; c° 



EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE. /, 



this beetle was made ufe of as a fymbol of the annual rotation Porphyry fculp- 

 of the fun. The under fide is flat, or (lightly convex, perhaps ^J^^*™ 

 from wear, and bears eight lines of hieroglyphics, probably and bearing hie- 

 refcrring to the change of the feafons. The drawing, made^S 1 ^ 

 with the greatelr. accuracy from an imoreffion in fealing-wax, 

 is confequently inverted.* Should you, fir, or any of your 

 friends, with for one to prove the exa&nefs of the draught, 

 it is very much at your fervice. The ftoneitfelf is apparently 

 a fpecies of porphyry, the ferpentino verde antico, of a green 

 mafs, with very dark green field-fpar, and pale green indif- 

 tin6l ftripes. The plainnefs of the infcription, and (he fame 

 fymbol occurring leveral times upon it, led me lo fufpeft, that 

 it would be no very difficult talk, for fuch as are verfant in 

 antiquities of the kind, to difcover fomewhat of its purport ; 

 and being confcious of its value, I was unwilling to let it lie 

 by me, without offering it to the attention of fuch as are 

 more deeply interefted in it. Your wilh to promote the arts 

 and fciences, which fo obvioufly pervades your efteemed 

 Repofitory, makes me hope that you will excufe mine, in 

 cafe the fubjeft fhould not be admiflible into your Publi- 

 cation. 



I remain,, Sir, 



Your obedient humble fervant, 



H. STEINHAUER. 



P. S. Is the carbonate of barytes a frequent Britifli mineral, Native carbonate 

 except at Chorly ? If not, it may perhaps be interefting j n _of Jwrytes, and 

 i - ■/• /• i • i • • T, oxide of zinc, 



formation, that it is lound in very large quantities near Murton 



in Cumberland, and fome other places of the vicinity. The 

 native oxide of zinc, fcarcely inferior to the flowers of zinc 

 of the mops, I do not recollect to have feen mentioned. It 

 is found in one part of the Weft Riding of York (hire, in con- 

 siderable quantities. 



* The engraver having followed the drawing upon the copper, 

 .our print is not inverted. — N. 



Extraft 



