We naturally perspired a good deal, especially
when we walked quickly, which of course created thirst; and the
different strata of the various rock-formations we had crossed must have
influenced the water and ourselves to some extent. We had come to the
conclusion that people who went on holidays and attributed the benefit
derived solely to "the change of air" might have equally benefited by
the change of water!
In one part of Cheshire, formerly in possession of the Romans, there was
a rather remarkable spring of water known as the "Roman Well," over
which appeared the following Latin inscription, difficult to translate,
but which had been interpreted thus:
_Sanitate Sacrum_: Sacred to Health!
_Obstructum reserat_, It removes obstruction.
_Durum terit_, It crushes the hard,
_Humida siecat_, It dries the moist,
_Debile fortificat_, It strengthens the weak,
_Si tamen arte bibis_. Provided thou drinkest with knowledge.
The water rises from some subterranean source in the sandstone rock and
enters with considerable force into the receptacle prepared for it,
which is about five feet deep. The water was always beautifully clear
and cool, and visitors often amused themselves by throwing halfpennies
into the bath and watching them apparently being transformed into
shillings as they reached the bottom--a fact attributed to the presence
of lime in the water.
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