in the Pyrites. 103 



and fince the pyrites is there fo often to be met with - 9 

 befides, no other mineral fo very common and 

 plentiful in all forts of (tone and earth ; and iron, 

 fo univerfally prefent in all pyrites, nay, in many 

 other ores, 'tis more ftill to be wondered that the 

 ancients mould have overlooked it fo much, and 

 turned their thoughts on copper only, to the quite 

 difregarding the iron-yield of the pyrites-, in which 

 reiptct Agricola himfelf feems alio to be at a lofs. 

 And, fo far as I can learn, Dr. Martin Lifter *, 

 was the firft, or among the firft, who feems to be 

 aware of iron being the capital conftituent part of 

 the pyrites, or the firft who clearly expreffed him- 

 felf in this matter : Pyrites pur us put us f err i metal- 

 htm eft, the pyrites confifts entirely of iron ; though 

 (when in another place he fays, unus Anglic py- 

 rites, purum putum tnetallvm eft, one fort of pyrites 

 c cnft ft s entirely of iron) I much doubt, whethei he 

 was quite fo fure of the truth of his former enun 

 ciation, and whether he knew to give it its full la- 

 titude, and true extent. Among the Germans, 

 together with the celebrated Dr. Hoffman at 

 Hall, the famous Dr. Berger claims the honour of 

 the difcovery, as he has folidiy fhewn in his excel- 

 lent treatife on the Carlftad baths f. As to myfelf, 

 I had fome difficulty, at firft, to admit of the vaft 

 extent and ipread aftigned the iron in all forts of 

 pyrites-, nor were my doubts removed by confult- 

 ing either fmelters, or the writers on natural hi- 

 ftory, bur by a careful examination of the feveral 

 forts of pyrit* themfelves, and that with no fmall 

 pains and expence •, by that means only I came to 

 be fully convinced of the truth of what Lifter and 

 Berger had writ to that purpofe. What madfe me 

 call in queftion the aftertion of thefe great men was, 



H 4 that 



* De Fontibus Medicatis Anglisr, p. 43. lb. p, 19, 

 t Bcrgeri Cocimentatio de thermis Carolina. 



