palissy'b theory of springs. 
447 
storing it up in artificial reservoirs of earth, and filtering it 
through purifying strata, in analogy with the operations of 
nature. The sagacious Palissy—starting from the theory that 
all springs are primarily derived from precipitation, and rea¬ 
soning justly on the accumulation and movement of water in 
the earth—proposed to reduce theory to practice, and to im¬ 
itate the natural processes by which rain is absorbed by the 
earth and given out again in running fountains. “ When I 
had long and diligently considered the cause of the springing 
of natural fountains and the places where they be wont to 
issue,” says he, “ I did plainly perceive, at last, that they do 
proceed and are engendered of nought but the rains. And it 
is this, look you, which hath moved me to enterprise the gath¬ 
ering together of rain water after the manner of nature, and 
the most closely according to her fashion that I am able ; and 
I am well assured that by following the formulary of the 
Supreme Contriver of fountains, I can make springs, the water 
whereof shall be as good and pure and clear as of such which 
be natural.” * Palissy discusses the subject of the origin 
of springs at length and with much ability, dwelling specially 
on infiltration, and, among other things, thus explains the fre¬ 
quency of springs in mountainous regions: u Having well 
considered the which, thou mayest plainly see the reason why 
there be more springs and rivulets proceeding from the moun¬ 
tains than from the rest of the earth ; which is for no other 
cause but that the rocks and mountains do retain the water of 
the rains like vessels of brass. And the said waters falling 
upon the said mountains descend continually through the earth, 
and through crevices, and stop not till they find some place 
that is bottomed with stone or close and thick rocks ; and they 
rest upon such bottom until they find some channel or other 
manner of issue, and then they flow out in springs or brooks 
or rivers, according to the greatness of the reservoirs and of 
the outlets thereof.” f 
After a full exposition of his theory, Palissy proceeds to 
* CEuvres de Palissy, Des Eaux et Fontaines, p. 157. t Id., p. 166. 
