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Book III. eafily come at in them: Alfo their Ufe to feveral Nations of the Earth in being Boundaries and Bulwarks to them. But there is only one Ufe more that I fhall infift on, and that is,

Sixthly, and laftly, That it is to the Hills that the Fountains owe their Rife, and the Rivers their Con-. veyance. As it is not proper, fo neither fhall I here enter into any Difpute about the Origine of Springs, commonly affigned by curious and learned Philofophers. But whether their Origine be from condenfed Vapours, as fome think (9); or from Rains falling, as others; or whether they are derived from the Sea by way of Attraction, Percolation, or Diftillation; or whether all these Caufes concur, or only fome, ftill the Hills are the grand Agent in this prodigious Benefit to all the Earth: Those vaft Maffes and Ridges of Earth ferving as fo many huge Alembicks, or Cola in this noble Work of Nature.

But be the Modus, or the Method Nature takes in this Work as it will; it is fufficient to my great Purpofe, that the Hills are a grand Agent in this fo noble and neceffary a Work. And confequently, that thofe vaft Maffes, and lofty Piles are not as they are charged, fuch rude and ufelefs Excrefcences of our ill-formed Globe; but the admirable Tools of Nature, contrived and ordered by the infinite Creator, to do one of its moft ufeful Works, and to difpenfe this great Bleffing to all Parts of the Earth; without which neither Animals could live, nor Vegetables fcarcely grow, nor perhaps Minerals, Metals, or Foffils receive any Increase. For was the Surface of the Earth even and level, and the middle Parts of its Iflands and Continents, not

(9) See Book I. Chap. 3. Note 2.

Moun

Mountainous and High, (as now it is,) it is moft certain there could be no Defcent for the Rivers, no Conveyance for the Waters; but inftead of gliding along thofe gentle Declivities which the higher Lands now afford them quite down to the Sea, they would ftagnate, and perhaps ftink, and alfo drown large Tracts of Land.

But indeed, without Hills as there could be no Rivers, fo neither could there be any Fountains or Springs about the Earth; becaufe, if we could fuppofe a Land could be well watered (which I think not poffible) without the higher Lands, the Waters could find no Defcent, no Paffage through any commodious Out-lets, by Virtue of their own Gravity, and therefore could not break out into thofe commodious Paffages and Currents, which we every where almoft find in, or near the Hills, and feldom, or never in large and fpacious Planes; and when we do find them in them, it is generally at great and inconvenient Depths of the Earth; nay, thofe vefy Subterraneous Waters that are any where met with by digging in thefe Planes, are in all probability owing to the Hills, either near or far diftant. As among other Inftances may be made out from the forcible Eruption of the Subterraneous Waters in digging Wells, in the lower duftria, and the Territories of Modena and Bologna in Italy, mentioned by my fore-named leaned Friend Mr. Ray (10). Or if there be any fuch Place found throughout the Earth, that is devoid of Mountains, and yet well watered, as per

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(10) Monfieur Blundel, related to the Parifian Academy, what Device the Inhabitants of the lower Auftria, (which is encompaffed with the Mountains of Stiria) are wont to use to fill their Wells with Water. They dig in the Earth to the Depth of 25 and 20 Feet, Fill they come 10 an Argilla [clammy Earth] which they bore

through

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haps fome finall Iflands may; yet in this very Cafe, that whole Mafs of Land is no other than as one Mountain defcending (though unperceivedly) gently down from the Mid-land Parts to the Sea, as moft other Lands do; as is manifeft from the Defcent of their Rivers, the principal of which in most Countries have generally their Rife in the more lofty Mid-land Parts.

And now confidering what hath been faid concerning this laft Ufe of the Hills, there are two or three Acts of the Divine Providence obfervable therein. One is, that all Countries throughout the whole World fhould enjoy this great Benefit, of Mountains, placed here and there, at due and proper Distances, to afford these several Nations this excellent, and moft neceffary Element the Waters. For according to Nature's Tendency, when the Earth and Waters were feparated, and ordered to their feveral Places, the Earth must have been of an

through so deep, till the Waters break forcibly out; which Water it is probable comes from the neighbouring Mountains in Subterraneous Channels. And Caffinus obferved, that in many Places of the Terri tory of Modena and Bologna in Italy, they make themselves Wells by the like Artifice, &c. By this means the fame Seig. Caffini made a Fountain at the Cafile of Urbin, that caft up the Water five Foot high above the level of the Ground. Ray's Difc. 1. pag. 40. ubi plura.

