reality there was none .
But after all, even the clearest Water is very far from being pure and wholly defecate, in any part of the World that I can learn. For ours here, I have had an Opportunity of examining it over a good part of England; and cannot say I ever met with any, that, however fresh and newly taken out of the Spring, did not exhibit, even to the naked Eye, great numbers
of exceeding small terrestrial Particles disseminated through all parts of it. Thicker and crasser Water exhibits them in still greater Plenty.
These are of two general kinds. The one a vegetable terrestrial Matter, consisting of very different Corpuscles; some whereof are proper for the formation and increment of one sort of Plant, and some of another; as also some for the Nourishment of one part of the same Plant, and some of another. The other kind of Particles sustain'd in Water are of a Mineral Nature. These likewise are of different sorts. In some Springs we find common Salt, in others Vitriol, in others Alum, Nitre, Sparr, Ochre, &c. nay, frequently several of these, or other Minerals, all in the same Spring; the Water as it drains and passes thorough the Strata of Stone, Earth, and the like, taking up and bearing along such loose Mineral Corpuscles, as it meets with in the Pores and Interstices of those Strata, and bringing them on with it quite to the Spring. All Water whatever is much charg'd with the Vegetable Matter, this being fine, light, and easily moveable. For the Mineral, the Water of Springs contains more of it than that of Rivers, especially when at distance from their Sources; and that of Rivers more than the Water that falls in Rain. This I have learn'd from several Trials, which I must not give Account of here; my Drift in this place being only to evince the Existence of Terrestrial Matter in Water.
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