fresh Rivers, but indeed to reach the Shallows, as well for the preservation as propagation of their Fry, which in the Deeps would be destroy'd by other Fishes: so admi∣rable is the Conduct of Providence even in the meanest of Creatures. Tho' the Rivers are frequently stemm'd and barricado'd with Weares of a considerable height, yet 'tis wonderful to observe how they will leap over these to gain the Shallows, to deposite their Spawn: since therefore the Smelt comes down from the Shallows, and makes towards the salt Waters, 'tis probable that the fresh Rivers are dis∣agreeable to them; and since the Sprod seems to be the same Fish of another Years growth, and the rest likewise gra∣dually till they compleat the Salmon it self, I am rather in∣clin'd

to adhere to the former Opinion, for why should not there in this, as in other Creatures, be a gradual Encrease? I apprehend not any convincing Reason to the contrary, nor do I believe Nature here alters her establish'd Methods in arriving to a full Growth and Maturity.

The next remarkable Fish is the Char, and that is found in Winder-Meer in Westmoreland, and no where else that I know of, except in Conningston-Meer in Lancashire. This Fish is not very unlike a Trout, only the Flesh is much more red, and when Potted, 'tis most delicious Meat; of these great quantities are yearly sent to London, from Kendall and Lancaster. 'Tis likewise observable that these Fishes are only found in one part of Winder-Meer, the other part being destitute of them, which perhaps may be occasion'd by the Pikes taken there in great quantities. There is another Fish taken there not unlike the Char, but something less, nor is the Flesh quite so red. The Water is extraordinary clear, and contains several small Islands, in one of which Sr. Christopher Philipson once resided, and in another a Hermite, a Relation of Sr. Francis Sawcole's, who for some Years subsisted only on Roots and Fish, and never went to Bed, but is now dead.

What farther may be said in relation to the Char, was communicated to me by my honour'd Friend and Relation Sr. Daniel Flemming of Rydall in the County of West∣moreland.

Winder-Meer (says he) according to the English Saxon is Windal-Meer, which some think to be so deno∣minated from the great Winds frequent there, others from its winding and turning in and out, and others from a Person's Name, as well as that of Thurston-Meer, now call'd Coningston-Water in Lancashire, and that of Ulfes, now stiled Uls-Water in Cumberland, which are both near thereunto, which makes the last Conjecture the most probable.

This Lough, Lake or Meer, is about a Mile in breadth, and ten Miles in length, with great variety of crooked

Banks, which afford an agreeable Prospect; it is in several places of a great Depth, and produces many kinds of Fish, as the Char, Salmon, Pike, Bass, Pearch, Eeles, &c. This Lake by some is plac'd in Lancashire, but by others in Westmoreland, which is the more likely, since the Fishery thereof belongs to the Barony of Kendall, a Town of great Trade, particularly for Cottons, and the most noted in that County. This Meer is the largest in England, and looks as if it was pav'd or flagg'd at the bottom with square Stones, a sight diverting enough in Fishing. Our learned Clarenceux was impos'd upon, when he was in∣form'd that the Char was a Fish peculiar to Winder-Meer, since in Coningston-Meer, within five Miles, a Char much fairer and more serviceable is caught.

The Char is a sort of Fish about a quarter long, some∣what like a Trout, and generally red belly'd; there are three sorts, the Male, which is large, with a red Belly, but the Flesh thereof somewhat white, having a soft Roe, and is call'd the Milting-Char; the Female Char is large, but not so red-belly'd, the Flesh is very red, within being full of hard Roes or Spawn, which our Philosophers in their Discoveries sufficiently demonstrate to be the Ova, or Eggs of the Fish, which are fecundated by a Milk injected on them by the Male, and perfected by the kind influence of the Sun: the Ova thus impregnated, are buried by the Fe∣male in Slutch or Sand near the adjacent Banks, and so re∣ceive Invigoration, these are commonly call'd the Roving Charrs; the third sort having no Roe, is commonly call'd the Gelt Char. These Charrs differ from the Welsh Tor∣gough, a Fish taken in Carnarvan-shire, and the Switzer∣land Rentel, these being probably the same with the Case, a sort of Fish something like the Char, but spawning at a different time, and caught in the River Brathy, that runs into Winder-Meer. The Char is not to be caught by Angling, or any other Method but by Nets, they keep gene∣rally in the deepest parts of the Water, and are most com∣monly

caught in the coldest Weather, when the Banks are cover'd with Snow; the Char never swims out of the Meer, but the Case is taken in divers Rivers.

The River Erke is remarkable for Eeles, which I think I may affirm to be the fattest in England, and indeed to that degree of fatness, that they almost nauseate; and this a late Author, a Gentleman of a considerable Estate near Manchester, chiefly attributes to the Fat, Grease, and Oyls, which by the Woke-Mills are expressed from the Woolen Cloaths, and so mixed with the Water: And indeed con∣sidering the number of these Mills standing upon that River, and the extraordinary fatness of the Eeles, I do not think the Conjecture amiss.

