1tated and drove about by the Winds, which
puſh on the Waves in great Rows to the Shore,
where if they meet with Oppoſition, eſpecially
from any hard rugged Body they beat againſt
them with their whole Strength, and being
daſhed back again they break, and falling from
on high with continual Repetition dig up and
demoliſh whatever reſiſts their Fury. A full
Proof of this is the great Depth of Water
which we conſtantly find under high Rocks
by the Sea-ſide. But when the Shore runs off
with an eaſy Deſcent, the raging Sea not find
ing any Thing to exert its Force againſt, grows
quiet, and falls back leſs furious upon itſelf;
and if it has brought any Sand along with it,
leaves it there; by which Means we ſee ſuch
Shores growing higher and higher into the Sea
every Day. But when the Sea meets with a
Promontory, and afterwards with a Bay, the
Current runs impetuouſly along the Shore, and
turns back again upon itſelf; which is the Rea
ſon that in ſuch Places we frequently meet with
deep Channels cut under the Shore. Others
maintain, that the Sea hath a Breath and Reſ
piration of its own, and pretend to obſerve,
that no Man ever dies naturally but when the
Tide is going off, whence they would infer, that
our Life has ſome Connection and Relation
with the Motion and Life of the Sea: but this
is not worth Dwelling upon. It is certain, that
the Tides riſe and fall variouſly in different
Places. The Negropont has no leſs than ſix
Tides every Day. At Conſtantinople it has no
other Change but by flowing into the Pontus.
In the Propontis the Sea naturally throws upon
the Shore every Thing that is brought down
into it by the Rivers: becauſe every Thing
which is put into an unnatural Agitation reſts
of Courſe where-ever it finds a Place which is
not diſturbed. But as upon almoſt all Shores
we ſee Heaps of Sand or Stones thrown up, it
may not be a miſs juſt to mention the Conjec
tures of the Philoſophers upon this Occaſion.
I have ſaid elſewhere, that Sand is form'd of
Mud dried by the Sun, and ſeparated by the
Heat into very minute Particles. Stones are
ſuppoſed to be engendered by the Sea-water;
ſor they tell us, that by Means of the Sun's
Heat and of Motion, the Water grows warm,
dries, and its lighter Parts evaporating hardens
into a Conſiſtence, which grows to have ſo
much Solidity, that if the Sea is but a little
while at reſt, it by degrees contracts a ſlimy
Cruſt, of a bituminous Nature; this Cruſt in
Time is afterwards broken, and by new Motion
and Colliſion the new-made Subſtance becomes
globular, and grows ſomewhat like a Spunge:
Theſe globular Spunges are carried to the Shore,
where by their Slimineſs they lick up the
Sand which is put into Agitation, which again
is dried and concocted by the Heat of the
Sun, and by the Salts, till by Length of Time
it hardens into Stone. This is the Conjecture
of the Philoſophers. We frequently ſee the
Shore grow higher and higher towards the
Mouth of Rivers, eſpecially if they flow through
looſe Grounds, and are much ſubject to Land
floods; for ſuch Rivers throw up vaſt Quan
tities of Sand and Stones before their Mouths
into the Sea, and ſo lengthen out the Shore.
This manifeſtly appears from the Danube, the
Phaſis in Colchis, and others, and eſpecially in
the Nile. The Ancients called Ægypt the
Nile's Houſe, and tell us, that it was formerly
covered by the Sea quite as far as the Peluſian
Marſhes. So it is related, that a great Part of
Cilicia was added to it by the River. Ariſtotle
ſays, that all Things are in perpetual Motion,
and that in length of Time the Sea and the
Hills will change Places with one another.
Hence the Saying of the Poet:
puſh on the Waves in great Rows to the Shore,
where if they meet with Oppoſition, eſpecially
from any hard rugged Body they beat againſt
them with their whole Strength, and being
daſhed back again they break, and falling from
on high with continual Repetition dig up and
demoliſh whatever reſiſts their Fury. A full
Proof of this is the great Depth of Water
which we conſtantly find under high Rocks
by the Sea-ſide. But when the Shore runs off
with an eaſy Deſcent, the raging Sea not find
ing any Thing to exert its Force againſt, grows
quiet, and falls back leſs furious upon itſelf;
and if it has brought any Sand along with it,
leaves it there; by which Means we ſee ſuch
Shores growing higher and higher into the Sea
every Day. But when the Sea meets with a
Promontory, and afterwards with a Bay, the
Current runs impetuouſly along the Shore, and
turns back again upon itſelf; which is the Rea
ſon that in ſuch Places we frequently meet with
deep Channels cut under the Shore. Others
maintain, that the Sea hath a Breath and Reſ
piration of its own, and pretend to obſerve,
that no Man ever dies naturally but when the
Tide is going off, whence they would infer, that
our Life has ſome Connection and Relation
with the Motion and Life of the Sea: but this
is not worth Dwelling upon. It is certain, that
the Tides riſe and fall variouſly in different
Places. The Negropont has no leſs than ſix
Tides every Day. At Conſtantinople it has no
other Change but by flowing into the Pontus.
