84 J. A. Phillips, Esq., on the Metals and 



ported : * one called Coronariutn, which when reduced into 

 thin leaves and coloured with the gall of an ox, had a golden 

 colour, and was employed for making coronets and tinsel 

 ornaments for actors, from which circumstance it derived its 

 appellation. Another variety, which was named Regulaire^ 

 is not particularly described, except that, like the former, it 

 would stand hammering, and might be thus made to take 

 any required form. The brass (copper) of the next best 

 quality came from Campania, where it was the custom to 

 add eight parts of lead to every 100 pounds of copper. It is 

 also mentioned, that in France it was usual to melt copper 

 among red-hot stones, for the purpose of obtaining a steady 

 heat, as a quick fire was found to blacken the metal and ren- 

 der it brittle. He moreover informs us that the process was 

 completed in one operation, but states that the quality would 

 be improved by more frequent melting : moreover, it may 

 not be amiss, to state also, that all kinds of brass melt best 

 in the coldest weather. For statues and tables, brass is 

 worked in the following manner : — first the ore, or stone, as 

 it comes out of the mine is melted, and as soon as this is 

 done, they add to it a third part of scrap brass, consisting of 

 broken pieces of vessels that have been used ; for it is time 

 and use alone that bring brass to perfection, it is the rub- 

 bing which conquers the natural harshness of the metal. 

 They then mix twelve pounds and a half of tin to every hun- 

 dred pounds weight of the aforesaid melted ore. The softest 

 alloy is called Formally in which are incorporated a tenth of 

 black lead, and one-twentieth part of argentine lead ; it is 

 this mixture which best takes the colour called grecanic. 

 The last alloy is that which is called Ollaria^ or pot brass, 

 as it takes its name from the vessels for which it is mostly 

 employed, and this is made by tempering every hundred 

 pounds weight of brass with three or four pounds weight of 

 argentine lead or tin." t 



The alloys above described, are merely modifications of 

 bell metal or bronze ; but it is not improbable that the an- 

 cients were acquainted with zinc brass long before this 



* Pliny, xxxiv., 8. \ lb. xxxiv., 9. 



