[ 6 ! ] 
cavern fill’d with earth. In this earth have been 
found ancient Roman farcophagi and lamps. It fol- 
lows from hence, that even in the time of the Ro- 
mans this part of the rock, in which this cavern 
is fituated, was not under water. As there is but a 
fmall diflance between the cavern and the furface of 
the water, it follows, that the water has funk but very 
little fince the time of the Romans. If it has funk 
in the fame proportion fince the time, when it co- 
vered the top of the rock, there is no doubt, but 
that the time, when it was intirely covered by the 
fea, mull have been very diftant. If the fame man- 
ner of reafoning be ufed, with refpedt to the bed of 
marine bodies, mentioned above, which erodes the 
mountains, that leparate Provence from Piedmont, 
we fhall be obliged to prefume, that the time, when 
thofe mountains were under the waters of the fea, 
was at a very great diflance from the prefent. 
Monf. Donati concludes from thefe fadts, and the 
confequences deduced from them, that the Mediter- 
ranean fea is a very ancient, and not a modern one, 
as Monf. de Buffon imagines. 
Thofe, who explain ail the phaenomena of marine 
bodies found out of the fea, by an univerfal deluge, 
do not admit the confequences drawn by Monf. Do- 
nati from thofe marine bodies now under confidera- 
tion. It is plain, that mofi: of the naturalifts, who 
have obferved a great number of thefe marine bodies, 
are not of opinion, that all thofe phenomena can be 
explained by an univerfal duluge. Upon thefe fub- 
jedts, before we undertake to judge, it is proper to 
be well informed of the nature of marine foflile bodies, 
which are found in divers parts, and of their fituation 
and arrangement. It is necedfary likewife to be ac- 
quainted 
