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when first consolidated, as ever they will be. But 

 why do we hud no spars in their iluid state ? Be- 

 cause while the matter of them remains incorporated 

 w ith the water, it is not to be distinguished from it, 

 and as soon as it is deserted by the water, wherein it 

 swims, it commences stone. It is by water, that the 

 sparry atoms are wasiied out. of their repOMtories, and 

 collected into a transparent or opakejuice. As soon 

 as the redundant water is drained off or evaporated 

 the stony parts accede to a closer union. They are 

 assisted therein, either by cold, compressing the parts 

 or by sudden evaporating heat. Thus the stone is 

 formed, so much water resisting the pores, as is 

 necessary to fix it into a consistency. Ilence majr 

 arise some queries. 



J. Whether spar is not the universal gluten of 

 stones distinguished from each other, by various mix- 

 tures oi earthy, mineral or metallic particles, but all 

 united by the sparry liquor ? Perhaps there is scarce 

 any sand, stone, or ore, which either by the nal:ed 

 eye or glasses, may not be discerned to have a portion 

 of spar, clearer or opake, in its composition. 



2. Whether these and all other sorts of stones are 

 not continually forming in the earth ? 



3. Whether there are ncu quarries of stone, which 

 when left uu wrought for a considerable time, yield a 

 fresh supply of stone, in those channels 3 which had 

 been, before thoroughly cleared ? 



A very peculiar kind of precious stone is what 

 is termed a Turquois. It is of the opake kind, and 

 commonly of a beautiful blue colour. And yet it 

 has Utely been made very probable, that these shining 

 stones are originally IK> other than the bones of ani- 

 mals. Jn the French mines they are frequently found 

 in the figure of teeth, bones of the legs, &r. And 

 turquoises half formed are composed of Jamina3,like 

 those of bonts, between which \ etrifying juice in. 

 sinuating, binds them close together. And the more 

 imperfect the stones are, the more distinguishable are 



