At the entrance, a matron larger than nature, with strong expression in
her face.
Two colossal trunks in a sitting posture.
Three statues of one of the Agrippina’s.
A Roman matron, or empress, with remains of red painting on the
extremities of her palla.
Three other matrons.
_In the Third Room._
Bacchus. A muse. A fragment of a statue in the pallium. A fine statua
togata with the head veiled, larger than the life.
Another very remarkable figure, whose face resembles in beauty that
commonly attributed to Venus, tho’ the dress and other insignia plainly
indicate a Pallas: for her head is covered with an helmet, below which
her hair falls down long and dishevelled. Her left arm is enveloped
with her ægis, which is large and expanded, so as to form a kind of
mantle. Her garments are thin, and fit close to her body in strait
plaits. She is in a posture of running, or striding, with her feet at a
considerable distance from each other, and her arms extended different
ways; an attitude strongly marking the utmost eagerness and haste.
Next appears a Vertumnus. A fine figure of a philosopher. Volumnia
and Veturius. A lady with a thin stola. A Venus. A boy of exquisite
workmanship. A small statua togata.
In another part is a Faun of bronze, reclined, with his right hand
lifted up, and his leg extended. This figure (as we were informed) was
found accompanied with seven others of the same metal, which now stand
in another chamber, _viz._ two young men in a running a posture; four
females somewhat resembling vestals in their habit, excepting that all
their heads were uncovered, and those of two of them were adorned with
_vittæ_, or filets. Lastly, a young man of a small size, cloathed, with
his arms somewhat extended.
There remains but one more figure to be taken notice of in this
collection, _viz._ that of Serapis, with Cerberus at his right hand.
Ancient writers[48] enable us to account for this appearance, by
informing us, that Serapis (besides his other characters of Æsculapius,
Sol, Osiris, and Jupiter) was accounted the same as Dis Pater, or
Pluto. Upon this hypothesis none can doubt of the propriety of
Cerberus’s attending upon this deity in the figure before us, as well
as in three others given us by Montfaucon[49].
If we desire to enter into the mystical reason of this representation,
we may learn it from Porphyry, _viz._ that Serapis[50], being the same
as Pluto, had dominion over the evil dæmons; and that those beings were
figured by a dog with three heads; meaning the dæmon subsisting in the
three elements of water, earth, and air.
Give me leave to add further, that I find, by my journal, that upon
viewing this figure, I took notice of a dissimilitude in the heads of
it: but as it did not then occur to me, that they were ever expressed
in any other form than the canine, I did not examine minutely into the
difference: but, upon recollection, I am now inclined to think, that
that monster might have the heads of three several animals in this
piece, as he has in another, given us by [51]Montfaucon: which mode of
exhibiting him was (according to that learned[52] antiquary) invented
by the Egyptians; a circumstance not to be wondered at in a people,
whose imagination teemed so plentifully with monstrous ideas of all
kinds, as theirs is known to have done.
To the same original we may refer the serpent twisting round Cerberus
in this monument; as we see two of the same species encircling his
heads and body in that mentioned above[53]. As I know no particular
relation, that the serpent bears to Serapis, considered as Pluto, I can
regard it here only as a sacred symbol in the theology of the ancient
Egyptians; and, as such, properly attributed to an attendant of one of
their chief divinities.
I shall trouble you but with one more observation upon this article,
_viz._ that (if I may trust my memory for a particular omitted in my
notes) this is the statue, which being the principal one found in
an ancient magnificent building discovered about seven years ago at
[54]Pozzuoli (in conjunction with other circumstances) occasioned it to
be called The Temple of Serapis. As this place seemed greatly to merit
the attention of the curious in antiquity, we procured a plan of it,
drawn by a native, who has free access to it and (if I thought it would
be acceptable to that learned Society, of which I have the honour to be
a member) the said plan should wait upon them, accompanied with some
observations upon it by,
SIR,
Your most obedient,
humble Servant
John Nixon.
London. Feb. 24. 1757.
_P.S._ A long room is designed to be fitted up in the King’s palace at
Portici, for the reception of all the antiquities found at Herculaneum,
_&c._ This apartment will be lighted by thirteen windows on the side
towards the Cortile, and adorned with forty columns, partly of verde
antique, partly of alabaster with brownish veins, and other beautiful
marbles, found in divers parts of the King’s dominions. Between every
two of these columns will be placed a group, statue, or bust. The
compartments in the walls will contain the ancient paintings. The
other curiosities are to be deposited in cases made for that purpose;
and the pavement will consist intirely of the finest pieces of Mosaic
work, that have been found in Herculaneum, or any places within the
Neapolitan state.
XIV. _An Account of the Effects of a Storm of Thunder and Lightning,
in the Parishes of_ Looe _and_ Lanreath, _in the County of_ Cornwall,
_on the 27th Day of_ June, 1756. _Communicated to the Rev._ Jeremiah
Milles, _D.D. F.R.S. in two Letters, one from the Rev. Mr._ Dyer,
_Minister of_ Looe, _and the other from the Rev. Mr._ Milles, _Vicar
of_ Duloe, _in_ Cornwall.
[Read Feb. 24, 1757.]
ON Sunday the 27th of June last it grew on a sudden as dark as a winter
evening: soon after, the lightning began to flash, and the thunder to
roar. The claps were near, and extremely loud; and the lightning was
more like darting flames of fire, than flames of enkindled vapour.
