i 39^ 1 



painting in oil and water-colours, in colouring glafs, 

 and in enamelling. Even the ores of this metal 

 exhibit a variety of exquifite colours, blue, red, 

 green, yellow, variegated like the rainbow, or pea- 

 cock's tail. The lapis lazuli, from which the pre- 

 cious blue pigment termed ultramariney is prepared, 

 is no other than an elegant ore of copper. To this 

 the jafper and the fapphire alfo owe their beautiful 

 tinge. Ores of this metal are found in mofl parts 

 of the world j but when they happen to be mixed 

 with iron, the copper cannot be feparated to advan- 

 tage by any method yet difcovered; hence fome rich 

 copper-mines, on this account, remain unworked. 



Copper is fometimes, though very rardy, prefent 

 in waters under the form of vitriolated copper in fo- 

 Jution. Such is the celebrated water of Wicklow in 

 Ireland, which yields a confiderabie quantity of cop- 

 per, by a very fimple procefs. Iron bars are im-- 

 mcrfed in the water, and after fome time are found 

 covered with a rich coat of copper.* This inftance 



* A fpririg of this kind is alfo lately found near Berkeley in Somer- 

 fetfliire, which I lately had an opportunity of examining. The water 

 imparts to polifhed iron a coppery appearance, has a naufeous ftyptick 

 tafte, and is powerfully emetick. The family, finding it unfit for ufe, 

 have had recourfe to a neighbouring fpring, whiph, however, probably 

 partakes in fome degree of the fame quality. Be this as it may, feveral 

 of the family have at different times been attacked with fevere epilep- 

 tick fits, as they affured me on my vifit to one of the brothers then la- 

 bjauring under that difcafc, 



of 



