Page:Theophrastus - History of Stones - Hill (1774).djvu/45

, ''Gen. de Lap.'' 10. famous for its imaginary Virtues in aiting in Delivery, preventing Abortions; and, which it at leat equally poees, of dicovering Thieves. That the general Opinion was long what our Author records as reported of it, is eaily proved: and we cannot wonder at that's being firmly believed, when we find uch Virtues as the other, of choaking Thieves, &c. all certainly credited; and recorded by the gravet Authors.

That it was, long after, as well as before this Author's Time, believed to have this Property of bringing forth young, is evident from the Words prægnans, gravidus, Uterus,, &c. o contantly ued in decribing it. Pliny ays of it, est autem lapis ite prægnans intus, quum quatias, alio velut in utero ''onante. Diocorides,''. And numberles Intances might be brought of the earliet as well as later Authors uing the like Exprions; evidently tetifying, that the Stone was, or had been generally believed to poes that o remarkable Quality; which perhaps this Author, who is accued of believing, was the very firt who ever doubted.

In order to the etablihing a more rational Account of the Nature and Formation of this Stone, it may not be amis here to look into the Formation of Pebbles and Flints in general; of which Clas this is a Species. By this Enquiry we hall find, that the Callimus, or included Stone, is, intead of a. young one, indeed the older of the two; and has had ome Share in the Formation of its Parent, as the outer one was generally eteemed; though that has nothing to do with its Production.

The Flints and Pebbles, we now every where ee, have been all formed in the Waters of the Deluge, by the mere Afflux of their contituent Matter. The firt Concretion of this was generally in mall Quantity, and formed a little Lump or Nodule; and this afterwards encreaed in Bignes by the Application of freh Matter, in different Quantities, and at different Times to it. If this new Matter happened to be of different Textures and Appearances, the eparate Quantities, that at Times affixed themelves, became different Cruts of various Colours as may be oberved frequently in our common Pebbles; if of the ame Nature and Colour, and affixed nearly all at once, the Appoition became imperceptible  XII. But the mot known and general Properties of Stones are their everal Fitnees for the various Kinds of Work. Some of them are proper for engraving