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they fisppofe, that it is firit imbued with .13 acid Ot

the bowels of the earth and then, by the corrorne
of the chalybeat minerals, thro' which it runs, it
comes to be impregnated with them. I once re-
ceived this opinion, as the molt probable I could
then oblerve, concerning the origin of there fpringsi
yet not as being fatisfattory for there are many ob.
jeCtions againit it, which it is difficult either to elude
or to anfwer.
The fuppolition of an acidity in ferrugineous wa-
ters, I thought but ill confirmed, beceutt, upon trial,
they dikover no velliges of it, but rather appear to
be alkaline. &fides, in confidering the cooler of
mineral waters, it lams more probable, that what-
ever minerals they contain, they mull be fuch, as can
be received or extrafted by common water in ks
paflagn thro' the earth, by folution, abrafion, or the
like limply operations ; and in this way alone i
think we may come to account not only for the
commixtion of the feline and terrene minerals, which
are found in medical watcrs, but likewife of thole,
that are metalline ot fulphuteous ; for which fimpk
water, at firfl fight, may perhaps form to be an
fulficient folvent.
It was this notion, that firll induced me to make trial
upon various mineral and metallic bodies, in order to
know how far they could communicate their virtues
to common water by infufion. I thought this aUgIst
throw fome light upon the origin of minerel waters:
yet, tho' I made a greet many experiments of di
fort, end particularly upon leveret kinds of maw
chalybeat minerals, I was as little fatisfied cower.
mg their origin as before. I at length, howeva,

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