DESCRIPTION OF THE FRONTISPIECE ILLUSTRATING 
MINERALOGY. 
IN A VAST GROTTO, ENRICHED WITH THE BRIGHTEST PRODUCTIONS OF SUBTER¬ 
RANEOUS NATURE, THE GODDESS OF MINERALOGY HOLDS HER HIGH COURT, SEATED 
ON A THRONE OF SOLID GOLD, THE ARMS OF WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY GRYPHONS, 
THE FABLED GUARDIANS OF HIDDEN TREASURES, AND ATTENDED BY CYBELE AND 
VULCAN, REPRESENTING EARTH AND FIRE, THE TWO PRINCIPAL AGENTS IN THE 
FORMATION OF MINERALS. SHE IS SURROUNDED BY SEVERAL GROUPS COMPOSED OF 
THE GODS AND GODDESSES WHO PRESIDE OVER METALS AND PRECIOUS STONES: 
APOLLO, IN ALLUSION TO GOLD AND THE TOPAZ—DIANA, TO SILVER AND THE SE- 
LENITES—SATURN, TO LEAD AND THE DIAMOND—JUPITER, TO TIN AND THE SAPPHIRE 
—MARS, TO IRON AND THE RUBY—MERCURY, TO QUICKSILVER AND THE AMETHYST 
—AND VENUS, TO COPPER AND THE EMERALD., SEVERAL GNOMES ARE BUSY IN SEARCH 
OF SPECIMENS OF PRECIOUS ORES, AND PRESENT THEM TO THE GODDESS, WHO, WITH 
THE SCALES IN ONE HAND AND A SCEPTRE OF TOUCHSTONE IN THE OTHER, DETER¬ 
MINES TO WHAT CLASS OF MINERALS THEY BELONG. 
