The Bijhop of handaff on OrichakntH. 6t 



it had been formerly extrafled from its mine. 



The Greeks were in pofiefTion of a metallic fub- 



ftance, called Orichalcum, before the foundation 



of Rome -, for it is mentioned by Homer, and 



by HeJJody and by both of them in fuch a 



manner as (hews, that it was then held in trreat 



efleem. Other ancier.c writers have exorefled 



themfelves in fimilar terms of commendation; 



and it is principally from the circumdance of 



the high reputed value of Orichalcum, that 



authors are induced to fuppofe the ancient 



Orichalcum to have been a natural fubftance, 



and very different from the faftitious one in 



ufe at Rome, and, probably, in /'.fia, and 



which, it has been Ihewn, was nothing difFerenC 



from our brafs. 



But this circumdance, when properly con- 

 fidered, does not appear to be of weight fufli- 

 cient to efiablifh the point. Whenever the 

 method of making brafs was firll found out, 

 it is certain that it mufl: have been for fome time, 

 perhaps for fome ages, a very fcarce com- 

 modity ; and this fcarcity added to its real 

 excellence as a metallic fubfcance, mufl: have 

 rendered it very valuable, and intitled it to 

 the greateft encomiums. Biodonis Siculus fpeaks 

 of a people, who willingly bartered their o-old 

 for an equal weight of iron or copper j* and 

 the Europeans have long carried on a fimilar 



* Lib. III. 



kind 



