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XLVI. [1]The common baſtard Emeralds are produced in Places known and well frequented; eſpecially in two;
- ↑ After this mention of the Tanus, which the Author ſuſpects to be a baſtard Kind of Emerald, and which was brought from remote Places, he now gives the Hiſtory of the Baſtard Emerald in general; which he obſerves was common, and produced in Places more frequented. What the Antients knew by the Names of Baſtard Gems, were Cryſtals from Mines, tinged with the Colours of the various precious Stones: and that by the ſame means, the Admixture of metalline Particles, at the Time of their original Concretion: Theſe had therefore the Colour, and in ſome degree the Beauty of the Gems, but wanted their vivid Luſtre and their Hardneſs. And thus the Baſtard Emeralds here mentioned were many of them no more than common Cryſtal tinged by Particles of Copper diſſolved in an Acid. But though this was the general and more determinate Senſe of the Words Pſeudo-Smaragdus, &c. yet they were often uſed in a laxer Senſe, and applied to Subſtances of different kinds more eſſentially diſtinct from the Gem Claſs than theſe, only from their having ſome Reſemblance, (perhaps in ſome Caſes in little more than Colour) to the Gems from which they had the Credit to be named. And of this Kind, if I may be indulged in a random Gueſs, I ſhould imagine this Tanus, to have been; which it is evident ſome had placed among the Emeralds, and of which this Author knew not whether he might not refer it to the Baſtard Emerald; though moſt probably it was no more than a fine Jaſper, ranked among theſe Gems by leſs intelligent People, from its having a good green Colour, and ſome degree of Diaphaneity; for I have ſeen Oriental Jaſpers, which, though opake in the Maſs, have been tolerably pellucid, and of a beautiful green, when cut into thin Plates.
The Places where theſe Baſtard Emeralds were found, favour very much the general Account I have given of them. The Copper Mines of Cyprus could not but abound in Cryſtals tinged with the Matter of the Mine, and reſembling Emeralds. And Pliny obſerves of the Carthaginian, that they were always bad, and that the Store of them failed when the
ſage with Τανῶν, and thence formed his Suſpicions of its not deſerving a Place among the genuine Emeralds. And to this it may be added, that Theophraſtus, though very particular in his Accounts of the Emerald, and all its Kinds, has no where elſe mentioned this.
