OFSERPENTS. 95 



This Asbejios^ or Matter out of which this wonderful Cloth . . , 

 is made, is a Foffil, a mineral ftony Subflance, of a whitifh Co- 

 lour, and woolly Texture (call'd Salamander s-JVool) the downy 

 Fibres, feparable into fliort Filaments or Threads, capable of be- 

 ing fpun, and move into a fort of Cloth, which will endure the 

 Fire without confuming. When foul, inftead of wafhing, they 

 throw it into the Fire, which cleanfes without burning it. Whole 

 Webs and Coats, Napkins, Handkerchiefs, Towels, have been 

 made of it j which were fo far from being con fumed by Fire, that 

 they were only clean fed from their Drofs, and came out purified 

 into a greater Luftre than if wafli'd with Water. 



Its principal ufe, according to P//;zy*, was for making of 

 Shrouds, in which the Corps of their Kings were ufually burnt, 

 left their royal Aflies iliould be blended with common Duft. 

 The Princes of Tartary ufe it to this day in burning the Dead -f-. 

 Nero had a Napkin or Towel made of it. The Brachmam a- 

 mong the Indians, are faid to make Clothes of it. The Wicks 

 for their perpetual Candles were made of it :J j and fome to this 

 day ufe it for Lamp-Wicks. 



The Emperor Conjiantme ordered an incombuftible fort of 

 Linnen to be made of Lapis Amianthus, the growth of Cyprus, 

 that might burn in his Lamps, which were in his Baths at Rome, 

 The Commentator on St. Aiigujlin fays, that he faw feveral 

 Lamps at Paris, which would never be confumed : and at a Feaft 

 2.1 Louvain, there was a Napkin thrown into the Fire, which was 

 reftored to the Owner clearer and brighter than if it had been 

 rinfed in Water ||. 



The incombuftible Paper is made of this lanuginous Mineral, 

 viz. Asbe/iinc-Stone, which will bear burning without being in- 

 jured. Whoever would be farther informed about this wonderful 

 incombuftible Stone, may perufe Dr. Bruckman, Profeflbr at 

 Brunfjoick, who has publifh'd a natural Pliftory of the Asbejlos, 

 or incombuftible Paper -, and what is moft remarkable, has printed 

 four Copies of his Book on this Paper, which are depofited in the 

 Library of Wolfembuttle. The manner of making this extraor- 

 dinary Paper is defcribed by Mr. Lloyd, in Philojoph. T^ranfaBionSy 

 N^. 166. 



N.B, 



* Book xix. cap. I. -^ Vhihf.TravfaB. J Dr. L//??r 



\ LudovicusViveSyiuhisSiholia — de CivifafeDef. VanciroL Hijioriarerumdeperdit, 



