62 ^he Btjhop of Landaffon Orichatcum. 



kind of commerce with various nations. Gold, 

 in fome views, is juftly eftcemed the moft valu- 

 able of metals; in others, and thofe the mofl 

 important to the well-being of human kind, 

 it is far inferior to iron, or copper or brafs. 

 An individual, whofe life depended upon the 

 iffue of a fingle combat, to be decided by the 

 fword, would have no hefitation in preferring 

 a fword of fteel, to one of gold ; and an army, 

 which fhould be pofiVficd of golden armour, 

 would not fcruple to exchange it, in the day 

 of battle, for the iron accoutrements of their 

 enemies. The preference of the harder metals 

 to gold, is not lefs obvious in agriculture, thaa 

 in war ; a plougl\-fhare, fpade, mattock, chizel, 

 hammer, faw, nail, of gold, is not for ufe fo 

 valuable, as an inftrument of the fame kind made 

 of iron or brafs. Hence, there is no manner 

 ©f abfurdity in fuppofing that Orichalcum, when 

 firfl: introduced among the ancients, might have 

 been prized at the greateft rate, though it had 

 been poflelTtd of no other properties, than fuch 

 as appertain to brafs. When iron was either 

 not at all known, or not common in the world, 

 and copper inflruments, civil and military, were 

 almoft the only ones in ufe,* a metallic mixture, 

 refembling gold in fplendour, and preferable 

 to copper, on account of its fuperior hardnefs, 

 and being lefs liable to ruft, mud have greatly 



• Hefiod. 



excited 



