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which tries [1]Gold, is alſo very wonderful, as it ſeems to have the ſame Power with Fire; which is alſo a Teſt of that Metal. Some People have, for this Reaſon, queſtioned the Truth of this Power in the Stone; but their Doubts are ill founded, for this Trial is not of the ſame Nature, or made in the ſame Manner with the other. The Trial by Fire is by the Colour, and Quantity loſt by it; but that by the Stone, is made only by rubbing the Metal on it; the Stone ſeeming to have a Power of receiving ſeparately the diſtinct Particles of different Metals.
- ↑ The Stone here deſcribed is the Lapis Lydius of the Author, commonly called the Touch-ſtone, from its Office of trying Metals by the Touch. The excellent Salmaſius, generally ſo happy in underſtanding the Antients, and to whom I am obliged, in the Courſe of this Work, much oftener than to any other Author, is yet guilty of a Miſtake in regard to this Stone; and erroneouſly accuſes Pliny of a great Error, in a Thing in which that Author, however often faulty, is perfectly right. Miſtakes in the Works of Men of ſuch Eminence as this excellent Critic, ought, above all Things, to be ſet right; as they otherwiſe paſs with the Generality of Readers as certain and unqueſtionable Truths. And this, in particular, being in the Name of a Stone, ought to be cleared rather than any other; as Errors about Names are what alone have given more than half the Confuſion we have, in regard to the Works of the Antients. Pliny has ſaid of this Stone, Auri argentique mentionem comitatur lapis, quem coticulam appellant, quondam non ſolitus inveniri niſi in flumine Tmolo, ut auctor eſt
