66 PBOSE HALIEFTICS. 



that from Agrigentum bore the heat of the fire without 

 crepitating, but crackled and spit when put into water. 

 Each of these salts was employed for some particular 

 purpose, and seldom put to any other. The Tarentine 

 was used medicinally for the cureof bipeds, but the Traga- 

 soean, only as a coUyrium for the eyes of horses and bo- 

 opic patients; the moist salt of Attica was appropriated 

 entirely to the table, but the dry salt of Megara was 

 employed to preserve meat. Besides all these natural 

 salts, there was a highly-aromatized and savoury kind 

 eaten, either as a condiment at table, or as a whet to 

 the appetite, and out of this, says Phny, Garum was 

 made, and owed to it a great share of its celebrity. He 

 speaks also of another salt procured by evaporation 

 from the brine in which msenides had previously been 

 steeped, as very much to be commended; and after giv- 

 ing his readers a good deal of curious miscellaneous 

 information respecting salt, not to be found elsewhere, 

 and showing that it is conducive to the health and 

 comfort of all the animal kingdom, he breaks out 

 rhapsodically in its praise, as Dr. Johnson, in a playftd 

 imitation of Harvey, has since done, and sums up its 

 eulogy by declaring that life itself could not be carried 

 on without it, and that so persuaded are all mankind of 

 its value and importance, that to express whatever is 

 most delightful in their daily intercourse, the sallies of 

 wit, the gems of wisdom and of oratory, a variety of 

 pleasing accomplishments, the sparkle of a cheerful 

 countenance, and the repose of a mind quite at ease, the 

 common word coined for all such blessings is sales, or 

 salts. Those public awards of merit, called salaries, 

 which States make to deserving citizens, are derived from 

 the same source. Nor is it more necessary to man's en- 

 joyment and comfort than to his acceptance with the 

 Gods, for what_ sacrifice would ever avail, he asks, that 

 was not first seasoned and inaugurated with a cake of 



