OF STONES. 97 



kinds, are fometimes found with flaws or cracks, and often worn 

 and rounded into the form of pebbles. Few of our alpine fliorcs 

 are without them, more or lefs. I have had the gold-yellow 

 kind with grey and green fpots, very elegant, from the fea- 

 ftrand, near Wark-wortb, 



The ^Egyptians were the firil who built with granite. Their 

 famous obeliflcs were made of it (y). The pillars in their no lefs 

 famous labyrinth were alfo of it(z). Befides the local antient 

 names of Syenites and Mirmor Thebaicum, it was alfo called Pyropx- 

 cilon, from its being fpotred, as it were, with a fire-colour, or its 

 red ground. Some, in Pliny's days, called it Pfaronium, from its 

 fpots and variegations (a). 



Granite yields no Phofphorus. 



Of Phorphyry, a finer kind of granite, with its fpots more 

 neatly difpofed, we have fome fmall fragments or nodules, broken 

 off larger mafTes, worn and rounded into the form of pebbles, 

 by the currents of water. 



* i 



Phorphyry, of a glowing purple ground, with angular pale 

 red and white fpots, is very fcarce. I met with a very fmall, 

 but beautiful fragment of it on the fliore of North Tyne, below 

 Cholkrford-bridge. It takes an exquifite polifh. It is the Leucoftiflos 

 of the antients- (b) ; fo called from its fpots and variegations. 



They 



(y) Trabes ex eofecere reges quodam certamine, obelifcos vocatos, foils numini facrato*. 

 Pita. ]. 36. c. 8. 



(z) Columnis reliquis e Syenite. Id. 1. 36. c. 13. 



(a) Thebaicum, quern Pyropaecilon appellavimus : aliqui Pfaronium vocant. Plin. Hift. 

 Nat. 1. 36. c. 22. 



(b) Porphyrites feu lucofiti&os, vd, quorundam criticorum opinione, Leptopfephos Pl'irni, 

 (Hift. Nat. I. 36. c. 7.) Da Cofla. Hift. Fo(T. p. 2813. No. i. 



VOL. I. O For- 



