338 DOMAIN IV. TALCOUS. 



most extraordinary existing, is also one of those 

 which will throw the greatest light on the mys- 

 tery of the formation of primitive mountains. 



" Europe is that part of the terrestrial globe 

 in which most serpentine is found ; the whole 

 front of the Alps, which looks towards Italy, 

 offers it almost every where, although these 

 mountains show but very little of it towards 

 Swisserlarid. 



" It extends throughout Italy, where it is 

 called gabbro. One of the finest is that of the 

 hills of Improneta, near Florence : it contains a 

 good deal of that green, semi-transparent, and 

 satiny substance, which Saussure has called 

 smaragdite, on account of its fine colour of eme- 

 rald green. 



" France has some mountains of serpentine, 

 especially in Limousin. 



" The finest serpentines of Spain are from 

 Sierra-Nevada, two leagues from Grenada : they 

 have a green base, filled with glistening plates, 

 of a yellowish colour. Superb columns have 

 been made from it, which decorate the churches 

 and palaces of Madrid. 



<c It is almost entirely wanting in northern 

 Asia, with the exception of the eastern part of 

 the Ural mountains, which separate Siberia 

 from Europe. There are some hills which, at 



