37* Mr. J. Taylor's Lectures on Metallurgy. 



Tin, ironstone, &c. have only great weight ; some ores, arse^ 

 niates of copper, have neither weight nor metallic lustre. 



It has been ingeniously supposed by Mr. David Mushet in a 

 late paper published in the Philosophical Magazine, (vol. Ix. 

 p. 401,) " On the Origin and Discovery of Iron," that this 

 metal might be accidentally produced in the operation of con- 

 verting wood into charcoal. Tradition informs us that the 

 discovery was owing to the accidental burning of a forest in 

 Greece. 



Similar circumstances might, however, lead to the know- 

 ledge of other metals, particularly such as have ores easy of 

 reduction, and which are often found near the surface of the 

 earth, such as lead and tin. 



The knowledge of the power of fire over these substances 

 being once obtained, other ores that occurred to notice would 

 be submitted to its action, and thus the number of known 

 metals would be increased. It has, however, been mentioned 

 that the ancients only knew of seven ; but it is also certain that 

 they made several alloys, and particularly of copper. The 

 earliest writings seem to prove this, and some even describe 

 the operations. 



In the 4;th chapter of Genesis, Tubalcain is mentioned as 

 " an instructor of every artificer in brass ajid ii-on." 



Homer has several passages which are curious; because, in 

 speaking of Vulcan, they describe his forges as urged by bel- 

 lows which must have been applied nearly m the same man- 

 ner as we use tliem now. 



" Thus ha\ang said — the father of the fires 

 To the black labour of his forge retii'es ; 

 Soon as he bid them blow, the bellows turn'd 

 Their iron months, and where the furnace burn'd. 

 Resounding breathed ; at once the blast expires. 

 And twenty forges catch at once the fires ; 

 Just as the God directs, now loud, now low. 

 They raise a tempest, or they gently blow — 

 In hissing flames, huge silver bars are roll'd 

 And stubborn brass ; and tin, and solid gold. 

 Before, deep fixed, th' eternal anvils stand. 

 The ponderous hammer loads his better hand ; 

 His left with tongs turns the vext metal round. 

 And thick strong strokes the doubling vaults rebound." 



Homer. Iliad, book xviii. line 537. 



Virgil also, in the 8th book of the ^neid, mentions the 

 melting of steel, in ^arge furnaces, as contrasted with others in 

 which bellows were used. And commentators on these pas- 

 sages mention, that the Latin name for steel {chalybs) was de- 

 rived from that of a people in Spain, who were very expert iit 

 the working iron and its ores and mines. 

 [To be continued.] 



