O F N A T U R E. 43 



gs geography informs us. Nay, that it once 

 ipread over much the greatefb part, wc 

 may be convinced by its yearly decreafe, by 

 the rubbiih left by the tides, hy fitlls^ firala^ 

 ^nd other ciixumflances. 



The fea-fnores are ufually full of dead tefta- 

 ceous animals, wrack, and iuch like bodies, 

 which are yearly thrown out of the fea. They 

 are alfo covered with fand of various kinds, 

 flones, and heaps of other things not very 

 common. It happens moreover, that while 

 the more rapid rivers rufli through narrow val- 

 lies, they wear away the fides, and thus the 

 friable, and foft earth falls in, and its ruins 

 are carried to diflant, and v/inding fhores *, 

 whence it is certain, that the continent gains. 

 no Imall increafe, as the fea fubfides. 



The clouds colleded from exhalations, 

 chiefly from the fea, but likewife from other 

 waters, and moifl: grounds, and condenfed in 

 the lower regions of the atmofphere, llippiy 

 the earth v»dth rain ; but fmce they are at- 

 tracted by the mountainous parts of the earth, 

 it necefiarily follows, that thofe parts muft 

 have, as is fit, a larger fiiare of water than 

 the reft. Springs, which generally rufh out 

 at the foot of mountains, take their rife from 



tl^is 



