MODE VI. SERPENTINE. 351 



it must continue to be regarded as a parasitic 

 substance : and if even a rock or hill consisting 

 solely of asbestos and amianthus were discover- 

 ed, it must be classed among the anomalous, as 

 being contrary to the usual course of nature. 



Having thus discussed the chief parasitic sub- 

 stances which are found in serpentine, it is pro- 

 per to return to the immediate consideration of 

 that celebrated rock. 



Werner and his disciples divide it into two of 

 their barbarous sub-species, under the epithets 

 Common and Noble; the latter being trans- se ,entine. 

 parent, and chiefly found in Silesia. It is gene- 

 rally of a dark leek green, and of an unctuous 

 visage. Mr. Jameson says that in Italy it is 

 called nephrite, with which it might perhaps be 

 classed. But when Brochant supposes that the 

 verde antico, and other green marbles well known 

 in Italy, belong to the noble serpentine, he for- 

 gets that they are all opake, while the latter is 

 translucent. When he quotes Estner, who con- 

 founds the verde antico and ophite with green 

 porphyry, the confusion is infinite; for the verde 

 antico is a marble, which will presently be de- 

 scribed ; and the ophites, as already shown, is a 

 mere error, echoed by mineralogists for a cen- 

 tury and a half, while the ophites of Pliny is an 

 ollite. The noble serpentine of Werner, which 