Happily no damage was done to the town of Looe, which lies very low;
but at Bucklawren, a village situated on the top of a hill, about two
miles from hence, a farm-house was shattered in a most surprising
manner. The house fronts the south. The windows of the hall and
parlour, and of the chambers over them, which are in the front of
the house, are sashed. The dairy window is the only one on the west
side of the house. The chimnies are on the north side; and at the
south-west corner there is a row of old elms on a line with the front,
the nearest of which is ten feet distant from the house. The lightning
seems to have had a direction from the south-west to the north-east.
It first struck the bevilled roof of the south-west corner, near the
eaves of the house; made a large breach, and tore up the floor of the
garret, near the place where it entered, and descended by the west
wall, in oblique lines, into the chamber over the parlour; but not
having sufficient vent that way, it darted in a line from S.W. to N.E.
against the north wall of the garret, where meeting with resistance, it
broke down the floor near the north wall many feet wide, and carrying
the ceiling of the parlour-chamber before it, ran down by the wall of
that room in direct lines. Where it descended on the west and north
walls it made large and deep furrows in the plaister, and even tore
out the stones and mortar. A large splinter was struck off from the
bed-post contiguous to the north wall, and the bed was set on fire.
The chimney-piece was broken into many parts; the window-frame was
moved out of the wall, every pane of glass was broken, the under
sash was torn in pieces, and a large piece of the chimney-board was
thrown out of the window against an opposite garden wall, about 20
feet from the house. As the lightning shot thro’ the window, it found
a small cavity between the wall and the slating with which the wall
is covered, where it burst off the slates as far as it continued in
a direct line downward, and threw them at a great distance from the
house. Notwithstanding this dreadful havock, the force of the lightning
was not spent; the window gave it not a sufficient discharge. From
the chamber over the parlour, it descended by the north wall to the
room under it, which is wainscotted, tore off the cornice the whole
breadth of the room, and some mouldings from the wainscot; broke the
glasses and Delft ware in the beauffet; shivered the shelves of a
bottle-room; and, ripping off a small stock-lock from the door, burst
it open, and made its way chiefly thro’ the window, the frame of which
was moved from the wall, and the glass shattered to pieces. Near the
bottle-room there was a hole struck in the partition-wainscotting,
which divides the parlour from the hall, about eight inches long and
an inch broad: through this crevice the lightning entered the hall,
which serves at present for a kitchen, and meeting with some pewter in
its way, it flung it from the shelf about the room; threw down a large
iron bar, that stood in a corner and which seemed to have a trembling
and desultory motion; carried the tongs into the chimney, and threw a
tea-kettle, that stood there, into the middle of the floor; moved a
large brass pot out of its place, which was under a table; and then
darted thro’ the windows, carrying away a pane of glass intire out of
the upper sash to the distance of many feet. The mistress of the house
and her son were sitting at this window. They were the only persons
in the house, and providentially received no hurt. Some part of the
lightning found a way between the door and door-case of the hall. The
door is pannelled: and the lightning, in passing thro’, penetrated
into a close mortise, and split off a large splinter from the outside
of the door, close to the tenon. In its course it left a smoaky tinge
on the wall and timber, like that of fired gunpowder. A sulphureous
smell remained in the house many hours. Another (or probably a part
of the same) flash of lightning struck the dairy window, melted the
lead, and burnt the glass where it penetrated, and set the window-frame
on fire. From thence it darted in a line from S.W. to N.E. downward,
made a large hole in a plaistered partition near the floor into the
barn, shattered a large paving rag-stone in pieces, and tearing up the
ground, I suppose, sunk into the earth. The elms were affected with
the lightning, particularly that nearest the house, from the top of
which to the root appeared large furrows in the moss, which grew on the
bark, in some places in an irregular spiral, but for the most part in
a perpendicular line; and from the root of it the ground was torn up
in furrows, as if done with a plough-share, about six feet long, the
furrows gradually lessening according to their distance from the tree.
All this was done instantaneously. How amazingly swift, subtle, and
powerful is the force of lightning! I am,
Reverend Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
James Dyer.
_A Letter from the Rev. Mr._ Milles _on the same Subject_.
ABOUT four of the clock on Sunday afternoon, the same day that the
lightning struck the farm-house at Bucklawren, it fell upon another
house called Pelyne, in the parish of Lanreath, about six miles
distant. The house fronts the east. The chimney, which is at the north
end, is cracked, and opened about two or three inches wide, from
the top to the roof, where it entered the slating thro’ a small hole
on the eastern side; forced its way thro’ the upper chamber, where
it melted an old copper skillet, a pair of sheepshears, and some odd
brass buckles and candlesticks that lay on the wall; consumed the laths
adjoining, and then made its way thro’ a small crevice in the upper
part of the window. Another and more severe part of the same lightning
descended the chimney; struck two women down who were sitting on each
side of it, without any further hurt; overturned a long table, that was
placed before the window in the ground room, upon two men, who were
sitting on the inside, with their backs towards the window. One of
these men was miserably burnt in his right arm. The lightning seems to
have struck him a little above the elbow, making a small orifice about
the bigness of a pea; the burn from thence to the shoulder is near an
inch deep. His right thigh was likewise burnt on the inside, and the
outside of his right leg, from a little below the knee, quite over the
ancle to his toes. Both knees were burnt across slightly, and his left
thigh. His shirt-sleeve, and the upper part of his waistcoat, were
reduced to tinder: the buckles in his shoes were melted in different
parts, and in different directions. He has not been able to use his
arm since; and is under the care of a surgeon, who has reduced the
wound to a hand’s breadth, which was in the beginning advancing fast
towards a mortification. The other man was but slightly wounded. The
lightning afterwards found its way thro’ the window in three different
places; melted the glass, leaving a smutty tinge, like that of fired
gunpowder. A boy, about ten years old, son to the under-tenant, was
also struck down, as he was standing at the door, but not hurt. The
father and his daughter felt no ill effects; but saw the lightning roll
on the floor, and thought the room was on fire.
