[ ] 
But, as a Knowlege of the Nature of Things can 
only be acquired from the Things themfelves, I have 
carefully colleded every material Fa<d I could meet 
with from thofe who were beft acquainted with the 
Natural Hiftory of this Subjed, and whofe Induftry 
and Accuratenefs in obferving, and good Faith in 
relating their Obfervations, have been generally 
efteemed unexceptionable. Of thefe I fhall only 
mention Wigandus , Hartman , and Sendelkis ; the 
laft who has wrote, as far as I know, profeffedly 
upon this Subjed. 
The Evidence which thefe Gentlemen afford us, I 
have endeavoured to throw together, in the moft 
natural Order I could, without refped to any Hypo- 
thecs: But as this Enumeration of Fads admits of 
no Abridgment, my Papers would take up too 
much room in your Memoirs : Therefore I can only 
refer to the Eflay itfclf. Upon this Foundation of 
Fads is built a Difcuflion of the following Problems : 
1. Whether Amber is not ftridly a marine Pro- 
dudion ; or is reduced by fome Quality of the 
Sea- water into the Condition we find it in ? Or, 
2. Whether it is not to be confidercd only as a 
bituminous Body, generated in the Bowels of 
the Earth ? Or, lafily, 
3. Whether it is not, in its Origin, a vegetable 
Produdion, a Refin > but changed into its pre- 
fent Form by a mineral Acid ? 
It will only be neeefifary, in this Place, to mention, 
that, after having {hewn the Difficulty of maintain- 
ing the Two firft, l have undertaken to fupport the 
laft of thefe Opinions, 
I endea- 
