138 Derivations of Mineral Names. 
drunk: hence it signifies a safeguard or amulet against inebriety. 
Some of the ancients claim that it prevents the latter, but Plutarch 
denies it. Among its numerous wearers of the present day, some 
may be able to judge of its supposed merit in this direction. 
“Magorum Yanta resistere ebrietati eas promittit et nide appella- 
tas.” — Pliny. 
The amethyst is mentioned by Plato (400 B.c.) and Asclepiades 
(280 B.c.) as a gem, 
6. A few mineral names have reached us from the Anglo-Saxon 
with hardly a change and without having lost their characteristic 
brevity :— 
Wap isa bog-ore of manganese. The word takes its origin from 
A.-Sax. vaed, bunches, derived from the es vidan=to bind (in 
bunches). We further have: O. H. G. wat, wetan, gawati ; 
M. H. G. wat; Scandinavian vad; Sw. sald lated to G. Watte 
(cotton-), batting, and to Engl. weeds. 
Fuint has been referred to Gr. mèvĝoç=tile or brick, and to 
Gr. z/yttevy=to strike, in allusion to striking fire ; but these deri- 
vations seem very problematical. The word in A.-Sax. was flint; 
M. H. G., vlins ; locally (Middle German), vlint ; O. Engl., flent; 
Sw., flinta. 
“ And out of flent sprang flod, that folke and bestes dron ken.” 
— Langland, 1862. 
French flin means polishing material, for which powdered flint 
may be used. The word flent or flint may be related to the root of 
flensing=to skin, to flay (Icel., flisia), as in the earliest times flint, 
particularly, ae other stone implements were used for skinning 
animals, 
The form flint was assumed long ago :— 
“ Had ben my heart of flint, it must haue melted.” 
—Surrey, about 1520. 
The H. G. Flinte=(shot-), gun, is the same word applied to fire- 
arms since about 1640, when they were first supplied with chips of 
flint or chalcedony for the purpose of ae fire and igniting the 
powder. 
7. Matters of historical interest are also alluded to in mineral 