It may now be worth our time to make Enquiry into the manner of the Generation of this kind of Fish: I could not in these, by any Dissection I ever made, observe the distinction of Male and Female, which has given occasion to some to conjecture they came from the middle Region, since Ponds and Pits are found frequently full of them, in w^ch none had ever been deposited, and therefore 'tis concluded that their Ova being so small as not to be discern'd by ocular Inspection, they might be exhal'd with the Waters, and con∣sequently fall down with the Rains, and when these hap∣pen'd to fall into Rivers and Ponds, they by the influence of the Sun, begin and compleat their Generation. But whence arose those Ova to be thus exhal'd? they must needs claim some Origin or Formation before they ascended to the middle Region; there is no doubt but the Rains are oftentimes saturated with Ova of divers Species, as may be seen by Putrifaction of the Water, in which an infinite number of small Worms are discern'd, these indeed may be small Ova wafted up by the Winds, and descending with the Rains. It is affirm'd in Russia and Lithuania, after excessive Showers, that the Ground is almost cover'd with Crea∣tures not unlike Mice, which often produce by their cor∣rupting, pestilential Fevers, which in some occasion'd the

like Conjecture; yet this Phaenomenon may admit of an∣other solution, for why may not those Creatures be there generated, and after the fall of those Rains desert their Cells or Latebrae, to bask upon the surface of the Ground, as we daily see here in Frogs and Worms, and other Rep∣tiles? However it is, the Ponds that were never stored may be supply'd other ways, for it is usual for Eeles to quit the Pits, and creep into the Grass and Ditches, and this I have often observ'd, having found Eeles in the midst of Fields, remote from any Pit, by which means other Ponds may be replenish'd with this kind of Fish: for my part I shall not determine the Point, but these being industrious Ages, by the assistance of Microscopes, which are daily improv'd, others may give us farther satisfaction in this Matter.

But I cannot here omit that remarkable Experiment of the most ingenious Lewenhooke, who in this Creature was the first that gave us an ocular Demonstration of the Cir∣culation of the Blood, and beyond contradiction has made it manifest that the Vein and Artery are one continued Canal, shewing a Pulsation in one part of the Vessel, and none in the other, but that the Blood slowly creeping on, the Ar∣teries at their Extremities form a kind of Semicircle; so that the strait Line being terminated, the Systole of the Heart at so great a distance is not able to affect a Curve, for we must imagin the Pulse to be extreamly weak at the Extremities of the Arteries, for when a Vessel deviates from the direct Line of the Power, it thence ceases to be affect∣ed with it; and hence it is that the Veins, tho' they are continued Vessels with the Arteries, have no Pulsation at all. What is said of this Fish generating with Vipers, is trifling and ridiculous, for whoever examins the Parts of these two Creatures subservient to Generation, will find it wholly impossible, the Male Viper containing a Penis, and the Female Ova and Ovaria, but in Eeles neither are dis∣cernible.

The next remarkable Experiment in this Fish is the long continued Systole and Diastole of the Heart after it is taken out of the Body, which sometimes is for some Hours: This may justly challenge our strictest Enquiry into its Reasons, since (were they clearly demonstrated) it might be of great use in Anatomy. From this it is plain that Muscular Mo∣tion is not perform'd by the Blood and Nitro-aerial Particles fermenting in Metaphorical Glandules, in which the Ex∣tremities of the Arteries terminate, which a late young Author forwardly and foolishly affirms, in his small Book of Muscular Motion; for it is plain here that the Circulation is cut off, so that this Motion cannot be perform'd by any Blood flowing from the Arteries, in the manner he alledges; besides, the Globules of the Blood it self are discernible by Microscopes, one would think then that these Glandules which separate the Globules, should be much more per∣ceiveable themselves: But these Glandules are neither to be observ'd by Mercurial Injections, nor Microscopical Obser∣vations; it would be better for the Author to lay by his Suppositions, and much to his advantage to apply himself to an industrious Education, to render himself Master of right Reason, which done, he will soon see the vanity of his own Attempts in this kind. In explaining Muscular Motion, Borellus and Steno are deficient, and Dr. Charleton after all his elaborate Experiments, fairly owns his dissatis∣faction in any Hypothesis, that he could form concerning it; for my part I think it is only to be solved by Him that gave it: How can we suppose Muscular Motion to be per∣form'd in most Shell-fish, which have no Blood nor Glan∣dules? yet some of them have very brisk and active Mo∣tions, as the Shrimp and Prawn; or how in Convulsions come the Muscles to contract so strongly? It is impossible a little Blood and Lympha should effect this, but indeed (as Dr. Willis very well imagins) it is rather a violent Explosion of the Spirits. But then it is impossible that the Spirits should be a Mucilage, (which the foremention'd Author

of Muscular Motion affirms, whose unparallel'd Assurance ad∣mits not of a Rival) that being too unactive a Matter to pro∣duce such Effects; the Spirits are sure the most volatile, re∣fin'd parts of Matter we can form any Idea of, wherefore what that Author has writ in relation to this Matter, amounts to no more, than to shew him consummately ignorant.

One remarkable Fish had almost slipt me, it is call'd the Cat-Fish, from the likeness of its Whiskers upon the upper Lip to those of a Cat: This Fish is of a Tast indifferently pa∣latable, but what is most observable in it, is the prick of its Fins, which are of a very poysonous Nature, tho' none of its Bones produce the like Effect; upon a Puncture the part will presently look red, be very painful, and swell to an ex∣traordinary bigness, not much unlike a Phlegmon Erisi∣piloides: This is found about the Peele, and sometimes near Heesham. How this Puncture comes to be of so poy∣sonous a Nature, we shall now examine: The Fins look pellucid, and seem hollow, like so many parallel Tubes centring each upon a Cistus, impleted with a pellucid Liquor; it is probable therefore that upon the Puncture the Fin pressing upon the Cistus, the Liquor contain'd in it necessarily ascends, and mixes with the Blood, which be∣ing of an Acrimonious nature, contracts the Capillaries of the Cutis, and so causes the Inflammation, perhaps not un∣like that arising by the bite of a Viper.

