C 3^8 ) 
^Tti l of your Opinion in this thing, That this is (as you 
handfomly call thefe Places in your Dijjertation de Dia» 
hete) only Fons per acczdens^ & Senttna five Cloaca pott* 
us quam Fons medicatus appellanda, 
ITeW'CaJile^ April 1698. 
The Second Letter, 
IN my laft I gave you an Account of a Water taken up 
near Eglingham in Northumheriand, which holds real 
Vitriol, which neverthelefs lhakes nothing that you have 
faid concerning the Pyrites, flnce 'tis no Spring but a 
Current of Water that runs through a Coal-Drift, and 
that fomecimes with fo fmall and low a Stream, that the 
Pyrites (which abounds in moft Coal-Pits, but particu- 
larly in thefe) has leave to lye dry above Water and to 
germinate, till a wet Seaion brings down a more plenti- 
ful Run of Water, and waflies all away along with it. I 
told you Jikewife that I fufpeded the Fons Vttrtolaceus^ 
near Hai^ in Lancajhire^ to be much what fuch another 
Wster, and find I was not much muftaken, for having 
been there lately, and msde very particular Enquiry in- 
to the Matter I do allure you, that it is only a Spring 
which rifes in a Coal-^Drift (or Water- Level made for the 
draining of the Cannel Coa!*Pits) which is fo mix'd with 
the Coal-W^ter, that it's next to an fmpoiTibility to fepa- 
rare 'em : So that it's no great Wonder if fuch a W^arer 
fiiould yield Vitriol, as many of our CoaK Waters do : 
though why fuch fort of Drains ftiou!d riot: rather pafs 
for Coramon-ilicrcs (as you bandfonily call em) than 
Medicated Springs, I fee not ; and think the Gentleman 
who was Godfather 10 this, mjght with as good Reafon 
reckon 
