[ 28 o ] 
thick, running nearly parallel to the Horizon, and I 
believe nigh level with many Parts of the Ground in 
Norwich. This, Sir, feems to put the Matter out of 
all Difpute, and fairly confirm our antient Hiftory ( h ). 
I examin'd carefully this Stratum , where I found 
a great many ( i ) Kinds of Shells, but none which 
had withftood Time’s all-devouring Teeth, fo as to 
bear the handling; excepting the common Wilk, 
fome of which were very perfett ( k ). 
Amongft 
(h) Dr. C. Leigh , in his natural Hiftory of Lancajhire , fooliftily 
enough, boldly affirms all Foffils to be the Difports or Lufus Na- 
ture. Book III. p. 41. and many other Places. 
(i) Common Cockle. Black Muflel. Oyfter. Peftunculus^ <&c. 
(£) The ever memorable Dr. Hook, in his pofthumous Works, 
fays, that Earthquakes feem to be the chief Efficients which have 
tranfported thefe petrified Bodies, Shells, Woods, <&c. and left them 
in fuch Parts of the Earth as are no otherwife likely to have been 
the Places wherein fuch Subftances fhould be produced. 
‘ That feveral Mountains and Vallies have taken their Rife from 
c Earthquakes muft inevitably be allowed • but then they are to be 
c found in hotter Countries than this. If the contrary is believed, 
c why don’t fuch Things happen now ? And why is all Hiftory 
c filent upon this Head ? Befides, the Regularity of the Strata’s of 
c Shells, and their often lying parallel to the Horizon for many 
c Yards, I own, puzzle me very much, and prevent me from ac- 
c quiefcing with this ingenious Man on this Head/ 
‘ Dr. Woodward's Hypothefis, or Manner of bringing thefe Shells, 
c and all other Foffils, into the Places where we now find them, by a 
* total Diflolution of Matter, is indeed very pretty ; but fo many 
1 Difficulties arife (however plain it might appear to him) I believe 
* few now-a-days are of his Opinion. 
c Above all, I think Mr. Petit’s Way of Thinking is liable to the 
c feweft Objections j viz. by the Variation of the Parallelifm of the 
* Earth’s Axis which, being allow’d, muft certainly alter the Cen- 
* tre of Gravity : If fo, then all the fluid Parts will conform thereto • 
4 and then it will follow, that one Part will be cover’d, and over- 
‘ flow’d by the Sea, that was dry before, and another be difcover’d 
1 and laid dry, that was before overwhelm’d/ 
