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pis Armenus, which has in it Chryſocolla; and another Stone, in Colour reſembling the [1]Carbuncle, but much heavier.
LXXI. Upon the whole, there are many and very remarkable, different Kinds of foſſile Subſtances dug in Pits; ſome of which conſiſt of an argillaceous Matter, as [2]Ochre, and Reddle; others
- ↑ The Stone next mentioned, and ſaid to reſemble the Carbuncle, but to be heavier, was probably of the Cinnabar Kind, of which hereafter: Many Specimens of this Foſſil I have ſeen of a very fine Texture, and beautiful Colour; and all of it has the other Quality here mentioned, Weight.
- ↑ Ochre and Reddle are Earths of the ſame Nature and Texture, and only differ in Colour;
as it is now generally thought going very far back if we turn to Pliny; when we find that even Pliny, who has taken the greater Part of his Hiſtory of Foſſils from this Author, has in many Places evidently and notoriouſly miſunderſtood him. Of this we have an evident Inſtance in the preſent Caſe; for he has confounded the two Subſtances called by this Name, and ſaid of the Gem Cyanus, what Theophraſtus, from whom he tranſlated it, ſays of the Paint; as I ſhall have Occaſion to obsſerve at large, when I come hereafter to the Paſſage from which Pliny tranſlated it.
The Cyanus here meant, therefore, is the Lapis Armenus, called by the Germans, Bergblau, and by the French, Verd azur. It is a mixt earthy Subſtance, of a beautiful greeniſh Blue; and ſeems compoſed of arenaceous and ochreous Matter, tinged to that Colour by Particles of Copper, It was firſt found in Armenia, from whence it has its preſent Name, and uſed to be brought from thence; but has ſince been diſcovered in Germany, Bohemia, Saxony, and many other Places: Our own Kingdom produces it, and that as good as any in the World, but in what Quantity I cannot ſay. I remember to have ſeen it in the Fiſſures of Stone, among ſome of the Talcs, not far from Mountſorrel in Leiceſterſhire, and have now ſome of it, which I brought thence.