XV. _An Account of the Peat-pit near_ Newbury _in_ Berkshire; _in an
Extract of a Letter from_ John Collet, _M.D. to the Right Reverend_
Richard _Lord Bishop of_ Ossory, _F.R.S._
[Read Feb. 24, 1757.]
Newbury, Decemb. 2, 1756.
My Lord,
NOW I am mentioning the peat, I beg leave to assure your Lordship, that
tho’ some persons have asserted, that after the peat has been cut out,
it grows again after some years; yet this is not true of the peat found
here, none of the peat-pits, which were formerly dug out, and have
lately been opened again, affording the least reason to justify such an
opinion; but, on the contrary, the marks of the long spade (with which
they cut out the peat) are still plainly visible all along the sides
of the pits, quite down to the bottom; and are now as fresh as if made
but yesterday, tho’ cut above fifty years ago: which shews also, that
our peat is of too firm a texture to be pressed together, and to give
way, so as to fill again the empty pits: which perhaps may be the case
in some of the mosses, where the pits are found after some years to be
filled up again.
The town of Newbury lies north and south, in the shape of a Y, cross
a valley; which valley runs east and west, and is here about a mile
broad, the river Kennet running along the middle of it. The peat
is found in the middle of this valley, on each side of the river,
extending in all from between a quarter of a mile to about half a mile
in breadth and in length, along the valley, about nine miles westward,
and about seven eastward; and I believe much further tho’ not yet
discovered, and perhaps with some intermissions.
The ground it is found in is meadow land; and consists chiefly of a
whitish kind of earth: under this lies what they call _clob_, being
a peat-earth, compounded of clay, of a small quantity of earth, and
some true peat: it is from four to eighteen inches thick; and where
the earth above it is but thin, it is sometimes full of the roots of
plants, that grow on the surface of the ground: and if the meadow also
be moorish, the sedge and flags will shoot their roots quite thro’ it
into the true peat, which lies directly under this clob.
The top of the true peat is found at various depths, from one foot to
eight feet below the surface of the ground; and the depth or thickness
of this peat is also very different, from one foot to eight or nine
feet, the ground below it being very uneven, and generally a gravel. My
friend Mr. Osgood has dug two feet into this gravel, to see if any peat
lay below it, but could not find any.
The truest and best peat has very little (if any) earth in it; but is a
composition of wood, branches, twigs, leaves, and roots of trees, with
grass, straw, plants, and weeds; and lying continually in water makes
it soft and easy to be cut thro’ with a sharp peat-spade. The colour is
of a blackish brown; and if it be chewed between the teeth it is soft,
and has no gritty matter in it, which the clob has. It is indeed of a
different consistence in different places, some being softer, and some
firmer and harder; which may perhaps arise from the different sorts of
trees it is composed of.
To get at the peat, they first dig up the surface of the ground till
they come to the clob, throwing the earth into the empty pits, from
which they have already cut out the peat: they then dig up the clob,
and either sell it to the poor for firing, or lay it in heaps, to
burn to ashes, to be sold to the farmers. Then they cut out the true
peat, with a peculiar kind of spade, in long pieces, vulgarly called
long squares, about three inches and a half broad every way, and four
feet long, if the thickness of the peat will allow that length: and
as they cut it out in long pieces, they lay them in a regular order
carefully, in rows upon the ground, to be dried by the sun and wind.
If the peat be thick, when they have cut one length of the spade for
some distance, they return again, and cut down another length of it (or
four feet), and so on, till they reach the gravelly bottom, if they can
sufficiently drain it of the water, which continually comes in, tho’
proper persons are employed to pump out as much of the water as they
can all the time. As the peat dries, and is turned by persons appointed
for that purpose, to dry it the better, it breaks into smaller lengths,
and then it serves not only the poor; but many other persons, for
firing, and gives a good heat. It is sold for about ten shillings a
waggon-load, delivered at their houses in the town. The ashes also
prove very good manure for both grass and arable land; and the farmers
give from four pence to six pence a bushel for them, which renders this
firing very cheap.
Great numbers of trees are plainly visible in the true peat, lying
irregularly one upon another; and sometimes even cart-loads of them
have been taken out, and dried for firing: but the nearer these trees
lie to the surface of the ground, the less sound is the wood: and
sometimes the small twigs, which lie at the bottom, are so firm, as
not to be easily cut thro’ with the usual peat-spade. These trees are
generally oaks, alders, willows, and firs, besides some others not
easily to be known. The small roots are generally perished; but yet
have sufficient signs to shew, that the trees were torn up by the
roots, and were not cut down, there being no sign of the ax or saw;
which, had they been felled, would have been plainly visible.
No acorns are found in the peat, tho’ many cones of the fir-tree are,
and also a great number of nut-shells. They are all of a darkish
colour; and the nuts are hollow within, and some of them have a hole at
the broad end.
A great many horns, heads, and bones of several kinds of deer, the
horns of the antelope, the heads and tusks of boars, the heads of
beavers, _&c._ are also found in it: and I have been told, that some
human bones have been found; but I never saw any of these myself, tho’
I have of all the others.