Another Fish we have call'd the Rabbit-Fish, from the resemblance of its Mouth to that of an Hare or Rabbit: It is about 4 Inches in length, and as much in depth, the Back of it is arched and sharp, and in its Belly is an Orifice not unlike the Vagina of the Uterus. Lamperns and Con∣gers are frequently found, and a small Fish call'd a Hue, exactly like an Anchove, and like that, by a proper Pickle, its Flesh and Bones will dissolve, this eats as agreeably as those from Genoa; vast quantities of these commonly hang in the Nets of the Fishermen, the Sea-Gulls feed upon them, and it is a diverting Scene enough to see their fre∣quent

Skirmishes about them. The Skeate, Thornback, and Rea, are taken in great quantities, as likewise the Dog-Fish, which some would have to be a species of a Shark, but whoever inspects their Jaws, the Roes, Figure, and po∣sition of their Teeth, will find it only a vulgar Error. They do not externally emit their Ova, as many Fishes do, but generate as Dog and Bitch; in the Womb of the Fe∣male I have often found a great number of young ones; it is reported that if at any time her Whelps be in dan∣ger, they run within her and so secure themselves. They are but ordinary Food, yet are frequently eaten by the Country People. The Trout and Grayling may be plenti∣fully had at Buxton, which are generally esteem'd the best in England; to these kinds of Fishes I presume the Water issuing from Lime-stone, is most agreeable. I have by me a round flat Bone, taken up from the Sea-Coast near Hilbree-Island in Cheshire, the inside of which is woven with an infinite number of Vessels, like the Cortical part of the Brain, but to what species of Fish it did belong, or what was the proper use of it, I cannot yet learn; its Dia∣meter is about five or six Inches. Since the writing of this I find it to be a Bone betwixt the Vertebrae of a Whale.

CHAP. VIII.

Of Reptiles and Insects.

THERE being little room left for making Additions to these, they being describ'd so accurately before by Dr. Lister and Mr. Ray, I shall not trouble the Reader with Repetition, but only give an account of some particular Observations which I have made. The Viper is common in most of our Mosses, as is likewise the Adder or Longworm, which exceeds the other both in length and thickness, but its Bite is not so poysonous. In what particularly the the Poyson of a Viper consists, has been an old Dispute be∣twixt

Monsieur Charras and Seignior Redi; the one assert∣ing the Poyson to consist in a yellow Liquor contain'd in a Bladder, at the bottom of its Tooth, which Liquor, upon its biting, by the Pressure of the Bladder, is forc'd thro' a Tube within the Tooth, and consequently into the Wound, and thence ensue very direful Effects; he alledges likewise that by this Liquor Pigeons and Pullets, by dropping it into a Wound made in either of them, have been kill'd, tho' the Liquor he took from the Viper when dead. The other asserts that he has try'd the same Experiments, but observ'd no such Effects at all: These two Seignior Vigani has in some measure reconcil'd, who alledges that the yellow Liquor with which Seignior Redi kill'd Pullets and Pigeons after the Death of the Viper, was either saturated with the Spirits of the enrag'd Viper, by whipping it before, by which means it was render'd more poysonous; or else (as its proba∣ble) that in the hot and dry Climes of Italy, those Creatures are more venemous than in colder Countries: To me this Conjecture seems reasonable, however what its Venom is, is not so material, but it is certain very noble Medicines are prepared from them, and a Wine from their Flesh, singular in Consumptive, Leprous and Scorbutic Cases; they afford likewise a volatile Salt, the most generous Cordial in Nature.

The Lizard is frequently found in the Mosses, and is said to be one of those which the Naturalists stile Philanthropi, or Lovers of Men, never (as they say) doing injury to Man∣kind, but destroying any venemous Creature hurtful to him. These are the most noted Reptiles.

Amongst the Insects we shall begin with the Grashopper: This Creature in its Infancy is wonderfully preserv'd by a Froth which it raises upon the surface of some Plant, conceal∣ing it self by that means from Birds, or other Creatures which might destroy it. This Froth by the Vulgar is called Cuckow-spittle, by some a Meteor that falls from the Air, and is by them esteem'd poysonous, whereas indeed it is no∣thing but a Froth form'd from the Plant, by this little In∣sect:

I have taken several of these, and clos'd them with some Plants in Boxes, so that they could have no commu∣nication with the Air, and the Day following they were all cover'd with this kind of Froth, which Experiment puts the Matter beyond Controversy.

The Caterpillar deposites her Eggs in Cotton, in the Clefts of Trees, which are enliven'd by the influence of the Sun, at a proper season of the Year; I do think she is de∣stroy'd by her young ones, which creep within her to suck, for I have sometimes found them creeping upon Cabbages, with twenty young ones within them, and sometimes dead with these within their Bodies; they enter them at little Orifices like Nipples, on either side of the Belly, and some∣times creep so far as to be scarce discernible, but most commonly one half of them hangs out. The Possum in the West-Indies is said after the same manner to convey and nourish its young ones, which are observ'd to run into an external kind of a Womb, in which they lodge whilst she endeavours an Escape: so various are the Methods w^ch dif∣ferent Creatures have for the preservation of their Species.

