H4 Of the Copper 



accurately, I cannot fupport the contrary ; only fa 

 far I obferve, that both metals, if not fuddenly 

 committed to a very brifk degree of fire, throw 

 offfcales, which hinder the fmelting •, nor do they 

 recover their metalleity even by the ftrongeft pitch 

 of fire, without additions, but turn to a fcoria or 

 glafs : which remark, in regard to a fudden brifk 

 fire, may be alfo made, with refped: to the other 

 metals, particularly lead and tin. (7.) Iron and 

 copper are the only two metals, which change to a 

 proper vitriol, a thing not to be affirmed of any 

 other. Whence (8.) it appears, thatthefe metals arc 

 of an equal fitnefs and texture to receive the mine- 

 ral acid, whether from fulphur or the air ; tho* 

 indeed with fome inequality in this receptibility, 

 which is greater in iron than in copper •, whence 

 the latter appears to be of a clofer texture than the 

 former ; particularly fuch a body, as returns not 

 fo readily to its univerfal terreity, but is arrived to 

 a more heightened degree of metalleity. Nay, (9.) 

 they both lodge well together in a vitriol ; and 

 tho' at laft by a careful evaporation, like all other 

 faturated falts, they may be confiderably feparated 

 from each other, yet the copper with difficulty 

 parts from the iron, after having once been in con- 

 tact with it. (to.) Next to iron, copper is of all 

 metals the moft difficult to flux in the fire. (11.) 

 Copper \% alfo the harder! metal: whence, among the 

 ancients, in defeel of iron, it was ufed for making 

 fwords and fcythes •, as in the cabinet at Stockholm 

 a fword of that metal is ftilt to be feen, and the 

 jike ufualiy to be met with in ancient graves*. 

 (12.^ In both, preferably to the other metals, 

 gold finds a lodgment and an aptitude for genera- 

 tion \ yet more lb in copper than in iron.- (13.) 



Copper, 



* Elvii & Bcnzellii Schediafraa d* re metallica Sueco-GO' 

 thorum, p. 14. 



