Incubation qualify'd to produce them. But you, I presume, Expect that
I should Discourse of this Matter like a Naturalist, not a Philologer.
Wherefore I shall add, to Countenance _Helmont's_ Opinion, That
whereas he gives not, that I remember, any Instance of any Mineral
Body, nor scarce of any Animal, generated of Water, a French Chymist,
_Monsieur de Rochas_, has presented his Readers an Experiment, which
if it were punctually such as he has deliver'd it, is very Notable. He
then, Discoursing of the Generation of things according to certain
Chymical and Metaphorical Notions (which I confess are not to me
Intelligible) sets down, among divers Speculations not pertinent to
our Subject, the following Narrative, which I shall repeat to you the
sence of in English, with as little variation from the Literal sence
of the French words, as my memory will enable me. _Having_ (sayes he)
_discern'd such great Wonders by the Natural Operation of Water, I
would know what may be done with it by Art Imitating Nature. Wherefore
I took Water which I well knew not to be compounded, nor to be mix'd
with any other thing than that Spirit of Life_ (whereof he had spoken
before;) _and with a Heat Artificial, Continual and Proportionate, I
prepar'd and dispos'd it by the above mention'd Graduations of
Coagulation, Congelation, and Fixation, untill it was turn'd into
Earth, which Earth produc'd Animals, Vegetables and Minerals. I tell
not what Animals, Vegetables and Minerals, for that is reserv'd for
another Occasion: but the Animals did Move of themselves, Eat,
&c.--and by the true Anatomie I made of them, I found that they were
compos'd of much Sulphur, little Mercury, and less Salt.--The Minerals
began to grow and encrease by converting into their own Nature one
part of the Earth thereunto dispos'd; they were solid and heavy. And
by this truly Demonstrative Science, namely Chymistry, I found that
they were compos'd of much Salt, little Sulphur, and less Mercury._
[Footnote 8: Universarum rerum primordia diverta esse, faciendi autem
mundi initium aquam. Strabo. Geograp. lib. 15. circa medium.]
[Footnote 9: Deuter. 32. 11.]
[Footnote 10: Jerem. 23. 9.]
But (sayes _Carneades_) I have some Suspitions concerning this strange
Relation, which make me unwilling to Declare an Opinion of it, unless
I were satisfied concerning divers Material Circumstances that our
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