Paft V". of the Earthl 231 

 Xhat Rocks y Mount dns^ and the 2. 

 ofher Elevations of the Earth ( efpe- 

 cially thofe whofe Surfaces are yearly 

 ftiirM and difturbed by digging, plow- 

 ing, or the like) fuffer a continual 

 Decrement, and^rw lower and lower; 

 the fuperficial parts of them being by 

 little and little wafli'd away by KdnSy ■ 

 and hor» dom upon the fubjacent 

 Plains and Valleys. That even the 

 Stone it felf ( whether naked and un* 

 cjovered as in Rocks, or invefted with a 

 Stratum of Earth as is that in our ordi- 

 nary Hills) is not, by its Solidity, 

 priviledg d and fecured againft them, 

 but is diffolved by degrees, and wafti'd 

 alfo down, in its turn, as well as the 

 loofer Earth. 



That the Matter which thus de- g. 

 volves from the Hills down upon the 

 lower Grounds, does not confiderably 

 rdife and augment them ; a great part of 

 it, viz. the vegetative and lighter Ter- 

 reftrial Matter, being either mounted 

 up into the Atmofphere by theafcend-, ^.^^^^^ 

 ing Vapour % or carried along with 3. seh. i. 

 the Rain-water into Rivers, and, byc<w/.8. 

 them, into the Seat; whence 'tis re4;;f;;- 

 turned back again to the Earth difper- &feq. uti 

 fedly by Rain t, and ferves for the^/l; 



Q, 4 Nutri-/,^. ■ 



