Part L of the Earth 



even to Countries very remote from 

 any Seas. 



Arid this is a Queftion of great Ann- 

 qaity ; and which hath, for many Ages, 

 given no fmall Fatigue to Learned 

 Men. Nor hath the prefect been lefs 

 inquifitive into this Affair than the 

 former Ages were. We have fee a fe- 

 veral hands euiploved herein : and 

 many of them very excellent ones too* 

 The great number of the Undertakers: 

 the Worth of fbme of them : and their 

 Zeal to bring the Matter to a Decifi- 

 on, are fure Arguments of the Digni- 

 ty and Importance of it : and that it is 

 not hitherto decided, is as certain a 

 proof of its difficulty. 



Some were of Opinion, that thele 

 Shells were fetched from Sea, by the 

 ancient Inhabitants of thofe Countries 

 where they are now found 5 who, af- 

 ter they had ufed the included Fiflies 

 for Food, flinging forth the Shells, 

 many of theni became petrified, as 

 they rpeak; being thereby preferved 

 down to our times, and are the fame 

 which we at this day find in our Fields 

 and Quarries. 



Others rather thought that they 

 were only Reliques of feme former 



D 2 great 



