Having said thus much touching the constitution of Plants and Animals,
I might perhaps be able to say as much touching that of Minerals, and
even Metalls, if it were as easy for us to make experiment in Order to
the production of these, as of those. But the growth or increment of
Minerals being usually a work of excessively long time, and for the
most part perform'd in the bowels of the Earth, where we cannot see
it, I must instead of Experiments make use, on this occasion, of
Observations.
That stones were not all made at once, but that are some of them now
adayes generated, may (though it be deny'd by some) be fully prov'd by
several examples, of which I shall now scarce alledg any other, then
that famous place in _France_ known by the name of _Les Caves
Gentieres_ [Errata: Goutieres], where the Water falling from the upper
Parts of the cave to the ground does presently there condense into
little stones, of such figures as the drops, falling either severally
or upon one another, and coagulating presently into stone, chance to
exhibit. Of these stones some Ingenuous Friends of ours, that went a
while since to visit that place, did me the favour to present me with
some that they brought thence. And I remember that both that sober
Relator of his Voyages, _Van Linschoten_, and another good Author,
inform us that in the Diamond Mines (as they call them) in the
_East-Indies_, when having dig'd the Earth, though to no great depth,
they find Diamonds and take them quite away; Yet in a very few years
they find in the same place new Diamonds produc'd there since. From
both which Relations, especially the first, it seems probable that
Nature does not alwayes stay for divers Elementary Bodies, when she is
to produce stones. And as for Metals themselves, Authors of good note
assure us, that even they were not in the beginning produc'd at once
altogether, but have been observ'd to grow; so that what was not a
Mineral or Metal before became one afterwards. Of this it were easie
to alledg many testimonies of professed Chymists. But that they may
have the greater authority, I shall rather present you with a few
borrowed from more unsuspected writers. _Sulphuris Mineram_ (as the
inquisitive _P. Fallopius_ notes) _quae nutrix est caloris subterranei
fabri seu Archaei fontium & mineralium, Infra terram citissime renasci
testantur Historiae Metallicae. Sunt enim loca e quibus si hoc anno
sulphur effossum fuerit; intermissa fossione per quadriennium redeunt
fossores & omnia sulphure, ut autea [Errata: antea], rursus inveniunt
plena._ _Pliny_ Relates, _In Italiae Insula Ilva, gigni ferri
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