and their Connexion with Volcanos. 51" 



ing how completely all tke phenomena that accompany the dif- 

 ferent stages of an eruption, or which are consequent upon it, 

 may he explained on the principles of the theory which I have 

 therein adopted. 



If we examine the geological position of the thermal springs 

 most accurately known to us, they will be found situated, for 

 the most part, in one of three positions ; either in the vicinity of 

 active or extinct volcanos ; or, secondly, in the neighbourhood of 

 some one of those chains of mountains, which, according to a 

 prevailing theory *, have been uplifted by some violent action, 

 which took place underneath them since their materials were 

 originally deposited ; or, thirdly, in some position, which, though 

 remote from any of these leading systems of elevation, exhibits, 

 either in its individual aspect, or in the general configuration of 

 the surrounding country, marks of certain physical convulsions. 

 Some, indeed, of these warm springs are so placed, as to com- 

 bine all these three conditions, and many more unite in them- 

 selves both the second and third ; but, without pausing to esti- 

 mate the force of that accumulation of evidence which in these 

 cases is afforded, I shall merely give some examples of springs 

 met with in these different positions, and consider how far we 

 shall be justified in assigning to each class a volcanic origin. 



The first of these, indeed, need not detain us long, for it is 

 well known, that every system of volcanos with which we are ac- 

 quainted has its range of hot springs contiguous, and that not 

 only Vesuvius and Hecla, which are in an active condition, 

 evince in this manner an unceasing energy, even during the pe- 

 riods of their apparent intermittence, but that the volcanos of 

 Hungary, or of Bohemia, which, from a time anterior to all his- 

 tory have appeared to be dormant, still retain these indications 

 of continued vitality. Neither can it be doubted that the cause, 

 which maintains the temperature of these springs at present, is 

 the same as that which gave birth to their eruptions primarily ; 

 for there is not a more unbroken line of connexion between the 

 active volcanos still existing in Sicily and in Campania, and the 

 extinct ones recognised in France and Hungary, than that 



• See Mons. Elie de Beaumont's Recherches sur les Revolutions, &c. 

 Annales des Sciences Nat. 



D 2 



