( 4 “ ) 
§, 8. If it be ask’d how it comes to paCs that tbeQ 
InjirHmnts are of Brafs rather than of any other Metal. ^ 
it may be reply’d that they as well as the People'} of other 
Nations in former times thought there was an extraordi* 
nary virtue in Brafs, Whence it was that they us’d brafs 
Injtruments when the Moon was in an Eclipfe (ji), think- 
ing that by beating of them Qie would the more eatily be 
recover’d from her Labour, which cuflom almost univerf al- 
ly prevail’d. And ’tw^s upon account of this peculiar ' 
Virtue fuppos’d to be in Brafs that the Infiruments made 
uie of in the facred Ofices were in the more early times 
all of Brafs, that the Tufcans ufed Brafs Plorvfoares when 
their Cities were built, and that the Priejiso^ the Sabins 
were (hav’d with Brafs Razors (z), Hefod himfelf tells 
(yi) us that the Antients us’d Brafs Injlruments before Iron 
ones : 
At which time not only their Arms but their Houfes were 
like wife of Brafs. 
Toif V w fifP Jin '^nt.oh (a) 
The Cuftomxm^t prevail as well mBritain as elfewhere. Iron " 
being not fo very plentiful in the fir f time of the Roman 
however it might increale afterwards when the Bath- Forge 
was erefted, and all proper Methods us’d upon that occa* 
fion. Nor ought it to be wonder’d how the Brafs-Chiffells 
could be apply’d to the without breaking to pieces 
immediately, any more than that the Plough-fares did 
not fuffer the fame Damage in cafting up the Ground and 
grating againft the Stones with more Violence, The Brafs 
in thofe early times was of a different nature from oars, 
and fo temper’d as to endure much longer with lefs in- - 
convenience in the feveral Operations to which imploy'd. 
9. I have finiOi’d what I have to fay at prefent up- 
on thefe old Inflruments, As for another Piece of Anti, 
(yj See hhy lih. XXVI. c. 5. Edit. Oxor. (^) Hde RhoW^nu an- 
tiq.. Lear.. /.XIX. c. 10* ( a) Ep^* ^ f G) i ik H 9 - 
quitj Y 
