Plot, Robert; De Origine Fontium, Tentamen Philosophicum. In Praelectione babita coram Societate Philosophica nuper Oxoniae Instituta ad Scientiam Naturalem Promovendam per Rob. Plot .... Oxonii e theatro Sheldoniano, 1685. Octavo, pp. title page with 1684 date on verso, 187, errata at verso of last page, engraved frontispiece.

This rare work is complete and in the original vellum with an inked spine title. The binding is tight with light soiling to the boards. The text is clean with one page having an early archival repair to the very outer edge. Over all in very good condition.
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One of the rarest of the early "natural history" works by Robert Plot.  Plot (1640-1696) was born to a wealthy family and at an early age had already devoted himself to the study of the natural world and antiquities. He was Professor of Chemistry and Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum, and editor of the Philosophical Transactions. Early in his career he planned a scientific (vs historical) survey of each of the counties of England but only completed and published the results for two; Oxfordshire and Stratfordshire. These are the works for which he is best known. However, Plot also wrote on springs, mineral water resources and their origins and stratification of the earth. He covers these topics in this small work. He uses the evidence of fossil shells and salts as evidence  that the sources for most mineral springs are via underground channels fed by sea water. He also allows for rain water as a source for other springs. Plot became interested in springs while completing his survey of Oxfordshire. The work is very rare.