DURING THE MIDDLE AGE. itj 



VannonBiringuccius, as of the moft modern au- 

 thor who writes in Italian, on the fufion, fcpa- 

 rution, and foldcring of metals ; though not ve- 

 ry perfectly. Upon all this lie remarks: " Quo 

 " autcm minus multi funt, qui cle re metallica 

 " fcripferunt, eo magis mihi minim videtur, tor. 

 11 chcmillas cxtitiflTe, qui compofucrint artifici- 

 " urn dc mctallis aliis in alia mutandis." The 

 firft book refutes nil the objections that are 

 commonly made againft the cxfpcclation of any 

 public or private advantage from the ftudy of 

 metallurgy, and vindicates all the honour due to 

 fuch labours, In the fecond, he treats of thofc 

 places abounding in veins of metal, and of the 

 marks by which they may be diftinguifhed; and 

 of the rod of divination, of which he fays the learn- 

 ed mountaineer has no need. The third book 

 contain? an account of the metallic veins and 

 ttrata of the mountains. The fubjcct of the 

 fourth is the limitation of the mines. In the 

 fifth we find a trcatifc on the cxti a-fling of 

 ores, on pits, on cutting of mines, on drains- 

 nnd on fub terraneous geography and architec- 

 ture. In the xth arc dcfcribcd the various im- 

 plements, as ballccts, tubs, and machines for 

 taking away the different materials; as cap- 

 fterns, ladders, hand batkets, hydraulic and 

 pneumatic machines, pumps; and, la'uly, all 

 the inconveniencies, but chiefly the difeaies to 

 *Ahich the miners are expofed. The feventh 

 H 2 tic* 



