C 327 3 
A petrifying Quality^ Virtue fhews itfelf in ali 
Farts of this terraqueous Glbl^e, in Water, Earth, and 
Sand 5 in Tartary for inftance r and Afric , in the 
Bodies of moft Sorts of Animals, it is even known 
that a Child hath been petrified in the Mothers 
Womb. OJleocolla grows in the Land, and Coral 
in the Sea. Grottoes, Springs, Lakes, and Rivers* 
are in many Parts remarkable for this fame Quality, 
No Man therefore can queftion the Poffibility of foch 
a thing as petrified Wood > tho’ perhaps the petrify- 
ing Quality might not be originally in the Earth or 
Water, but in the Vapour or Steam impregnated 
with faline or ftony Particles. 
Perhaps the Petrification of Wood may receive 
fome Light from confidering Amber, which is dug 
up in the King of Prujfids Dominions. 
1 have written thefe hafty Lines in no Email Hurry ; 
and fend them to you, not from an Opinion, that 
they contain any thing worth imparting, but merely 
in Compliance with your and Mr. Simon sRequeft. 
L Added from a Letter to Dr. J. Fothergill, dated 
Dublin, Aug. 8. 1746. ] 
And yet, before I have done, I muft needs add 
another Remark, which may be ufeful for the bet- 
ter undemanding of the Nature of Stone. In the 
vulgar Definition, it is faid to be a Foflil incapable 
of Fufion. I have neverthelefs known Stone to be 
melted, and when cold to become Stone again. 
Such is that Stuff, by the Natives called Sciara y 
which runs down in liquid burning Torrents from 
the Craters of Mount c /Etna, and which, when 
T £ cold 
