CONTENTS xiii 



CHAP. PAGE 



XIII. The relation of water to the other elements. Thales silly 

 notion that the earth sails in water like a ship at sea . . .124 



XIV. The Egyptians divide each of the elements into male and 

 female ........... 125 



XV. The veins of the earth resemble those of the human body. There 

 are likewise the analogies of marrow, mucus, etc., of injuries and 



of bleeding, of parturition, perspiration, etc. . . . . 125 



XVI. Intermittent fountains are an illustration of seasonal activity. The 

 great: vacant spaces of the earth and their tenants. Underground fish 128 



XVII. The incredible wonders of nature are paralleled and even out 

 done by the excesses of luxury . . . . . .129 



XVIII. The extravagances of luxury, which make a wise man mad . 1 30 



XIX. To return a sudden eruption of water casts up fish, generally 

 poisonous. This points to the unfailing supply of subterranean 

 water . . . . . . . . . . .132 



XX. Various tastes of water due to four causes ; qualities of water 

 petrifying, soporific, intoxicating, fatal . . . . 133 



XXI. The same pestilential influence as taints rivers is perceived in 

 caves : the noxious rivers flow from or through them . . 134 



XXII. The Ocean and seas are coeval with the universe. So probably 



are abnormal rivers like the Danube and the Nile . . . 135 



XXIII. Rain and surface water must be added to subterranean . . 135 



XXIV. The causes of hot springs . . . . . . .136 



XXV. Poisonous rivers. Colouring power of others. Great specific 

 gravity of certain waters, its effects and cause . . . .137 



XXVI. Intermittent rivers and springs. Means possessed by river, 

 fount, and sea of purifying themselves . . . . .141 



XXVII. Digression on the universal deluge which will destroy the 

 world. Nature is niggardly in creation, lavish in destruction. 



Ovid is unequal in his treatment of this catastrophe . . .143 



XXVIII. Further imaginative pictures of what water can do by way 

 of destruction. Alternative methods of destroying the earth 

 water and fire . . . . . . . . .148 



XXIX. Further possibilities of the same character. Distinctions of 

 seas, gulfs, etc., will all be obliterated ; nature and the works of 



man will alike be overthrown . . . . . . 1 50 



XXX. Nature shows by the chafing of the sea that she designs to 

 inundate the world. A deluge is part of the fore-ordained plan. 

 But there will be a new earth and a new race of men who will 



not sin for a time . . . . . . . .154 



BOOK IV 



CONTAINING A DISCUSSION OF SNOW, HAIL, 

 AND RAIN. [THE NILE] 



PREFACE 



THE dangers of flattery and its insidiousness. If you must have 

 praise, praise yourself. Lucilius has good cause : he must not, 



