CHAPTER III. 

 METALS. 



GOLD. 



THIS is the heaviest, purest, most ductile, and on these accounts, 

 the most valuable of all metals. It is the most frequently found 

 native ; and is, indeed, very rarely found in f a state of ore ; that 

 is, divested of its metallic form, by its particles being inti- 

 mately mixed with sulphur; and in the few instances in which 

 it is found thus, it never constitutes a peculiar ore, but is found 

 intermixed among cres of other metals; and most frequently 

 among those of silver, or those in which, though of some other 

 metal, there yet is a large, quantity of silver, in which the "gold 

 liesin its state of ore. It is sometimes found in masses of con- 

 siderable size ; many of more than a pound weight ; these are 

 met with in gold mines, and are called aurum Obrizum, Qbrhium, 

 but they are very rare ; such, however, have been sometimes ob- 

 tained from the German mines. Its common appearance, in its 

 more loose state, is in form of what is called gold dust : this is na- 

 tive gold in smaller particles, usually, indeed, very small, mixed 

 among the sand of rivers. This is found in many parts of the 

 world, but the greatest quantity is from the coast of Guinea. By 

 all the trials that have been made, gold seems to be the most simple 

 of all substances. It is wholly incapable of rust, arid is not sono- 

 rous when struck. It requires a strong fire to melt it; is unaltered 

 in that degree of heat which fuses tin or lead ; but runs with a less 

 vehement fire than is necessary to fuse iron or copper. 



Gold is mentioned throughout the scripture, and the use of that 

 metal, among the ancient Hebrews, in its native and mixed state, 

 and for the same purposes as at present used, was common. The 

 ark of the covenant was overlaid with pure gold ; and the mercy- 

 seat, and the vessels and utensils belonging to the tabernacle were 

 of gold, as were those also of the house of the Lord, and the drink- 

 ing vessels of king Solomon. They made chains, bracelets, and 

 other ornaments of gold, coins and medals, crowns, &c. The 

 mines whence David and Solomon procured the greatest part of 

 their gold, were those of Ophir. 



Might not the sixtieth Psalm, and the five others that are distin- 

 guished by the epithet, be called 'golden,' on account of their hav- 

 ing been, on some occasion, written in letters of gold, and hung up 

 in the sanctuary, or elsewhere ? Not, it may be, on account of their 



