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CIV. It is ſaid, that one Callias, an Athenian, who belonged to the Silver Mines, invented and taught the making this artificial Cinnabar. He had carefully got together a great Quantity of this Sand, imagining, from its ſhining Appearance, that it contained Gold: But when he had found that it did not, and had had an Opportunity, in his Trials, of admiring the Beauty of its Colour, he invented and brought into uſe this Preparation of it. And this is no old Thing, the Invention being only of about ninety Years Date; Praxibulus being at this Time in the Government of Athens.
CV. From theſe Accounts it is manifeſt, that Art imitates Nature, and ſometimes produces very peculiar Things; ſome of which are for Uſe, others for Amuſement only, as thoſe employed in the ornamenting Edifices; and others, both for Amuſement and Uſe. Such is the Production of Quickſilver[1], which
- ↑ We have now many Ways of extracting the Quickſilver from Cinnabar, but all by the Aſſiſtance of Fire. Where the Mineral is rich, the common Way is by a kind of Deſtillation
