OF CORNWALL. 213 
general aflay-mafler, who fhould not only be obliged to affay, but 
come to the fpot upon proper notice, and examine, at the fide of 
the mine, any new or likely product which the ground fhould 
afford. It might alfo be a part of his province to procure conflant 
quarterly information of the price of metals and ores at all foreign 
markets. It has been mentioned before r , that the true black lead, 
or molybdsena, is found in Cornwall ; and if a vein of this lead, 
which is found no where in Europe to any purpofe but in the 
county of Cumberland, fhould offer, as is not unlikely, it is in 
fome danger of being neglected or thrown away, becaufe it is nei- 
ther tin, common lead, nor copper. 
Quickfilver found in Cornwall I have not heard of, yet it is 
thought by fome mineralifls a Handing rule, that where copper 
abounds, there is always quickfilver *. Moff likely it is fo mixed 
and entangled with other bodies, that our miners, not feeing it 
liquid, never endeavour to difcover it in the cinnabar or ore ; nei- 
ther do they at all heed that quickfilver is found fometimes in hard 
Hones of a faffron, and blackifh colour c ; in both cafes it is very 
eafy for it to efcape our labourers. 
CHAP. XIX. 
Of Gold found in Cornwall. 
I T has been queflioned whether there was ever any gold worth sect. 1. 
notice in Britain “, and Cicero w fays, that, according to his in- Of gold 
formation, there was neither gold nor filver in Britain ; but Strabo * J™. ly 
and Tacitus y , who muH have had better information, confefs both, 
and the latter intimates, that thefe precious metals were the Roman 
motives to conquer Britain 2 . Mr. Carew informs us, page 7, (and 
Camden from him) that fome little quantities of gold were found 
in his time, but fo inconfiderable that they were ufually fold for a 
few half-pence. Mr. Scawen, who writ near the middle of the 
laH century, fays, that “ gold has been made out of the Cornifh 
tin-works.” Mr. Boyle a obferves, that “ he had by him fome fine 
gold, which never endured the fire, taken out of tin-ore,” moH 
likely from Cornwall ; for Sir Humphrey Mackworth b , in his pre- 
r See page 130 of femunetals. J Vit. Agric. chap. xu. 
■ See before of copper, page 208. z Fert Britannia aurum & argentum pretium 
1 Boerh. page 76. viftorise. 
u Mufgravc, vol. I. page 169. a Philof. Tranf. N°. xix. page 339, and ge- 
w Ad Famil. tom I. lib. vii. epift. Vii. edit. neral heads, page 39. 
Elze. & Hack. 1676. b Curiofities of England, page 24. 
x Lib. xv. 
I i i 
face, 