The Locust-Fly I have been inform'd has been found in Wales, but I remember not any to have been discover'd in these Parts. The Red Spider is very common, and is said to be that, which frequently poysons Cattle; of this I call to mind a remarkable Instance upon a Cow, which a Farrier asserted was poyson'd by this kind of Spider: The Beast was extreamly swell'd, and her Belly extraordinary hard, she lay moaning upon the Ground, doubtless in violent Pain, and past hopes of help; the Farrier however offer'd, if the Owner consented, to thrust his Knife in her Stomach, to put her out of Torment; the Owner complies, and the Farrier immediately enters in his Knife, upon which there instantly issued forth a Steam, which took Fire at the flames of the Candles, and blaz'd all over the Barn, and was with some difficulty exstinguish'd; the Cow suddenly rusht upon her Feet, began to eat, and afterwards grew

perfectly well. How this sulphureous Halitus got into the Stomach, is not easily solved, and indeed it is a very odd Phaenomenon, but it is certainly the most probable that it proceeded from the sulphureous Particles of some Herbs she had eaten, for I cannot conceive, how any Insects she had swallowed could produce such Effects.

Human Worms I have observ'd of various kinds, as the Cucurbitoe, so call'd because they resemble the Seeds of Cu∣curbits, are joynted one into another, and hence are ex∣tended to three or four Yards in length: Of these the learned Dr. Tyson has given a most exact Account, to whose Works I refer the Curious. The Ascarides are commonly seen, but how these are generated in the Stomach and Bowels, may merit our Enquiry: It seems probable to me that the Ova of Insects are either mingled with the Liquors we drink, convey'd thither by the Air, in which doubtless they continually float, and when receiv'd into the Stomach and Bowels, by the innate warmth of those Parts, are gra∣dually form'd till they arrive to their full growth: Paral∣lel to their Formation may be the hatching of Eggs in Aegypt in Stoves, or by the heat of the Sun. Another way of Conveyance of these Ova into the Body, may be by the Roots, Fruits and Herbs, or even in our common Food, allowing first that the Generation of all Creatures arise from Ova, which we must necessarily espouse, other∣wise the origin of these Worms is inexplicable, for to assert that they proceed from a Putrefaction of Humours, is but a general Term, and indeed rather gives an account of the Effect, than the Cause.

Of what we have alledg'd there cannot be a clearer De∣monstration, than in the following Instance, as appears from the History of the Free-booters in the South-Sea in Ame∣rica, in the Year 1685. where in the Island of St. Iohn, not many Leagues distant from Panama, they give us this Account: There are but four Months of fair Weather there throughout the Year, which are December, Ianuary,

February and March, the other Months are incommoded with great Rains, which fall almost without intermission, and which, besides the Bloody-flux they bring, are so per∣nicious, that if a Man has been wet with them three or four times, if he do not presently shift himself, there breed large Worms betwixt the Skin and the Flesh, in form somewhat like unto a Quill, and about a Finger long; whence to me it seems evident that the Ova of various Insects impregnate the Rain-waters, if so, it is easy thence to conjecture, how by the Liquids, Fruits and Aliment we take, Worms may breed in human Bodies. Against this Hypothesis there remains one material Objection yet to be solved, That if Worms in human Bodies arise from their Ova, convey'd thither in the Meats and Liquids we take, how comes it to pass that they are so usually form'd in Infants, who never tasted any thing but the Milk of their Parents or Nurses, a Nourishment that has pass'd the first digestions of the Stomach and Bowels (where the Worms are most frequent∣ly nested) and separated from the Blood in the Breast by the Glands, and other Vessels adapted to that purpose? To this I answer, That the Ova of Worms, and several Insects, are as small as the Globules of the Chyle, and may conse∣quently mix with the Blood, by the same Ducts the Chyle does; if this be granted, 'tis no difficult matter to assign a Reason how Worms are generated in the Stomach and Bowels of Infants, for the Ova are thence carried along with the Milk, and lodg'd in the Stomach and Bowels of the Child. To illustrate this the subsequent Instance will be very necessary: In the Year succeeding the great Frost, I frequently took notice of little white Grubbs lodg'd within the Pippins of several Apples, like those in the Kernels of Nuts, tho' the Skin and Pulp of the Apple were entire without the least Perforation. Now, I say, considering the minuteness of the Vessels that convey nou∣rishment to the Kernels of the Apple, which are much smaller sure than those that bring Milk to the Breasts in

human Bodies; by the same parity of Reason we may af∣firm that the Ova are introduc'd into the Body of the Infant, by the Chyle W^ch it receives from the Breasts. But perhaps it may be objected, if the various substances of Creatures are included in Minimis in their distinct Seeds, what ne∣cessity is there for these Ova? To this I reply, Tho' Mal∣pighius and Lewenhoeck have discover'd Animalcules in the Seeds of divers Animals, and in a late Transaction, in human Seed there are delineated different growths of them, that altho' I should grant this, yet I affirm that these Ani∣malcules could never arrive to Perfection, until they are de∣posited in their proper Ova, and there they receive their Nutriment; and this is not only evident in Insects, but even in Fishes, Birds, Quadrupedes, &c. and Mankind it self.

