Parenchymammy Mu fete • and think my time Well fpent in receiving a full 
fatisfa&ion of the ungroundednefs of my opinion ; and readily fubmit to the 
Author , with a grateful acknowledgement of my Obligation to any one, that 
IhaU rebUfie me in my miflake , if it be one, 
Objervables 
Touching Petrification. 
T Hough much hath been already faid and written of Petrification, yet 
'tis conceived , that all that comes fo far fhort of a competent flock for 
the composing of a perfect Blfiory of Petrification , that the incompletenefs 
thereof ought to awaken the more diligent attention of the Curious, and to 
call in their aid for Additions, thereby fo to inereafe and to complete the 
Materials for that work , that it may the better ferve to clear and make out 
the Caufe of that Tranfmutation.. And that the rather, becaufe if it lay in the 
power of humane Skill (by the knowledge of Nature's works) to raife 
Petrification , or to allay y or prevent it , or to order and di red it ( which 
perchance in time might be attained the faid way ) much ufe might be made of 
th s Art j efpecially if it could be made applicable to hinder the Generation 
of the Stone and Gravel in humane Bodies, or to dilfolve the Stone , where 
S tis formed ,• befides other valuable Ufes , that might be excogitated. 
Upon this Consideration, care is, and further mil be taken in thefe Papers, 
to record , among other Obfervables of Nature , what (hall be communi- 
cated of this kind of Change. 
In Numb. 1. 2. and 5 . feveral Relations have been made belonging to this 
Argument. Much of it, together with confiderable Reflections may be 
ieen in Mr. Bojle’s Ej] ay of Firmnefs : In Helmont Be- Luhlafi where, among 
other remarques , is recited the Teflimonyof Par&us , of a Petrified Child 
ieen a i Par is, an J by the Owner tiled for a Whetfione : In Deufingitu’s Hi- 
floria Inf antis w Abdomine invemi , & indtiritiem lapdeam converfi : In 
Mr. Hookas Micrography , and in others. To omit now , what has been 
related (but perhaps not well enough attefted ) by Authors, concerning the 
fliipendious Petrifications of whole Companies of Men, and Troops of Cat- 
tie ; by Aventlnm lib. 7. Annul. Bojorum ; by Pure has in his P Pgr image p. 
426. in fol. printed at London 1614, and, (of 'a Troop of Spanijh Horfemen) 
by J of Acofla lib. 7 . c. 9. 
To allwh'ch , the Curious Dr .Beale now adds a Narrative of a Stone, not 
long fince taken out of the Womb of a Woman of his neighbourhood neer 
Trent in Somerfet (hire , by incifion , ana afterwards perfectly cured, thou°h 
five had born the Stone with extreme torments for S. or 9. years. The ope- 
ration he relates.to have been raadein EafterhBy after vvhich time , he af- 
firms to have feen the Stone , and weigh’d it in Gold-Scales , where it wan- 
fed.fomfiw.hat: of four Ounces , but had lofl of the weight, it formerly bad , 
