THE MAGNET. 23 



ihe workmen sooner or later become paralytic and 

 then die consumptive, and for this they have the tri- , 

 fling reward of seven-pence a day ! Would it not be 

 a regulation worthy the attention of the legislature 

 of that country to prohibit the employment of any 

 person in those caverns of horror and destruction any 

 longer than a month at one time ? 



Coal-mines are perhaps of all others the least in- 

 jurious to health. They employ a great number of 

 hands, and are not only a source of wealth to the 

 proprietors, but also a great national benefit. Coal is 

 well known to be an excellent kind of fuel ; and al- 

 though the smoke it emits, be somewhat gross and 

 hurtful to those that have weak lungs, it is certainly 

 of great use in repelling pestilential miasmata and 

 preventing contagious disorders. 



The richest of subterraneous productions according 

 to the caprice of human estimation, although of no 

 real use, are those called precious stones, or gems. 

 These are the diamond, the ruby, the garnet, the hy- 

 acinth, the amythist, the emerald, the beryl, the 

 sapphire and the topaz, or crysolite, which are all 

 transparent. Diamonds are found in great plenty in 

 Brazil, but the best are brought from the mines of 

 Golconda, in India. Y?u will be surprised to hear 

 that a diamond was, in the last century, sold to Count 

 OrlofT for above 140,0001, and that a much greater 

 sum had once been bidden for that valuable gem. 

 The diamond is the hardest of all gems, and can be 

 cut only by itself or its own substance. The ruby is 

 reckoned next to the diamond in value, and is of a 

 dark crimson colour, the garnet somewhat resem- 

 bles it, and is perhaps of the same species. The 

 hyacinth is sometimes of a deep red and sometimes 

 of a yellow colour : the amythist of a bright purple : 

 the emerald of a deep green : the beryl of a bluish 

 colour : the sapphire of a sky blue : the topaz, or 

 crysolite, of a gold colour. Those which are only 

 half transparent, are the cornelian, which is of a pale 

 red : the onyx, of a greyish colour : th turquoise, 



