. • ( ^57.^ ) 
homier of the Knare&bprough Spriftg are very fine. A>/d 
many ^ of the Foffil-lhells have under gotie the fame f^te^ 
3dly, The thirds rvhich indeed is a Petrification, proper/y 
Jo calld^ k often met with on the fides -^/Oves and Grotto's, 
as at Pooly-bole Peak, and in the Fiflures, and 
Clefts Mines and Quarries. ' 0/ this kjnd ane the fever al 
forts of Fluors, the Lap. Stillatitii, StalagaiitcT, &c.^ that 
we weet with in the FilFures, and i^iatus's of the Earth. 
Thefe are fontinually growing ( as they vulgarly fay^ that is^ 
are receiving an additional increafe of real and folid Stone.as 
is ohferved in n?any Caves in the Peak, d/^c. This I take 
to he performed in fitch a manner as the Incruftations arCy 
viz. the particles ofStme are hropfght along with ike Water 
as their Vehicle, and are depojited at length upon the fides of 
the Cave or Figure, ( this is matter of fa^^ that there is 
always a watry Stream^ and ufually Water a trickjing down 
upon the fides of thvfe Caves : ) but here, the particles of Stone 
are extremely minute and pne^and do thereby naturally concrete 
and j yn together very 'clofe 5 whereas in our Incruftations 
ihe particles of Stone being grojfer^ the Stone is rough^ and 
courfe^ andfriMe. And this I leave to your Judgment if it 
he not a more reafonable Hypothefis, than that of Dr Plot 
in pag. 35 of his Hiftory of Oxfordfhire, viz. That the 
very body of the Water is turned into Stone as it drops 
down from the Rocks. / k^ow not ittdeed of any other 
fort} of Petrification than thefe I have already mention d.. 
As to ^6^^^ Hypothefis of the Tranfinutation 0/ ^ Stratum, 
gf of Chalk to Clay^ of Coal to common Stone^ or theji^e, 
.1 muft confefs I "never met with any thing in Nature which , 
would countenance it^ that is^ -fucha Tranfmutation the 
Bowels of the Earth. Nor is there any thin thing th^t proves ^ 
jt^ that ever fhave ?mt with in any Naioial Obfervations. 
Only feme will guefs and fancy fach a thing, hut for making 
it out^ £ am fare I am no more able to 'do it, than to make 
the Philofophers Stone, whatever they are. Thus 1 have 
freely given) ou my thoughts of thefe things. 
A 
