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fying, or converting wholly into Stone, whatever is put into Veſſels made of them. Others have an attractive Quality; and others ſerve for the Trial of Metals, as that called the Heraclian, or Lydian Stone.
Days. This Property it was much famed for, and all the ancient Naturaliſts mention it: But the other, of turning into Stone Things put into Veſſels of it, has been recorded only by this Author and Mutianus, from whom Pliny has copied it; and from him ſome few only of the later Naturaliſts. The Account Mutianus gives of it is, that it converted into Stone the Shoes of Perſons buried in it, as alſo the Utenſils, which it was in ſome Places cuſtomary to bury with the Body; particularly thoſe the Perſons while living had moſt delighted in. The Utenſils he mentions. are ſuch as muſt have been made of many different Materials; whence it appears, that this Stone had a Power of conſuming only Fleſh; but that its petrifying Quality extended to Subſtances of very different Kinds. Whether it really poſſeſſed this laſt Quality, or not, has been much doubted; and many have been afraid, from its ſuppoſed Improbability, to record it. What has much encouraged a Diſbelief of it is Mutianus's Account of its thus taking Place on Subjects of different Kinds and Textures: But this, in my Opinion, is no Objection at all, and the whole Account, very probably, true. Petrifactions, in thoſe early Days, might not be diſtinguiſhed from Incruſtations of ſparry or ſtony Matter; as even, with many People; they are not to this Day; the Incruſtations of Spar on Moſs and other Subſtances, in ſome Springs, being yet called by many petrified Moſs, &c. and theſe might eaſily be formed upon Subſtances encloſed in Veſſels, made of this Stone, by Water; if the Situation was in the Way of its paſſing through the Pores, diſlodging from the common Matter of the Stone, and carrying with it ſparry or other ſuch Particles, and afterwards leaving them, in Form of Incruſtations, on whatever it found in its Way. By this Means Things made of Subſtances of ever ſo different Natures and Textures, which happened to be encloſed, and in the Way of the Paſſage of the Water, would be equally incruſted with, and in Appearance
