CORRESPONDENCE OE RAY. 173 



Mr. Ray's Answer to Dr. Eobinson. 



Sir, — Yours of the 2d instant I received last post. 

 In answer whereto, I approve one of your excuses and 

 salvos for the credit of the authors that have written con- 

 cerning the burning fountain, viz. that probably enough 

 in winter time there may issue water out of the same 

 vent whence the fire proceeds ; for the time we saw it 

 was in the height and heat of summer, viz. about the 

 latter end of July ; but that the water hath no interest 

 in the kindling anything applied thereto I am confident, 

 for we saw an actual flame streaming thence, which must 

 needs kindle straw, or any other combustible matter it 

 meets with. And here, by the way, I cannot but reflect 

 upon a passage I meet with in Doctor Plot's letter con- 

 cerning sepulchral lamps, in the ' Philosoph. Transact.' 

 of December last. It is this : " Such as the flame over 

 the well and earth about it in one Mr. Hawkley's ground 

 in Lancashire, that (like the fire of Plato) only sliines, 

 and does not burn." Herein is contained a double mis- 

 take ; for, as I was informed by persons of the greatest 

 credit and undoubted fidehty, where the inflammable 

 steam or vapour ascended, was no well at all, but only 

 water in a ditch, which dried up in summer time, and 

 which the experimenter who told me (no other, indeed, 

 but Dr. Wilkins, Bishop of Chester) caused to be laded 

 all out ; and that when the ditch was quite empty the 

 inflammable steam ascended in hke manner as before. 

 Next, the words seem to import that there is a constant 

 flame over the well and ground about ; whereas there 

 is no such thing, but only a steam constantly ascending, 

 which catches fire by the application of a lighted candle, 

 or any other flame. Besides, I never before heard, and 

 can hardly be induced to believe, that that flame only 

 shines and does not burn, none of my relators mentioning 

 any such thing, which had been the strangest miracle 

 ofaU. 



