that a mineral water should possess, in order successfully to combat chronic or inveterate diseases.

In every respect I feel disposed to think that the Willoughby Spa water would prove superior as a remedial agent to some other springs in the neighbourhood, which have acquired a certain degree of renown, though not endowed with such prima facie advantages as seem to belong to this place. I say prima facie only, because the chemical analysis of the water itself has either never been made, or is so indifferent that it is never mentioned at least to my knowledge. Mr. Longstaff had it not, and with some difficulty could I make the good lady of the well comprehend that a knowledge of the precise ingredients of the water was necessary before one could recommend it.

"Why so?" would the honest dame reply. "We know that it has done and is doing an immense deal of good to sick people—that it has cured Mr. this and Lady that, and the clegyman of our neighbouring parish, and that it has been recommended by the doctors at Northampton and Daventry, and even Warwick in spite of Leamington; and such being the case, where is the use of scrutinizing farther?"

Her lord, however, who had culled a bit of science in his intercourse with the world, soon understood the importance of my suggestion, and on my assuring him that an analysis by a reputed chemist would not be very expensive, he agreed to have it done. Whether he has or not, and whether this last season has proved to him, by an encouraging increase in the number of bathers, that it is for his interest to attend to that suggestion, as well as to the many others which I took the liberty of giving him for the formation of a Spa, such as patients of any importance could visit and remain at, I have not had the opportunity of ascertaining.

The place, as I saw it, wants every thing to make it fit to receive visiters. And as I contend that the water should be used as an internal remedy in preference to bath

ing in it-to which latter use it seems principally to have been confined-it is evident that many more people would attend, were there any accommodations besides the few neat little rooms in the dwelling-house of Mr. and Mrs. Longstaff.

The back of this house is to the south, and very pretty. In the horizon rises Staverton-hill due south. Shuckburgh (the name of which reminded me of that naïve correspondence between the lady of Sir Francis, who resides at this villa, and a fashionable daughter-in-law of a duke, which appeared in all the papers after its first publication in an able Sunday tory journal) lies to the left of Staverton. The grounds appeared in beautiful order, and the view is delightful. Opposite is the village of Flecknoe. All these places so seen are on the borders of Northamptonshire, like Willoughby itself, which is the first village within the line of Warwickshire. The highest ground about this district is seen from Mr. Longstaff's house, distant from the last-mentioned miserable village about a mile.

There is, not far from the house, an inn which had not yet been licensed, nor had it any accommodations at present; therefore visiters must secure board and lodging under Mr. Longstaff's hospitable roof.

The Lemm, a small insignificant brook, dignified as a river when it proceeds through Leamington, is close to the end of a large field to the south of the house, and in that direction we find a better approach to Willoughby Baths.

By it I took my departure towards Southam, on my way to Leamington, passing between Lower Shuckburgh and Napton, and crossing the Oxford canal not fewer than three times.

At the Craven Arms, in the market-place at Southam, an excellent inn, by the bye, I changed my vehicle, and, passing through a country tolerably green and full of trees for the distance of nine miles, but totally devoid of interest, I reached at length the king of the English Spas of the present day.

142

CHAPTER VII.

THE SALT-WELLS.-TENBURY.

The two Rival Spas-A Halt among Salt Springs-" LADY WOOD'S Saline”—Taste, Appearance, and other Physical Characters of the Water-Its Analysis-Advantages in Glandular Diseases-ABSURD EULOGIUMS-A Case of Cure-Accommodation-Approach to Dudley -The CASTLE and the CAVE-Commercial Inns-Commis Voyageurs— French and English "TRAVELLERS"-A Jolly Party-Sad StatisticsA Blazing Atmosphere-Effects on Health-MR. MURCHISON and the SILURIAN System-His Opinion of the Origin of Mineral Waters— Admanston and Salt-Moor Springs-SIR HUMPHRY DAVY's Analysis— DR. LLOYD of Ludlow-Tewkesbury and Droitwich-TENBURY WELL -Discovery and First Analysis-The Author's Visit and OpinionRoad from Worcester-Lucky Farmers-The Ward Estates-Farmer Chillingworth-Prince LUCIEN of Cannino.-Examination of Tenbury Well by the Author-Its Geology-Experiments-Taste and other Characters of the Water-Discrepant Analyses-A Fresh One Recommended and Accomplished-IODINE Discovered-The Effect on the Constitution-What is Iodine?-Disease cured by Tenbury WaterThe SPA quite in its Infancy-Every thing remains to be done.

