An idea of an artificial arrangement of fossils, according to unalterable characters, and superadded qualities : also of a natural method, according to their ascent towards their greatest perfection / By Sir John Hill.

Date:
1774
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An idea of an artificial arrangement of fossils, according to unalterable characters, and superadded qualities : also of a natural method, according to their ascent towards their greatest perfection / By Sir John Hill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 26 ] That is the extreme Force of Fire: And the ultimate Effedt of Fire on all Bodies is Vitri¬ fication, Lmnceus fays, the Spar he calls Natro-fpa- tofum, fcarce does effervefee with Acids : And it may be added, that the Particles of that Spar are fcarcely at all rhombic: Spar and Cryftal are mixt in thofe Bodies; and they have mixt Qualities; but ftill as there is fome Spar, there is fome Effervefcence. Tis vain to give the Forms of Spar to Na- trum; for we not only find no Natrum there, but different Spars have Forms of different Salts ^ and the great Patron of the Salt Syftem allows, that fome of them affedt the various angulated Figures of Alum, Sea-Salt, Vitriol, and the reft. 5Tis true, they refemble thofe Forms; but they have not thofe Forms exadtly : Nor is either of thefe, or any other Salt whatever, to be found exifting in any of them. But whither will not the Wind of Theory blow even the fteadieft Judgments ? The fore- moft of the Writers, who favour this Syftem, becaufe there are in Spars certain Forms that do not agree with thofe of any known Salt, fancies for the Formation of thefe that there exift Salts, not otherwife known to us, but by this Operation. When Theory can reach this Heighth, it may do what it pleafes : To create Caufes, becaufe we fee Effedts that feem to us to require them, is to make all Things eafy and at the cheapeft Rate. If
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