fasten; or else fire, which certainly is composed of sharp-pointed parts, would harden, and keep other bodies from dissolving, whereas on the contrary, it separates and divides them, although after several manners. But Putrefaction is onely a dissolving and separating of parts, after the manner of dilation; and the motion of salt is contracting as well as penetrating, for we may observe, what flesh soever is dry-salted, doth shrink and contract close together; I will not say, but the pointed parts of salt may fasten like nayls in some sorts of bodies, but not in all they work on. And this is the reason also, that Sea-water is of more weight then fresh-water, for being composed of points, those points stick within each other, and so become more strong; But yet do they not hinder the circular dilating motion of water, for the circle-lines are within, and the points without, but onely they make it more strong from being divided by other exterior bodies that swim upon it. And this is the cause that Salt-water is not so easily forced or turned to vapour, as Fresh, for the points piercing into each other, hold it more strongly together; but this is to be considered, that the points of salt are on the outside of the watery Circle, not on the inside, which causes it to be divideable from the watery Circles. I will conclude, when I have given the reason why water is so soon suckt up by sand, lime, and the like bodies, and say that it is the nature of all spongy, dry and porous bodies, meeting with liquid and pliable bodies as water, do draw and suck them up, like as animal Creatures being thirsty, do drink: And so I take my leave, and rest, Madam, _Your Faithful Friend_ _and Servant._ [1] _Of Meteor. c._ 1. _a._ 3. [2] _C._ 3. _a._ 1. XXXIX. _MADAM,_