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is at that Place a very large Pillar of this Stone in the Temple of Hercules. But perhaps this is no true Emerald, but of the Pſeudo-Smaragdus, or baſtard Kind; for there is ſuch a Stone of this Claſs.
from Salmaſius, the beſt, moſt diligent, and accurate of them all, and to whom I am much indebted in many Parts of this Work. But I had rather diſſent from a thouſand Critics than from Reaſon.
That Βακτριανῶν cannot have been the original Reading here is evident, from the Characteriſtics of that Species before named, the principal of which was its Smallneſs. Many of the other Emeralds were at Times found ſmall, but the Bactrian always: its general Character was, that it was too ſmall for engraving Seals on, and therefore only uſed for ornamenting Veſſels and other Utenſils of Gold. And it is certain, that if Theophraſtus had known this Exception to its common Character, he would have named it hereafter, when deſcribing it, and mentioning ſtill its conſtant Smallneſs. But beſide the Improbability of a large Pillar of a Gem uſually too ſmall for a Seal; why do thoſe Gentlemen imagine Theophraſtus, who we ſhall find hereafter was well acquainted with the Stones of this Claſs, ſhould ſuſpect the Bactrian Emerald to be a baſtard Kind: It was well known to him to be a genuine Emerald, and was generally eſteemed the ſecond in Value: the beſt in the World except the Scythian.
That he could never, therefore, mean the Bactrian Emerald here, where he is deſcribing a large, and, as he ſuſpects, baſtard Stone, is certain; and that he did mean the Tanus, I think, is, from his Account, almoſt equally clear. He is talking of the exceſſive Size of Emeralds; and after having mentioned two Accounts, neither of which, he tacitly declares, he can believe, he here adds a third, the Truth of which he ſeems not to doubt, but ſuſpects the Genuineneſs of the Stone. Pliny, we fee, is juſt of the ſame Opinion in regard to the Tanus; ranking it, according to the common Opinion, in the ſame Chapter with the Emeralds, but not allowing it a Place among them, according to his own Sentiments. That Author has generally copied cloſely from Theophraſtus in Things of this Kind, and almoſt every where adopted his Opinions; 'tis highly probable, therefore, that he had read this Paſ
