§4 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1704. 



on my barometer, I observed that I had never seen the quicksilver so low; but 

 half an hour after, the quicksilver began to rise, though the storm was not at 

 all abated, at least to any appearance ; from whence I concluded that the storm 

 would not last long ; and so it happened accordingly. Some persons feared that 

 the scattering of this salt water by the storm will do a great deal of harm to the 

 fruits of the earth ; but, for my part, I am of a quite different opinion ; for I 

 believe that a little salt spread over the surface of the earth, especially where it 

 is heavy clay-ground, renders it very fruitful ; and so it would be if the sea sand 

 were made use of to the same purpose. 



Concerning the Figures of Sand. By M, Leuwenhoeck, F. R. S, 



N° 289, P- 1537. 



I have formerly affirmed of sand, that you cannot find in any quantity what- 

 ever, two particles that are entirely alike ; and though perhaps in their first con- 

 figuration they might be alike, yet at present they are exceedingly different ; the 

 sand, especially what we make use of, is liable to so great alterations, that it 

 would be a wonder, if even in its smallest particles, of which there may be a 

 thousand in one small grain, there should be an exact similitude. For let us 

 conclude, that our common sand, of which one grain differs from another in 

 transparency, was at first formed with smooth sides and sharp points ; but these 

 are so rubbed against one another, that several small holes may be perceived in 

 them, by which they lose their first figure ; and who can conceive what changes 

 those particles of sand undergo, that lie next the superficies of the terrestrial 

 :globe ; especially such as lie at some depth under a stony ground, where laden 

 waggons often pass ; for those particles of sand by frequent compressions and 

 collisions, indent holes in their sides, and break off the sharp points or angles ; 

 not to mention what alterations are made in these small bodies by storms, thun- 

 der, earthquakes, &c. 



I got some shining sand, which, though very thin, was not transparent, its 

 lustre being wholly occasioned by the reflection of the light from its polished 

 sides ; several particles of this sand, which were much larger than the rest, re- 

 flected no light, though they seemed smooth to the naked eye ; from whence I 

 concluded that they had lost their lustre by the frequent rubbing of their sides 

 against others. When I viewed several grains of the sand with my microscope, 

 I was surprised to see that many of them were hexangular, and the more when 

 I had sifted the finest from the coarsest ; neither could 1 observe that any of the 

 sands were like each other. I viewed the said sand with great attention several 

 times, imagining that by some earthquake or otherwise it might be thrown up, 

 from the place where it had lain at rest, to the superficies of the earth ; and 



