266 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



of fulphur are no where found but in the vicinity 

 of volcanos. What, befides, could renovate them 

 when exhaufted ? A fupply fo confiant, for keep, 

 ing up volcanos, is not in the Earth, but in the 

 Sea. It is furnifhed by the oils, the bitumens, and 

 the nitres of vegetables and animals, which the 

 rains and the rivers convey off from every quarter 

 into the Ocean, where the diflblution of all bodies 

 is completed by its lixivial water. To thefe are 

 joined metallic diffblutions, and efpecially thofe of 

 iron, which, as is well known, abounds all over the 

 earth. Volcanos take fire, and feed themfelves 

 with all thefe fubflances. 



Lemery, the Chymiil, has imitated their effedls, 

 by a compofition confifting of filings of iron, ful- 

 phur, and nitre, moiftened with water, which 

 caught fire of itfelf. If Nature had not kindled 

 thefe vafl furnaces on the fhores of the Ocean, it*s 

 waters would be covered with vegetable and ani- 

 mal oils, which could never evaporate, for they re- 

 fill: the adion of the air. You may have frequently 

 obferved them, when ilagnated in fome undif- 

 turbed bafon, from their colour refembling the 

 pigeon's neck. Nature purifies the waters by the 

 fire of volcanos, as fhe purifies the air by thofe of 

 thunder; and as ftorms are more common in hot 

 countries, fhe has in thefe, likewife, multiplied vol- 

 canos, and for the fame reafon. She burns on the 



fhores 



