Class VI. SHELLS. Si 



Hawkins *, had a patent for fulling that river. 

 He had obferved pearls plentiful in the Straits 

 of Magellan, and flattered himfelf with being in- 

 riched by procuring them within his own ifland. 



In the laft century, feveral of great fize were 

 gotten in the rivers of the county of Tyrone and 

 Donegal, in Ireland, One that weighed $6 carats 

 was valued at £. 40, but being foul, loft much of 

 its worth. Other fingle pearls were fold for £. 4. 

 io s. and even for £. 10. The laft was fold a 

 fecond time to Lady Glenlealy* who put it into a 

 necklace, and refufed £. 80 for it from the 

 Duchefs of Ormond f . 



Suetonius reports, that Cafar was induced to un- 

 dertake his Britijh expedition for the fake of our 

 pearls ; and that they were fo large that it was ne- 

 ceflary to ufe the hand to try the weight of a fingle 

 one J. I imagine that Cafar only heard this by 

 report \ and that the cryftalline balls in old leafes, 

 called mineral pearl, were miftaken for them []. 



We believe that Cafar was difappointed of his 

 hope : yet we are told that he brought home a 

 buckler made with Britijh pearl §, which he de- 

 dicated to, and hung up in the temple of Venus 

 Genetrix. A proper offering to the Goddefs of 

 Beauty, who fprung from the fea. I cannot omit 



* Camden, ii. 1003. t ?#' ^r. Alridg. ii. 831, 



% Suet on. Fit. Jul. Ca>f. c. xliv. 



|| Woodward' 's Method of Foffils, 29. part ii. 



§ Pliniiy lib. ix, c. 35. Tacitus Fit. Agricolce. 



Vol. IV, G mentioning, 