But I am assured, that all these things are generally found at the
bottom of the peat, or very near it. And indeed, it is always very
proper to be well and faithfully informed of the exact depth and place,
where any thing of these kinds is found; whether it is in the earth
above the peat, or in the clob; or in the true peat, or at the bottom
of it; which will greatly assist us in forming a just judgment of the
real antiquity of the things that are found, or at least of the time
they have lain there. Besides this, as they formerly used to cut out
the peat in large plots here and there, leaving spaces full of peat
between those pits (whereas now they draw off the greatest part of the
water by pumps, and so clear out all the peat regularly as they go on);
so it must be carefully observed, whether whatsoever is found here be
dug out of these old peat-pits, or not; for axes, and other things, may
have been formerly dropt into these pits, before they were filled up
again with earth, and may now be dug out of them again. My father has
now in his possession an iron hatchet, not greatly differing from the
modern form, which was found lying flat at the very bottom of the peat:
it was covered with a rust near half an inch thick, and the handle was
to it, which seemed to be of beech-wood, but was so soft, that it broke
in bringing it up: but as the person is dead, who found it, I can’t say
whether it lay in an old peat-pit, or no.
Mr. Osgood found, some years ago, an urn, of a light brown colour, and
large enough to hold above a gallon, in the true peat about eight or
ten feet from the river, near a mile and a half west of this town, in
Speen-moor. It lay about four feet below the level of the ground, and
about one foot within the peat; and over it was raised an artificial
hill, about eight feet higher than the neighbouring ground; and as
the whole hill consisted of both peat and meadow-ground intermixed
together, it plainly appeared, that the peat was older than the urn;
and that the persons, who raised the hill, must first have dug a large
hole in the peat, to bury the urn there, and so formed the hill of
the peat and meadow-ground mixed together. Round the hill, where the
urn lay, they had made also many half-circular ridges, with trenches
between them, one beyond another, in this manner:
[Illustration]
Where _a_ is the river, and _c_ the hill; and the half circles shew
some of the ridges, the number of which Mr. Osgood has now forgot. The
urn was broke by the peat-spade, and it came up only in small pieces,
so that nothing was found in it; and no body happened to be there at
that time but the peat-cutters.
No coins of any sort have been found in the peat. But there may,
perhaps, be a variety of things at the bottom of it: but as the peat is
always full of water, which is never quite drained off, so it is not an
easy matter to examine the bottom.
I beg leave to assure you, my Lord, that I am, with great respect and
esteem,
Your Lordship’s most obliged,
and obedient humble Servant,
John Collet.
XVI. _An Account of the Alterations making in the_ Pantheon _at_
Rome: _In an Extract of a Letter from_ Rome _to_ Thomas Hollis, _Esq;
Communicated by_ John Ward, _LL.D. R.S. Vice-Præs._
[Read Mar. 3, 1757.]
A Project was lately laid before the government by Paolo Posi,
an architect, for modernizing the inside of the Pantheon, and
unfortunately approved. In consequence of which, the dome has been
already cleaned, and rough cast; and the remainder of the lead taken
away, which served as a lining to the silver work, that originally
covered it. The vestiges of the cornices, and other ornaments of the
silver work, were still discernible in the lead, which was fastened by
very large iron nails. All this was effected by a moveable scaffold,
that was fixed to the bronze cornice of the open circle above, whereby
the temple is illuminated, and descended to the cornice of the Attic
order, being as curious in the contrivance, as detestable for the
purposes intended by it. It is true, we could not before see the
dome in its pristine glory; but we had the satisfaction of viewing
the traces and remains of what it had been. Nor could the adepts
in architecture sufficiently admire the skill and sagacity of the
builder, who, composing it of a number of small arches, which together
formed a kind of net-work, and filling up the intervals between with
pumice-stones and mortar, gave it that strength and lightness, whereby
it has probably stood so many ages.
The evil would be comparatively small, had the project extended no
farther, than what has been related; but they are now busy in removing
the Attic order, to make room for a new invention, suitable to the
trifling taste, which at this day prevails. And not content with that,
they think of taking away the ancient pavement; and, what is still
worse, its peculiar beauty, the open circle at the top, to place a
lanthorn instead of it, as is usual in modern cupola’s.
You had the good fortune, Sir, to view this remarkable temple, in that
state, wherein it was left by the ancient barbarians: but those, who
see it hereafter, will find it in a much more deplorable condition,
stripped of its precious marbles and ornaments; and so disguised by
modern alterations, that the noble form given it by Agrippa will be no
longer distinguishable.
It is said Il Signor J.B. Piranesi, the architect, who published the
antiquities of Rome, and divers ingenious works of that kind, has
taken accurate plans of the Attic order, and every other particular
relating to it. These he proposes to engrave and publish, with exact
explanations annexed to them; together with a plan of the whole, as
he believes it appeared in its original splendor and perfection; that
posterity may not be deprived of informations, which are of so great
benefit and importance to all lovers of architecture. It is also said,
that the engineer [carpenter], who invented the scaffolding, has made
an exact model of it for him; which he intends to publish as a part of
the work before-mentioned.
XVII. _An Account of a new medicinal Well, lately discovered near_
Moffat, _in_ Annandale, _in the County of_ Dumfries. _By Mr._ John
Walker, _of_ Borgue-House, _near_ Kirkudbright, _in_ Scotland.
[Read Feb. 10, & Mar. 3, 1757.]
THIS mineral spring was found out by one Mr Williamson, a few years
ago, when he was overseeing a mine, which was at that time carrying
on in its neighbourhood. It is situate about four miles distant from
Moffat, in the bottom of a deep scar, which is on the west side of a
large mountain called Hartfell, from which it has acquired the name of
Hartfell-spaw. This scar is a part of the mountain, thro’ which a small
stream of water has worn its way to a considerable depth; by which it
has laid open, and exposed to view, the strata of the earth on each
side: and in the bottom of this scar, and near to the brink of this
small brook, the mineral water springs up.
