516 A Bijfertation on the 



Wet ^ag in this cafe is a fort of clumfy natural fyphon. 

 But, like the more regular inftruments of art, it is 

 faithfully true to its principles of aclion. Unlefs the 

 furface of the fluid is above the horizontal level of the 

 exterior end of the Rag, it is found, that not a drop 

 . of water will fall. 



None of thefe various fchemes, therefore, if they 

 would explain the afcent of water to the orifices of 

 fprings, will account for its running over. 



Nor will either of them furnifti the reafon, why the 

 v/ater of fprings is frefh. The water, when it begins 

 to alcend, is mere brine ; and is fuppofed to lofe its 

 fait in the paffage. If it were true, that brine would 

 thus become frefh, it would follow, that the lowefl 

 ftratum of earth, or that neareft the Ocean, would 

 be imniediately, and the fuperior ftrata gradually, fat- 

 urated with fait ; and both would of courfe decUne re- 

 ceiving any more from the brine, as it paffed them on 

 its way upward to the fountains. The brine would 

 thus frefhen lefs and lefs in its paffage ; and in the end 

 would continue wholly fait. The lower flrata, alfo, 

 would foon be faturated with folid fait ; that either the 

 tubes, or the interftices, or the fyphons, would become 

 completely clogged, and incapable of any farther tranf- 

 miflion of brine. 



But it is not true, that fea-water is made frefh, by 

 filtering through dry fand or dry earth. Experiment 

 has proved, again and again, that, if brine is filtered 

 through dry earth any number of times, its faltnefs is 

 not perceptibly diminifhed. The quantity of fluid is 

 indeed leffened ; but that, which remains at the end 

 of the procefs, is found to retain its original proportion 

 of fait ; and that, which is retained by the fand, ad- 

 heres to it in the fhape of brine ^ and not of f olid fait, 

 Thefe confiderations have fatisfied me, that we muft 

 look to fome other fource than the Ocean, for the wa- 

 ter of Springs. 



The fecond clafs of Theories comprifes thofe, which 

 attribute the Origin of Springs to a vaft Abyfs in the 

 bowels of the Earth. 



