503 ftfM Springs. [Book VII. 



know of any fuch that exifts at prefent, at lead in 

 Britain. 



Should, however, the fact be as it is related by 

 Cambden, the reader, after what has been dated in a 

 preceding chapter, will not find it difficult to explain 

 the caufe. The country where the well is, or was 

 fituated, abounds in coals. The well is therefore 

 impregnated with naphta, or fome bituminous vapour ; 

 this, upon the application of an ignited body, is ca- 

 pable of inflammation, and can even communicate a 

 confiderable portion of heat to the water of the well 

 itfelf. There is no prtfof, however, that the Bath or 

 Buxton waters are impregnated -with any bituminous 

 matter, though coals are plentiful in the neighbour- 

 hood j and as thefe waters contain a fmall portion of 

 iron, there is reafon to fuppole them connected with 

 beds of pyrites, or poffibly with a latent fubterraneous 

 fire. On the whole, we are not fufficiently acquainted 

 with the internal parts of the earth to account fatis- 

 factorily for thefe and other phenomena of a fimilar 

 kind, and whatever is advanced in the way of theory 

 on thefe topics mould be advanced with becoming dif- 

 fidence, and rather with a view of exciting the atten- 

 tion and curiofity of others, than for the ptirpofe of 

 eftablifning a iyftem unfanctioned by experiment, or 

 building a reputation on the fallible bafis of mere hy- 

 pothefis. 



