S40 Of tfe Gom 



be in the filver of the pyrites ; particularly from' 

 the confideration of the above-mentioned experi- 

 ment of M. Homberg. 



Yet, firft, in regard to the origination of filver from 

 pyrites^ there remains the fame difficulty, to account 

 for the origination of gold. Again, we find, that 

 where the moft filver, there the leaft gold lodges : 

 nay, the richeft filver- ores, as the glajjy, and red- 

 goldijh, contain not, at leaft with us, any the leaft: 

 gold •, whereas the contrary would neceffarily hap- 

 pen, if not always, yet generally, were filver as fuch, 

 the mother of gold, or did filver contain the proxi- 

 mate matter of a gold-earth. And though native 

 gold may lodge in glajjy ore, it follows not, that 

 this ore is the foil proper to gold •, feeing matters, 

 as has been often obferved already, may, without 

 the one lie near, nay, lie entangled in each other, 

 being the caufe or origin of the other. 



Whence then are we to fetch our new-born gold- 

 iarth ? To afcribe it to the iron in the pyrites 

 feems improbable •, as the pure iron- pyrites neither 

 yields any gold, by the common proof, nor ad- 

 mits of any melioration from additions. To fup- 

 pofe it lodged in the copper of ihtfyr ites, can with 

 as little probability be imagined ; for, tho' gold py- 

 rit<£ are ufually coppery, yet the yield in gold is not 

 always in the proportion of the copper-yield ; but 

 the richeft copper --pyrit a ', and which on that fcore 

 are called copper-ore, I have always found to come 

 fhorteft in gold. 



Of the crude, unmetallic earth in pyrites^ we 

 know not the nature and properties, except what I 

 myfelf have negatively advanced about it, and its 

 vitrefcibility •, no one elfe, fo far as I know, having 

 ever examined it, or once dreamed of its exiftence 



in 



