A discourse of Bathe, and the hot waters there also some enquiries into the nature of the water of St. Vincent's rock, near Bristol, and that of Castle-Cary : to which is added a century of observations, more fully declaring the nature, property, and distinction of the Baths : with an account of the lives, and character, of the physicians of Bathe / by Tho. Gvidott ...

CHAP. I. The Introduction.

HAving formerly, in the year 1668, annexed a brief discourse of Bathe to one of Doctor Jorden's of Natu∣ral Bathes and Mineral Waters, un∣der the name of an Appendix con∣cerning Bathe, by which and some other pains I had taken about the Treatise it self, I thought I had obliged (as was the opinion of most) not only the Relations of the deceased Au∣thor, but all his Friends and Well-wishers; but meeting, contrary to all expectation, with ••ude and unhandsom returns from an Impudent person, to

whose Temper the modest Doctour was a great stranger, and of whose behaviour he would be much asham'd, were he now alive; who on his pretended relation hath repaid me with ill lan∣guage, and foolishly threatned me with Trouble for my good will. Now to put an end to all disputes of this kind, I have thought fit to appeal to any understanding person, that hath his senses exercised, and his wits about him, (for all have not, and some have none at all) whether my Additions have been any impair to the Doctor's Reputation, whom I have treated with all the Civility imaginable; and for the Sale of the Book (a good argument of its acceptance) I believe there were not more sold in the Doctor's life time, of what he printed himself, than went off the first year of my Impression. But to silence all Cavils and silly Objections of this nature, I have discharged that Author, and published in this discourse my own thoughts and Observations, and how much different they are from his, or agreeable to Truth, may best be de∣termin'd by the ingenious Reader.

I did intend indeed, according to my Promise in the end of my Preface to the Edition of Dr. Jorden, to have amplified that small discourse into an History of Bathe; but finding no encouragement since to that de∣sign, and many things that have made me alter my resolution, my intentions are to wave that, and apply my self, in some convenient time, to the Roman Court, where I shall have a fairer Trial, and more Justice done me. In the mean time, I hope this may in some measure stop the gap, and release me of my obligation to the Candid world; especially consi∣dering that the Antiquities of the Baths and City can hardly, I think, be improved higher, and the Mystery of the Sacred Waters of Minerva, is not

to be profan'd, which it wants little of if idly pro∣stituted to vulgar Capacities; which, besides that they are incompetent Judges in other matters, are apt to put a sinister interpretation on those very things, that really are, and were so intended for their own advantage; neither had I published the Observations I now do in this language, had it not been on a more particular account.

The ill Usages and great Indignities I have al∣ready met withal, from an ungrateful people, in the prosecution of my design of making further En∣quiries into the Nature of those Waters, are not here to be mentioned; they are sufficiently known to be products of Envy and Malice, and as I have hitherto contemned what pitiful opposition could be made against me by the united strength of En∣vy, Pride, Beggery and Revenge; so I shall not surcease my Thoughts in due time of performing that which will be better esteem'd by more Judici∣ous persons, and render me and my design most acceptable when best understood. It was a fit re∣turn of a grave Divine to a vainglorious opposer of his good Inclinations, Nec propter Te coepi, nec propter Te desinam. Thou, Satan, said he, hast nothing to do with my Concerns, for thou art at neither end of my design; and as I did not begin to do thee a kindness, so I will continue notwithstanding thy rage. Such unclean Spirits have no more to do with pub∣lick affairs, than to interrupt the quiet of better than themselves; and are like a troublesom Curr on the Road, that doth little else, with a besom tail and a whiffling bark, than make a man well mount∣ed look back, his horse kick, and so returns.

It hath ever been the fate of New Discoveries to meet with Course entertainment at their first appearance; and whereas men are usually courteous

and civilly demean'd to strange Persons, they treat strange Opinions and new Inventions at another rate. 'Tis the only Policy accounted to keep a bal∣lance among men, and if any one by a more than ordinary industry and God's blessing on it, hath made at any time a conquest in the Intellectual world, whereby 'tis thought he may get the start of his Neighbours, a rotten Cabal shall make head a∣gainst him, and perhaps, use him with as much se∣verity as a forceable Intruder on another's right; whereas the Secrets of Nature are free to all, and the Victor here enters not by Blood, and Rapine, and Tyrannical oppression, but in a way both innocent in it self, and advantagious to others.

When I reflect on the hard measure the Re∣nowned Dr. Harvey met withal from the pride and peevishness of some conceited Brethren (who esteem nothing Currant but what bears their image and superscription, if not minted in their own brain) on his first demonstration of the Circulation to the World, I cannot but conclude, if I had no other instance for it, That neither Ingenuity, Learning, Modesty, nor any thing that is good and truly valua∣ble can give protection from, though a sufficient antidote against, the poyson of Envy; Envy, that spreading Ring-worm, that Ʋbiquitarian infection, that Canker of what is sound, and Rust of what is bright! to be found almost in all places, in Town and in Country, in the Shop and in the Street, in the Tavern and in the Ale-house; it hovers over all, and pitches where it can, till at last, if it hurt not others, it preys upon it self:

Thou wicked Fiend! that ne'r didst good, But hast perversly it withstood, And ever will, till Time shall be No more, or We Be rid of Thee.

But to pass by things of this nature with that of the unconcerned Graecian to as abusive persons, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; or that of Tacitus, Convitia spreta exolescunt, the best answer being nothing at all; I shall rather chuse to acquaint the Read••r, That whereas I conceive, when I writ my Letter of Observations, that Bitumen and Sul∣phur were not primarily concern'd in the Body of the Waters, and therefore no way observable in the Contents; by fresher Experiments and Observations of a later date, I am inclin'd to believe, that Sul∣phur is one ingredient in the Contents of the Wa∣ters, though not proportionable in quantity to the Salts, and lost in the bringing them to a better co∣lour. For if two or three ounces of the Contents, which at first much resemble the courser sort of Sugar, be put into a Crucible in order to fusion, when the Crucible is red, and before the Salt doth run, there is the perfect colour and smell of Brim∣stone, insomuch that it may be sensibly discerned in any part of the room, and as the Salt draws nearer the state of Fusion, the Sulphur wasts and is dimi∣nished; so that as dross or Recrement it burns off in Calcination, and is no way concerned in the refined Salt, though one Ingredient in the Waters, and contained in their body.

I shall further add, that I made a Lixivium of the Salt calcin'd before fusion, when probably the Sulphurous parts, or so reputed, were not all con∣sum'd, and observ'd so great a foetor in the Lixivi∣um representing Sulphur so effectually to my smell, that it presently obtain'd the Testimony (if that be any thing) of that sense.