Kty, and form in the ftratum, the manner of burning, the afhes, and every thing else relating to thefe coals, look like peat. I have seen dried black peats nearly as hard. Thefe coals exhibit no perfect and regular form and grain in working, like other coals, but break into mifshapen glebes, like peat clods broken by water; and I certainly know that peat clods are kept together by the fibrous roots, and are not foon diffolved and mixt with water. The roof or upper fide of one of thefe ftrata of coal is not level or plain like other coals, but very unequal; and a ftratum of clay, which is immediately above it, has filled up all the inequalities of the upper fide of the coal; and when the coal is taken down from it, the clay roof appears with a rough, unequal, imboffed furface.

One of thefe fingular coals is fituated at Breich in Linlithgow-fhire, in Scotland the property of Sir William Auguftus Cunningham Bart.

There are other trata of coal of this quality and defcription in Scot land, but I only point out this one, because I examined it more minutely than any other.

The other coal metals, or the ftrata which accompany coal, are as clear a proof of the univerfal deluge as the coal itfelf, or nearly fo. Many of thefe have a fmall quantity of the coat between their folds and lamina, and in fmall nefts within the folid parts of the ftrata, and thefe concomitants of the coal are all as regularly ftratified as any other clafs or affemblage of ftrata whatfoever. There is one among thefe befides the coal,,which deferves particular notice, and that is the ironstone. The iron ftones of the coal-fields are difpofed in regular ftrata, and there are in fome coal a great number of ftrata of ironstone. Thefe ftrata of ironftone are generally thin, few of them being a foot thick, and fome of them not above an inch. The medium thickness of the

bands or ftrata of ironstone in the coal metals, are from two to five or fix inches; but notwithstanding their being fo thin, they are nevertheless as regular ftrata as the coals themfelves, and fpread as far every way as any of their concomitant ftrata.

Now, every intelligent unprejudiced naturalift, who has taken any notice of the order and difpofition of the feveral ftrata in a.coal field, must acknowledge with me, that those feverat ftrata were fpread out, and formed in the order we find them, by fucceffive tides, or by fimilar ftreams of water, bringing the matter and depofiting it in regular ftrata. The order in which they are placed, ftratum faper ftratum, promifcuously, in refpect to the laws of gravitation; the heavy, the light, and thofe of medium ponderofity, being all blended together, without the leaft regard to gravitation, makes it evident to a demonftration, that they were depofed in the order we find them by fucceffive streams of water. Any other way of accounting for this depofition, must be unmechanical and imperfect, and will not agree with the phenomena of nature. The bands of ironftone in the coalfields are commonly found in those black and grey argillaceous ftrata called till or blaes, which generally accompany coal; and we frequently find two or three, or more, thin ftrata of ironstone in one thick ftratum of blaes, which is the name given by Scots colliers to thefe argillaceous coal-tills. But it fhould be obferved, that all the ironstone of the coalfields is not ftratified, nor found regular and continuous in the manner of any regular ftrata. We often find and work ironftone in nodules, balls, and glebes, which are depofited promifcuoufly without any regular order, in pretty thick and generally foft ftrata of the bal-till or bleas. This ball ironstone is very commonly found in foft argillaceous ftrata, of various. colours befides the black, as whit

ifh, afh-coloured, and various fhades of grey.

These glebes and balls of iron are found in this manner blended in the argillaceous ftrata, of all fizes, from the bignefs of walnuts, up to maffes of a hundred pounds weight. The balls are found in lefs or greater quantities in different ftrata of blaes; and frequently in lefs and greater quantities in different parts of the fame ftratum.

This ball ironstone is always of the fame quality as the regular ftrata of ironstone found in the fame coalfields; and the balls and glebes, always appear water-rounded, being either found in smooth roundish balls of various fizes, or else in flattish glebes with obtufe angles or smooth rounded edges. Now the fituation, order and figure of this ball ironstone, is another proof of fucceffive tides in the formation of the ftrata. This glebous ironstone was first of all formed in regular ftrata of various degrees of thickness; but before induration was compleated, a ftream tide, ac companied by a strong wind, has plowed up and torn off part of the Huperficies of the ftrata of ironstone and others already formed; the fragments of which strata, when torn off, were eafily rounded by rolling and attrition in the water, beforethey were perfectly indurated; and thefe fragments were afterwards depofited by fucceeding tides in the foft argillaceous ftrata already mentioned; which Atrata of coal-tills, holding glebes of ironftone, and fuch other ftrata as are found above them, must have been formed later than the regular ftrata of ironstone from whence these glebes were torn off. That they were torn off from the fuperficies of regular ftrata, is evident, from the glebes and balls being of the fame colour, quality, and texture as the ftrata, even to the niceft exactness when compared, and from the thickness of the glebous maffes correfponding with the thick

nefs of the ftrata; and in fome beds of till, the glebes of iron have evident marks of the ftrata from which they were broken remaining.