In the Propontis the Sea naturally throws upon
the Shore every Thing that is brought down
into it by the Rivers: becauſe every Thing
which is put into an unnatural Agitation reſts
of Courſe where-ever it finds a Place which is
not diſturbed. But as upon almoſt all Shores
we ſee Heaps of Sand or Stones thrown up, it
may not be a miſs juſt to mention the Conjec
tures of the Philoſophers upon this Occaſion.
I have ſaid elſewhere, that Sand is form'd of
Mud dried by the Sun, and ſeparated by the
Heat into very minute Particles. Stones are
ſuppoſed to be engendered by the Sea-water;
ſor they tell us, that by Means of the Sun's
Heat and of Motion, the Water grows warm,
dries, and its lighter Parts evaporating hardens
into a Conſiſtence, which grows to have ſo
much Solidity, that if the Sea is but a little
while at reſt, it by degrees contracts a ſlimy
Cruſt, of a bituminous Nature; this Cruſt in
Time is afterwards broken, and by new Motion
and Colliſion the new-made Subſtance becomes
globular, and grows ſomewhat like a Spunge:
Theſe globular Spunges are carried to the Shore,
where by their Slimineſs they lick up the
Sand which is put into Agitation, which again
is dried and concocted by the Heat of the
Sun, and by the Salts, till by Length of Time
it hardens into Stone. This is the Conjecture
of the Philoſophers. We frequently ſee the
Shore grow higher and higher towards the
Mouth of Rivers, eſpecially if they flow through
looſe Grounds, and are much ſubject to Land
floods; for ſuch Rivers throw up vaſt Quan
tities of Sand and Stones before their Mouths
into the Sea, and ſo lengthen out the Shore.
This manifeſtly appears from the Danube, the
Phaſis in Colchis, and others, and eſpecially in
the Nile. The Ancients called Ægypt the
Nile's Houſe, and tell us, that it was formerly
covered by the Sea quite as far as the Peluſian
Marſhes. So it is related, that a great Part of
Cilicia was added to it by the River. Ariſtotle
ſays, that all Things are in perpetual Motion,
and that in length of Time the Sea and the
Hills will change Places with one another.
Hence the Saying of the Poet:
All that the Earth in her dark Womb conceals,
Time ſhall dig up and drag to open Light.
Time ſhall dig up and drag to open Light.
BUT to return. The Waves have this par
ticular Property, that when they meet with any
Bank which reſiſts them, they daſh againſt it
with the more Fury; and being beaten back,
according to the Height they fall from, the
more Sand they root up. This appears from
the great Depth of the Sea under the Rocks, a
gainſt which they beat with much more Vio
lence, than they fall upon a ſoft and ſloping
Sand. This being the Caſe, it requires great
Diligence and the moſt careful Contrivance to
reſtrain the Rage and Strength of the Sea,
which will many Times defeat all our Art and
Ability, and is not eaſily ſubdued by the Pow
er of Man. However, the Sort of Work which
we formerly recommended for the Foundati
ons of a Bridge may be of ſome Service in this
Caſe. But if it is neceſſary for us to carry
out a Pier into the Sea in order to fortify a
Port, we muſt begin our Work upon the dry
Ground, and ſo by Additions work it forwards
into the Sea. Our firſt and greateſt Care muſt
be to chuſe a firm Soil for this Structure; and
where-ever you raiſe it, raiſe it up with a
Slope of the lighteſt Stones that can be got, in
ticular Property, that when they meet with any
Bank which reſiſts them, they daſh againſt it
with the more Fury; and being beaten back,
according to the Height they fall from, the
more Sand they root up. This appears from
the great Depth of the Sea under the Rocks, a
gainſt which they beat with much more Vio
lence, than they fall upon a ſoft and ſloping
Sand. This being the Caſe, it requires great
Diligence and the moſt careful Contrivance to
reſtrain the Rage and Strength of the Sea,
which will many Times defeat all our Art and
Ability, and is not eaſily ſubdued by the Pow
er of Man. However, the Sort of Work which
we formerly recommended for the Foundati
ons of a Bridge may be of ſome Service in this
Caſe. But if it is neceſſary for us to carry
out a Pier into the Sea in order to fortify a
Port, we muſt begin our Work upon the dry
Ground, and ſo by Additions work it forwards
into the Sea. Our firſt and greateſt Care muſt
be to chuſe a firm Soil for this Structure; and
where-ever you raiſe it, raiſe it up with a
Slope of the lighteſt Stones that can be got, in