1 ^Ak, 



6f The Natural Hiflory Part L 



and which were nearer to the Times 

 when thefe Authors Uved. Such was 

 that wiiich overflowed Attica in the 

 days oWgyges : and that which drowns 

 ed Thejfaij in Deucalion's time. Thefb 

 made cruel Havock and Devaftation 

 amongft them : their own native 

 Country, Greece^ was the Theatre 

 whereon thefe Tragedies were afted : 

 and their Progenitors had feen and felt 

 their Fury. And thefe happening 

 nearer home^ and their EfFeQs being 

 frefh, and in all Mens mouths, they 

 made fo fenfible and lafting Impreffi-. 

 ons upon their Minds , that the old 

 great Deluge was eclipfed by that 

 means, its Tradition mightily obfcu- 

 red, and the Circumflances of it Vo in- 

 terwoven and confounded with thofe 

 of thefe later Deluges, that 'twas e'en 

 dwindled into nothing, and almofl bu- 

 ried in the Relations of thofe Inunda^ 

 tions. 



In their Enquiries therefore into 

 this Matter, fcarcely a Man of them 

 thought, or fo much as dream'd, of 

 the Ufiiverfal Deluge. They concluded 

 indeed unanimoufly, that the Sea had 

 been there, wherever they met with 

 any of thefe Shells, and that it had left 



them 



