In Mr. Gellert's tables of affinity, Zinc is indeed placed in the first degree, and Iron in the second; but this, which refers only to their metallick ftate, does not affect what I have above advanced of the mineral: yet, in the mineral, Zinc is scarce ever free from Iron; the vast quantities of Black Jack which this county produces, being, by means of this mixture, rendered moftly unfit for use.

We have, indeed, feveral kinds of Goffans, from the different appearances of which, experienced miners form very ftrong and well grounded conjectures, of what they will produce when they come to be wrought: but more of this when I come to define the nature of Lodes, in respect of the earth and stones they

contain.

The different alterations of fubftance before described, are deemed by fome a genuine tranfmutation: but they carry the argument too far, who fuppofe that Minerals or Metals are entirely changed from one kind to another, as Mundick into Copper, Lead into Silver, Silver into Gold, &c. For when Metals or Ores do once arrive to their utmost perfection, which probably they were endued with from the beginning, and which is always effential to them, though fubject to divers impediments and revolutions; it is not eafy then to conceive, how they can by any means affume an entire alteration or renovation, fo as to be tranfmuted from one Metal to another, by any degree of elaboration in the earth.

If this tranfmutation was a fact in nature, from the divers alterations which we may reasonably suppose to happen in our foluble Minerals, fuch as Copper Ore for inftance, we might expect to meet with the most perfect Metals in our Mines; and our richest Tin Mines, by the elaboration and melioration of them in the course of two thousand years, might at this time be productive of Gold and Silver enough, to furnish a sum ten thousand times ten thousand greater than our national debt. But the wisdom of God, for the benefit of his creatures, has ordained, that things of this kind should remain enshrined in their own nature: and Tin, though united by a diffeminated quantum of Gold, will not part with its noble cement, notwithstanding the chymical analyzations of an illiterate impoftor to extract a pound of Gold from every block of Tin. No, the goodness of Providence has fixed unalterable limits to the perfection of each particular Metal, to render the whole of greater

fervice

fervice to mankind; the inferior Metals, Iron especially, being of more general utility than Gold, Silver, and even precious

Stones.

fo

If it be faid, that the impurities of the earth in our Mines, is the cause that nature is debilitated and fruftrated in her endeavours after tranfmutation; it is answered, that, notwithstanding this impediment, fuch a long elaboration and maturation in the earth, in so great a series of years, would neceffarily and inevitably exalt the base Metals into fo high a degree of purity and goodness, that they would, by this time, be greatly enriched with Gold or Silver; and though they contain Stones and Earths of various colours and degrees of purity, yet there is no effential difference between them, from one containing a nobler Metal than another; which would scarcely be the cafe, without some stronger evidence of exaltation, notwithstanding all the oppofition that nature could meet with in the Mines, provided the was endued with a power of converting the bafe Metals into those of a superior kind.

We may likewise conclude from the premises, that the opinion of thofe, who hold that Metals in the earth continue in the fame state as at first, is erroneous; because the migration and egress of Metals and Minerals, is obvious enough in the investigation of Mineral Spaws or Springs.

Many of our Mines furnish Stones, perhaps of but an ounce weight, in which may be difcerned the pure Ores of Tin and Copper, Copper and Lead, Zinc or Mock-lead, and Mundick, each in a separate state from the other, (by the intervention of Goffan, Cal, Flookan, Spar, and Chryftal.) How should this natural class and order of Metals, &c. be effected, but by the agency of water to bring, and the power of attraction to arrest, fuch and fuch particles, and depofit each in its proper matrix or nidus? May we not, therefore, fuppofe, that Mines which are very rich at one given time and place, may in feveral centuries after be impoverished in that place; and other parts of those Mines, which were then barren, may be now plentifully stored with Metal, according to the folution and tranfmigration of their respective principles, which are depofited in fome other magnetick nidus; whose power of retention, in procefs of time, may be again decayed, thofe principles again depart, and again be arrested ad infinitum? This may account for the uncertain diftribution of Ore, in one and the fame Lode; which may be

very rich in this age, and in the following not worth any further purfuit. And this may also be the cause of the old Huel Virgin's producing near half a million sterling; and the eastern Huel Virgin's never yet producing three hundred pounds, though of feventy fathoms depth, with eight thousand pounds charge upon her, and still within forty fathoms of a gulph of Copper Ore in the fame Lode.

This hypothefis, which is formed on my own obfervation and judgment of Metals, may not be relished by those, who have adopted the ancient opinion of the production of Metals and Minerals by vegetation; nor by thofe, who suppose Metals to continue always in the fame state. But though I am not fond of fingularity, I cannot help diffenting from the common traditions, for the reasons I have given; which, I hope, are so plain and natural, as to fatisfy the reader, that there is no need of having recourse to the center of the earth for a solution of this matter. In inquiries of this nature, every one has a right to be guided by his own experience and judgment. And though the fubject, at beft, is fo obfcure and difficult, that it can never be clearly put out of difpute, yet I think, I have evidenced the propofition upon which I first fat out; namely, that all matter is fubject to rotation and viciffitude, to continual different modifications, improvements, progrefs, decay, and reformation; and that, at the fame time, the primeval principles and particles thereof remain naturally the fame in fome part of the universe, unless difunited by the contrivance, and for the use of man, on whom all things here below have been bountifully bestowed by him, who is the Author and Giver of all good things both in heaven and in earth.

