Springs, River s^ and the Sea. 



for the place from whence he arose ; all 

 rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not 

 full ; unto the place from whence the ri- 

 vers came, thither they return again." 



The Sea is a vast collection of waters in 

 the deep and unfathomable valleys of the 

 earth. This great abyss occupies nearly 

 three quarters of the whole surface of our 

 globe ; which has been thought by some 

 too great a proportion ; but it is probably 

 no more than sufficient to fertilize the 

 land. 



The saltness of the sea is a property in 

 that element, which appears to have exci- 

 ted the curiosity of naturalists in all ages. 

 This property is very rationally judged 

 to arise from great multitudes both of 

 mines and mountains of salt, dispersed 

 here and there in the depths of the sea ; 

 the salt being continually diluted and dis- 

 solved by the waters, the sea becomes im- 

 pregnated with its particles throughout ; 

 and for this reason the saltness of the sea 

 can never be diminished. 



The saltness of the sea preserves its 

 waters pure and sweet, which otherwise 

 would corrupt and stink like a filthy lake, 

 and consequently none of the myriads of 



