PHYSIOLOGICAL REMAINS. 189 



pound stuff; wherein the doubts will be chiefly of 

 the toughness, and of the beauty. 



First, therefore, if brass ordnance could be made 

 of the compound stuff, in respect of the cheapness of 

 the iron, it would be of great use. 



The vantage which brass ordnance hath over iron, 

 is chiefly, as I suppose, because it will hold the blow, 

 though it be driven far thinner than the iron can be ; 

 whereby it saveth both in the quantity of the ma 

 terial, and in the charge and commodity of mount- 

 ing and carriage, in regard, by reason of the 

 thinness, it beareth much less weight : there may 

 be also somewhat in being not so easily over 

 heated. 



Secondly, for the beauty. Those things wherein 

 the beauty or lustre are esteemed, are andirons, and 

 all manner of images, and statues, and columns, and 

 tombs, and the like. So as the doubt will be double 

 for the beauty ; the one, whether the colour will 

 please so well, because it will not be so like gold as 

 brass ? The other, whether it will polish so well ? 

 Wherein for the latter it is probable it will ; for steel 

 glosses are more resplendent than the like plates of 

 brass would be ; and so is the glittering of a blade. 

 And besides, I take it, andiron brass, which they 

 call white brass, hath some mixture of tin to help 

 the lustre. And for the golden colour, it may be 

 by some small mixture of orpiment, such as they 

 use to brass in the yellow alchemy ; it will easily 

 recover that which the iron loseth. Of this the eye 

 must be the judge upon proof made. 



