142 Of the Sulphur 



Now according as the pyrites, out of which this 

 and the other fulphur s are driven, the fulphur-jlags 

 of each fort procured, happens to be very irony or 

 coppery, fo the earth remaining behind of thefe 

 flags, may at one time take more iron, at another 

 more copper. Yet it may well happen that in the 

 couri'e of defulphuration and purification, fome 

 change of iron into copper particles may be ef- 

 fected, by means of the energy of the fulphur^ 

 as both thofe mvtais are proximately allied to one 

 another : by tins change or tranfmutacion, no wide 

 leap, but an eafy transition rather is produced in 

 nature ; not only to the patient, namely, the 

 metal, {landing highly receptible, but the agent, 

 namely, the fulphur, in the rank of one of the 

 moil powerful in nature -, that if common fulphur 

 doth not tranfmute iron into copper, or rather 

 does not fit an irony earth for a coppery one, it 

 will remain for ever untranfmuted. 



As to the habitude of fulphur to the metal-earth, 

 entangled therewith in the pyrites ; it becomes 

 a neceflfary queftion, whether either the fulphur 

 arofe at the lame time with, or whether it gave 

 rife nrft to the metal- earth, and thus exifled pre- 

 vioully to it. 



That all pyrita were not originally created, but 

 generated at d liferent times fince the deluge, and 

 ftiil continue to be generated, is a certain truth, as I 

 have (hewn in chap. V. Now let any one imagine 

 to himlelf a luty, loamy, and the like marly 

 earth -bed, which is peculiarly adapted for the con- 

 ception of iuch ore \ I there find only one fort of 

 particles, either not manifeftly inch, or in all 

 refpe£h the fame as the pyrites confifts of \ and, as 



one 



