366 Rev. Mr. Conybeare on Works in Niello, and the [Nov. 
notion of the work. Isubjoin a brief statement of such passages 
as, on a cursory perusal, appeared interesting : 
B.1. Under the chapter ‘‘ Luoghi de la Miniera,” he speaks. 
slightingly of the ‘‘charlatanerie” of those who pretend to discover) 
mines by any other than natural indices ; his directions, as far as 
they go, are very sensible. He mentions the custom of baptizing 
or dedicating the mine by the name of the deity, or of some 
patron saint. He recommends the driving an adit from the 
bottom or side of the hill in preference to the older usage of 
digging downwards from the point where the ore comes to day 
(algiomo). He mentions a productive mine of copper and lead 
below Inspruck. C. Dell’Oro. He agnosis strongly the dreams 
and impositions of the alchemists. C. Dell. Argento, Quotes G, 
Agricola (quere, from what work ?) as relating the discovery of a 
mass of silver ore, in one of the Saxon mines, sufficiently large 
to make a table and a seat, or stool (tripode). He seems to have 
been acquainted with the red and grey silver ores, and with the 
usual modes of roasting and reducing them. C. Del, Rame, 
Italy is in this metal “richissima;” mentions the peacock and 
grey copper ores, especially the richness of the latter. C. del 
Piombo. He notices its acquiring weight (from 8 to 10 per 
cent.) by calcination, which he attributes to the loss of some 
aerial principle of levity, and illustrates the case by affirming 
that a dead body weighs more than a living one, in consequence 
of having lost the animal spirits (spiriti che sustengano la vita). 
C. Delo Stagno. He confesses never to have seen any tin ores. 
C. Del Ottone. He speaks almost with rapture of an extensive 
manufactory of brass carried onat Milan, C. Dell. Argento Vivo, 
He again ridicules the alchemists with some humour; mentions 
native cinnabar, and the method of obtaining mercury from its 
ores by distillation. C. Del Solfo. Mentions the use of sulphur 
in bleaching. C, Del Antimonio. Speaks of its use in various 
alloys, and as an external application m medicine. C. Della 
Margassita. Ue suspects each of the imperfect metals to have 
its own marcasite, consisting of sulphureous matter, and the 
seeds of the metal (materia seconde et menstrui delle concettioni 
de metalli). The residuum after roasting is good only to colour 
porcelain or glass, and to cheat the alchemists. Argues against 
its being entirely ‘fumosita,” (a substance capable of sublima- 
tion?) but appears to entertain the beliefof his age, that mineral 
veins grow like organized bodies. C. Del Vetriolo. Describes 
the manufactory of Roman vitriol, the strongest form of which 
“non Vetriolo ma Cuperosa si chiama.” C. Dell Alume di 
Roccha, Gives a detailed and practical account of its manu- 
factory... Mentions the district of La Tolfa as not likely to be 
exhausted before ‘ Vultimo giorno del mondo.” C. Del. Arse- 
nico,,Orpimento et Risagallo. Mentions the alloys of arsenic 
with \copper, brass, and lead. Its ores come from the Hellespont 
and Cappadocia. , Notices the observation of “ li prattici mine- 
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