When I saw it, it consisted of two springs, which were very well
ordered by Mr. Williamson, so as to run from two wooden spouts,
immediately at their rise out of the earth; which indeed must be of
very great advantage to all mineral waters; and I am persuaded there
are many, whose medical qualities are greatly impaired by falling into
reservoirs, and continuing in them for some time after they spring
from the earth. The one of these springs was situate about ten or
twelve yards farther up the brook than the other; and they were then
distinguished by the names of the upper and lower spring: but I have
been since informed, that their situation is now altered. Each of these
springs did at that time run nearly the same quantity of water, which,
as I thought, was above an English quart in a minute, and that during a
season of very dry weather.
As there are many instances of mineral waters springing out of the
earth very near each other, which at the same time are impregnated with
very different principles; it therefore seemed not at all improbable,
that as these waters did appear to run, for some part of their course,
in different channels, they might in some respects be different from
each other. And this suspicion I found not to be altogether groundless
with regard to these springs, as will be shewn afterwards. For which
reason it may be observed, that the following trials were all made upon
the water of the upper fountain, except where the other is particularly
mentioned; and also that they were made within 24 hours after the water
was taken from the spring, being carried to Moffat in bottles carefully
sealed.
According to what may be inferred from the following experiments, it
may be premised, that this water appears to contain in it a large
proportion of iron, but in two different forms; and an aluminous salt,
which is conjoined with a terrestrial principle.
As the contents of several mineral waters have been the cause of
many different opinions, and of great disputes among physicians and
chymists; as the inquiry I made into the principles of these waters,
which I am now considering, was not performed with that nicety and
exactness I could have wished; and as I am persuaded, that to dogmatize
in any branch of philosophy can never tend to its advancement; I shall
not therefore pretend to determine with certainty in any part of this
subject, where the contrary opinion can be admitted with the least
degree of probability. These trials are indeed but few and imperfect,
and are no-way sufficient to form an exact account of this mineral
water; yet I believe they may afford some conclusions, which may be
serviceable in compiling a more compleat history of it. They render
it pretty evident, that the above-mentioned principles are contained
in these waters: and tho’ I will not pretend absolutely to exclude
all others, yet I must say, that, by what inquiry I made, I could not
observe them to be in the least impregnated with any other kind of
mineral substance.
After a good deal of observation upon the water of this Spaw; and
after many fruitless attempts, which I have at different times made
upon several other waters of the chalybeat kind in Scotland, in quest
of the volatile spirit, which has been commonly attributed to them; I
must own, that I have been induced to think, that there is no such
thing exists in these waters at all. What has been generally called
the spirit of steel waters, seems to me to be very unintelligible;
altho’ the existence of it in these waters has been asserted by all
the writers on this subject, which I have yet had occasion to see. The
spirit of a mixed body is commonly taken to be a subtile, penetrating,
light, and volatile substance, more susceptible of motion than any
other of its parts, and most easily separable from them by avolation.
But that any chalybeat water contains such a substance, I think has
never been made evident, unless where the water has been found to be
impregnated with some other mineral principles. Some steel waters,
I believe, contain a large proportion of air, whose elasticity may
occasion it to break forth with an explosive force; some others there
are, which contain a volatile and sulphureous halitus; and to one or
other of these two causes, or to some other mineral principle, I think
most of the phænomena may be referred, which have been attributed to a
ferrugineous or vitriolic volatile spirit.
As the first thing observable in a mineral water is its outward form,
we must therefore take notice, that the water of this Spaw equals the
clearest spring-water in transparency; and is likewise as free of any
colour or odour: yet its taste is very strong, and may be discerned to
be compounded of a sweet, subacid, and astringent taste. Its sweetness
and acidity appear sensibly to arise from alum; and its high styptic
and astringent taste does as evidently proceed from that mineral salt,
joined with some earthy or ferrugineous parts. I must likewise observe,
that when I first compared the taste of these two springs, I could
plainly discern, that the water of the lower spring was more acid, and
less astringent, than that of the upper one; and, on the contrary, the
water of the upper spring seemed more astringent, and less acid. This
induced me to think, that the mineral parts, which caused the acid and
astringent tastes, were mixed in the waters of these two springs in
different proportions. And what I observed of them afterwards still
confirmed this conjecture.
But, in order to give some evidence for the existence of the
above-mentioned minerals in the waters of these springs, we shall
consider them separately, by relating the experiments, which seemed
to indicate, that they are contained in these waters in a very
considerable proportion, and by offering some conclusions, which may be
reasonably drawn from them.
And as the first trials were made in quest of iron, it may perhaps be
most proper to consider it in the first place.
_Experiment_ 1. Some pieces of galls being added to equal quantities of
the water of the two springs, an exceeding deep and bright blue colour
was immediately produced in the water of the upper spring, which in a
little time turned to a perfect black. The water of the lower spring,
tho’ indeed it was turned of the same colour, yet was not of so deep a
shade, but was somewhat lighter than the former. The tincture of galls
caused the same appearances.
2. A tincture of balaustine-flowers produced the above blue colours in
both waters.
3. A quantity of the water being thoroughly tinged with galls, was
allowed to stand 24 hours: being then filtrated thro’ brown paper,
the water, tho’ almost quite colourless, would not again receive any
tincture with galls.
4. After elixation the water became of a turbid yellow colour with
ochre, and afforded very little tincture with galls.
5. A solution of sal Martis, chemically prepared, being mixed with
galls, immediately turned of a bright dark blue colour, exactly similar
to that produced in the water.
