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LIX. There was alſo once found in the Gold Mines of [1]Lampſacus, an admirably beautiful Gem, on which, after it had been ſent to Tyre, a Seal was engraved, which for its Excellence was preſented to the King.
LX. Theſe are very beautiful, and very ſcarce: But thoſe produced in Greece, are of the meaneſt and worſt Kind.
LXI. Such are alſo the Carbuncles
- ↑ Lampſacus was a City of Aſia, near the Helleſpont, in the Neighbourhood of which there were Mines worked for Gold, Silver, and Copper. What the Gem was, here mentioned by the Author, there is no determining; but in all Probability, from its having a Place ſo near the Agates, it was a more than ordinarily beautiful Stone of that Kind.
the Hiſtory of this Species; as he is too often alſo in other Places guilty of Errors, in regard to the Greek Authors from whom he takes his Accounts of Things. Indeed it ſeems much to be queſtioned, whether the Stone itſelf be not as much the Product of Imagination, as the Virtues aſcribed to it: However, as there was ſo evident a Proof as this, of its having obtained its Name from its ſuppoſed Virtues, becauſe it was πάντων προφερέϛατος; not its Colour; I could not omit giving it a Place, to aſcertain the original Meaning of a Name ſo much miſunderſtood.
The Agate was firſt diſcovered in the River Achate, from which, as our Author obſerves, it had its Name, but has ſince been found to be the Product of almoſt every Nation upon Earth. The fineſt in the World are thoſe of the Eaſt Indies: It is found alſo in great Plenty in Italy, Spain, and Germany, where there are ſometimes alſo very elegant ones; England is not without them: In general, the Engliſh are not good; but ſome few of them have been found little inferior to the fineſt.