As to Frogs they generate in Eggs, the first formation of the Foetus is in a black Speck, adhering to the Ovum, after they are enliven'd, they have long small Tails, and are then call'd Bull-heads; in a little time this shapeless Co∣vering is thrown off, and their perfect shapes are disclos'd, they have a peculiar Membrana Nictitans, with which they cover the whole Eye, which preserves them from the points of Reeds, Rushes and Prickles, which otherwise might injure them; they will lie with their Lungs expand∣ed a long time, squeezing out the Air by degrees, and so it is they continue under Water so long; at a certain time of the Year they have a Membrane which closes their Mouths, it is wonderful how long a time they sleep in the Water, without any Food, their Mouths being still clos'd by this Membrane; but Iacobaeus, a Danish Physician, assures us, that they have two peculiar Vessels, which carry nothing but Fat, which he imagins nourishes them in that Inter∣val, but this being spent, the Blood grows sharp, and then by its Irritation they immediately awake. In Consump∣tive Cases the young ones are frequently made use of in France, and, as I have been often told by the Inhabitants

of that Country, with great Success; I do judge that for the same reason that Snails are prescrib'd in those Cases, these may be also, both of 'em consisting of a viscid Mu∣cilage, which probably may sheath the acid Salts of the Blood, which in the first place coagulated the Serum, con∣verting the Lympha into a Size, as may be frequently seen upon the surface of the Blood taken from Consumptive Persons, and so having reduc'd it to that cross Consistence, it is very probable that it may raise Obstructions in the Lungs, whence ensue Nodes, Tubercles, and at last Impost∣humations, many of the small Bladders of the Lungs be∣ing distended beyond their natural tone, and at last break∣ing one into another. There is a Water distill'd from the Spawn of these, frequently (and with success likewise) us'd in Spitting of Blood, for which, in some measure, the same Cause may be assign'd, as in the former Case. But I have often wondred, why Plaisters of these are so frequently prescrib'd in most of the scrophulous Cases, not only in our own Dispensatories, but in forreign likewise; but it may be, that in the Mucilage of these there may be invelop'd vo∣latile alcalious Salts, that may destroy those Acids in the Blood, which so incrustate the Serum, that it obstructs the Glands, and so makes 'em scrophulous: This I rather surmise, because I know by repeated Instances, that from the Mucilage of several Plants (whose Virtues have been always suppos'd to consist in that, because 'tis easily pre∣pared from them) a Volatile alkalious Salt may be sepa∣rated; and if it be so in a Vegetable, why not in an Ani∣mal likewise? There only remains one Observation more relating to this Creature, upon which I shall descant a little, and then not trouble the Reader further; and that is to shew what that Substance is which is vulgarly call'd Starr-Slime, whether the Frogs spawn, as some imagin, or a Meteor that falls from the Air, as others alledge, or lastly a Body that arises out of the Earth: And these I shall examine in their several order. That it is not the Spawn of a Frog,

is evident from the subsequent Argument, because it is fre∣quently found in those seasons of the Year in which the Frogs do not spawn, as in Winter; nor does it seem probable that it should be a Meteor, because I do think that no Man can Experimentally aver, that he ever saw such a Substance fall from the Air upon the surface of the Earth, which doubt∣less in some Generation would have happen'd, had the Pro∣duction of it been in that manner; it remains therefore in the last place, that we conclude it to be a Mucilage a∣rising out of the Earth, which is usually in low moist Grounds; and what is said in relation to this, may in a great measure be apply'd to that Substance vulgarly call'd Faries Butter, both of which, as I suppose, may in small portions be rais'd by a subterraneous Heat, but successive∣ly condensed into that Body in which we find 'em, by the intense coldness of the ambient Air.

Having finish'd my Observations in reference to Frogs, I shall in the next place proceed to what I propos'd, and that is, to make some Remarks upon the Toad. As this Crea∣ture (like the Viper) contains one of the greatest Poysons in the Universe, so (like that also) it supplies us with the richest Cordial. I have in the late pestilential Fever seen repeated Instances, which demonstrate the truth of these: In a low vermiculating Pulfe, so call'd from the analogy it bears to the creeping of a Worm, (a melancholly Hiero∣glyphic, to shew a Man by what Reptile he is just a hurry∣ing to be devour'd) by giving plentiful Doses of a Pow∣der prepar'd from these, many have been snatch'd from the very brinks of Eternity. Nor has it less frequently in more lingring and tedious Distempers afforded us an easy and a large Reprieve, I having by the repeated taking of this Medicine in Hydropic Cases, seen the Lives of many for several Years protracted; so that as in the former Case it saves us from perishing by the scorching heat of a Fever, so it does in the latter likewise keep us from sinking in the Waters of a Dropsy. The Tast of it (if rightly prepar'd)

is a little Acid, which I take to be the Effect of a vo∣latile, alcalious Salt, and it is I presume in these Cases by attenuating the viscid Serum of the Blood, that it pro∣duces these wonderful Effects. I have been lately inform'd by Persons of great Learning, as well as Integrity, that in the Fever before recited, large Doses of Laudanum have effected the same thing, a Practice modern to what has been formerly laid down; but the reason of the giving of this in so large quantities, was grounded in a great measure upon Experiments try'd with a solution of Laudanum, by injecting it into the Mass of Blood, which was always found to make it fluid; and if so, to me the Method seems rational. Some Years ago I laid down some Arguments in the Exercitations I printed at Oxford, accounting for the Cause and Cure of that Distemper, from which it is e∣vident, beyond contradiction, that the Mass of Blood in that Distemper is coagulated; and this may fully hint to us what I shall afterwards make out, viz. that Opium, by its acrid Salt making the Mass of Blood too fluid, becomes poysonous, or else because the Points of this too much contract the Fibrillae of the Brain, and so obstruct the separation of the animal Spirits; it is not to be imagin'd that by crass faeculent Particles it should effect these Mat∣ters, since it is abundantly known to be a most noted Diaphoretick, and consequently a Medicine whose Ingre∣dients are volatile, and 'tis therefore, I doubt not, that in the confluent Pock it is of that extraordinary use, viz. by attenuating the Serum of the Blood, which was almost converted to a putrid Pus. Much more might be added in relation to this, but I hasten to some other Observa∣tions, and so shall close this Chapter; and those are chiefly concerning Butter-flies, Bees, Hornets, and the Heminens, or the American, or Humming Bird.

