112 CALCAREOUS ALABASTER. 
hanging, like immense icicles, from the roofs of lime-stone ca~ 
verns 9 and also coating the sides of such caverns. 
The formation of this substance is deserving of notice. 
The water which oozes through the crevices of lime- 
stone rocks, becomes strongly impregnated with minute^ 
particles of lime. This water, when it has reached the 
roof or side of a cavern, is generally suspended, for a 
considerable time, before a drop of sufficient size to fall 
by its own weight is formed. In the interval which thus 
elapses, some of the particles of lime are separated from 
the water, owing to the escape of the carbonic acid (26), 
and adhere to the roof. In this manner successive par- 
ticles are separated, and are attached to each other, 
until what is called a stalactite, having somewhat the 
appearance of an icicle, is formed. These stalactites 
are sometimes solid, having a lamellar structure ; some- 
times of a fibrous texture, radiating from the centre 
to the circumference, as may be observed when they 
are broken ; and sometimes hollow. If the water col- 
lects and drops too rapidly to allow time for the forma- 
tion of a stalactite, it falls upon the floor, and there 
forms an irregular lump of alabaster, which has the 
name of stalagmite. In some caverns, the separation of 
the calcareous matter takes place both at the roof and 
on the floor ; and, in course of time, the substance 
upon each increasing, they meet, and form pillars, 
sometimes of great magnitude. 
Caverns of this kind occur in almost every country. 
Those of Derbyshire are well known; but the most 
celebrated stalactitic cave in the world is that of Anti- 
paros, in the Grecian Archipelago. 
The kind of limestone formed in the above manner 
is what the ancients generally denominated alabaster. 
It was employed by them for the same purposes as 
marble, was cut into tables, columns, vases, and some- 
times even into statues. They also used it in the ma- 
nufacture of vases or boxes for containing unguents. 
It is supposed to have been a vessel formed of this 
stone that is mentioned in the Gospel of St. Matthew, 
