46 - » The Natural-Hiftory of the Book UL. 
great Labour, fince we find, that it caufed a Contention between ra- 
ham and Abimelech. 
Many, I believe, are the Places in the O/d Teftament, where, with great 
Submiflion to our learned Commentators, from their Want of fufficiently 
-confidering the Situation of Pale/line, the Nature of the Climate, and its 
Productions, the real Meaning of feveral Texts is either very imper- 
‘feétly or often not at all, underftood. 
. Of all the Waters we have treated of, that of Mr. Osborne's Well, as I 
before obferved, is the lighteft and beft; and it hath been proved of great 
Service in Nephritic Cafes. 
The Water of Belly-ach Hole, in the Eftate of the Reverend Mr. 
Fofter, is next in Goodnefs, being a foft limpid Water. 
Each of thefe, by their great Lightnefs and Purity, enter the fineft 
Veffels, where they diffolve, and wath away, the ftagnant Humours; take 
off the Sharpnefs of the Juices, and break the Coagulations and Acidity 
of the Blood. 
_ Pure Water likewife dilutes, prepares, and correéts the crude and ill- 
concocted Juices, diffolves their Salts, and blunts their Force: And 
as the Decay of human Nature is owing to Obftrudtions; and Wrinkles, 
old Age, and even the Diffolution of the human Frame, are, in general, 
chiefly owing to the Want of fufficient Motion in the Fluids ; it is highly 
prebable, that Water (how little foever efteemed by the Generality of 
Mankind) more excellently divides the Blood and Juices, than any other 
Liquid whatfoever ; and therefore is of the greateft Service to preferve 
Health and Life. 
Whoever would be curious enough to inquire into its various effica- 
cious Excellencies, either in Scorbutic, or Hypochondriacal Difeafes, and 
-eyen in inflammatory Fevers, may confult the ingenious Dr. Floffman’s 
and Dr. Shaw's Experiments upon different kinds of Water: 
ae After the ftri@eft Inquiry, I found in the whole Ifland butTwo Springs, 
that had any Appearance of a Mineral Principle ; the one in the Eftate 
of Mr. Richard Richards, in the Parith of Sz. Andrew's; the other at 
Mr. Perry's Eftate, in St. Fofeph’s Parifh: The former turns of a faint 
Purple with the Powder of Galls ; the latter inftantly of a deep Purple ; 
and, like the Pyrmont, refumes its firft Colour, upon dropping into it a 
few Drops of the Spirit of Vitriol. The Difcovery of this Water may, 
and I hope will, be of great Service in all Cafes where -Chalybeats are 
required. 
AanaicAni- I fhall conclude my Obfervations upon thefe Heads with a curfory 
’ Defcription of the feveral aquatic Animalcules, which I: have obferved, 
more or lefs, to inhabit every Refervoir of Water, efpecially Ponds. 
The Sides of thefe are often covered with a greenifh Incruftation -in 
Appearance, as if there were many coarfe Grains of Sand cemented «to 
their ftony or rocky Sides : Thefe, even to the naked Eye, upon a narrow 
Infpection, feem to be alive; and the Quantity of a Pin’s Head being 
; diluted 