The Butter-flies, by the ingenious and industrious Mr. Iames Pettifer of London, as to the Descriptions of them are rang'd into that accurate Order, that it would be but

superfluous to add any thing in relation to that Matter; wherefore since the Preparation from 'em yield us not any thing material, and their Generation having been fully accounted for by others, I shall pass 'em over; as likewise the Bees, their Government, Generation, Stings, and Honey, having been before accounted for by so many various and learned Hands; however I shall make some few Remarks, by what a wonderful, but natural Chymistry they elabo∣rate their Honey, and how tho' seemingly dead, they re∣vive, and lastly the difference betwixt them and the Hemi∣nens. So wonderful is the structure of the Organs of these Insects, and so differently modify'd, that the various Juices which they suck and extract from Plants, that the greatest Bitter they convert into one of the sweetest Extracts, and the rankest of Poysons into one of the most balsamic Me∣dicines; with what little reason therefore do some so vehe∣mently inveigh against our Chymical Preparations, as not safe or agreeable to human Constitutions, since we see one of the meanest of Insects does so fully evince the contrary. Can I see that Creature imbibing the Juice of the most poy∣sonous Vegetable, and converting it to a safe and a palata∣ble Medicine, and not allow to Man, that he shall with all his exalted Reason, be able so far to correct the Poyson of a Metal or Mineral, that it shall become a safe Medicine? Surely he that of human Kind has these Apprehensions, either wants a publick Genius, to exert its Faculties for the good of Mankind in general, or that he has a mind to rest satisfied in the ignorant Traditions of his Ancestors, and at last be entomb'd in Cimmerian Darkness.

I shall now in the next place assign some Reasons how after being seemingly drown'd in Water, or suffocated by the steams of Brimstone, they will revive. It is cer∣tain that Air is not convey'd into the Bodies of these In∣sects, either by the Mouth, or any Nostrils, they not being supply'd with Lungs, but has its admission thro' the Pores of the Body; if these therefore either be impleted with

Water, or their Orifices pursed up by the Restringency of an Acid, as in that of Sulphur, it is then that the Bee lies as if dead, the animal Spirits in her wonderful Vessels be∣ing depriv'd of a fresh supply from the Air, but as soon as the humid Particles are either scatter'd by the heat of the ambient Air, or that the Orifices of their constringed Pores recover their natural tone, it is then, if the Spirits expand themselves again, that this Insect seems, as it were, re-animated. The Heminens, or Humming Bird, tho' it seems to ply about a Flower, after the same manner as the Bee, and has a Proboscis like that of a Bee, and is much about the size of the largest of that fort, yet this Creature never produces Honey, and the reason I take to be this, because that Bird has Viscera and Bowels like other Birds, which the Bee has not, and therefore the Digestions being different, so must the Effect be likewise. The Sting of the Hornet and Bee are fully accounted for by others, where∣fore I shall close this Chapter.

CHAP. IX.

Of Birds.

THESE Counties afford us great variety of Birds, and in some places even clog the Inhabitants with their Plenty. Amongst the rest, the Barnacle being very com∣mon, and the manner of its Generation having been a Matter of Controversy, I shall recite my Observations upon it, and endeavour to reconcile that Point. It is observa∣ble of our Ships which Trade to the West-Indies, that upon their return home, an infinite number of small Shell-fishes often adhere to them, at the first view not much unlike young Geese; these for several Ages have pass'd for Bar∣nacles, not only amongst the Vulgar, but Men of Learn∣ing likewise, wherefore to set things in their true Light, I shall in the first place give the Anatomy of this Shell-fish

resembling the Barnacle, and afterwards that of the real Bird, and then lay down some Reasons to shew the Im∣possibility of their being bred after the manner formerly receiv'd.

This Shell sticks to the outward Planks of Ships by a glutinous Matter, it resembles the Head of a Goose, to which there is a Neck annex'd, yet this Neck is not con∣serted to the Body, but terminates immediately within the Shell, whence it is impossible that this should be the Barnacle in Embryo. Within the Shells are Claws, with Hairs like those of Lobsters, wound within one another in spiral Lines, and are not very unlike the Wings of a Goose, but these I found to be perfect Shells, and not Quills or Feathers; whence it is plain, that they could not appertain to the Barnacle, that being of the Feather'd Kind. These Shell-fishes are observable upon several Sea-weeds in the Gulph of Florida, and are there chiefly pick'd up by our Shipping: I never yet could meet with any Seaman who could affirm that he had seen any fall from Ships, and swim, which must have necessarily happen'd, had they been con∣verted into Barnacles; besides, in the Anatomy of Bar∣nacles, I found them (as other Geese) Male and Female, the one having a Penis, the other Ovaria, whence it is e∣vident that their way of breeding is no wise different from that of other Birds; what therefore has been asserted by Speed and others concerning this Bird, is only a vulgar Er∣ror, and they only wanted a thorow Enquiry, to give them satisfaction in this Matter.

The Sea-Crow is a Bird common in these Parts upon the Sea-Coasts, the shape of it is like that of other Crows, and it only differs from them in Colour, the Head and Wings being black, and the Body blue; its Food for the most part are Muscles, and I have often with admiration ob∣serv'd these Birds to peck up Pebble-stones, and then to soar with them in the Air to a considerable height, then to let fall the Stones amongst the Beds of Shell-fishes, which

most commonly break some of them, they afterwards a∣light, and feed upon their Prey. These Fowl are said to breed in the Isle of Man, but are not used as Food.

