16 the NAMES 



Mart-ftein is another denomination of pyrites , 

 and far from being attended with any impropri- 

 ety ; as its etymology may be deduced from Mars, 

 or iron, and this foffile is principally an actual 

 iron-ftone. 



Vulcan, the god of fire, being under great obli- 

 gations to the pyrites for his beft fuel, as appears 

 from thofe huge elaboratories in mounts Hecla, 

 iEtna, and Vefuvius, the fubjed of our prefent 

 enquiry has been honoured with the title of He- 

 phtffticus, or Hypejlionus. 



As iron makes a principal part in the compofi- 

 tion of the pyrites, fideritis, ci^/r^, iron-ftone is 

 no inadequate appellation - 9 nor, if its igneous qua- 

 lities are duly attended to, can pyropus, pyrobolus, 

 pyrimacbus, terms ufed by fome of the antients to 

 fignify the fame thing, be thought very improper. 



Otbonna, according to Gefner, is a copper-co- 

 loured ore in Egypt, which Aldrovandus takes to 

 be the fame with lapis luminis, and Ariftotle's pyri~ 

 machus : — Atrament-fiein, or vitriol- flone, has alfo 

 been numbered among the denominations of pyri- 

 tes ; but of this laft appellation more hereafter. 



CoralluSy coral-flone feems to be mifapplied, 

 when appropriated to pyrites, feeing though the 

 rock wherein it lies is often found red, the genu- 

 ine pyrites never exhibits that colour. 



Chalco-pyrites is an ufeful diftin&ion of the cop- 

 pery fort : nor is the affms lapis, or as Agricola 

 expreffes it, Afi<e lapis five lapis ex Afia, ubi naf* 

 citur farcophagus *, that is, where the flefh-confum- 

 ing ftone grows, altogether improper, as the cor- 

 rofive power of vitriol is well known. 



But it is high time to have done with mere 

 names \ let us proceed to what it is hoped will af- 

 ford more real inftruction, which, to the utmoft 

 of my ability, is intended in the iucceeding chap- 

 ters. 



CHAP. 



