The Author's Preface. xi 



difcovered, and fo large a wedge or block of ore, 

 and native filver laid bare, that duke Albert of 

 Saxony went in perfon down into the groove, and 

 ufed this huge block, which fmelted four hundred 

 centners of filver, as a table to dine on *. And 

 tho' fuch huge maiTes are uncommon, yet it is not 

 unfrequent to fee expofed at once, even within a 

 narrow compafs, large quantities of ore, as might, 

 were a calculus made, come to feveral centners ia 

 filver. For not to mention maiTes of native filver, 

 and of glafjy and red-goldifh ores, we find, at the 

 proper depths, large veins of lead-glitter •, or ga- 

 lena and the like ores. Nor is it at this day un- 

 ufual at Schneeberg, Johan-Georgen-ftadt, Ehren- 

 friedersdorrT, and the like noble mines, to dif- 

 cover whole nefts of native filver, glaffy and red- 

 goldijh ores, delivered into the fmelting-huts by 

 centners t- 



2. That mines, as we have feen, conftitute not 

 the leaft, nay rather the principal branch of a 

 prince's revenue,when once they are brought to bear, 

 and have a proper demand on them •, the tenths 

 alone making no inconfiderable part thereof. 



3. That the advantages, indirectly or mediate- 

 ly, accruing to a ftate from mines are very great : 

 2d that they ferve to fupport and increafe the 



num- 



* Albini Meifsnifche Berg -chronicke, p. 30. 

 \ The mine-centner is reckoned at 11© lb. 