CHA P. II.

Of Water, the Vehicle and Cement of Metals, Minerals, Stones, &c.

I

SHALL now endeavour to confirm what has been said, by examining what the effects are, that proceed from the caufes I have fuppofed and to fhew the propriety of my fuggeftions, it will be neceffary to examine into the properties of Water, as universally admitted by the most approved writers on that fubject.

Next to Fire, Water is the most penetrative of all bodies; by which quality it is fitted to enter into the compofition of all Animals, Vegetables, and Foffils: by this, alfo, joined with its fmoothness, it is fitted to convey the nutritive matter of Foffils, Stones, Minerals, and Metals; paffing fmoothly on, it never ftops the pores, but leaves room for fubfequent fupplies. Yet Water, which so easily separates from moft bodies, firmly coheres with fome, and binds them together in the most folid maffes. It is by the glutinous nature of Water alone, that our houfes ftand for take Water out of wood, and wood becomes rotten; out of brick, tile, and ftones, and they become dust. It is evident that Water fubfifts in Metals; for the filings of Tin, Copper, and Lead, yield Water plentifully by diftillation. "All Foffils, and even Metals themfelves, are capable of dif folving in Water, and indeed are naturally mixed therewith; "and this holds of all concreted faline, vitriolick, and metal"lick juices, of which Water makes a principal part, ferving "to dilute, move, change, increafe, and incorporate them "with each other." (Boerhaave.)

As it is evident, therefore, that the Waters flow from the circumjacent earth, or ftrata, into, and through the Mines, from one vein or fiffure into another, and fo on throughout in constant circulation, till they are discharged upon the furface, for their ultimate conveyance into the fea; so they serve as a vehicle to protrude and convey the acids, falts, and minute loofe particles of Ore or Metal they meet with, into their proper matrixes or veins, where they are depofited by the decompofition of the acid, and attracted by the Metals, Minerals, or Juices, to which they have the nearest affinity; and in process of time are accumulated into large heaps or quantities, while the other earthy or ftony parts of the vein are carried away by the ingrefs and egrefs of the pervading waters: and thus the Ores, or Metals, are continually complicated, congealed, and cemented, by the decompofing and magnetick quality in the Mines; to which the agglutinating petrifying nature of the Waters, doth not a little contribute.

But if these properties in the Mines be enervated or destroyed, then their particles will be difunited and feparated fo small, as to render them capable of being protruded and forced away by the Waters into the contiguous ftrata; while the impurer parts of other places are impelled by the Waters into the Mines, where they fubfide or lodge, in the room of the Ores or Metals that

were

were thence difplaced. We are fenfible that the Loadstone, which has fo wonderful an attraction, may lofe its virtue; and therefore it ought not to be thought ftrange, that Mines should be subject to the like alterations, from the intervention of accidental causes.

The confideration of the nature of mineral spaws and fprings, will fenfibly inform us, that there is fuch a continual percolation of Minerals and Metals, or their falts or principles, through the pores and channels of the earth; and the goodness and providence of God are paternally apparent in their falubrious effects upon the impaired conftitutions of mankind. But there is a far greater difplay of his benevolence to us in particular; for this town and neighbourhood are entirely supplied with pot Water from mineral fprings, and those of the most deleterious miasma : nay, for the most part, our Water for culinary uses, is taken up at the low-floven, or tail of the adit, immediately where it discharges from those Mines which are not working; and have run half a mile or more over a bed of Copper, Mundick, and every other congeries of mineral poifons. This is a fact fo notorious, that I can produce many thousand attestations to confirm my affertion. To what cause shall we ascribe the falubrity of Pednandrea, and Huel-Sparnon Waters? Thofe Mines have been wrought at a considerable depth by the power of three fire engines, and have produced vaft quantities of Tin, Copper, Mundick, and fome Lead; yet, at this time, when those Mines are not working, and the Water is clear, we use it for all purpofes indifcriminately, without the leaft tinge, or the leaft incrustation upon our household utenfils; and in twenty-four years acquaintance with the practice of medicine, I have not met with any one patient, whose disorder I could attribute to the most trifling unwholesomeness in our Mine Waters.

If the reader will advert to the true cause of these different effects in one and the same fluid, he may find it in what has been before faid; and will prefently join in opinion with me, in the properties attributed to Goffan Lodes: and this will be a further demonftration of the decompofition of those Waters into their primitive purity and innocence, by contact with this ferruginous medium. Again, as a proof of a proof, feveral Mines, whose adits are so much deeper as to be under the Goffany bed of Ores, do produce Water fit for no ufe but driving mill or engine wheels. Such Water is quite noxious, and palpably vitriolick to the tafte, particularly at the Mines of North

Downs,