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VIII. There are in Stones of different Kinds many peculiar Qualities, which ariſe from this, that there are many very great Differences both in the Matter and Manner of the Affluxes of the terreſtrial Particles from which they were formed; of which thoſe in regard to Colour, Tenacity, Smoothneſs, Denſity, and the like Accidents, are frequent; though thoſe in other more remarkable Properties, are not ſo common[1].
- ↑ The Author, having now treated of the
Power of Attraction; a Property in all Matter, by which the Particles of Bodies draw. one another with a certain Force, which acts infinitely, more intenſely at the Contact, or extremely near it, than at any determinate Diſtance.
How far the Heat, which is apparently manifeſt to our Senſes at great Depths in the Earth; and is from thence, and from much greater Depths than we are ever likely to have Opportunities of being acquainted with, continually paſſing upwards to the Surface, may have been concerned in diſſpating the remaining Part of the Water, which had ſerved to bring the Particles of Stones and Earths together; and, by that means, been inſtrumental to the bringing them into their preſent State; and how far the Cold about the Surface may have aſſiſted in the Formation of others, by preventing the Diſſipation or farther Riſe of their conſtituent Particles, which had been waſhed from among the Matter of the Strata by the Water which continually alſo aſcends from below towards the Surface, inceſſantly pervading them, and detaching and bearing up with it theſe Particles from among them, is a ſubject of too nice Enquiry, and too long to be particularly decided here. The bare mention of it may however ſerve to explain in what Manner Heat and Cold may be concerned in the reducing ſome of the foſſile Subſtances into the State wherein we find them; and how Heat would have deſtroyed the very Means of Coaleſcence in thoſe Subjects, to the Formation of which Cold has, according to this Philoſophy, been eſſential; and Cold, on the contrary, muſt have prevented what Heat uninterrupted might have had Power of doing, in the others.