Upon Enquiry of forme Skilful Workmen, whose Business it is to dig Wells, &c. whether they had ever met with the like Cafe, as these in this Note, they told me they had met with it in Effex, where after they had dug to so Foot Depth, the Man in the Well obferved the clayic Bottom to fwell and begin to send out Water, and ftamping with his Foot to ftop the Water, he made way for fo fuddain and forceable a Flux of Water, that before he could get into his Bucket, he was above his Wafte in Water ; which foon afcended to 17 Feet height, and there ftayed: And altho' they often with great Labour endeavoured to empty the Well, in order to finish their Work, yet they could never do it, but were forced to leave it as it was.

even Surface, or nearly fo. The feveral component Parts of the Earth muft have fubfided according to their feveral fpecifick Gravities, and at laft have ended in a large even fpherical Surface, every where equi-diftant from the Center of the Globe. But that inftead of this Form, fo incommodious for the Conveyance of the Waters, it fhould be jetted out every where into Hills and Dales, fo neceffary for that purpofe, is a manifeft Sign of an especial Providence of the wife Creator.

So another plain Sign of the fame especial Providence of God in this matter is, that generally throughout the whole World. the Earth is fo difpofed, fo ordered, fo well laid, I may fay, that the Mid-land Parts, or Parts fartheft from the Sea, are commonly the higheft. Which is manifeft, I have faid, from the Defcent of the Rivers. Now this is an admirable Provifion the wife Creator hath made for the commodious Paffages of the Rivers, and for draining the feveral Countries, and carrying off the fuperfluous Waters froin the whole Earth, which would be as great an Annoyance, as now they are a Convenience.

Another providential Benefit of the Hills fupplying the Earth with Water is, that they are not only inftrumental thereby to the Fertility of the Valleys; but to their own alfo (1), to the Verdure of the Vegetables without, and to the Increment and Vigour of the Treafures within them.

Thus

(11) As the Hills being higher, are 'naturally difpofed to be drier than the Valleys; fo kind Nature hath provided the greater Supplies of Moisture for them, fuch at leaf of them as do not afcend above the Clouds and Vapours. For, befides the Fountains continually watering them, they have more Dews and Rains commonly than the Valleys. They are more frequently covered with Fogs; and by retarding, ftopping, or compreffing

the

Thus having vindicated the present Form and Fabrick of the Earth, as diftributed into Mountains and Valleys, and thereby fhewn in fome Measure the Ufe thereof, particularly of the Mountains, which are chiefly found fault with: I have, I hope, made it in fome meafure evident; that God was no idle Spectator (12), nor unconcerned in the ordering of the Terraqueous Globe, as the former bold Charges against it do infer; that he did not fuffer fo grand a Work, as the Earth, to go unfinished out of his Almighty Hand; or leave it to be ordered by Chance, by natural Gravity, by cafual Earthquakes, &c. but that the noble Strokes, and plain Remains of Wisdom and Power therein do manifeft it to be his Work. That particularly the Hills and Vales, though to a peevith weary Traveller, they may feem incommodious and troublesome, yet are a noble Work of the great Creator, and wifely appointed by him for the Good of our fublunary World.

And fo for all the other Parts of our Terraqueous Globe, that are prefumed to be found fault with by fome, as if carelefly ordered, and made without any Defign or End; particularly the Diftribution

the Clouds, or by their greater Colds condenfing them, they have larger Quantities of Rain fall upon them. As I have found by actual Experience, in comparing my Obfervations with thofe of my late very curious and ingenious Correfpondent, Richard Townley, Efq; of Lancashire, and fome others, to be met with before, Chap. 2. Note 1. From which it appears, that above double the quantity of Rain falleth in Lancashire, than doth at Upminfter. The Reafon of which is, because Lancashire hath more, and much higher Hills than Effex hath. See Book II. Chap. 5. Note S..

(12) Accufandi fanè med fententiâ hic funt Sophifta, qui cùm nondum invenire, nèque exponere opera Natura queant, eam tamen inertiâ atque infcitiâ condemnant, &c. Galen. de Uf. Part. I. I. 10.

C. 9.

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