i68 LETTER VII. 



" ed to aft on all other occafions, with an un- 

 " controuled liberty, or, to fpeak more proper- 

 " ly, with a perpetual and admirable variety? 

 '' The German Journal, for the year 1 66 1, makes 

 '' mention of a Turnep, that exactly refembled 

 " a hand 3 and of a Mufhrome, from which fix 

 " half-bodied Human Figures iffued out. 



21. But, Thirdly, Though it is often a dif- 

 ficult tafk to affign Reafons for their feveral 

 Kinds, Colours, ftrange Shapes, and beautiful 

 Impreffions ; yet I allow that there may be 

 fuch things as Petrifications, in the common fenfe 

 of the word, "oiz. The Adlion of convert- 

 ing Fluids, Woods, and other Matters into Stone. 

 Stones, by growing at all, do in a good meafure 

 prove their Exiftence ; however, I fhall purfue 

 the method I firft propofed ^ 



22. And fhall inftance in the Petrifications, 

 that are izzx). upon the Ruins of an ancient Aque- 

 dufl:, that formerly conveyed water from the 

 Cifterns, commonly called Solomon's, to the fa- 

 mous City of I'yre, mentioned in Henry Maun- 

 drel's Travels from Aleppo to 'Jerujalem^ page 52. 

 as follows. As we paffed by the Aquedudl, we 

 obferved in feveral Places on its Sides, and under 

 its Arches, rugged Heaps of Matter, refembling 

 Rocks. Thefe were produced by the leakage of 

 the Water, which petrified as it diftilled from 

 above ; and by the continual adherence of new 



Matter^ 



