$2 aBEDS 



temporary growth, and by no means a primitive 

 work of the creation. 



7, and laflly. The pyrites is no ways un- 

 common in bodies of the other two kingdoms •, 

 fuch as by accident, particularly floods, have 

 chanced to light upon proper beds, and there 

 have petrified, or changed to earth ; as the peri- 

 winkles, mufcles, and other fea-fhells, at Boll, in 

 the territory of Wirtemberg, fully fhew. Tho' the 

 inftances of vegetable bodies are not fo very com- 

 mon, yet, at a confiderable depth (not to mention 

 now the piece of wood reduced to pyrites, fpoken of 

 above) we meet with beds, moved, or laid one over 

 the other, of a pyritous alum, refembling, both in 

 external form, and texture, nothing more naturally 

 than pieces of wood; nay, fometimes entire large 

 trees. 



I would not here be underftood as infifting on 

 the abfolutely univerfal prefence of the pyrites •, for, 

 were that the cafe, fmelters, in fome places, 

 could be at no lofs to work their poorer fort of 

 ores : but my meaning is, that there is fcarce any 

 ore fo common as the pyrites •, no one fort of ore, 

 ftone, mineral, or earth, wherein it does not 

 lodge ; nor any mine, wherein it can well be a 

 ftranger •, though here and there it is not found 

 without fome trouble and difficulty. 



The reader is to be apprized, that, after the 

 fnberg manner, mentioning pyrites limply, with- 

 out any adjunct, I principally intend the yellow- 

 ifh, or, as it is there called, the fulpbur '-pyrites. 

 The yellow, or copper pyrites, or copper ore, is 

 generally found in the fame beds as the yellowifh ; 

 but never, fo far as my experience reaches, in fuch 

 round balls, or nuts •, though often lying huddled 

 together, like fo many broken pieces or frag- 

 ments. And mould fome copper flip in among 

 the round iron-pyrites, yet it is never found in fuch 



quantity, 