As I am approaching the confines of the two most fashionable watering-places in England-the two rival spas of the present day-Leamington and Cheltenham, my desire to hasten thither becomes every moment stronger. The reader who has kindly accompanied me so far through my excursion, is probably even more impatient than myself to repair with me to those renowned resorts of invalids and idlers, in order to ascertain how far their rapidly-acquired reputation be a just one, and upon what grounds it may be founded.

Yet, even with all these considerations, I must crave the further delay of one chapter, and the indulgence of dedicating

it to the brief description of part of a group of mineral springs or wells which dot a curious, though by no means extensive district, from Dudley to Ludlow, and which embrace the Dudley Wells, Droitwich, Tewksbury, Admanston Spa, the Moor-Spring, and Tenbury.

It is necessary to clear the ground before us of two or three of these minor mineral springs, ere we proceed to treat of the more important ones in and about the same counties; inasmuch as the consideration of the latter, which it imports my readers to see fully discussed, may derive additional interest and light from the succinct information it is my intention to bring forward respecting the former.

When I say that the springs of which we are about to speak are minor ones, I do not refer to their chemical constitution, and the probable medical powers possessed through it; for in those respects they are probably far above in value those of Leamington and Cheltenham. But I call them minor, or of less importance, because they are either not employed at all, or very little, for the purposes of an ordinary spa, Tenbury excepted. The excursion is not a long one, and may be considered as episodical to our work. We shall afterwards return to Birmingham, and having taken a rapid survey of that neighbourhood, proceed on our road to the great Spa on the Lemm.

My steps were first directed to the

SALT WELLS,

near Dudley, which have since been distinguished by the euphonous title of "Lady Wood's Saline Spa."

The approach from Dudley, distant about two miles and a half south, is down a steep hill into a valley, and through a vast extent of coal-pits, all at work, presenting the same dreadful appearance as at Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Durham, and Bradford, with hundreds of heaps of coke

burning, and a suffocating sulphurous atmosphere hovering above and around them.

The way is rough, tortuous, and difficult. It crosses the Dudley-canal, and at the distance of two miles and a half, as before stated, a gate for carriages and a turnstile for foot-passengers lead through a dell or gill down into a hollow, where the said Lady Wood's Saline Spa is found.

It is but a poor concern at present. The well, from which the mineral water is pumped by an ordinary pump, is covered over; and a small building had just been erected, like a cottage, by the side of it, with two indifferent looking bathrooms. The supply of water is not plentiful, being about twenty hogsheads in a day only.

The water is clear, its taste is strongly salt, with a degree of bitterness so marked, though not unpleasant, that it will linger a long time on the palate. Its temperature, I ascertained to be 50° of Fahrenheit. Mr. Cooper, the London chemist, has found by an accurate analysis, which is printed and circulated at the Spa, 80 grains, and a little more than half a grain besides of saline ingredients, in the dry statethat is, without any water of crystalization. In a wine-pint of the mineral water, nearly fifty grains of that quantity are of common salt, nineteen are muriate of lime, and seven and a half muriate of magnesia. There is both a muriate and a carbonate of iron, making altogether a grain and a fraction; but neither iodine nor bromine has been found in the water.

From this it will be seen that as a chemical compound, the Lady Wood's Saline Spa presents a combination of ingredients, endowed with considerable discutient power, and might be employed with success in the treatment of glandular and scrofulous affections, provided they are not at their stage of inflammation. It cannot, however, be expected to act as an aperient, still less as a purgative, and so far it could hardly be employed without the aid of some other medicine