r6 The Natural Hijlory 
adjoyning Rivutet-, yet being fo near, and the Glebe all there- 
about being to be prefumed of a like nature, it muft needs lick 
fome of the Mineral in its paflfage. About Kingham I was told 
of a fulphureou^ Earth, and that fome of the Waters there were 
of fuch an odour ; but whether true or no, I am fure on the o- 
ther fide the water, at a place called Bould in the Paridi of Id- 
bury^ it is manifeftly fo ; which being not far from the i?iz/er, at 
leaft not from the Stream that runs by Fofcot^ and fo into it, in 
all likely hood may impart to the waters hereabout no mean quan- 
tity of its more volatile parts. Upon the Cherwellwc have a fait 
Spring runs immediatly into it ; and perhaps the fulphureou6 Glebe 
of Deddington may fomwhere reach the River. The Banks of the 
Thame are fo well fated with fome kind of acid^ that no well- 
water in the whole Town of the name, will either brew, or lather 
with foap : But none of thefe give a tin^ure fo high, that they 
can be perceived by the moft exquifite palate,but only fo far forth 
as may conduce to a due fermentation^ and to keep them living : 
And yet without doubt from hence it is, that the Thames water at 
Sea, in eight months time, acquires fo fpirituous and adive a 
quality, that upon opening fome of the Cask, and holding the 
candle near the bung-hole, its fleams have taken fire like Spirit 
of wine, and fomtimes endangered firing the Ship Hence 'tis 
alfo that its flench is no abfoiutc corruption, and that after a 
third or fourth fermentation^ it equals the waters of the Well in 
the Haven of Brundufium and flinks no more ; and though the 
Mariners are fomtimes forced to drink it and hold their nofes, 
yet upon that account they do not ficken ; whereas all other wa- 
ters^ as far as has been hitherto obferved, become irrecoverable 
upon ftinking, and dangerous to drink. 
14. Cardan in his Comment upon Hippocrates^^ takes the 
plenty and goodnefs of the Fifli, to be a fure indication of the 
wholfomnefs of JP^/m. And our Country-man, the ingenious 
T)^ Browne*, fpeaking of the great fecundity of the River Tihifcusy 
admits it into confideration, whether its exceeding fertility may 
not be afcribed to the faline TinSiures it receives from the natural 
fait Mines it licks by the way : which opinions if approved, as 
rationally they may be, ftiew the health of our waters and the 
' Philofoph.Tranfan.'Num.ij. pi^g.^^!l. * P/in. Nat- Hiji. /it'.2, faj>. 107,. ^ De Aere A^uis ^ lock 
fuper lext. 3. * Oeneral Defcrtption of Hungaryj/><?g. lo, 
reafon 
