fine city of Germany, in the circle of Westphalia and duchy of Juliers, and capital of the department of Roer.

All authors are agreed about its antiquity, it being mentioned in Caesar's Commentaries and the Annals of Tacitus. The Romans had colonies and fortresses there, when they were at war with the Germans; but the mineral waters and the hot bath so increased its fame, that, in process of time, it was advanced to the privileges of a city, by the name of Aquaegranii, that is, the waters of Granius; that which it has now, of Aix-la-Chapelle, was given it by the French, to distinguish it from the other Aix. It is so called, on account of a chapel built in honour of the Holy Virgin by Charlemagne; who having repaired, beautified, and enlarged the city, which was destroyed by the Huns in the reign of Attila in 457, made it the usual place of his residence. The town is seated in a valley surrounded by mountains and woods, and yet the air is very wholesome. It may be divided into the inward and outward city. The inward is encompassed with a wall about three quarters of a league in circumference, having ten gates; and the outward wall, in which there are eleven gates, is about a league and a half in circumference. There are rivulets which run through the town and keep it very clean, turning several mills; besides 20 public fountains, and many private ones. They have stone quarries in the neighbourhood, which furnish the inhabitants with proper materials for their magnificent buildings, of which the Stadt-houfe and the cathedral are the chief. There are likewise 30 parochial or collegiate churches. The market-place is very spacious, and the houses round it are stately. In the middle, before the Stadt-houfe, is a fountain of blue stones, which throws out water, from six pipes, into a marble basin placed beneath, 30 feet in circumference. On the top of this fountain is placed the statue of Charlemagne, of gilt brads, holding a sceptre in his right hand, and a globe in his left. The Stadt-houfe is adorned with the statues of all the emperors since Charlemagne. This fabric has three stories, the upper of which is one entire room of 160 feet in length and 60 in breadth. In this the newly-elected emperor formerly entertained all the electors of the empire.

Aix-la-Chapelle is a free imperial city, and changes its magistracy every year on the eve of St John Baptist. The mayor is in the nomination of the elector palatine, in the quality of the duke of Juliers, as protector of the city. This place is famous for several councils and treaties of peace concluded here; particularly those between France and Spain in 1668, and between Great Britain and France in 1748.

The hot sulphureous waters for which this place has so long been celebrated, arise from several sources, which supply eight baths constructed in different parts of the town. These waters near the sources are clear and and pellucid: and have a strong fulphureous smell, resembling the washings of a foul gun; but they lose this smell by exposure to air. Their taste is saline, bitter, and urinous. They do not contain iron. They are also neutral near the fountain, but afterwards are manifestly and pretty strongly alkaline, inasmuch that clothes are washed with them without soap. On the vaults above the springs and aqueducts of these waters is found, every year, when they are opened, a quantity of fine white-coloured flowers of sulphur, which has been sublimed from the waters.

The heat of the water of the hottest spring, by Dr Lucas's account, raises the quicksilver of Fahrenheit's thermometer to 136°—by Mons. Monet's account, to 146°—and the heat of the fountain, where they commonly drink, by Dr Lucas's account, to 112°.

Dr Simmons has given the following account of their several temperatures, as repeatedly observed by himself with a thermometer constructed by Nairne.

The spring which supplies the Emperor's Bath (Bain de l'Empereur), the New Bath (Bain Neuf), and the Queen of Hungary's Bath (Bain de la Reine de Hongrie), 127°

St Quirin's Bath (Bain de St Quirin), 112°

The Rose Bath (Bain de la Rose), and the Poor's Bath (Bain des Pauvres), both of which are supplied by the same spring, 112°

Charles's Bath (Bain de Charles), and St Corneille's Bath (Bain de St Corneille), 112°

The spring used for drinking is in the High Street, opposite to Charles's Bath; the heat of it at the pump is 106°

Dr Lucas evaporated the water of the hottest spring (of the Emperor's Bath), and obtained 268 grams of solid matter from a gallon, composed of 15 grams of calcareous earth, 10 grams of felspar, and 243 grams of a saline matter made of natron and sea-salt. They are at first nauseous and harsh, but by habit become familiar and agreeable. At first drinking also they generally affect the head. Their general operation is by stool and urine, without griping or diminution of strength; and they also promote perspiration.

The quantity to be drank as an alternative is to be varied according to the constitution and other circumstances of the patient. In general, it is best to begin with a quarter or half a pint in the morning, and increase the dose afterwards to a pint, as may be found convenient. The water is best drank at the fountain. When it is required to purge, it should be drank in large and often repeated draughts.

In regard to bathing, this also must be determined by the age, sex, strength, &c. of the patient, and by the season. The degree of heat of the bath should likewise be considered. The tepid ones are in general the best, though there are some cases in which the hotter ones are most proper. But, even in these, it is best to begin with the temperate baths, and increase the heat gradually.

These waters are efficacious in diseases proceeding from indigestion and from foulness of the stomach and bowels; in rheumatism; in the scurvy, scrophula, and diseases of the skin; in hysterical and hypochondriacal disorders; in nervous complaints and melancholy; in the stone and gravel; in paralytic complaints; in those evils which follow an injudicious use of mercury; and in many other cases. They ought not, however, to be given in hectic cases where there is heat and fever, in putrid disorders, or where the blood is dissolved or the constitution much broken down.

The time of drinking, in the first season, is from the beginning of May to the middle of June; and, in the latter season, from the middle of August to the latter end of September.

There are galleries or piazzas under which the company walk during the time of drinking, in order to promote the operation of the waters. The Poor's Bath is free for everybody, and is frequented by crowds of poor people.

It is scarcely necessary to add, that there are all kinds of amusements common to other places of public resort; but the harpers appear more splendid here than elsewhere, assuming titles, with an equipage suitable to them. This city was taken by the French in 1792. They left it in the year following, but retook it in 1794.

Aix-la-Chapelle is 21 miles from Spa, 36 from Liège, and 30 from Cologne. E. Long. 5° 48'. N. Lat. 51° 55'.