OF NATURE. 55 
from Ineruftations brought upon mofs, but are 
alfo increafed by cryfial and fpar , Not to men- 
tion that the adjacent earth, efpecially if it be 
impregnated with iron particles, is commonly 
changed into a foli d ft one. 
It is faid, that the marble quarries in Italy, 
from whence fragments are cut, grow up again, 
Ores grow by little and little, whenever the 
mineral particles, conveyed by the means of 
water through the clefts of mountains, are 
retained there ; fo that adhering to the homo- 
geneous matter a long while, at lafl they take 
its nature, and are changed into a fimilar fub-? 
ftance* 
§• 5* 
Deflrudlion. 
Fojfihy although they are the hardefl: of bo- 
dies, yet are found fubje6t to the laws of de~ 
ftru&ion, as well as all other created fubftances, 
For they are diffolved in various ways by the 
elements exerting their force upon them, as 
by water, air and the folar rays, as alfo by the 
rapidity of rivers, violence of cataracts, and 
eddies which continually beat upon and at laft 
reduce to powder the hafdeft rocks % The agk 
E 4 rations 
