IX. A Letter from Mr, Richard Hopton to Mr, 
John Batchelor 3 Giving an Account of the Erup- 
tion of a Burning Spring at Brofeiey in Shrop- 
fhire. Communicated by Dr. William Gibbons, 
Fellow of the College of Bhyficians, 
September 18. 1711. 
5 I R, 
I Have according to promife here fent an Account 
of the famous boyling Well at 'Brofeiey near W en- 
lock, in the County of Salop, difcovered about June, 
1711. 
It was firt found out by a terrible uncommon Noife 
in the Night (about two Nights after a remarkable Day 
of Thunder :) The Noife was fo very great, that it awaked 
fevers] People in their Beds, that liv’d hard by$ who be- 
ing willing to be fatisfy’d what it was, rofe up from 
their Beds 5 and coming to a boggy Place under a lit' 
tie Hill about 200 Yards off the River Severn, perceiv’d 
a mighty rumbling and fhaking in the Earth, and a lit- 
tte-Beylmg-up of Water through the Grafs.. They took 
a Spade, and digging up fome part of the Earth, imme- 
diately thd Water flew up a great Height, and a Candle 
that was in their Hand fet it on Fire. 
To prevent the Spring being deftroyed, there’s an 
Iron Ciftern plac’d about it, with a Cover upon it to be 
lock'd, and a Hole in the middle thereof, that any who 
come may fee the Water through* If you put a lighted 
Candle or any thing of Fire to this Hole, the Water 
immediately takes Fire and bums like Spirit of Wine ? 
or Brandy, and continues fo as long as you keep the Air 
from 
