66'> The Bijbop of JLandaffon OrkhalcUm: 



tries. If it (hould be thought, that fome ontf 

 particular mountain, either in Greece or Afia, 

 formerly produced an ore, which being fmelted 

 yielded a copper of the colour of gold, and 

 that this copper was called Orichalcum, or the 

 mountain copper, it is much to be wondered 

 at, that neither the poets nor the philofbphers 

 of antiquity have beftowed a fingle line in 

 its commendation ; for as to the Atlantis of 

 PlatOy before mentioned, no one, it is con- 

 ceived, will build an argument for the exigence 

 of natural Orichalcum, on fuch an uncertain 

 foundation : and, if there had been any fuch 

 mountain, it is probable, that the copper it 

 produced would have retained its name, juft 

 as at this time of day we fpeak oi Edon copper 

 in Staffordrtiire, and of Paris — mountain cop- 

 per in Anglefea. 



Some men are fond of etymological inquiries, 

 and to them 1 would fuggefl a very different 

 derivation of Orichalcum. The Hebrew word 

 Or, Aur^ fignifics light, fire, flame ; the Latin 

 terms tiro to burn, and minim gold, are derived 

 from it, inafmuch as gold refembles the colour 

 of flame i and hence, it is not improbable, that 

 Orichalcum may be compofed of an Hebrew, 

 and a Greek term, and that it is rightly 

 rendered, flame coloured coffer. In confirm- 

 ation of this it may be obferved, that the Latin 

 epithet lucidiimi and the Greek one ^^■^^•■''•'y arc 

 ' both 



