NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. r 



fragments, like lumps of mortar, or a foft pafte, fcattered not 

 only in the vallies and creeks, where they are called Sciflars and 

 Flies, but alfo on the tops of the higheft mountains ; many fuch 

 being found here of the bulk of a common houfe, confequently 

 too ponderous to have been raifed to fuch a height by the hands 

 of men, and befides of no vifible ufe. 



This likewife is the origin of molt of thofe pebbles, which are stones not 

 found fcattered in all parts of the globe, and which by leno-th of vesetatlve " 

 time become fomewhat fmooth and even. I fay moll of them, 

 and allow that fome fandy ftones may be faid to grow, and from 

 this caufe, that a fuperflcial layer of fand or clay was indurated 

 by the fun. But that Hones in general, eipecially the hard peb- 

 bles, grow, and confequently are endued with a vegetative life, 

 or internal power to imbibe their nourimment from the earth, 

 this is certainly one of the moft abfurd notions that ever was re- 

 ceived among judicious men, and efpecially in an age in which 

 the caufes of things are fo minutely and accurately investigated. 

 If after clearing a piece of ground of the fmall ftones, there ap- 

 pears to be a fucceflion of them, this is owing to a hard froft 

 within the earth, and the fwelling of the earth by the enfuing 

 thaws, whereby, every year, the Itones are carried up to the fur- 

 face. That mountain-cryflals, and poffibly more valuable gems, 

 may grow like fap or juices, which gradually become tinged with 

 the colours of the minerals, and according to the quality and ar- 

 rangement of the faline particles, concrete and fhoot into cones 

 I am very willing to admit ; likewife, that the water carrying 

 away fome lapideous particles, here and there in the cavities of 

 the mountains, reduces them to a pafte, which afterwards being 

 dropped, remains fufpended like icicles ; and there forms what is 

 therefore called the Drop-ftone or Stala&ites, 



SEC T. IX. 



Before I take my leave of the mountains, and particularly of 

 our Norvegian rocks, I mull, agreeably -to my purpofe, mention d{ 

 fomething further to the praife of the great Creator, and to in- ^™** 

 cline the people of Norway to be gratefully contented with the ™T*' 

 habitation which God has afligned them. I previously grant, as ** 



'all 



The incon- 



veniencies and 

 detriment to 

 from 

 rOcl 

 moun- 



