( 97) 



CHAP. VL 



Of the Iron in the Pyrites. 



IN the foregoing chapter having treated not fa 

 much of the material origination, as rather, if not 

 principally, of the time of the production, and con- 

 foqueocly of the creation and generation of the pyrites* 

 I ihouid now immediately proceed to its material 

 principles: but this, at prefent, is neither advifeable 

 nor pedible, tho' a method of writing that mod are 

 fond of: feeing we muft firft confider pyrites, as 

 analyied into its proximate parts, and thus mediately 

 proceed to its principles : and we can as little pre- 

 tend to begin our relearch as description there, where 

 nature has begun her work -, there being difficulty 

 enough to diicover fiich principles, as I will not 

 fay, ought to be made objects of our fenfes, a 

 thing neither poffiblc nor reafonab'e to acquire, 

 but by probable concluiions only, fairly flowing 

 from obfervations. 



There is the fame difference between the con- 

 lent parts and the original principles of a natu- 

 ral body, as between proximate and remote ; pyrii* 

 are derived from water and earth, as their prin- 

 . s, or remote parts •, but confifl of the follow- 

 ing mixts i viz. the lat earth, or fulphur; the 

 mercurial earth, or arfenic ; the metallic earth, 

 '*», a their proximate parts. Some inilances 

 :, in which anahfis ftands verified by Syn- 

 h \ others, in which it does not. Cinnabar not 

 only confifls of quicklilver, as its feparation 

 plainly fhews, but may agrfin be formed from 



IT fulphur 



