[ 6<h ] 
been admitted, in his time, into chambers in houfes, 
baths, &c. Whether the plates ufed for this purpofe 
were ftained with various colours (as mentioned 
above), or had tints of divers kinds applied to the 
back part of them, I fball not pretend to determine : 
but in either way they would have a very agreeable 
effetd. 
The lad; deftination, which the obvious congruity 
of the thing itfelf, countenanced by the practice of 
many ages pad:, as well as of the prefent time, would 
induce one to afcribe to luch plates of glafs, is 
that of windows for houfes, baths, portico’s, &c. 
But I am fenfible, that whoever diould be hardy 
enough to advance fuch an hypothefis, would be 
cenfured as an innovator, in oppodng the general 
opinion of the connoid'eurs in antiquity. Thefe 
gentlemen are almoft unanimous in aderting, that 
whenever we meet with mention made of J'pecularia 
in ancient writers (efpecially thofe of, or near to , the 
age, to which we mud: refer this fragment), we are 
to underftand by that term nothing but fences made 
of lamina , either of a certain done called from its 
tranfparent quality lapis fpecularis (13), brought find: 
from Hifpania Citerior, and afterwards found in Cy- 
prus, Cappadocia, Sicily, and Africa ; or of another done 
of the fame nature, viz. the phengites. Thefe, tho* 
exprefsly didinguidied from each other by Pliny ( 14', 
are yet reckoned by fome moderns (15-) as one and 
(13) Plin. Nat. Hift. lib. xxxvi. c. 22. §. 45. 
(14) Nat. Hift. lib. xxxvi. c. 22. §. 45. 
(15) Vid. Salmafius in a paflage to be produced hereafter. 
the 
