4 Dr. Darwin’s Account of 
This being accomplifhed, the bottom of the well remained 
quite dry, and the new water quickly rofe about a foot above 
the top of the well in the leaden pipe ; and, on / bending the 
mouth of this pipe to the level of the furfaee of the ground, 
.abgut two hogfheads of water flowed from it in twenty-four 
hours, which had fimilar properties with the water of St. Alk- 
naund’s well, as on comparifon both thefe waters curdled a 
folution of foap in fpirit of wine, and abounded with calca- 
reous earth, which was copioufly precipitated by a folution of 
fixed alkali; but the new water was found to poffefs a greater 
abundance of it, together with numerous fmall bubbles of 
aerial acid or calcareous gas. 
The new water has now flowed about twelve months, and, as 
far as 1 can judge, is already increafed to almoft double the quan- 
tity in a given time ; and from the rude experiments I made, I 
think it is now lefs replete with calcareous earth, approaching 
gradually to an exafl correfpondence with St. Alkmund’s well, 
as it probably has its origin between the fame flrata of earth. 
As many mountains bear inconteftible marks of their having; 
been forcibly raifed up by fome power beneath them ; and 
other mountains, and even iflands, have been lifted up by fub- 
terraneous fires in our own times, we may fafely reafon on the 
fame fuppofition in refpedl to all other great elevations of 
ground. Proofs of thefe circungftances are to be feen on both 
fides of this part of the country ; whoever will irifpedl, with 
the eye of a philofopher, the lime-mountain at Breedon, on 
the edge of Leicefterfhire, will not hefitate a moment in pro- 
nouncing, that it has been forcibly elevated by fome power, 
beneath it ; for, it is of a conical form, with the apex cut off, 
and .. 
