56 The Production and Generation 



bufinefs of mining : and who is the perfon, that 

 will give himfelf the trouble of carefully examin- 

 ing what even chance throws in his way, if fuch 

 examination does not afford any profpeel of gain, 

 or arreft his attention by its beauty, or uncommon 

 appearance ? Laftly, who is the perfon diligent 

 enough to fet down, and regifter his obfervations ? 

 the omiflion of which, will ever render any part 

 of natural hiflory uncertain, and defective. 



C H A P. V. 



Of the Production and Generation of the 

 Py rites. 



WITH refpecl: to the origin of the pyrites ', 

 it is propofed to confider the three follow- 

 ing particulars. 1. At what time. 2 From what 

 principles. 3. In what manner it was produced. 



As to the firft, it is highly probable, that the 

 pyrites, as it now lies in the bofom of the earth, 

 did not all originally exift from the creation, but 

 that moft of them have been generated at different 

 and fucceflive periods ; which generation will, 

 in all likelihood, continue to the end of all things. 

 It is alfo probable that minerals, in general, confti- 

 tuted no principal part of the firft creation, as the 

 common divifion into three kingdoms would feem 

 to infinuate •, but are to be confidered rather as 

 fomething incidental, produced occafionaliy, as the 

 opportune concurrence of proper materials have 

 ferved that purpofe : not but that within the term 

 of the Mofaic creation, both the ore matrixes, as the 

 firm rock, or flone, and the ores, and native metals 

 began to be produced - a and fo far we may well af- 

 firm minerals to have been created : yet, to fpeak 



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