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Videas lapidescere S.arni 
Caeruleo sub fonte alnum, filicisque nianiplos, 
Et paleae intortos lento cum vimine culmos. 
PONTANUS. 
But this name has not been confined to those substances, which 
have been thus formed, by the waters of the Sarnus alone, but it 
has been applied, in Italy, at least, to all similar tufaceous incrus- 
tations and impressions, which have been formed by the waters of 
other springs and rivers. 
The property which these waters possess, of thus filling up the 
beds, and contracting the channels, through which they flow, proves, 
as we have seen, the source of considerable inconvenience to those 
who inhabit the neighbouring lands ; exposing them not only to the 
dangers which proceed directly from the overflowing water, but to 
the evils resulting from the accumulated masses of stony matter. 
How strange and inexplicable is it, that a regular operation of nature, 
so constantly going on, should be pregnant with so much evil ! — 
This may naturally be expected to be the exclamation of some, 
at the first view of the phenomena here described. But a more 
attentive consideration will make it known, that this extraordinary 
process is in perfect agreement with that beautiful symmetry and 
order, which evinces the works of nature to be directed by con- 
summate wisdom. By this process, the finer parts of the loose and 
coarse lime-stones are brought up in a state of solution, from the 
deep recesses of the earth, and deposited at the surface in a firm 
coherent mass — that which, from the nature of its composition, and 
its situation, is comparatively useless to man, is, by a chemical ope- 
ration of nature, changed to a substance of the greatest utility ; 
and is even brought, by the powers by the same operation, from 
inaccessible depths, and placed immediately before him : impelling 
him to the employment of it, in various ways, for the multiplication 
of his comforts ; and particularly prompting him to exchange the 
