112 MiIcROGRAPHIA. 
fome other caverns in another, and others in a third,or.a fourth, ora fifth 
place, for fo many differing fub{tances have I found in one_of thefe pe- 
trifyd Shells,and perhaps all thefe differing from the encompafling earth 
or {tone ; the means how all which varietiesmay be causd, I think, will 
not be difficult to conceive, to any one that has taken notice of thofe 
Shells, which are commonly found on the Sea fhore : And he that thall 
throughly examine feveral kinds of fuch curioufly formd ftones,will (1 
am very apt to think) find reafon to fuppofe their generation or forma- 
tion to be afcribable to fome fuch accidents as. have mentiond, and 
not to any Plaftick virtue: For it feems to me quite contrary to the in- 
finite prudence of Nature, which is obfervable in all its ee and pro- 
ductions, to defign every thing toa determinate end, and for the attain 
ing of that end, makes ufe of fuch ways as are (as farr asthe knowledge 
of man hasyet been able to reach) altogether confonant, and moft 
agreeable to man’s reafon, and of no way or means that does contradict, 
or is contrary to humane Ratiocination; whence it has a longtime been 
a general obfervation and maxime, that Nature does nothing in vain It 
feems, I fay, contrary to that great Wifdom of Nature, that thefe prettily 
fhap’d bodies fhould have all thofe curious Figures and contrivances 
(which many of them are adorn’d and contriv’d with) generated or 
wrought by a Plaffick, virtue, for no higher end ‘then onely to exhibite | 
fuch a form; which he that fhall throughly confider all the circumftances 
of fuch kind of Figur'd bodies, will, 1 think, have great reafon to be- 
lieve, thou h, I confefs, one cannot prefently be able to find out what 
Nature sdefigns are. It were therefore very defirable, thata good col- 
lection of fuch kind of figur’d {tones were collected; and as many par- 
culars, circumftances, and informations collected with them as could be 
obtained, that from fuch a Hiftory, of Obferyations well rang'd, ex- 
amind and digefted, the true original or production of all thofe kinds 
of {tones might be perfeétly and furely known; fuch as are Thunder- 
frones, Lapides Stellares, Lapides Fudaici,and multitudes of other, where- 
o — is made. in Aldrevandws Wormiws, and other Writers of 
inerals, : te 
could not {fo plaini 
much lefs what Figure they were of ; But judging from the li 
yielding quality of the Cork, that certainly the texture co 
