MARBLE. 373 
Sinai, and of a reddish kind found on the banks 
of the Red Sea. Chardin also mentions several va- 
rieties found in Persia, of which the most pro- 
minent are white, black, and red, or a mixture of 
white and red. 
Marble is common in several of the Chinese pro- 
vinces, of which many of their bridges are con- 
structed. Twelve or fifteen leagues from Pekin 
there are quarries of white marble that are worked 
by the inhabitants into columns and other orna- 
ments to decorate the courts and palace of the em- 
peror. 
Many beautiful varieties of marble are found in 
Siberia, particularly in the environs of Ekaterin- 
bug, from whence it is conveyed into Russia. The 
late empress built a noble palace of this marble 
at Petersburgh, for her favourite Orlof. It is situ- 
ated on the banks of the Neva, and is one of the 
most striking ornaments of the capital. 
It is very common to find marble full of the re- 
mains of shells and other calcareous substances. 
Some specimens of this kind are very beautiful 
when polished, and much used to ornament chim- 
neys, &c. A gray brown sort, which is almost en- 
tirely composed of shells, is found in the neigh- 
bourhood of Troyes, in the department of Aube. 
Another kind, filled with shells of a fine golden yel- 
low, comes from the environs of Astracan; and seve- 
ral other varieties are obtained from different parts 
of the world. 
In the neighbourhood of Florence is found a 
