170 LETTER VII. 



feen ; but 1 take them to be no other than natu-» 

 ral Stone, with Veins that refemble fome forts of 

 Wood. I fend by the Bearer, a piece of another 

 fort of Stone, that nearly refembles old Oaken 

 Wood ', an Acquaintane of mine picked it up in 

 a Field, in Warwickjhirey where they are not un^ 

 common, though pretty much wondered at by 

 the Country People, as well as Gentry. I have 

 heard indeed of a whole Ladder, both Sides and 

 Rounds, that was turned into Stone by it : But 

 to my great mortification, could never learn the 

 name of the Perfon, who had the Ladder in pof- 

 feffion ; in (hort, I would have travelled an hun- 

 dred miles, without grudging either labour or 

 coft, in paying fuch profound refpedt to fo rare 

 a Curiofity. If we may credit Naturalifts of un^ 

 tainted veracity on all other Accounts, there are 

 Waters in many places that will foon cruft over 

 a piece of Wood, with a thin Cafe of Stone; and 

 if fo, perhaps this was the Ladder's Cafe, I mean 

 if any fuch Ladder there ever was. About twelve 

 years ago Sir Roger Burgoine^ Bart, of Suttmy in 

 this County, had a Tenant who loft a Horfe 

 by Sicknefs, and upon opening him in order to 

 find out the caufe of his Death, one of his Kid- 

 neys was entirely petrified, though it ftill preferv- 

 ed its true natural Shape : It was enclofed with 

 Blood and vifcous matter, in a tough Skin, or 

 Bag : Laft week I vifited Sir Roger and faw it. 



When 



