Another supposed Effect of the Flood, was a bringing up out of the Sea, and scattering all the Earth over an innumerable multitude of Shells and Shell-fish; there being of these shell-like Bodies, not only on lower Grounds and Hillocks, but upon the highest Mountains, the Appennine and Alps themselves. A supposed Effect, I say, because it is not yet agreed among the Learned, whether these Bodies, formerly called petrified Shells, but now a-days passing by the name of formed Stones, be original Productions of Nature, formed in imitation of the Shells of Fishes; or the real Shells themselves, either remaining still entire and uncorrupt, or petrified and turned into Stone, or at least, Stones cast in some Animal Mold. Both parts have strong Arguments and Patrons. I shall not balance Authorities, but only consider and weigh Arguments.
Those for the latter part, wherewith I shall begin, are,
First, Because it seems contrary to that great Wisdom of Nature, which is observable in all its Works and Productions, to design every thing to a determinate end, and for the attaining that end, make use of such ways, as are most aggreeable to Man’s reason, that these prettily shaped Bodies, should have all those curious Figures and Contrivances (which many of them are formed and adorned with) generated or wrought by a Plastic Vertue, for no higher end, than only to exhibite such a form. This is Mr. Hook’s Argumentation. To which Dr. Plot answers, That the end of such Productions, is, to beautifie the World with those Varieties; and that this is no more repugnant to the Prudence of Nature, than is the production of most Flowers, Tulips, Anemones, &c. of which we know as little use of, as of formed Stones. But hereto we may reply, That Flowers are for the Ornament of a Body, that hath some degree of life in it: a Vegetative Soul, whereby it performs the actions of Nutrition, Auction and Generation; which it is reasonable should be so beautified. And, Secondly, Flowers serve to embrace and cherish the Fruit, while it is yet tender; and to desend it from the injuries of Sun and Weather; especially for the protection and security of the Apices, which are no idle or useless part, but contain the Masculine Sperm, and serve to give fecundity to the Seed. Thirdly, Though formed Stones may be useful to Man in Medicine, yet Flowers afford us abundantly more uses, both in Meat and Medicine.
Yet I must not dissemble, that there is a Phaenomenon in Nature, which doth somewhat puzzle me to reconcile, with the prudence observable in all its works; and seems strongly to prove, that Nature doth sometimes ludere, and delineate Figures, for no other end, but for the Ornament of some Stones, and to entertain and gratifie our Curiosity, or exercise our Wits. That is, those elegant Impressions of the Leaves of Plants upon Cole-state, the knowledge whereof, I must confess my self to owe to my Learned and Ingenious Friend Mr. Edward Lloyd of Oxford, who observed of it in some Cole-pits in the way from Wychester in Glocestershire to Bristol; and afterwards communicated to me a Sample of it. That which he found, was marked with the Leaves of two or three kinds of Ferns and of Harts-tongue. He told me also, that Mr. Woodward a Londoner, shewed him very good Draughts of the common female Fern, naturally formed in Cole, which himself found in Mendip Hills; and added, That he had found in the same Pits, Draughts of the common Cinquefoil, Clover-grass and Strawberries. But these Figures are more diligently to be observed and considered.
Secondly, There are found in the Earth at great distance from the Sea, real Shells unpetrified and uncorrupted, of the exact Figure and Consistency of the present natural Sea-shells, and in all their parts like them, and that not only in the lower Grounds and Hillocks near the Sea, but in Mountains of a considerable height, and distant from the Sea. Christianus Mentzelius in his Discourse concerning the Bononian Phosphorus, gives us a Relation of many Beds of them found mingled with Sand in the upper part of a high Mountain not far from Bologna in Italy. His words are these, Non procul monte Paterno dicto, lapidis Bononiensis patria, unico forte milliari Italico distanti (loci nomen excidit memoriâ) ingens mons imminet praeruptus à violentia torrentium aquarum· quas imbres frequentes ex vicinis montibus confluentes efficiunt, atque insignes terrarum moles ab isto monte prosternunt ac dejiciunt. In hac montis raina, superiore in parte visuntur multae strages seriésve, ex testis conchyliorum omnis generis, plurimâ arenâ interjectâ, instar strati super stratum (ut chymicorum vulgus loquitur.) Est enim inter hasce testarum conchyliorum strages seriésve arena ad crassitiem ulnae & ultra interposita. Erant autem testae variorum conchyliorum, omnes ab invicem distinctae, nec cuiquam lapidi impactae, adeò ut separatim omnia manibus tractari & dignosci potuerint. Effecerat hoc arena pura, nullo limo lutóve inter mixta· quae concyhyliorum testas conservaverat per multa secula integras. Interea verò diuturnitate temporis omnes istae testae erant in albissimam calcem facilè resolubiles. Not far from the Mountain called Paterno, where the Bononian Stone is gotten, about an Italian Mile distant (the name or the place is slipt out of my memory) is a huge hanging Mountain, broken by the violence of the Torrents, caused by the confluence of Waters descending from the Neighbouring Mountains after frequent showers, throwing down great heaps of Earth from it. In the upper part of this broken Mountain are seen many Beds or Floors of all kind of Sea-shells, much Sand interposing between Bed and Bed, after the manner of stratum super stratum, or Layer upon Layer, as the Chymists phrase it. The Beds of Sand interceding between these Rows of Shells were a yard thick or more. These Shells were all distinct or separate one from another, and not stuck in any one stone, or cemented together, so that they might be singly and separately viewed and handled with ones Hands. The Cause whereof was their being lodged in a pure Sand not intermixt with any Mud or Clay, which kept the Shells entire for many Ages. Yet were all these Shells, by reason of the length of time they had lain there, easily resoluble into a purely white· Calx or Ash. Fabius Columna also observes, that in the tophaceous Hills and Cliffs about Andria in Apulia, there are found various sorts of Sea-shells, both broken and whole, uncorrupt, and that have undergone no change. And Ovid in Metam. lib. 15. Et procul à pelago Conchae jacuere marinae. I am also informed by my learned and worthy Friend Dr. Tancred Robinson, That Signior Settali shewed him in his Museum at Milan, many Turbens, Echini, Pearl shells, (one with a Pearl in it) Pectunculi, and several other perfect shells, which he himself found in the Mountains near Genoa; and afterwards my said Friend took notice also of several Beds of them himself, as he passed over Mount Cenis, above fifty Leagues distant from the Sea; he assures me that many of the great Stones about the Buildings of London are full of shells, and pieces of them. Moreover, my fore-mentioned Friend Mr. Lloyd sent me perfect Escallop and Sea-Urchin shells, exactly resembling the like Sea-shells, both for figure, colour, weight and consistency; which he himself gathered up near Oxford. And hath lately sent me word, That he found at a place called Rungewell-Hill in Surrey, at a Village called Hedley, three Miles South of Epsham, at least Twenty Miles distant from the Sea, some fossil Oysters, which by the confession of Dr. Lyster himself, were indeed true Oyster-shells not petrified nor much decayed: Nay, so like they were to Oysters newly taken out of the Sea, that a certain Person seeing of them, mistook them for such, and opened one of them, expecting to find a living fish therein. Now that Nature should form real shells, without any design of covering an Animal, is indeed so contrary to that innate Prolepsis we have of the Prudence of Nature, (that is, the Author of Nature) that without doing some Violence to our Faculties, we can hardly prevail with our selves to believe it: and gives great countenance to the Atheists Assertion, That things were made or did exist by chance, without counsel or direction to any end.