In the Py kites: 239 



way From pyrites, is never formally in it ; feeing 

 no one fingle metal is ever formally in any ore as 

 fuch, or can be faid to be in it in its metallic form. 



Gold and filver can never be called formal, till 

 they have attained their metallic form, and are 

 thus become native, or, as we fpeak, grown ; but 

 the metal is to be confidered in the ore no other 

 than an earth, which either the fulphur, the arfe- 

 nic, or both together, have penetrated, diflblved, 

 and drank up ; or which appears barely in the form 

 of an earth or ftone, without any obfervable fulphur 

 or arfenic. 



But now is this gold and filver earth, or calx, an 

 actual metal ? or more diftinctly, does it already 

 pofTefs whatfoever is proper both to its ground- 

 mixtion and metallic form ? Muft fomething be 

 given to it, or taken from it ? We have examined 

 this above, on occafion of Becher's and Homberg's 

 experiments ; being much the fame queftion, as 

 might regard a metal reduced to an earth by art : 

 and I muft needs abide by Geoffroy's conjecture in 

 oppofition to M. Lemery : namely, that for the 

 metallifation of a metallic earth, fomething, name- 

 ly, a fatty, inflammable matter, muft be incorpo- 

 rated therewith. 



But laftly, how will the cafe hold with fuch 

 gold-earth, as by peculiar ways and additions, muft 

 be educed from pyrites and other ores ? There ic 

 lodges neither formally, nor in its ground-mixtion, 

 but muft firft, by the operation, be reduced to a 

 gold-earth. Yet there lodges fomewhat, as a meal, 

 in the ore or metal, which only wants a proper 

 ferment, and a due degree of coclion ; and this 

 fermer.t again is an earth. This earth appears to 



be 



