BOOK II.] History of Nature. 137 



remain behind : and hereupon it is, that the deep Water to- 

 ward the Bottom is less salt than that at the Top. And 

 this is a truer Reason of that unpleasant Taste it hath, than 

 that the Sea should be a Sweat issuing out of the Earth con- 

 tinually : or, because overmuch of the dry Element is min- 

 gled in it without any Vapour : or else because the Nature 

 of the Earth infecteth the Waters with some strong Medi- 

 cine. We find among Examples that there happened a Pro- 

 digy to Dionysius, Tyrant of Sicily, when he was expelled 

 from his Power, which was : that the Sea-water, in one Day, 

 in the Harbour became fresh. 



CHAPTER CI. 

 Also, of the Moons Nature. 



ON the contrary, they say that the Moon is a Planet 

 feminine, tender and nightly; that it dissolveth Humours, 

 drawing the same, but carrying them not away. And this 

 appeareth evidently because that the Carcasses of wild Beasts 

 which are slain, she putrifieth by her Influence, if she shine 

 upon them. When Men also are found asleep, the dull 

 Numbness thereby gathered she draweth up into the Head : 

 she thaweth Ice, and with a moistening Breath relaxeth all 

 Things. Thus you see how Nature's turn is served, and is 

 always sufficient ; while some Stars thicken the Elements, 

 and others again resolve the same. But as the Sun is fed by 

 the salt Seas, so the Moon is nourished by the fresh Waters. 



CHAPTER CII. 

 Where the Sea is deepest. 



FABIANUS saith, that the Sea, where it is deepest, ex- 

 ceedeth not fifteen Stadii. Others again report, that in Pon- 

 tus the Sea is of an unmeasurable Depth over against the 

 Nation of the Coraxians, at the Place they call Bathea Ponti, 

 whereof the Bottom could never be sounded at the Distance 

 of three hundred Stadii from the Continent. 



