68 
MEMOIR OF PLINF. 
of certain diseases, such as gout, stone, dropsy • 
“ spots and wems on the visage, and for those tnat 
bee blasted or strucken with a planet how to pre- 
serve and recover the hair, to make the breath sweet, 
to remove moles and carbuncles, staunch blood, and 
allay swellings. These subjects are continued to the 
end of the thirty-second hook, and give occasion to 
the discussion of numerous topics, such as magic or 
the black science, the origin of the art and practice 
of phj'sic, the nature of water salt and fresh, besides 
“ receits of medicines, taken from water-creatures, 
digested and set in order, according to sundry dis- 
eases.” 
The last five books are occupied in describing 
metals, mining, earth, stones ; and the employment 
of the latter for the purposes of life, the use of the 
arts, and the demands of luxury. Under the head 
of colours, mention is made of the most celebrated 
paintings ; whilst the articles of stones and marbles 
include the roost valuable gems and the finest pieces 
of statuary. The descriptions of some of the pre- 
cious stones in the last book, of amber and beryl for 
example, are as good as those in many of our mo- 
dern mineralogists. 
The books on Mining and Statuary abound with 
curious information ; but we must be content to se- 
lect a few anecdotes fi-om the chapters on Painting. 
“ Concerning pictures, and the first originall of paint- 
er’s art, I am not able to resolue and set downe any 
thing for certaine ; neither is it a question pertinent 
