42 The BEDS 



ore we muft not include a corporal, native gold, 

 which particularly in Tranfilvania we furprifingly 

 obferve ip routing out of, or wedged into a clean 

 quartz^ without the leafb diftinguifhable trace of an 

 ore or vein lying near it, as being already a native 

 metal -> whereas an ore, on the contrary, holds the 

 metal in a quite different form, being blended with 

 various fulphureous, arfenical and other matters. 

 There is a certain kind of quartz or flint exhibiting 

 on its fifTures a rufty fort of iron, which might be 

 taken for a gold- ore : but 'tis to be doubted, 

 whether this rufty matter will, after parting the 

 gold-fpangles from it, yield any metallic contents : 

 and 'tis known, that a native metal may lie in 

 mixt-work in fo light and tender a form, or by the 

 operation of ftamping be fo reduced to a duft, 

 as that the noble metal cannot be Jludged*? but 

 be carried away by the ftream, and lodge 

 among this ferrugineous matter, which is taken for 

 proof. And as to the eduction of gold out of mixt- 

 work of more than one fort of ore, infeparably 

 run into each other ; the queftion will be, whether 

 the eduction depends on one alone, or two or more 

 of thefe ores -, or whether it holds not here, as with 

 many minerals, nay pure earths, which of them- 

 felves containing nothing of the noble metals, yet 

 mixed with other ores, which alfo feparately give 

 nothing or contribute but a certain proportion, 

 prove yiddy, as I have with certainty experienced 

 of chalk in particular, and other forts of earth. In 

 fuch procefles I know not whether I fhould call the 

 produce a maturation or a tranfmutaiion. This at 



leaft 



* In the operation of wafliing ores mixed with earthy rocky 

 and other light matters, in order to the reparation of thefe law ; the 

 heavier metallic parts fubiiding to the bottom are called fiudge} 

 in High-Duth,/MV£, whence our Eng!ifli,y7a^', leems to have 

 been derived. 



