The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-16 00:00:00

fashion to the presence of the springs, but probably
few of its inhabitants are aware that they are in-
debted to those springs for the very existence of
the city. When the Romans first landed in this
country the spot where these waters rise, was, as
SirICHARLEs LYELL reminded his hearers, a deso-
late morass, with clouds of white vapour rising into
the air. The Romans were not likely to overlook
such a chance, and accordingly a spacious bath-
room, " built in a highly ornamental style of archi-
tecture, and decorated with columns, pilasters, and
tessellated pavements" soon sprung into existence.
By its side a stately temple was erected to Minerva,
of which some relics are still extant. Then come
the military quarters, and many other buildings, the
massive foundations of the surrounding wall being
traceable. But this gorgeous city was not the
Bath of the present day. The Adam Solis of the
Romans lies some ten or twenty feet below
the level of the modern fashionable city,
and the antiquary may still find proof of its
earlier existence in coins and pavements, and even
coffins. It is a noticeable fact that while even the
architecture of the Romans has crumbled into
nothing the hot springs have not even modified
their temperaturein the years that have passed. In
common with the moat noted springs of the Conti-
nent, they have retained a heat as great as is toler-
able to the human body, although when used by
the ancients they did not require any artificial cool-
ing, so that a remarkable degree of uniformity
of temperature has been preserved in some places
for more than two thousand years, while the iden-
tity of the mineral ingredients with those of centu-
ries ago and the unfailing constancy in the ♦olume
of the water are also very noticeable facts which sti-
mulate the philosopher to fresh investigations. Sir
CHARLES LYELL entered at some length into various
theories concerning these mineral springs and their
subterranean sources, and brought forward the
treasures of his knowledge and experience to illus-
trate the several hypothesis which he suggested to
his audience. The concluding portion of his address,
in which he referred to the changes which have
occurred in our planet in the subdivision of sea and
land, was especially interesting, and the facts which
he recited were more intelligible to ordinary com-
prehensions than the scientific analysis of the waters.
The effects of the sirocco which sweeps over the
African deserts upon the glaciers of the Alps are
especially curious, and the influence of the Gulf
stream upon the climates of Europe, though better
known, are no less remarkable. Such statistics are
full of interest, and it is the office of such associa-
tions as the present to popularise them among the
general public while collecting valuable data for
he cond 'e:e.tion of men of science.

Mr NEWDEGATE has taken his turn in discours-
,ng upon public events, and in his speech at Coven•
try last Wednesday he discoursed with his usual

decided manner and his downright style. There is
always this to be noticed in Mr NEWDEGATE, it is
his distinguishing characteristic, and it secures him
the respect of those who differ greatly with him in

politics. In this respect he forms a notable con,

xast to those wily politicians who aim at nothing

beyond the needs of the passing hour, and if they
can only secure their immediate object all else is
unheeded and uncared for. He spoke on behalf of
the House of Commons, and certainly made a most

effective address. He had an awkward task before
him in accounting for his own conduct in the great

debate which took place at the end of the session.
He took what he truly called an " isolated part" in
that great discussion, and it was not a fortunate