Chap. 43.] METHODS OF PEEVENTING BUST. 209 



water, and afterwards acquires a spongy, brittle texture. It is 

 the practice to quench smaller articles made of iron with oil, 

 lest by being hardened in water they should be rendered brittle. 

 Human blood revenges itself upon iron ; for if the metal has been 

 once touched by this blood it is much more apt to become rusty. 



CHAP. 42. THE METAL CALLED LIVE IRON. 



"We shall speak of the loadstone in its proper place," and of 

 the sympathy which it has with iron. This is the only metal 

 that acquires the properties of that stone, retaining them for a 

 length of time, and attracting other iron, so that we may some- 

 times see a whole chain formed of these rings. The lower 

 classes, in their ignorance, call this " live iron," and the wounds 

 that are made by it are much more severe. This mineral is 

 also found in Cantabria, not in continuous strata, like the 

 genuine loadstone, but in scattered fragments, which they call 

 " bullationes."^® I do not know whether this species of ore is 

 proper also for the fusion of glass, ^^ as no one has hitherto tried 

 it ; but it certainly imparts the same property as the magnet 

 to iron. The architect Timochares"'" began to erect a vaulted roof 

 of loadstone, in the Temple of Arsinoe, "^ at Alexandria, in order 

 that the iron statue of that princess might have the appear- 

 ance of hanging suspended in the air :" his death, however, 

 and that of King Ptolemseus, who had ordered this monument 

 to be erected in honour of his sister, prevented the completion 

 of the project. 



CHAP. 43. (15.) METHODS OF PREVENTING RUST. 



Of all metals, the ores of iron are found in the greatest 

 abundance. In the maritime parts of Cantabria" which are 



^7 B. xxxvi. c. 25. ^s Properly " bubbles," or "beads." 



69 See B. xxxvi. c. 66. In the account of the loadstone referred to 

 above, he informs us that this mineral was employed in the formation of 



flass. — B. Beckmaun is of opinion that Manganese is here alluded to. 

 ee Vol. II. p. 237. 



''^ Another reading is " Dinochares," or "Dinocrates," for an account of 

 whom, see B. v. c. 11, and B. vii. c. 38. 



^1 Wife and sister of Ptolemy Philadelphus. See B. vi. c. 33, and 

 B. xxxvi. c. 14. 



'2 Some accounts state that the statue was to be of brass, and the head 

 of iron. It is said that the same thing was attempted with respect to the 

 statue of Mahomet, in his tomb at Medina. — B. 



■'^ We learn from Bowles that the celebrated mine of Sommorostro is 

 still worked for this metal. 



VOL. VI. P 



