THE TRUE STATE OF ICELAND ad. 



1592. 

 truly, saying, that certaine fountains (for there be very 

 many) yeelding taste as good as beere : and also in the 

 same place there are fountains & rivers not onely of 

 divers tasts, but of divers colours. 



And albeit naturall Philosophers teach, that water 

 naturally of it selfe hath neither taste nor smel, yet it is 

 likely (as we have touched before, which other call per 

 accidens) that oftentimes it representeth the qualities of 

 that earth wherein it is engendred, and through the 

 veines whereof it hath passage and issue : and from hence 

 proceed the divers & sundry smels, colours and savours 

 of all waters. Of such waters doeth Seneca make 

 mention, whereof some provoke hunger, others make 

 men drunken, some hurt the memory, & some helpe it, 

 & some resemble the very qualitie and taste of wine, 

 as that fountaine which Plinie speaketh of in the He of in lib. de 

 Andros, within the temple of Bachus, which in the ^^rab.amcult. 

 Nones of January used to flow over with wine. And 

 Aristotle reporteth, that in the field of Carthage there 

 is a fountain which yeeldeth oile, & certaine drops smell- 

 ing like Cedar. Also Orcus a river of Thessalie flowing 

 into Peneus, swimmeth aloft like oile. Cardane reporteth, 

 that there is in Saxonie, neere unto the town of Bruns- 

 wic, a fountaine mixed with oile : and another in Suevia 

 neere unto the Abbey called Tergensch. Also in the 

 valley of the mountain Jurassus. He supposeth the 

 cause of this thing to bee very fattie pitch, which cannot 

 but conteine oile in it. The same author saieth : It is 

 reported that in Cardia neere to the place of Daschylus, 

 in the white field, there is water sweeter then milke. 

 Another also neere unto the bridge which we passe over 

 going to the towne of Valdeburg. Propertius likewise 

 in the third booke of his Elegies mentioneth certaine 

 waters representing the savour of wine in these words. 



Amidst the Isle of Naxus loe, with fragrant smels 

 and fine 

 A freshet runs ; ye Naxians goe fill cups, carouse, 

 there's wine. 



133 



