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River Thames its Sweetnefs to the Sea, and make ail 
its Water frefh. 
Secondly , Becaufe that if this lapidefeent Quality 
was equally diffufed thro’ the Water of the whole 
Lake in a Degree fufficient to turn a whole Tree, or 
any of its larger Branches into Stone, in all Parts of 
the Lake without Exception, that petrefeent Virtue 
mult act equally on all the Plants or Vegetables w hat- 
foe ver that grow in the Lake, and upon all other Bo- 
dies, Gravel, Sand, Mud, and Clay, that are in, or 
arc daily brought into it 5 and, at laft, by a general 
Aggregation, Agglutination, and Attraftion of thefe 
different Bodies together, the whole Bottom of the 
Lake, nay the whole Lake itfelf, by the different 
Degrees of Coalition of Particles, mull become a 
folid Body 5 unlefs you would fuppofe, that this pe- 
trific Quality has no Power on any other Matter 
but Wood, which is contrary to Experience, Rufhes, 
or other Plants, having been found petrified on the 
Shores of this Lake, as alfo Shells, Clay, and Sand 
petrified in different Shapes, of all which I have Spe- 
cimens. 
“ The Earth, fays the great Robert Boyle (a) har- 
“ bours different Kinds of petrefeent Liquors, and 
“ many of them impregnated with one fort of Mine- 
c< ral or other/ There are no Springs, no Waters, 
but arc more or lefs impregnated with fuch mineral 
and faline Particles; which appears from the moft 
limpid 5 which, after Evaporation, flill in the Refi- 
diMMi 
(a) R. Boyle , of the Origin and Virtues of Gems. 
