CHAPTER XII 



METALS 



and tin are called metals," con- 

 tinned Uncle Paul. "They are heavy, shin- 

 ing substances, which bear the blows of the hammer 

 without breaking. They flatten, but do not break. 

 There are still other substances which possess the 

 considerable weight of copper and tin, as well as their 

 brilliancy and resistance to blows. All these sub- 

 stances are called metals." 



"Then lead, which is so heavy, is a metal too?" 

 asked Emile. 



"Iron also, silver and gold?" queried his brother. 



"Yes, these substances and still others are metals. 

 All have a peculiar brilliancy called metallic luster, 

 but the color varies. Copper is red; gold, yellow; 

 silver, iron, lead, tin, white, with a very slightly dif- 

 ferent shade one from another. ' ' 



"The candlesticks Mother Ambroisine is drying in 

 the sun," said Emile, "are a magnificent yellow and 

 so shiny they dazzle. Are they gold?" 



"No, my dear child; your uncle does not possess 

 such riches. They are brass. To vary the colors 

 and other properties of the metals, instead of al- 

 ways using them separately, they often mix two or 

 three together, or even more. They melt them to- 

 gether, and the whole constitutes a sort of new metal, 



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