202 HISTORY Or 



an inflexion of the shore, or the jutting of a pro- 

 montory, that has not been minutely described. 

 But as these present very little entertainment to 

 the imagination, or delight to any but those whose 

 pursuits are lucrative, they need not be dwelt 

 upon here. While the merchant and the mari- 

 ner are solicitous in describing currents and 

 soundings, the naturalist is employed in observ- 

 ing wonders, though not so beneficial, yet to him 

 of a much more important nature. The saltness 

 of the sea seems to be foremost. 



Whence the sea has derived that peculiar bit- 

 terish saltness which we find in it, appears, by 

 Aristotle, to have exercised the curiosity of na- 

 turalists in all ages. He supposed (and mankind 

 were for ages content with the solution) that the 

 sun continually raised dry saline exhalations from 

 the earth, and deposited them upon the sea ; and 

 hence, say his followers, the waters of the sea are 

 more salt at top than at bottom. But, unfortu- 

 nately for this opinion, neither of the facts is true. 

 Sea salt is not to be raised by the vapours of the 

 sun ; and sea water is not salter at the top than 

 at the bottom. Father Bohours is of opinion 

 that the Creator gave the waters of the ocean 

 their saltness at the beginning ; not only to pre- 

 vent their corruption, but to enable them to bear 

 greater burdens. But their saltness does not pre- 

 vent their corruption ; for stagnant sea water, like 

 fresh, soon grows putrid : and as for their bear- 

 ing greater burdens, fresh water answers all the 

 purposes of navigation quite as well. The esta- 

 blished opinion, therefore, is that of Boyle, who 



