Chap. 46.] PHENGITES. 369 



from Cappadocia are the largest in size ; but then they are 

 clouded. This stone is to be found also in the territory of 

 Bononia,'^- in Italy ; but in small pieces only, covered with 

 spots and encrusted in a bed of silex, there being a consider- 

 able affinity, it would appear, in their nature. 



In Spain, the specular- stone is extracted from shafts sunk 

 in the earth to a very considerable depth ; though it is occa- 

 sionally to be found just beneath the surface, enclosed in the 

 solid rock, and extracted without difficulty, or else cut away 

 from its bed. In most cases, however, it admits of being dug 

 up, being of an isolated nature, and lying in pieces, like rag- 

 stone, but never known as yet to exceed five feet in length. 

 It would appear that this substance is originally a liquid, 

 which, by an animating power in the earth, becomes congealed 

 like crystal ; and it is very evident that it is the result of pe- 

 trifaction, from the fact that, when animals have fallen into the 

 shafts from which it is extracted, the marrow of their bones 

 becomes transformed into stone of a similar nature, by the end 

 of a single winter. In some cases, too, it is found of a black 

 colour : but the white stone has the marvellous property, soft 

 as it is known to be, of resisting the action of the sun and of 

 cold. 'Not will it, if it is only protected from accidents, 

 become deteriorated by lapse of time, a thing that is so gene- 

 rally the case with many other kinds of stone that are used 

 for building purposes. The shavings, too, and scales of this 

 stone, have been used of late for another purpose ; the Circus 

 Maximus having been strewed with them at the celebration of 

 the games, with the object of producing an agreeable white- 

 ness. 



CHAP. 46. PHENGITES. 



During the reign of Nero, there was a stone found in Cappado- 

 cia, as hard as marble, white, and transparent even in those parts 

 wher£ red veins were to be seenupon it; a property which has ob- 

 tained for it the name of ^' phengites."^^ It was with this stone^* 



23 Ajasson is of opinion that various kinds of mica and talc are the 

 minerals here alluded to. 



23 From 0fyy6(;, " brightness." Beckmann is of opinion that this was 

 a calcareous or gypseous spar (Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 66) ; but Ajasson 

 seems to think that it was very similar to Parian marble, which was some- 

 times called by this name. 



2* This is more likely to apply to a white marble than to a calcareous or 



TOL. VI. B B 



