matrices of the precious ores found in Hungary and Transylvania. The higher parts of the Cuchullin mountains of the Isle of Skie, in particular, consist of strata of the identical porphyry which is known to be metalliferous', lying upon basalt. The author carefully examined all those islands, and the opposite main land of Great Britain, before he undertook his last journey to the Continent: and from what he has since seen of foreign mines, he is convinced that a proper attention has not yet been paid to the importance of our own mountains. In the account of antient copper coinage, as of all other cupreous antiquities, the author has always used the word bronze-a a term now become absolutely necessary—to distinguish the old chemical compound of copper and tin, from that of a later age, consisting of copper and zinc, or orichalcum', which is called brass. Thus, at the end of the Seventh Chapter of this Section, he mentions" Roman, or ecclesiastical brass coins." There was no such substance known in the heroic ages, nor in the time of the Peloponnesian war, when copper began to be used for coinage in Greece, as that compound which we call brass: and perhaps there is no better test to decide at once the distinction between a genuine antique bronze, and those spurious imitations of the works of the Antients, whereof there exists a complete manufacture at Naples, than to submit the suspected metal to (1) The Saxum metalliferum of Born. Cadmia-terra quæ in æs conjicitur, ut fiat ORICHALCUM." Fest. de Ver. Seq. to any chemical test which may determine the presence of tin, or of zinc, in a state of combination with copper: for if there be a particle of zinc in the mass, the work, consisting of brass, and not of bronze, is thereby proved to be either of modern date, or at best a specimen of orichalcum, and therefore of Roman origin3. In the acknowledgment of literary obligations, the author has been scrupulously exact; perhaps more so than, in some instances, might seem necessary: but it was his wish to discharge every debt of this nature,-for two reasons: first, because by so doing he presents his Reader with a view of the society in which he has lived, and introduces to his notice some of the friends with whom he has conversed: secondly, because those parts of his work which are exclusively his own, and for which he alone is responsible, may the more easily be recognised. Upon the present occasion he is desirous of acknowledging a communication of an interesting nature from his friend the Rev. G.A. BROWNE, M.A. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, which constitutes the first article of the Appendix to this Section. It relates to a fragment of Nicctas the Choniate, which is not to be found in any of the printed editions of that historian. The original is preserved in a Manuscript belonging to the Bodleian Library at Oxford. It is mentioned by Mr. Harris, in his "Philological Inquiries," and was first published by Banduri, in his Imperium Orientale; afterwards by Fabricius, in his Bibliotheca; but, owing to the extreme difficulty of compre (3) See Watson on ORICHALCUM. Chem. Essays, vol. IV. p. 85. Camb. 1786. (4) Philolog. Inq. Chap. V. vol. II. p. 301. Lond. 1781. comprehending the sense of the author, no correct version of it had appeared. The task of rendering this fragment intelligible was kindly undertaken by Mr. Browne; and as it mainly relates to former observations, respecting the real perpetrators of the ravages committed among the Fine Arts in Constantinople, it is now printed, with Mr. Browne's valuable Notes, at the end of this volume. To JOHN GWALTER PALAIRET, Esq. of Reading, the author is further indebted, for a revision of the following pages, after they were prepared for publication. To mention other obligations were only to repeat former acknowledgments: but he will not close this Preface without expressing his thanks to RICHARD PAYNE KNIGHT, Esq.; to the Rev. Dr. KAYE, the present ViceChancellor of the University of Cambridge; and to that celebrated traveller, JOHN HAWKINS, Esq. of Bignor Park, Sussex; for the polite attention which they have shewn to inquiries affecting the accuracy of this work. FOR THE MINES OF HUNGARY AND TRANSYLVANIA. A TABLE OF WEIGHTS Occurs in Note (2), p. 623; but as their names appear frequently in the Supplement, it has been thought that a place of general reference for the Weights, and Money, of Hungary, &c. might be useful, if placed at the beginning of the Volume. One quintal (centenarius) equals 100 pounds. One pound One mark One loth One quintale 2 marks. 16 loths, or lothen. 4 quintales (drachmæ). 4 deniers. As an illustration of the use of this Table, the following statement may be made of the average proportion of Gold and Silver in the Hungarian Ores : Lot. Qu. Den. One mark of gold from the Bakabanya ore, contains 3.2. O of silver. In the account of the Mines, and last Chapter of the Supplement, allusion is someIt is counted in times made to German Money; the value of which may be thus rated. rixdollars, florins, and kreutzers. Flor. Kreutz. One rixdollar of Vienna is equal to 1.30 = But the common reckoning is in florins and kreutzers. 0.60 To reduce the German Money to its equivalent in English Money, the following rule may be observed: The value of a florin in the Imperial dominions, as Hungary, Austria, Bohemia, if paid in silver, is about two shillings of our money; or 2s. 24d. if the course of exchange at Leipsic be as high as six rixdollars to the pound sterling. Because sir rixdollars are equivalent to nine florins (nine florins being reckoned equal to a pound sterling, at Vienna, or at Presburg, when the pound sterling is worth six rixdollars at Leipsic), therefore, reckoning the florin at two shillings, the kreutzer, being of that sum, is rather less than two farthings. EXPLANATORY LIST OF COPPER-PLATES, MAPS, CHARTS, &c.. ALSO SERVING AS DIRECTIONS FOR THE BINDER, No. 1. Orestes and Electra at the Tomb of Agamemnon; as represented upon an Athenian Terra-cotta Vase, in the style of painting called Monochroma; accurately copied from the original Vase, now in the Author's possession, by Mrs. Edward Clarke; and engraved by R. Cooper. To face the Title, as the Frontispiece of the Volume. 2. Waiwode, or Governor of Athens; taken from the Life, by an Artist of Athens, 3. Village of Marathon, in the approach from Athens'; from a Sketch by Lusieri, 4. Plain of Marathon, with the Villages of Marathon and Bey; and a distant 5. Topographical Chart of the Plain of Marathon; made upon the spot by the Author; engraved by Neele 6. Pretended Tomb of St. Luke at Thebes; a Marble Soros of one of the later Platonists; from a Sketch by the Author, etched by L. Byrne 12: 14 16 58 7. Votive Offerings of Terra-cotta and of Marble, found at Thebes; taken from the Originals by Mrs. E. Clarke; engraved by R, Cooper - 70 8. Hieron of Trophonius at Lebadéa; shewing the Stoma of the Adytum; the Throne of Mnemosyne; the Bath; the Fountain of Memory; the Receptacles for the Votive Offerings, &c.; from a Drawing made upon the spot by the Author; etched by L. Byrne 126 |