1 5^ An ES SAY on the Procefs Chap. 6. 



bres feek for Food, which is ready prepared 

 by theCeleftial Diftillations juft mentioned. 

 concernhi There have been fome who have afcrih'd 

 Subterra- much to Subtcrraneous Fires, as if that was 

 ^neous Fires. ^^^ of the chief Agents in this Work, or 

 at leaft confpir'd with the Sun, &c. But this 

 feems to be a Notion too far fetch'd^ for 

 whoever perceiv'd any Heat to afcend from 

 thence, what Effeft it may have on Fofliles 

 or Minerals, I (hall not pretend to determine 5 

 or in what Stratum or Bed its firft Caufe is 

 iix'd, I have not learn'd 5 but if deep, it may 

 be reafonably thought to have little Effed 

 above, or fuch as is vifible to the Eye or tq 

 Reafon. 

 De^«cW If the Notion be deduc'd from thofe Kxiir 

 lluum' ^^^ Heats and Fires we make in Hot Beds 

 and Stoves, upon a fmall Examination 'twill 

 appear to be ill grounded : In the firft place, 

 it not appearing by any vifible Obfervation, 

 that thefe Subterraneous Fires have the like 

 Ejffeft in the Ground, as to heat it in any de- 

 gree adequate to the meaneft Fire or Hot Bed 

 we make 3 if that was the Cafe, we fhould 

 have fome, though perhaps but imperfeft Pro- 

 duftions of Plants in the Winter : But 

 this we are not to exped 'tiir the Genial 

 Rays of the Sun are difplay'd, and 'tis there 

 that we muft undoubtedly fix our Hypo- 

 thefis. And this would be ftill more demon- 

 ftrable ( and mdeed 'tis eafie to conceive the 

 Event ) on the one hand, by an Experiment 

 oif.vaulting or covering a Tree over, that the 



-A^ Rays 



