Chap.. 11.] AMBER. 401 



but for a person seriously to advance such an absurdity with 

 reference to a thing so common as amber, which is imported 

 every day and so easily proves the mendacity of this assertion, 

 is neither more nor loss than to evince a supreme contempt 

 for the opinions of mankind, and to assert with Impunity an 

 intolerable falsehood. 



(3.) There can bu no doubt that amber is a product of the 

 islands of the Northern Ocean, and that it is the substance by 

 the Germans called " ghesuni ;" 84 for which reason the Romans, 

 when Germanic-US Ca?sar commanded the fleet in those part", 

 gave to one of these islands the name of Glrcsaria," which by the 

 barbarians was known as Austeravia. Amber is produced from 

 a marrow discharged by trees belonging to the pine 56 genus, liku 

 gum from the cherry, and resin from the ordinary pine. It is 

 a liquid at first, which issues forth in considerable quantities, 

 and is gradually hardened by heat or cold, or else by the action 

 of the sea, when the rise of the tide carries off the fragments 

 from the shores of these islands. At all events, it is thrown 

 up upon the coasts, in so light and voluble a form that in the 

 shallowtJ it has all the appearance of hanging suspended in the 

 water. Our forefathers, too, were of opinion that it is the juice 

 of a tree, and for this reason gave it the name of " succinum :" 8 

 and one great proof that it is the produce of a tree of the pine 

 genus, is the fact that it emits a pine-like smell when rubbed, 

 and that it burns, when ignited, with the odour and appearance 

 of torch-pine wood. 



Amber is imported by the Germans into Pannonia, more 

 particularly ; from whence the Veneti, by the Gm-ks calK-d 

 Eneti, first brought it into general notice, a people in the 

 vicinity of Pannonia; and dwelling on the shores of the 

 Adriatic Sea. From this it is evident how the story which 

 connects it with the Padus first originated ; and at the present 

 day we see the female peasantry in the countries that lie 

 beyond that river wearing necklace's of amber, principally 

 as an ornament, no doubt, but on account of its remedial virtues 

 as well ; for amber, it is generally believed, is good for aifec- 



M See 13. iv. c.c. 27, 30, and the Notes. ** See R iv. c. 30. 



* It is just possible that the Pintles succinifcr may have still existed, 



See 2sote Co above. 



to *u?Tie extent, eighteen hundred years ago. 

 * 7 l-'rom 4< succ us," **jui:e." 



VOL. YI. 



