^O The Bijhop of Landaff on Orichalcum. 



province of Tun-nan" * Notwichftanding what 

 is here faid, of the colour of this copper being 

 owing to no mixture, it is certain, that the 

 Chinefe white copper, as brought to us, is a 

 mixt metal ; fo that the ore, from which it is 

 exrra(fled, mud confift of various metallic fub- 

 ftaiices, and from fome fuch ore ic is polTible 

 that the natural Orichalcum, if ever ic exifted, 

 mav have been made. But, notwithftanding 

 that the exillchce of natural Orichalcum cannot 

 be Jhewn to be impoffible, yet there is fome 

 reafon to doubt, whether it ever had a real ex- 

 iftence or not. 



We know of no country in which it is found 

 at prefcntj nor was it any where found in the 

 age of Pliny ; nor does he feem to have known 

 the country where it ever had been found. He 

 admits, indeed, its having been formerly dug 

 out of the earth J but it is remarkable that 

 in the very paflage, where he is mentioning by 

 name the countries mod celebrated for the 

 production of different kinds of copper, he 

 only fays, in general, concerning Orichalcum, 

 that it had been found in other countries, with- 

 out fpecifyiiig any particular country. Plato 

 acknowledges, that Orichalcum was a thing only 

 talked of even in his time; it was no where then 

 CO be met with, though in the ifland of Ai.antij; 



^ Fol, Trans. Vol. I. p, i6. 



it 