6. A solution of common and rock alum was no-ways changed in its colour
with galls.
7. A solution of sal Martis and alum being mixed in equal quantities,
the mixture was turned of a bright blue colour with galls; yet not of
so deep a hue, but of a more diluted colour than the solution of sal
Martis, without alum.
From these experiments we must first of all observe, that the colour,
which these waters afford with galls and pomegranate-flowers, is
very uncommon. The more iron, that any mineral water contains, it
will afford the deeper colour with such astringents: but tho’ I have
tried this experiment upon a great many of the ferrugineous waters in
Scotland, and also upon the waters of some of the foreign Spaws, I
never observed one, that afforded so deep a colour as this, which we
now consider. Some of the weakest of them gives only a red or faint
purple tincture, and the strongest only a deep purple: but I never
saw or heard of any chalybeat water, but this, either in Scotland or
elsewhere, that afforded an intense black and inky colour with galls.
From which, I think we may venture to conclude, that the water of this
Spaw contains a far larger proportion of iron than most, or perhaps
than any, other chalybeat water hitherto discovered: and for this
reason, I dare say, it will likewise be so much the more preferable to
most others in medicinal virtues; which has indeed already appeared by
many surprising cures it has performed, and which, I am persuaded, will
more fully appear, when its medicinal effects shall be better known.
There must needs be a very great quantity of iron in this water, when
it yields as deep a colour with galls as a strong solution of sal
Martis. I was indeed at first apprehensive, that this perhaps might not
be owing so much to a large and uncommon proportion of chalybeat parts,
as to the commixture of alum, which I judged to be in the water. But we
see the contrary appears by these trials: for alum of itself affords no
tincture with astringents, and, instead of rendering a solution of sal
Martis with galls of a more intense colour, rather makes it lighter and
more diluted.
We see here, that the ferrugineous matter is intirely separated from
the water by an infusion of galls. The like also happens by elixation;
after which it is almost deprived of its tinging quality. Yet other
chalybeat waters lose this quality by much less degree of heat.
As there is an ochrous earth separated from all steel waters, when
exposed to the air, which subsides to the bottom, and a metalline scum
or cremor, which swim on their surface; we shall next consider the
appearances, which they make in this water.
_Exp._ 8. A solution of saccharum Saturni being dropt into common
spring-water, left the upper parts of the water clear and colourless,
but formed a lactescency towards the bottom. The same solution being
added to the mineral water, soon turned it of a turbid yellow colour,
which afterwards subsided, and formed a deep yellow cloud in the
bottom of the glass; and below this yellow sediment there adhered to
the bottom of the glass a whitish substance, which I took to be the
metalline parts of the saccharum Saturni separated from the purer parts
of the salt, which were still suspended in the water, and which made it
of a muddy whitish colour.
9. Forty drops of oleum tartari per deliquium being added to an ounce
of the water, made it of an uniform light yellow colour; but in an
hour afterwards there were many small yellow terrene _nubeculæ_ formed
in it. These the next day were more conspicuous, being thoroughly
separated from the water, and precipitated to the bottom, leaving the
water quite clear, as it was before the mixture. A small quantity of
this limpid water being taken, it would afford no tincture with galls.
It was then all poured off, except so much in the bottom of the glass
as contained the above-mentioned clouds: to this there were some galls
added, which in half an hour turned these clouds from a light yellow to
a deep red colour, but did not change the colour of the water, in which
they swam.
10. Immediately after the affusion of ol. tart. p.d. to the water,
galls were added to the mixture, which tinged it of a deep and bright
red colour. After standing for some time, there were red clouds
precipitated to the bottom, and the water continued of a dusky opake
red colour.
11. There is a small brook, formerly mentioned, which runs near
by these springs; into which the water, that flows from them, is
discharged. I observed the stones and channel of this brook all tinged
with ochre of a deep yellow colour, so far up as the water of these
springs flowed into it; but the channel, which the mineral water ran
over before it was mixed with the water of the brook, was very little
or nothing discoloured with ochre. As I conjectured what this was owing
to, I afterwards took two equal quantities of the mineral water, into
one of which I put an equal quantity of common water. In two hours
the mixture became less transparent, and appeared yellowish, while
the simple mineral water retained its clearness. Next day there was
much ochre separated from the mixture, which subsided to the bottom
of the glass: but the unmixed mineral water remained still clear and
colourless, as at first.
All chalybeat waters separate their ochrous parts, when exposed some
time to the air; but this separation is made sooner by the commixture
of several kinds of salts. Thus we see the ochre in this water is
immediately separated and precipitated by the solution of saccharum
Saturni.
The oil of tartar causes a precipitation of these ferrugineous
parts in the same manner. Which parts must be the sole cause, that
the water receives a tincture from galls; since, after they are
precipitate, it loses that quality, which they notwithstanding retain
even after they are separated from the water. This precipitation of
the ochrous parts of the water were the only visible effects that I
could perceive to follow from the affusion of the ol. tart. p.d. I
remember indeed, when I was at Moffat, I saw the manuscript of Dr.
Horsburgh’s experiments upon this mineral water; which appeared to be
very accurate; and which I understand are since printed, in a volume
lately published by the Philosophical Society at Edinburgh. Amongst
these I observed one, which I thought so very remarkable, that I
particularly adverted to it. It was the effects of the affusion of
ol. tart. p.d. to the water, producing in it clouds, or a coagulation
of a green or grass-green colour. I think these were the words; and I
own I was something surprised at them. A solution of vitriolum Martis,
mixed with this alkaline oil, does indeed produce a green coagulum:
but I could scarcely think, that this, or any other chalybeat water,
contained so large a proportion of that vitriol, as to be sufficient
to produce these effects, when I considered, that so many writers,
which I had seen, upon this subject, have all failed in their attempts
of extracting a conspicuous martial vitriol from such mineral waters.