The richest and pureft ironstone of the coal-fields is generally of a fine texture, commonly rifing in fmall angular maffes from the ftratum, fraagile, and eafily broke into small an gular maffes of different figures; and we find the pureft and richest ball iron in exceeding fmall maffes, im bedded in the ftrata of coal-till, of various colours. On the contrary, ftrata of inferior quality have a coarse grain and texture, are more ftrong and cohefive, and rife in larger glebes in working it from the tratam. Some of the inferior kinds, when the strata of ironftone are not above three or four inches thick, rife in broad flat cakes or glebes; and I have fre quently feen them in as broad and flat maffes lodged in the coal tills, with only the edges or fharp angles a little worn off. Such glebes of ironstone as have been broken off from thinner or thicker ftrata, still retain evident marks and characters of their stratified state, as the various maffes and fragments clearly discover the bed of the ftone, having only the afperities and fharp angles worn off. I have endeavoured to explain this phenomenon with fome degree of perfpicuity and precifion; because I think it deserves attention, being a clear and convincing proof of the formation of the firata, by fucceffive tides or ftreams of water in mo tion.

I obferved before, that the various ftrata found in coal-fields, are as finely ftratified, as regularly spread out, and as equally thick in conrinuation, as any clafs or affemblage of ftrata whatever; and I will now obferve, that the coal itfelf is likewife

fairly stratified, and as regular as any of its concomitant ftrata. Many beds of coal are fo finely ftratified, that they really are of a laminated

ftrudure,

ferie, although that of them felues they cannot be wanted, and fo in that cafe are not indifferent; as likewaies in-cace they be not vfed with moderation, declyning fo to the extremity whiche is vice; yet the qualitie and forme of yfing them, may fmell of vertue or vice, and be great furtherers to any of them.

To beginne then at the things ne ceffary; one of the publickest indifferent actions of a king, and that manieft, especially ftrangers, will narrowlie take heede to, is his manner of refection at his table, and his behaviour thereat. Therefore, as kings vfe oft to eate publicklie, it is meete and honorable that ye alfo doe fo, as well to efchewe the opinion that ye loue not to haunt companie, whiche is one of the marks of a ty rant; as likewife, that your delight to eate priuatlie, be not thought to be for priuate fatisfying of your glut tonie: whiche ye would be afhamed fhould be publicklie feene. Let your table be honourablie ferued; but ferue your appetite with fewe dishes, as young Cyrus did whiche both is holefommeft, and freeft from the vice of delicacie, whiche is a degree of gluttonie. And vfe mofte to eate of reasonablie-groffe, and commonmeates; afwell for making your body ftrong and durable for trauell at all occafions, either in peace or in warre as that ye may be the hartlier receaued by your meane fubjects in their houfes, when their cheere may fuffice you whiche otherwaies would be imputed to you for pride and daintineffe, and breede coldeneffe and dilda ne in them. Let all your foode be fimple, without compofition or fauces; whiche are more like medicines then meate. The vfing of them was counted amongst the auncient Romans a filthie vice of delicacie; because they ferue only for pleafing of the tafte, and not for fa tisfying of the neceffity of nature; abhorring Apicius their owne citizen,, for his vice of delicacie and mon

ftrovs gluttony. Like as both the Græcians and Romanes had in deteftation the very name of Philoxenus, for his filthie withe of a Crane-craig. And therefore was that fentence vied aniongft them against these artificiall falfe appetites, optimum condimentum fames. But be warre with vfing exceffe of meate and drink; and chieflie be warre of drunkenneffe, which is a beaftlie vice, namelie in a king: but speciallie be warre with it, because it is one of thofe vices that increaseth with age. In the forme of your meate eating, be neither unciuill; like a groffe Cynicke;, nor affectatlie mignarde, like a dantie dame; but cate in a manlie, rounde, and honeft fashion. It is no waies comelie to difpatche affaires, or to be penfiue at meate: but keepe then an open and cheerefull countenance, caufing to reade pleasant hiftories vnto you, that profite may be mixed with pleasure : and when ye are not difpofed, entertaine pleafant, quicke, but honeft difcourfes.

And becaufe meate proucketh fleeping, be alfo moderate in your fleepe; for it goeth muche by vie and remember that if your whole life were deuided in foure parts, three of them would be found to be confumed on meate, drink, fleepe, and vnneceffarie occupations.

But albeit ordinarie.times would commonlie be kept in meate and fleepe; yet vfe your felfe fome-times fo, that any time in the foure and twenty houres may be alike to you for any of them; that thereby your diet may be accommodate to your af fairs, and not your affairs to your diet: not therefore vfing your felfe to ouer great foftneffe and delicacie in your fleepe, more then in your meate; and fpeciallie in-cafe ye haue ado with the warres.

Let not your Chalmer be throng and common in the time of your reft, afwell for comelineffe, as for efchew.. ing of carrying reports out of the fame. Let them that haue the cre