28 The Statural Hijlory 



putrefaction , with their falls and fulphurs ready for flight, and 

 in that pofture catch'd by the adventitious cold, are probably 

 fo congealed at the top of the water. How confonant to truth 

 this Theory may be, I leave to the Readers judgment and future 

 experience, and by the way would 'have him take notice, that as 

 this, fo my other opinions hereafter to be mentioned, are not 

 magifterially laid down, fo as to juftle out better whenever they 

 can be brought, but fairly to have their tryal, and fo live or dye. 

 But as to the matter of Fad, as I cannot but think it hard that 

 fo many people (liould agree in a ralfity, fo methinks 'tis as diffi- 

 cult they (hould miftake in their judgments, fince I was told by 

 one of thefobereft of that calling, that he once knew a Hatchet 

 cafually fall over-board into the River near Wallingford, which 

 was afterwards brought up , and found in one of thefe Ice- 

 meers. 



1 6. And fo much for the [alts that give life to the waters, mul- 

 tiply the Fifii and are the caufe of congelations-, for the watry 

 Plants it feems have their vegetation from none of thefe, but a 

 higher principle, which fome will have to be a volatile Niter, 

 brought along with the fhowers in their paffage through the Air. 

 Thatfubaqueout Plants have a proportionable growth to thofe on 

 the Land after a fhower of rain, is alfo the general voice of the 

 Barge-men; and herein I am the rather inclin'd to believe them, 

 becaufe 'tis a matter fo much their intereft to obferve ; our water- 

 men here in thefe (hallow Rivers, praying notfo much for rain to 

 fill them when low, as that weeds may alfo grow to help keep the 

 waters when they have them, which will otherwife too foon glide 

 away, to their no fmall detriment. Some have thought this vi- 

 gorous (hooting of the aqueous Plants, fo prefently fenfible af- 

 ter plentiful Ihowers, to proceed rather from the foyls brought 

 with them from the hills, and impregnated with [alts fit to pro- 

 mote vegetation ; but the contrary is evident from the former 

 Paragraphs, for with fuch as thefe the Rivers are daily fated, and 

 yet this brisk vegetation is wanting till it rains : whence I guefs 

 that terreslrial and fubaqueous Plants (that I fay not fuch as delight 

 in uliginout places) have their fprightful (hooting from different 

 principles 5 and if to the former I (hould aflign a more fix'd, 

 and to the latter a volatile fait, perchance I might not be much 



Witt* deFermwnt. cap. %. 



out 



