M OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 



there was (till extant in an Egyptian labyrinth 

 a Colofllan Scrapis of emerald, meafuring nine 

 cubits high: And Tlicophrallus ulfodcicribes an 

 obeliik in the temple of Jupiter, funned of four 

 emeralds, that was 40 cubits in length, and in 

 fome places four, in others two, in diameter*. 

 That, therefore, the Egyptians had very fuccefs- 

 fully imitated the emerald, is beyond a doubt ; 

 for there fcarcely, or perhaps never, was found 

 real (tones of fuch magnitude. They reprefent- 

 ed the turqueois alto, as we learn from Thco- 

 phralhis; and the merit of giving it the blue 

 colour is afcribed to one of their kingbf. Were 

 they acquainted with cobalt J? Pliny aliens, 



that 



* II. N. xxxv 1.5. 



f Of Stones, 98. 



$. The celebrated PauW afiinns that the Egyptians ufcd finaft, 

 and the Romans alfo, if we believe Lehman, were not igno- 

 rant of this mineral. Fcibcju* aiid Dclaval entertain the 

 lame opinion, which the one iuppoi'*, by appealing to the 

 fmali Egyptian im:i;jt* incruilcd with blue glafi, aud the o- 

 her from the little blue Hones th:it tire cwry where iuuml in 

 the fepv.Ha ted works and pavements of the ancients. The 

 illuitrious Gmellin, Prof. Gottin^. liowc\er, t!ci:k^ that the 

 account given of it by Pliny can puflibly apply to cobalt, and 

 <.)iufe lather to uuvlci iiand from the writings of this naturalilk 

 the native blue calx of copper, called ultramarine. 12cfidc, 

 he thinks that tle blue colour of Egyptian glali was imparted 

 to it without tire; or, if ii. deed lire had been employed, that 

 it wa* obtained fiom Tome otlitr mttal than cobalt. Kxpeii- 

 mtiitt coiiiiim tlti',, opinion. K^t li-.r from mount Ptligiird, 

 :\ *v/ )c;\u iuu'C) loinc 1'cpcllatfd pavement vt'variou^colo 



