ANALYSIS OF .TADE. 10^ 



fracture, tliougb frequently semitransparent, while tlie orien- 

 tal jade produces only an opake mass, with a dull, uneven, 

 and by no means conchoidal fracture. It differs likewise, as 

 I shall sliow presently, in its constituent principles. It is 

 proper therefore, that the name of jade should be taken 

 from it; and I would propose to substitute that of Saus- Name of Saus. 

 surite, as a compliment to the memory of my father, who J|JJ'J^P'^"P°'^**'* 

 first directed the attention of mineralogists to this stone. 

 Names too, like this, which have no particular signification, Names s^houM 

 are most convenient, because they do not lead us into er- *^°' ^.^^^ ^ '^^* 

 rour. Names derived from one of the places where a stone meaning- 

 is found are always impropei', as has frequently been re- 

 marked, because it is not peculiar to this place exclusively. 

 Names derived from one of the cliaracters of a fossil too, in 

 whatever language they are framed, are not more suitable; 

 since this character never belongs exclusively to the mineral 

 denoted by it, v/hich differs from others only by its general 

 properties. 



Werner considers as a subspecies of jade the ^ef.A/ein, Beilstdn con- 

 pierre de hac/ie, or axestone, which is chiefly known to us '■ ,^ 

 by means of the hatchets fabricated with it by the Artieri- 

 cans. But this is much inferior in hardness and density to 

 the stones generally coiiiprised under the name of jade, and 

 does not easily strike nre with steel; though it has a greasy 

 appearance £^nd greenish colour. On this stone however I 

 can say nothing more, as I have it not in my possession, and 

 have been able to examine it only superficially, so that I am 

 obliged to leave its rank undetermined. 



The greasy polish of jades has appeared to most mine- From their 



ralogists to indicate, that they are impregnated with talcy f nee ^sup^ilosed 



particles, and that consequently they ought to be classed magnesian: 



with the steatites. Mr. Hoepfner has confirmed this opinion and Hoenfner's 



hy the analysis he has given of the iade of Swisserlaud. In !!"^'^'^'^ '^^''^ 

 ,. , „ , ., . , . 0'58ofmagne- 



this he found 0*47 silex, 0'38 magnesia, 0-04 alumine, 0"02 sia in the Swiss 



lime, and O.O9 oxide of iron. The magnesian nature of this ^'*'^^' 



stone appears the better founded, as it sometimes occurs in 



mountains of serpentine : but 1 thought it necessaTy, to re- but this ques- 



peat the examination, partly because this was made at a ^'^"'^'^ ^• 



time when processes were less precipe than at jjresent; partly 



because 