I had tried this experiment upon four or five chalybeat springs in
Scotland, and likewise upon the Spa and Pyrmont waters, which had
been well preserved; but there never resulted any such effects from
the mixture of these with oil of tartar, as are related in the above
experiment. All the alteration it produced in these waters was the
precipitation of an ochrous earth, but without the least appearance
of any green colour. As I looked upon this as a leading experiment
in the history of vitriolic waters; as I had often tried it, and
as often seen the green coagulum produced with the solution of the
factitious vitriol, and never could observe it produced in any of
the above water; I began to suspect, that these waters were either
not possessed of a vitriolic salt at all, or else, that it was in
some respects very different from the factitious vitriol. For these
reasons, Dr. Horsburgh’s experiment appeared very extraordinary;
tho’ at the same time I was greatly pleased, that I should have the
opportunity of repeating it, and of observing those phænomena in this
ferrugineous water, which I had sought for in vain in several others.
But when I came to make the trial, I was yet more surprised, when I
found it misgive, and that the ol. tart. p.d. produced no green colour
or coagulum in this mineral water, nor caused any other alteration
in it, than the separation of a large quantity of ochrous earth of a
yellow colour, exactly the same with what I had observed in the other
steel waters. This failure made me immediately conclude, that I had
somehow or other committed an error in the experiment: and tho’ I was
pretty sure, that the mineral water, which I had used in it, was quite
fresh, yet I could not be so positive as to the oil of tartar, which
I suspected to have been long kept. Yet that this could have been the
cause of my being so unsuccessful, I could scarcely believe, tho’
indeed I could assign no other. I was sorry, that I had not afterwards
an opportunity of repeating this experiment with more accuracy, from
which I might have expected to reap more success, as it is perhaps
one of the most consequence, that can be performed on this mineral
water, as it is capable of demonstrating the existence of a substantial
vitriolum Martis in it; which is more than has been hitherto done, or
perhaps ever will be done, concerning any one of the vast number of
chalybeat waters, which have been yet discovered.
When galls are added to the water, at the same time with oil of tartar,
instead of its deep blue colour, it affords only a red tincture.
It appears from the 11th experiment, that an addition of common
water causes the mineral water to precipitate its ochre; and the
reason of this is obvious: for if these ochrous parts be altogether
terrene, as they appear to be, and exist in the water unconnected with
any other principle, then it must happen, that as these parts are
uniformly diffused thro’ the water, in which they are suspended as in
a menstruum; by the addition of common water, this menstruum being
diluted, the cohesion of these terrene parts must be thereby weakened,
and their contact destroyed; so that their menstrual equilibrium being
thus taken off, they can be no longer supported in the fluid, but must
be precipitated by the force of their own gravity.
_Exp._ 12. When the water was exposed for some days to the air, there
was a cremor separated from it of a shining chalybeat colour. This,
like other kinds of cremor, takes a considerable time to compleat its
intire separation from the fluid, out of which it is expelled: for when
it was despumated, a new cremor always succeeded, until the whole
quantity, which the water contained, was exhausted.
13. When this cremor first appeared on the water, it was of a faint
blueish colour; but as it increased, it changed into a deeper and more
bright shining blue: and, after longer standing, it became blotched
with various colours, as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and
violet.
14. A quantity of the water being put in a gentle heat, this cremor was
quickly separated from it, and appeared on the surface of the water. A
like quantity of the water, with its cremor already upon its surface,
was put over a gentle heat, which by degrees broke the cremor into very
small parts; but whether they did evaporate, or precipitate in the
water, I could not be certain. But, by other trials, this cremor was
found to have a great degree of fixity, bearing a considerable heat
without avolation; yet not without the appearance of some of its parts
flying off, altho’ most of them were fixed; because what remained lost
its fine colours, and was changed into a shining chalybeat colour.
15. The water of the lower spring afforded a much less quantity of the
cremor, than the water of the upper spring. It took also a longer time
to separate, was of a blueish colour, and had not the vivid colours,
which the water of the upper spring shewed.
16. When ol. tart. p.d. and spirit of sal ammoniac were added to the
water, it did not separate its cremor.
This cremor, which is separated from the water, is the same with that,
which appears on the surface of a solution of vitriolum Martis, when
exposed for some time to the air; and an infusion of iron in common
water also emits a cremor of the same kind. I remember, as I was once
carefully observing a large glass full of chalybeat water, which
contained much of this cremor; soon after it was exposed to the air,
I observed a tenuious blueish vapour rising in the parts of the water
next the surface, which very much diminished its transparency; and by
degrees this vapour was emitted by the lowest parts of the water: but
as the cremor increased on its surface, the water became gradually
deprived of the blueish tincture, which it received from this halituous
body; which was apparently nothing else but the parts of the cremor
separating from the water, and ascending upwards. From whence we may
conclude, that this cremor consists of the very finest part of iron
attenuated to the highest degree.
