Chap. 7.] Hot Springs in Italy, and England. 507 



ceedingly deep, the water of which is conftantly boil- 

 ing. It is fituated in a plain furrounded by volcanic 

 mountains. A ftony concretion floats on the furface 

 of the pool, which, being carried off by the fuper- 

 fliious water, is depofited, and is conftantly forming 

 a labes or tufa, of which the foil all around the pool is 

 compofed. 



Thefe fountains are beft accounted for by fuppofing 

 the pipe or conduit to communicate with a large 

 refervoir of water, which, being fubjeft to the heat 

 of a volcanic fire, the fteam generated in the refervoir 

 by the boiling of the water ats forcibly on the water 

 in the fhaft or pipe, and ejects it by its elaflic force 

 in the form of a fountain, which will acl: with more 

 or leis vigour according to the degree of heat, and 

 according to the refiftance which the water encounters 

 in ir.s pafTage. 



The moft fingular circumftaace is the number of 

 thefe fprings which are found in almoft every coun- 

 try ; and even in " thofe countries which have long 

 ceafed to be volcanic. England itfelf has its tepid 

 fprings, and thofe of Bath, Buxton, &c. are well . 

 known. Cambden mentions a well, near Wigan, in 

 Lancafhire, which was called the burning well. If a 

 candle was applied to its furface, he fays, a flame was 

 excited like that of ardent fpirits fet on fire, and the 

 heat and inflammation thus excited would continue 

 fometimes for the fpace of a whole day, and was 

 fufficient to boil eggs, and even meat. As I recol- 

 lect, Cambden mentions the well as having loft its 

 inflammable property in his time; but he notices' two 

 others of a fimilar defcription, one in the fame neigh- 

 bourhood, and another in Shropfliire. I have never 

 myfelf witnefled a fimilar phenomenon, nor do I 



know 



