IO TRAVELS THROUGH 



nations an inducement of praife-worthy and pub- 

 lic-fpirited imitation ; and this the more Co, as 

 that Academy acts by generous principles, ex- 

 plained in the Preface to the S-pettack dcs Arts\ 

 and as fuch, an imitation would certainly prove 

 equally fuccefsful and ferviceable to the imita- 

 tors, and to the generality of mankind. The 

 quick filver being befides fo very plenty at 

 Hydria, and, except Zweybrutken and the Palati- 

 nate, fcarce any where elfe to be found in Eu- 

 rope, I do not conceive for what good reafons 

 they treat its melting with fo much fecrecy in 

 refpect to ftrangers who are deftitute of that 

 commodity. Nature gave it to Hydria in fo 

 aftonifhing a quantity, that it would be fufficient 

 to the wants of Europe, and even to the demands 

 of America, if, to keep a certain price, they did 

 not put its meltings and fales under certain regu- 

 lated reftridions. They might, if they pleafed, 

 at Hydria, even underfell every competitor. We 

 have long fince given in Sweden a confiderable 

 premium on the abridgement of our ufual copper- 

 melting, and accordingly we have invited to it all 

 the Swedim and foreign chemifts; yea, we have 

 given patents of nobility, and other great rewards, 

 to the celebrated Kuxckel, though his propofals of 

 a new procefs did not entirely anfwer our expecta- 

 tions. Neverthelefs, our copper is the belt in 

 Europe; and we do not apprehend at all to 



learn 