It has been the opinion of most naturalists, that these kind of mineral
waters do abound in sulphureous parts. This they have conjectured from
the foetor, that often attends them. But in what quantity or form
these parts exist in the fluid, or by what means they can be rendered
conspicuous, has not as yet been sufficiently determined. Yet, I think,
we may suspect some of the parts of this cremor to be sulphureous. They
are volatile, and, being heated, do fly off from the pure metalline
parts, which being more fixed, are thereby left destitute of those
vivid colours, which they enjoyed from the sulphureous parts. These are
evident marks of sulphur, and are altogether analogous to some other
appearances of that mineral. Another observation tending to support
this is the want of those vivid colours in the cremor, which appears
on an infusion of iron; the reason of which seems to be the loss of the
sulphureous parts of the chalybeat minerals by avolation, during the
operations of the fire, which they undergo in refining.
It appears from the fifteenth experiment, that the water of these two
springs contains a very different proportion of this cremor: and from
the last, that it is precipitated along with the ochrous parts, which
happens upon the affusion of these alkaline liquors.
The next trials were in quest of alum.
_Exp._ 17. A quantity of the water being kept for some time in a
boiling heat, and after it was cool being filtred quite clear from its
ochrous matter, it still retained a subacid and aluminous taste in a
very strong degree.
18. To an ounce of common spring-water there was added two gutts of
fresh sweet milk. This mixture being shaken, the milk mixed intimately
with the water, without any kind of coagulation.
19. The same experiment being made with the mineral water, the milk,
upon its affusion, was so curdled, or separated into clouds, that the
greatest shaking could not mix or incorporate it with the water.
20. This experiment being also made with a weak solution of alum in
spring-water, its effects upon the milk were not in the least different
from those of the mineral water.
21. And the same trial being again repeated with the water, when
boiled and filtred from its ochrous parts, the milk was in the same
manner coagulated as before elixation.
22. One part of sweet milk being added to four parts of the mineral
water, the milk subsided, and formed a cloud in the bottom of the
glass, leaving the upper parts of the water clear. This mixture being
heartily shaken, the milk mixed so well with the water, that it
appeared to be but a very little curdled.
23. When a larger quantity of milk was added to a smaller quantity of
water, and even when equal parts of the milk and mineral water were
mixed and shaken together, there could be no curdling or coagulation
observed.
24. An equal quantity of the water and milk being boiled together, the
greatest part of the milk was coagulated into a thick white curd; and
the remainder, with the mineral water, turned of a pure white milky
colour, which drank like whey, and was very agreeable.
25. Eight gutts of sweet milk being added to four ounces of the water,
and the mixture boiled, part of the milk was thereby curdled, and swam
upon the top of the water. The ochrous parts of the water were likewise
separated, and falling to the bottom, their colour did not appear of a
clear yellow, as usual, but was something milky.
All these experiments strongly indicate the existence of alum in this
water. It retains its aluminous taste, and coagulates milk, after the
chalybeat parts are almost all expelled by elixation. The coagulation
of the milk demonstrates an acidity in the water, and the other
appearances shew that acidity to be owing to an aluminous salt.
It appears, that the milk requires a large quantity of the water, to
make a sensible coagulation in it: for, in the 22d experiment, one
part of the milk being added to four parts of the mineral water, the
coagulation was scarcely discernible: and in the 23d, when an equal or
larger quantity of milk was added to the water, the coagulation was
not at all observable. I have heard it confidently averred, that this
mineral water did not at all curdle milk; which, I suppose, has been
thro’ a mistake in the experiment, in adding too large a proportion of
milk to the water: for in this way the coagulation cannot be observed.
I imagined, that when the water was boiled with milk, the mixture would
have become of a muddy yellow colour, by the separation of the ochre:
but it did not even appear, that the ochre was at all separated from
the mixture, as it is from the water when boiled by itself. On the
contrary, not only the coagulum, but also the liquor, was of a pure
white colour, and of a pleasant taste: and this makes me think it worth
the inquiring into, whether or not the water does retain its medical
qualities after it is prepared in this manner with milk? For, if it
does, such a preparation might certainly be very serviceable in many
cases.
These experiments, which we next relate, do not only ascertain the
existence of alum in the water with greater certainty, but also, that
there is a particular kind of earth conjoined with this salt.
_Exp._ 26. An English quart of the water being kept boiling for
a quarter of an hour, it turned thick, muddy, and yellow, by the
separation of its ochrous parts; and, being set to cool in a clean
bowl, the next day all the ochre was subsided to the bottom, from which
the water was carefully filtred: whereby it became almost as clear and
limpid as before the elixation, retaining a sharp aluminous taste, but
was deprived of the strong ferrugineous taste, which it had at first.
This water was again boiled; by which means it was again turned a
little yellow, by the separation of some more ochre. It was therefore
again filtred, and rendered clear, and its aluminous taste was stronger
than before. After this filtration, the water was evaporated in a
sand-heat to about a sixteenth part of the original quantity, and then
it tasted like a strong solution of alum joined with a small degree of
a chalybeat taste. And this being totally evaporated in a glass, there
adhered upon its sides a pure white salt; and a larger quantity of the
same salt remained in the bottom of the glass, which was not so white,
but more impure than the former, and of a brown colour.
27. This salt, thus procured from the water, being mixed with distilled
vinegar and spirit of vitriol, there was not the least effervescence
produced.
28. Some of the brown-coloured salt being put upon a red-hot iron, it
did neither sparkle nor decrepitate; but was turned into a blackish
cineritious substance, which in a short time became a white calx. And
tho’ some of the salt was put upon the iron finely powdered, yet it
concreted, and run together in a cinder, whose cohesion was afterwards
destroyed when calcined by a further degree of heat.
29. As I was accidentally deprived of the opportunity of obtaining
crystals of this salt, which would have been the best means of knowing
to what species it was to be referred; I dissolved the whole mass in
a small quantity of spring-water, and, by filtrating this solution, I
obtained a large proportion of fine earth of a brown colour.