$6 The Natural Hijlory Part VL 



f rev ailed exceedingly upon the Earth 5 

 a^d all the HIGH HILLS that were 

 der she whole Heaven were covered. Fif- 

 teen Cubits upwards did the Wattrs pre- 

 vail; and the MOV NT J INS were co- 

 vered, i^nd all flejb dyed: — all in 

 whofe Noflrils wm the breath of Life* 

 The Theorifi averrs, that there were no 

 Mountains in the firjl Earth. I am not 

 wiUing to fuppole that he charges a 

 Falfhood or Miftake upon the Paflage, 

 but rather that he would have this to 

 be underftood of thofe Mountains 

 which were raifed afterwards. Which 

 yet cannot be ; for the Hiftorian here 

 plainly makes thefe Mountains the 

 Standards and Meafures of the Rife of 

 the Water ; which they could never 

 have been had they not been ftanding 

 when it did fo rife and overpour the 

 Eartk His Intention in the whole is 

 to acquaint us that all Land-Creatures 

 whatever .bothMeOjQoac^rupeds^Birds, 

 and Infe£ts, perilhy and were deftroy- 

 ed by the Water, Noah only excepted^ 

 and they that were with him in the Ark. 

 And at the fame time, to let us fee 

 the Truth and Probability of the 

 Thing : to convince us that there was 

 110 way for any to efcape, and par-^ 



tiGularly 



