C I<4 ] 
verfity as Profefior 5 to be out of the Way of Envy : 
However he keeps a Boarding-School for young 
Men. He has publifhed the Book in Queftion at his 
own Expence 5 which has brought him into fome 
Trouble, and render'd the Book at firft very Scarce. 
He fhews a great Conformity to the Principles of Sir 
Ifaac Newton , and other modern Philofophers, not 
very common in Italy 7 grounding himfelf upon Ex- 
perience, and mathematical Proofs. 
Having in the firft Part formed the State of the 
Queftion, he examines the Syftems of Burnet and 
Woodward , almoft generally received by the Learned, 
though the former does not make any exprefs 
Mention of Petrifadion. He refutes their Opinions 
about the Deluge, and of its being the Caufe of Pe- 
trifadions. He lays down for a fundamental Maxim, 
that the Deluge ought to be believed, according to 
the Scripture, as a Miracle, and not to be proved by 
natural Rules 5 from which he proceeds to another 5 
'viz. That whoever lays down, for a Foundation, 
a Principle which does not fit the Several Bhano- 
mena , builds upon an erroneous Principle. 
After having refuted at large Dr. Woodwards 
Opinions, he proceeds to the eftablifhing his own 
Syftem, grounded upon Subterraneous Fire, with va- 
rious Arguments of his own, and with the Refuta- 
tion of thofe of others. 
He firft lays down fome general Principles, accord- 
ing to Sir Ifaac Newton } &c. and then applies to 
them Several Inftances for Supporting his Syftem. 
The firft is the new Ifland rifen out of the Sea in 
the Year 1707, near the Ifland Santorini in the Archi- 
pelago, 
The 
7 
