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and remarkable Phænomena,
in the external Face of the Globe, conƒequent to its Formation,
as ƒet forth in the Moƒaic Account; and of ƒome
Changes it ƒuffer'd at the univerƒal Cataclyƒm,
and Proofs of that great Cataƒtrophe of the animal
and vegetable World in Plants, Shells, and Parts of living Creatures
found in Rocks and Quarries.
Its remarkable, that all the Stone Pits about the Country whence
this came, abound with prodigious Quantities of Shells, and the
like, and the greateƒt part of the Subƒtance -of the Stone
is a Compoƒition of them. _There are many Accounts of them in
the Tranƒactions, and this Stone has many Shells of
different kinds in it. Sir Hans Sloan has a Fiƒh-Sceleton,
amongƒt his immenƒe Treaƒure of Curioƒities,
found near this Place, given by the Duke of Rutland. If we
look upon a Map of the Country, and obƒerve the Lincolnshire
Alps which I ƒpoke of before, how they run 50 Miles North
and South, and on the Weƒt ƒide are ƒteep and rocky,
we may ƒee the Reaƒon why theƒe Quarries ƒhould
be ƒo ƒtuft with them; for it is juƒt to conceive,
that upon retiring of the Waters of the Deluge from the Superficies
of this Country, into the Eaƒtern Seas, theƒe heavy Bodies
met a full ƒtop, and were intercepted by this Cliff, which has
re-tain'd ƒuch vaƒt Quantities of them ever ƒince:
whilƒt thoƒe which fell upon common Mold are moƒtly
rotten, and now loƒt.
Sir Iƒaac Newton's Doctrine of the Attraction of the
Particles of Matter, according to the Quantity of its Solidity,
Proximity, and Surface, eƒpecially that it is infinitely
greater in the point of Contact, upon which depends its Coheƒion
and all the Varieties of Phyƒical Action, will eaƒily
direct us to a Notion of Petrifaction. We learn how a proper Degree
of Heat or Cold, |