38 Mr. king’s Account of a 
united with thofe cementing cryflalline particles, which 
there is reafon to believe are the more immediate caufe 
of the confolidation of all Hones and marbles whatfc- 
ever, and which do very much abound in fea water. 
It would exceed the limits of this paper, were I to at- 
tempt here to mention only a fmall part of the various 
fails that have come to my knowledge ; and which have 
convinced me, and I truft, when offered fairly to the con- 
Ilderation of others, will make it appear fully to all that 
are attentive to thefe kind of refearches, that there is, to 
this very day, a formation of ftone, and even of marble 
itfelf, in certain places, in a much more perfect manner, 
than has been generally conceived ; and far beyond what 
has been fuppofed, even by thofe who have been ready 
too haflily to account for fuch a procefs merely in confe- 
quence of obfervations made on ftalailitical and fuch like 
ordinary concretions. 
I fliall not therefore prefume to trouble the Society, at 
prefent, with any detail of the inquiries I have made re- 
lating to that fubjeil, though in reality they have been 
the foundation of the obfervations made in this paper; 
but fliall confine my remarks merely to this one cu- 
rious circumftance ; that wherever there is any indu- 
ration and petrefadlion of matter, from any caufes what- 
/ 
ever, it is greatly haftened in its progrefs, and the confo- 
lidation is rendered much more compleat and firm by 
being 
