I Had almost forgot to relate, that not far from the place where we went on Shore, and which we had not yet quitted, we saw divers heaps of Quick-lime, some Smoaking, and some that had not yet been Drench’d in Water; and upon Enquiry of those that look’d to it, we were soon inform’d, that the conveniency of the Neighbouring River, both for slacking of Lime, and conveying Mortar, had made the Owners bring their Lime thither, to be temper’d and made fit for the Reparation of some Houses that we saw a little way off: But while we were talking, one of the Workmen began to throw Water upon one of the heaps that had not yet been Slack’d, and afterwards pour’d on so much more as serv’d quite to drown the Lime; and Eusebius marking, both what he did, and what ensu’d upon it, took thence occasion to say to us; He that should see only the Effect of the first Effusion of cold Water upon quick Lime, would think, that by a kind of Antiperistesis, the Internal heat of the Lime is rather encreas’d than suffocated by the Coldness and Moisture of the VVater; for that which before was not taken notice of, to manifest any sensible warmth, as soon as its Enemy the VVater begins to invade it, acquires a new heat and new forces in the Conflict, and not only shews a great Impatience, or Enmity, to that cold Liquor, by acting furiously upon it, and throwing off many parts into the Air, but prevails so far as to heat that cold Element it self, to that degree, as to make it Smoak and Boyl. But this Conflict is seldome near so lasting as ‘tis eager; for if you have but the Patience to stay a while, you shall see the Lime, after it has spent its occasional Ardour, and after its Fire is quench’d, lye quietly with, nay under, the VVater, as cold and as moveless as it. Thus, when a devout Man, (especially if his Fervour be adventitious from Education, or Custom, as the Fire in the Lime from the Calcination) first falls into the Company of Persons, either Profane, or otherwise grossly Vitious, we often see, that his Zeal, instead of being smother’d by such a rude and unaccustom’d Opposition, seems rather to be excited and kindl’d thereby, and possibly seems more likely to impart the warmth of his Devotion to its Enemies than to lose any of it himself; but when he is constantly, or at least frequently, surrounded with such Company, you will too often see him lose as well his own Ardour as the endeavours of communicating it; and with those very Persons, that did at first kindle and exasperate his Zeal, you shall at last see him Live very quietly, and perhaps manifest as little of Religious warmth as they; and that which at first did so strangely exasperate and discompose him, becomes after a while so familiar, as not at all to move him.
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