( 1 544 > 
Dclf in Holland, February i. 1704. 
SOon atfer that the Cathedral Church at Vtrecht was 
almoft mined by the dreadful Storm, my curiofity led 
me to view the fallen Pillars and other parts of that Build- 
ing that lay about, and I obferved, that feveral of the Pe- 
deftals were composed of red Stone, as alfo fpme Tomb- 
ftoneso and that in another Church there was a whole 
Pillar of fuch Stone,and forafmuch as neither in ourTown, 
nor any other Town that I know of, this fort ot Stone is 
made ufe of by Mafons in the building of Houfej, I took 
fome of it home with me, in order to obferveit with my 
Microfcope, and I did then imagin that that fort of Stone 
confifted for the moft part of large and tranfparent corns 
of Sand, and that the rcdnefs of the Stone was only caused 
by a certain red matter, which had produced fuch a con- 
tinuity or adhefion in the maG of the Sand, as to be able 
to confolidateit intoa red Stone. 
Being of this opinion, as I faid before, I took the little 
piece of red Stone, and feparated feveral Sand-particles 
from it as gently as I could 3 and becaufe the red matter 
which clung to fome of the ^ands more than others, hin- 
dered me from taking a diftinft and clear view of each 
particular corn, I put fome of them into Aqua Fortify to 
try whether that would diffolve the red matter, and re- 
ftore its luftre to the Sand ^ but in vain, for that Men- 
ftruum was not able to feparate em. Then I took feveral 
of thofe Particles of Sand that werefurrounded with the 
lead of fuch Red Matter, and placing them before the 
Microfcope^ obfervcd that fome of em had ten or more 
(harp 
