STUDY IV. 265 



cano in the interior of Continents, unlefs it be in 

 the vicinity of fome great lake, fuch as that of 

 Mexico. They are fituated, for the moft part, in 

 illands, at the extremity, or at the confluence of 

 the Currents of the Sea, and in the counter-tide 

 of their waters. This is the reafon why we find 

 them in fuch numbers toward the Line, and along 

 the (hore of the South Sea, where the South-wind, 

 which perpetually blows there, brings back all the 

 fubftances fwimming about in a ftate of diflblu- 

 tion. 



Another proof that they owe their fupport to 

 the Sea is this, that, in their eruptions, they fre- 

 quently vomit out torrents of fait water. Newton 

 afcribed their origin, and their duration, to ca- 

 verns of fulphur, inclofed in the bowels of the 

 Earth. But that great man had not reflefled on 

 the pofition of volcanos in the vicinity of water, 

 nor calculated the prodigious quantity of fulphur, 

 which the magnitude, and the duration, of their 

 fires mud have required. Vefuvius alone, which 

 burns night and day, from time immemorial, would 

 have confumed a mafs of it larger than the whole 

 kingdom of Naples. Befides, Nature does nothing 

 in vain. What purpofe could be anfwered by fuch 

 magazines of fulphur in the interior of the Earth ? 

 We (hould find them completely entire in places, 

 where they are not confumed by the fire. Mines 



of 



