SECT. IV. THE Truth of this Propofition is apparent from Experience, and is proved as well from the different Taftes of the Waters as from Distillation; and all Naturalifts agree that there is no fuch thing in Nature as pure or fimple Water, or any other Element feparated from others, because of the conftant and various Agitation of the Particles of Bodies. But in mineral Waters (that we may come clofer to our Subject) the cause of this Mixture is their receiving the fpirituous Particles of heterogeneous Bodies; for Rain and the very Air itself that covers the Water, is impregnated with many different forts of Particles.

ALL Waters therefore have a Mixture of Particles of another Nature, tho' all have not the fame Quantity of them; and tho' there flow into the Rhine, the Danube, and the Elbe, and into all great Rivers, feveral Rivulets impregnated with mineral Particles in fuch Quantities as to affect the Senses; yet because, befides thefe, there are many other Brooks that flow into the fame Rivers which are not impregnated with a fenfible Quantity of heterogeneous Particles; and because most of their Water proceeds from Rain and Dew, therefore these heterogeneous Particles are not eafily discovered in fuch great Rivers, tho' they are received by them; but require to be feparated by Art, if we would know their Tafte and Qualities. We therefore call that mineral Water which hath fome remarkable Property more than what is obferved in common Water, or hath fo large a Mixture of heterogeneous Particles as fenfibly to alter it's Taste,

PRO

PROPOSITION II.

Mineral Waters are of three kinds.

SOME are corporeal, (we want a better Word for it) others fpirituous, and the reft both corporeal and fpirituous. Thofe we call corporeal mineral Waters do contain fixed and folid Particles of Minerals and Foffils, which can be feparated from the Water, and feen with the naked Eye; and fuch as these are of two forts: Some carry large Particles of Minerals and Foffils, which may be perceived with little or no trouble in the Water itself; nor are they properly speaking mixed with the Water: Such as thefe we treated of in the foregoing Chapter, and have in them Grains of Gold, Silver, &c. and therefore are called auriferous, argentiferous, &c. But fuch are not properly called mineral Waters, because they have not thefe Particles mixed with them, but feparate; neither do they receive any Property or Quality from them: yet because Men admire fuch Rivers and their Explication hath a great Affinity with the Defcription of mineral Waters properly fo called, we thought fit to mention them under the fame Head; to which may be added bituminous Fountains, &c.

BUT corporeal mineral Waters are more properly fuch as indeed contain folid Particles of Foffils, but fo fmall and minute that they are entirely mixed, and cannot quickly be diftinguished by the Sight, unless they are made to fubfide by Art, or a long space of Time; or by Concretion are brought to a visible Mafs, fuch as Salt and fulphureous Fountains, &c. and chymical Waters in which Metals are diffolved.

SPIRITUOUS

SPIRITUOUS Waters are thofe that contain only a volatile Spirit, fuch as is found in Minerals; but have no fixed Particles in them; and therefore their Compofition can never be made vifible.

WE call thofe Waters both corporeal and spirituous, which contain not only fixed and folid Particles of Minerals, but also volatile and fpirituous: Of all which we fhall give Examples in the following Propofitions.

PROPOSITION III.

To explain how mineral Waters are generated.

1. IF the Water be carried under Ground with a rapid Course among metalline and mineral Earth, which is eafily loofened, it is evident that it washes Particles from it, and may carry along with it Grains of thefe Minerals; and this is the generation of thefe corporeal mineral Waters that hold Grains in them.

2. IF the Minerals are imperfect and not fo clofely joined, as Vitriol, Sulphur, &c. or even Salt, which of their own Nature eafily mix with Water; and if a Rivulet, or Gut of Water, runs thro' Beds or Mines of fuch Minerals, or be ftrained thro' them (without a Chanel or Duct in fuch a Manner as we explained in Propofition 5. of the preceding Chapter) the Water when it breaks out at the Fountain will have fmall Particles of thefe Minerals mixed with it, and will be corporeal mineral Water, of a fubtile Compofition, according to the fmallnefs of the Atoms. Now whether the Water can in like manner diffolve or unite with itself the Particles of Metals, is to be queftioned, becaufe they are hard and folid, and therefore are not eafily blended with Water. I acknowledge

acknowledge this may be done, but not with simple or common Water, but by a vitriolic and falt fpirituous Water, like the Aqua Fortis of the Chymifts; for as Aqua Fortis diffolves Metals into Atoms, and eafily unites them with itself, fo that they do not fubfide at the Bottom, unless they be feparated by Art: in like manner when fuch Water runs thro' a metallic Earth, it may dif folve the metalline Particles and unite them with itfelf; and thus are the corporeal mineral Waters of the fecond Sort, accounted for and explained.

3. BEFORE Metals are formed in the Bowels of the Earth, Steams and Vapours are condensed about the extant Corners of the Rocks, to which they stick faft; being at first but of a foft Subftance, though they are afterwards hardened by degrees; if therefore the Water fhould run or gleet thro' the Places where fuch Vapours are in Commotion, it is impregnated with them; and thus fpirituous mineral, and metalline, Waters are produced. Imperfect Minerals alfo make mineral Waters of their own Nature, after another Method; viz. when, being heated by a fubterraneous, or their own proper, heat, they fend forth Spirits and Vapours, as Sulphur, Vitriol, Salt, Coal, &c. And fuch Fumes and Exhalations are always ftirred up where there are fuch Minerals; among which the permeating Water is impregnated with that Spirit. Some think these fpirituous Waters may be generated by being only carried thro' a metallic Earth, or by having their Receptacles in it, or in their Mines; but it is found to the contrary by Experience, that Water receives no Quality from Metals and Minerals, tho' they fhould be immersed in it a great many Years. Therefore, rejecting this Opinion, it is most reasonable to suppose, that these Waters receive a certain Spirit, from the Seeds of Metals, or first Principles,

as

as we may call them; or we may say that fuch Waters are impregnated with the fubtile Spirits of Vitriol, Salt, &c. by the help of which a Spirit is extracted from hard Metals; but I do not lay fo great Strefs upon this latter caufe; for a Question will arife again about the Generation of this fpirituous, mineral, vitriolic, and falt Water.

FROM thefe together it appears, how mineral Waters, both corporeal and spirituous, are generated.

PROPOSITION IV.

There are innumerable Kinds of mineral Waters, according to the Variety and Diverfity of the Particles, they receive from different Minerals.

WE have fhewed and explained in the former Propofition, how mineral Waters receive these Particles (from which their extraordinary Qualities arife) from Minerals, or Foffils. Now because there are divers Kinds of Minerals, it hence follows, that mineral Waters are various, and almost infinitely different in their Qualities; not confifting of one kind of Water impregnated with only one fort of Mineral, but of various Kinds, mixed with various Sorts. Wherefore mineral Waters are either fimple or mixed; and the Mixed have two, three, four, or more, forts of Foffils in them.

HENCE are, 1. Metallic Waters, as of Gold, Silver, Copper, Tin, Lead, Iron, &c.

2. SALT Waters, as of common Salt, Nitre, Alum, Vitriol, &c.

3. BITUMINOUS Waters, fulphureous, antimonial, as of Coal, Ambergris, &c.

4. WATERS proceeding from various kinds of Earth and Stones, viz. Limeftone Waters, (which receive