562 | The fixand thirtieth Booke 
THE XXXVI... BOOKE‘OR @ 
THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE, |” 
WRITTEN BY C. PLINIVS 
| SECVNDVS. 
g The Proeme. 
Cnar it 
2& The natures and properties of Stones : The excefsive expencein columnes and q 
) buildings of Marble. 
a, 
Sal remaineth nowto write of the nature of Scones, thatis to fay, the principall 
c ASN |} point of all enormious abufes,and the very height of waftfull {uperfluities,yea 
a | though we fhouldkeepe filence,and fay nothing either of precious {tones and 
SA\h |] amber,or of Chryftall and Caffidonie. For,all things els which we have hand- 
Oy | led heretofore evento this bouke, may feeme in {ome fort to have beene made 
—2=; forman; bucas for mountaines, Nature had framed them for her owne felfe; 
partly to ftrengthen (as it were) certaine joints within the veines and bowels of theearth ; partly 
to came the violence of great rivers,and to breake the force of {urging waves and inundations of 
the fea: and in one word, by that fub{tance and matter whereof they ftand,which of all othersis 
moft hard,to reftraine and keepe within bounds that unruly element of the Water. And yet nor- 
withftanding,for our wanton pleafures and nothing elfe, we cut and hew, wee load and carie away_ 
thofe huge hils and inacceffible rockes,which otherwile to paffe onely over,was thought a woon- 
der. Our auncettors iv times paft reputed ita miracle,and in manner prodigious, that firlt dans 
bal!, and afterwards the Cimbrians, furmounted the Alpes: but now, even the fame mountains 
wee pierce through with picke-ax and mattocke, for to get out thereof athoufandfortsof mar- 
bic; we cleave the capes and promontories ; wee lay them open forthe fea,to let it in; downe wee 
goce with their heads, as if wee would lay the whcle world even, and make all levell. The mightie 
mountaines fet as limits tobound the frontiers of diverfe countries, and to feparat one nation L 
from another, thofe we tranfport and carrie from their native feat: (hips we build of purpofe for ~ 
to fraught with marble ; the cliffes and tops of high hils they carrie too and fro, amid the waves 
. _ and billowes of the fea,and never feare the daunger oi that moft fell and cruell element:where- 
in verely we furpaffe the madnefle and vanitie of chofe,who fearch as high asthe clouds fora cup 
Pi sitecie ote diinke our water cold;and hollowtherockes that in manner touch the heaven, & all to drinke 
cieforthey OUtOf *yce.Now let every man thinke with himfelfe what exceffive prices of the‘e ftones he fhall 
held Cry all heare anone,and what monftrous peecesand mafles hee feeth drawne and carried both by land 
Bice kind and fea ; let him confider withall,how much more faire and happy alifemany aman fhould have 
withourall this,and how many cannotchufe but die for it,whenfoever they goe about todoe,or, 
if  fhould fpeake more truly,to fuffer this enterprife:Alfo,for whatufe elfe,or pleafurerather,but 
onely that they might liein beds andchambers of {tones that forfooth are fpotted, as if they ne- M 
ver regarded how the darkeneffe of the night bereaveth the one halfe of each manslife of thefe 
delights and joies. When I ponder and weigh thefe things in my mind,I muft needs thinke greae 
fhame,and impute a great faule to our forefathers that lived long fince,& blufh in their behalie, 
Lawes were enacted, and prohibitions publithed by the Cenfors, and thofe remaiting upon re- 
cord, 
K 
