[ 143

aid: they concluded from this, the all foch various

degrees of brat in thee waters were owing either to
the different degree of fubterranean fire, which they
had undergone or elk to the great diftance, which
loose of them had nm in the earth, after they had
been fere-keep hmted. They therefore maintained,
the thole waters particularly termed added. (the
greed) part of which are impregnated with iron),
or thole, which, rho intenfely cold, contained a
large proportion of mineral matter, had in form
part of the mrth eon impregnated with it, by means
of an intenfe heat, which they had been gradually
deprived of by a long pelage chili the colder ports
of the earth.
Sante naturalifis again, of a later date, having ex-
ploded the former notion as chimerical, have thought,
the a vapour rang from vitriolic minerals, 2nd
mixed with the neighbouring Reams of water in
the bowels of the earth, has imbued them with fome
of the parts, and with the properties, of vitriol.
Others are of opinion, that the exhalations of vi-
oleic minerals, paffing thro the cavities of the earth,
are there condenled by the fubterraneous cold into a
limpid fluid, containing the very fineft parts of the
enitmal falt : which fluid, mixing with the prstcr-
lab= &cams of Inter, and iffuing out of the earth
with them, produce thole mineral fprings called
vitriolic.
The laft opinion I fhall mention on this fubjed,
and which indeed appears the moft plaufible, is of
thee, who think, that the iron is corroded and dif-
kilned in thek waters by means of an acid : fine, as
thcy imagine fimple water incapable of doing this,
7 they

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