The Puffin is a Bird about the bigness of a Duck, and sometimes is seen in these Parts, they are generally extra∣ordinary fat, and when Pickled are relishing Food; this Bird breeds likewise in the Isle of Man, in a Place common∣ly call'd the Calf of Man, in little Cells within the Rocks, and it is observable when they have young ones, that they take their flights to the Scotch Shores, and there fish for small Fry; when their Stomachs are full, they return and eject their Prey for the nourishment of their young: so endearing and indissoluble an Affection is imprinted on all Creatures for the preservation of their Species.

The Asper is a species of the Sea-Eagle, and is sometimes observ'd in these Parts; its Food is upon Fish, one I dis∣sected, and in its Stomach I found a great number of small Fishes, some entire, some half digested, and others turn'd to a perfect Mucilage; in the Coates of the Stomach I dis∣cover'd several tubular Glands, which by compression would emit an insipid kind of Lympha, which with any kind of Alcaly or Acid, would not cause any fermentation, and yet the Fishes that lay in that part of the Stomach were either thorowly digested, or had half ways arriv'd to it. From which Phaenomenon it is evident, that this Liquor is the ferment of the Stomach in these kind of Birds, and that Digestion is not always perform'd by Acids, (as some af∣firm,) nor by Alcalies (as others) but indeed by an unac∣countable mixture of both these united with several other Bodies; of which, Steno speaking of the Saliva, has this Expression, Nihil invenies, quod illa respuet, nihil cui sine pugna non associetur. If therefore we can but content our selves, in having the satisfaction to know how to correct too prevailing an Humour in this wonderful Mixture in a Morbific State, it is as much as relates to the Preserva∣tion of Mankind; I think I may affirm, that all we can

attain to from all Hypotheses hitherto form'd about Di∣gestion, falls infinitely short of that universal Menstruum, whatever the Adeptist may pretend, he only amuses us with obscure and Utopian Preparations, and gives us the Cloud to grasp at: But here Nature plentifully distributes, what he only imagins, and without torturing us with un∣merciful Flames, by Methods easy to her self, tho' un∣known to us, she prepares the true Alkahest, or Universal Dissolvent. How trifling then is it to affirm this to be a Sal. Volat. Oleos. as a late Author has done; for if so, how comes Digestions of Bones and Metals to be perform'd in the Stomach? no such Phaenomenon ever was effected by the preceding Liquor hitherto prepar'd by any Man: why then should that be the universal Menstruum of Nature, set up meerly to support a tottering Hypothesis? Or why should we frame Schemes of Matters, which are not really what we fancy them, but what we could only wish them to be? And thus by an over-weening Affectation of our own Conceptions we lick our deform'd Offspring, imposing upon the World groundless and imaginary Ideas, for ab∣solute Demonstrations. Others by Acid and Alcaly will unmask all the dark Recesses of Nature, and make these two Combatants all the Ingredients of the Universe; but let these Men consider the wonderful structure of the meanest Vegetable, the unaccountable preparation of its Juices, the wonderful preservation of its Species, and they will then find Acid and Alcaly to be too pitiful Principles to account for these admirable Phaenomena. Others with their Striate Particles presently set together all the Ope∣rations of the six Days of the Creation, yet at the same time they cannot demonstrate the Properties of an equilateral Triangle. Thus we croud our Heads with unnecessary and false Ideas of Things, and neglect the most useful part of Learning, which is a true knowledge of the Properties of Bodies, so far as we can attain to it by Experimental Learning: But I fear I have made too long a Digression on

this Point, and shall therefore proceed to what relates far∣ther to this Head. As to the Oyl of the Asper so vulgar∣ly famed for alluring of Fish, it is only a general Mistake, and in no wise answers the End.

The next remarkable Bird is the Sparling-Fisher, it is about the Bigness of a Duck, and by a wonderful Activity in Diving catches its Prey, and yields a very pleasant Di∣version when pursued by Water-Dogs. The Cormorant is common in these Parts, and in the Indies it is made use of to take Fish withal, the manner which they do it by is this: A Ring being fix'd about the lower end of the Oesophagus, its swallowing any farther is prevented, and then he is turn'd into the Water; when his Prey is caught, he returns to the Shore, and immediately ejects what Fish he had taken, and again pursues his Game: The Guts in this Bird have but small Circumvolutions, hence the Food which he takes passes so very quick, that he is almost continually hungry, which renders him more fit for this kind of Diversion. Not much unlike this is a Creature in Lithuania call'd a Ierfe, whose Bowels have no Windings, and so it becomes continually craving, and gorges until its Belly is distended like a Drum; and then gets betwixt two Trees, and presses forth the Foeces, and so returns with as eager an Appetite to its Prey as ever.

Two White Crows I have seen in these Parts, One of which was Presented to King Charles the Second, and kept as a Curiosity in the Park at St. Iames's, the Present was made by that ingenious Gentleman Edward Tidesley of the Lodge, Esq. It is said in Russia and other cold Climes, that Birds and other Animals, which in the Spring-time are of a brownish Colour, in the Winter turn as White as Snow, which argues different Exaltations of the Sulphurs both in Hairs and Feathers. Of Moor-Game we have great Plenty, both of the Small, and the Black, they live upon Heath, but more particularly upon that part, which we call Erica, or Dwarf-Cypress; they afford us a pleasant Recre∣ation,

and when caught they are delicious and healthful Food: The Description of these are so accurately deliver'd by Mr. Willoughby, that I thought it not worth the time to trouble the Reader farther.

