MINERALS. 



405 



the river Schuylkill, fifteen miles above Philadelphia, 

 and in the state of South Carolina, partici?larly near 

 the extensive iron works of Hill and Haynes; and 

 also in New Hampshire. Several varieties of ser- 

 pentine, are found in Montgomery, Chester, and 

 Delaware counties, Pennsylvania. 



" Specimens of a stone of the magnesian order have 

 been brought from a quarry very near the town of 

 Newport, in Rhode Island. It smooths and polishes 

 well, and possesses a fine grain* Its predominating 

 colour is a dark green, which is relieved by spots of 

 a paler green, verging in some parts towards a yel- 

 low or whitish. It is considerably heavy. From 

 these qualities it may be pronounced an handsome 

 serpentine, and apparently well worthy of being 

 worked. Hopes are entertained that the quarry will 

 be further opened, and fair and larger trials made 

 upon the fine and valuable material which it con- 

 tains/'* 



Asbestos. This mineral was well known to the 

 ancients, who made a kind of cloth of it, which was 

 famous for its incombustibility. There are many va- 

 rieties of it in the United States. One is found in 

 Chester county, Pennsylvania ; another in New 

 York ; and another at the head waters of Lynch's 

 creek, South Carolina. 



A single specim'en, not well defined, of Cijaniteov 

 Disthcme^ has been found by Dr. Seybert, in mica- 

 ceous schistus, on the borders of the Wissahiccon 

 creek, near Philadelphia. 



. Specimens of Glassy Actiloiiite^ are in the pos- 



* Med. Repos. 



