November 1748. 



IT confifts of a mixture of Lapis Ollaris, or 

 Serpentine ftone, and of AfbejL The greatefl 

 part of it is a grey Serpentine ftone, which is 

 fat and fmooth to the touch, and is eafily cut 

 and worked. Here and there are fome glitter- 

 ing fpeckles of that fort of afbeft, whofc fibres 

 come from a center like rays, or Star Ajbeft. 

 This ftone is not found in ftrata or folid rocks, 

 but here and there fcattered on the fields. 



ANOTHER ftone is called Soap ftone by many 

 of the Swedes, being as fmooth as foap on the 

 outfide. They make ufe of it for rubbing fpots 

 out of their deaths. It might be called Saxum 

 talcofum particulis fyataceis granatifque immixtis, 

 or a talc with mixed particles of fpar and garnets. 

 A more exact defcription I referve for another 

 work. At prefent I only add, that the ground- 

 colour is pale green, with fome dark fpots, and 

 fometimes a few of a greeniih hue. It is very 

 fmooth to the touch, and runs always waved. It 

 is likewife eafily fawed and cut, though it is not 

 very fmooth. I have feen large ftones of it, 

 which were a fathom and more long, propor- 

 tionably broad, and commonly fix inches or a 

 foot deep. But I cannot determine any thing of 

 their original lize, as I have not been at the 

 place where they are dug, and have only feen 

 the ftones at Philadelphia, which are brought 

 there ready cut. The particles of talc in this 

 ftone are about thirty times as many as thofe of 

 Ipar and garnet. It is found in many parts of 

 the country, for example in the neighbourhood 

 of Cbeftcr in Penjyhania. The Englijh likewife 



2 call 