Of the Curlews there are Two sorts, the Curlew and the Curlew-hilp, these are the larger, and not very unlike the Woodcock; they frequent the Sea-Coasts, and are very good Meat. The Water-Hen is common in Ponds and Meers, but not much regarded, because esteem'd unpleasant Food. The Rale is a Bird about the bigness of a Partridge, and is common in these Parts, it hides it self in the Grass, and is discover'd by the snarling Noise, that it continually makes; it is very excellent Food, and doubtless of extraordinary Nutriment. The Quails are likewise common, and gene∣rally extraordinary Fat, and eat delicately. The Rasor-Bill is sometimes observ'd upon the Sea-Coasts, so call'd from the similitude which its Beak bears to a Rasor, but this Bird is more common in the Isle of Man than here.

The last Winter at a Place call'd Durton near Preston in Lancashire, I had a diverting Relation of a small Bird, in shape resembling, and about the bigness of a Water-wagtail, which was as follows: A Troop of Dragoons having been Quarter'd in that Town, some of the Soldiers were con∣stantly commanded to attend the Horses, it was in the Summer-time, and they generally lay, and repos'd them∣selves upon the Grass: The Bird wou'd frequently fly to∣wards them, and make its approaches to their Bodies, and at length reach'd their Faces, and offer'd to their Mouths, what it had convey'd out of the Grass, and then would return and come and offer its Food as before; but what is most re∣markable is, that the Bird wou'd not approach any Person but those in a Soldier's Habit, which was Red: This was confirm'd to me by several of the Soldiers, whom the Bird had attack'd in this manner; and likewise by a great Num∣ber of Persons of undoubted Credit, who were Eye-wit∣nesses of the Fact, so that the truth is not to be question'd:

From this Passage many Conjectures arose, but that not be∣ing a Matter relating to Natural History, I shall not trouble the Reader with them; whoever pleases may make their Presages from this, as the Romans did of old from the Peck∣ing of Chickens: However, 'tis probable that the Redness of the Habit might be to this Bird, as a Cloth of that Colour is a Lure to an Hawk, and here all their surprizing In∣terpretations may center.

Sea-Gulls are of Two sorts, the Great and the Less, the Great Gull is near as large as a Goose, the Lesser about the bulk of a Partridge, they both live upon small Fish, which they frequently take up in the Shallows, and it is a very diverting sight to see them mount, and hover in the Air, spying out their Prey, which discover'd they strike instant∣ly into the Water, take it up in their Pounces, convey it to Shore, and there feed upon it; these Birds frequently pursue one another in their flights, and if in pursuit one Gull happens to Mute, the Excrement is frequently caught by the other, and swallow'd; it is my opinion, That oftentimes the Apous a Fish not wholly digested, may be ejected, which is the allurement of the Pursuer so eagerly to devour their Foeces: There are vast Quantities of these in the Isle of Walney, particularly in the Breeding-time the whole Island is near cover'd with Eggs, or Young-ones, so that it is scarce passa∣ble without injuring them; their Tast is very strong, and ungrateful, and therefore not much regarded.

The Sea-Pyes are very common, they are Birds of the Colour, and about the size of a Magpye, and are a very agreeable Food. The Red-shanks and Perrs are common likewise upon the Sea-Coasts, and are relishing Food. Wild-Ducks, Geese and Teal are very plentiful; but the most re∣markable thing of the Wild-Ducks is their way of feeding them at Bold in Lancashire: Great quantities of these Birds breed in the Summer-season in Pits and Ponds within the Demesne, which probably may entice them to make their Visits in the Winter; they oftentimes adventure to come

into the Moat near the Hall, which a Person accustomed to feed them perceiving, he beats with a Stone on a hollow Wood Vessel, the Ducks answer to the sound, and come quite round him upon an Hill adjoyning to the Water, he scatters Corn amongst them, which they take with as much Quietness and Familiarity, as Tame ones; when fed they take their flight to the Rivers, Meers and Salt-Marshes. Swans are common in these Parts, but more particularly upon the Sea-Coasts, and upon Martin-Meer near Poulton in Lancashire: The Cygnet is very good Food, but the old Ones not tolerable.

Sometimes there are Birds not common in these Parts brought hither by Storms (as was hinted before) particu∣larly about Two Years ago, by a violent Hail Storm; a∣mongst the rest there was a Bird all White (except only a short Red Beak) about the bigness of a Pigeon; and by what I observ'd of it, I cou'd apprehend it to be no other, than what our Travellers call the Tropick-Bird, met with usually in crossing that Line. The Kings-Fisher and Hey∣hough are likewise common enough, as are the Fieldfeir and Woodcock, which visit us in Winter-time, and then re∣turn Northwards; they are said to breed in colder Climes, as in the High-lands in Scotland, Norway, Russia and Swe∣den, and such like Parts: It is probable therefore, when those Countries are bury'd in Snow, and the Brooks and Rivers frozen up, that they take their flights hither. The Cuckow and Swallow leave us in Winter: the Opinions of some are, that they sleep during that Season, and they ground their Conjectures upon finding many of them in hollow Trees, and subterraneous Vaults; but why these may not as well pursue the Heat, as the other, is the Query: I have not dissected any of them taken from their profound Dormitories, so I pretend not to decide that Controversy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Iohn Sturdy in the Philosoph▪ Transact.