Page:Theophrastus - History of Stones - Hill (1774).djvu/265

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CX. Earths of ſome kinds are alſo uſed about Cloaths, particularly the Cimolian. The Tymphaican is alſo uſed for the ſame Purpoſes; and the People of Tymphæa and the neighbouring Places call it ^[1]Gypſum.

only called Collyria, that is aſh-coloured Medicines, from their being made of Subſtances of the Tutty kind, and reſembling Aſhes in Colour.

↑ The Antients had many kinds of Gypſum, very different from one another, and uſed for different Purpoſes: but the principal were three; 1. the Terra Tymphaica Gypſum incolis dicta, Γῆ Τυμφαίκὴ ἣν οί περὶ Τυμφαίαν καὶ τοὺς τόπȣς ἐκείνȣς καλοῦσι Γύψον, the Tymphaican Earth, called by the Inhabitants Gypſum; 2. the real genuine Gypſum, which was made, by burning, from a certain talcy Subſtance; and 3. that made by burning many different Species of Stones of the Alabaſter and other ſimilar kinds.

The Tymphaican here mentioned appears to have been an Earth approaching to the Nature of the Marles, but with this remarkable Quality, that it would make a kind of Plaiſter or Cement by mixing with Water, without having paſſed the Fire. This Subſtance is yet to be found in many Places, if carefully ſought after. I remember to have taken up an Earth, which I found to have this Property, near Goodwood, the Seat of his Grace the Duke of Richmond, in Suſſex. And Mr. Morton is recorded to have ſent to Dr. Woodward, from Clipſton Stone-pit in Northamptonſhire, an Earth truly of this kind, and endued with this Quality, under the Name of Calx Nativa: His is deſcribed to be a whitiſh gritty Earth; but what I found was a true genuine Marle, ſomething looſe in Texture, but with no Sand or other ſtony Matter among it; and of this kind the Gypſum Tymphaïcum evidently was. This Author calls it an Earth only, and obſerves, that the People about the Places where it was found called it Gypſum, I ſuppoſe from its having the Properties of that Subſtance. As to its Uſe about Cloaths, the Subſtance I picked up in Suſſex ſeemed of a Texture ſo much reſembling that of Fullers-earth, that if it could be conveniently uſed, it might promiſe to anſwer all the Purpoſes of it, and ſo did the Gypſum Tymphaïcum of the Antients, of which Pliny

[p249-2] The Antients had many kinds of Gypſum, very different from one another, and uſed for different Purpoſes: but the principal were three; 1. the Terra Tymphaica Gypſum incolis dicta, Γῆ Τυμφαίκὴ ἣν οί περὶ Τυμφαίαν καὶ τοὺς τόπȣς ἐκείνȣς καλοῦσι Γύψον, the Tymphaican Earth, called by the Inhabitants Gypſum; 2. the real genuine Gypſum, which was made, by burning, from a certain talcy Subſtance; and 3. that made by burning many different Species of Stones of the Alabaſter and other ſimilar kinds.

The Tymphaican here mentioned appears to have been an Earth approaching to the Nature of the Marles, but with this remarkable Quality, that it would make a kind of Plaiſter or Cement by mixing with Water, without having paſſed the Fire. This Subſtance is yet to be found in many Places, if carefully ſought after. I remember to have taken up an Earth, which I found to have this Property, near Goodwood, the Seat of his Grace the Duke of Richmond, in Suſſex. And Mr. Morton is recorded to have ſent to Dr. Woodward, from Clipſton Stone-pit in Northamptonſhire, an Earth truly of this kind, and endued with this Quality, under the Name of Calx Nativa: His is deſcribed to be a whitiſh gritty Earth; but what I found was a true genuine Marle, ſomething looſe in Texture, but with no Sand or other ſtony Matter among it; and of this kind the Gypſum Tymphaïcum evidently was. This Author calls it an Earth only, and obſerves, that the People about the Places where it was found called it Gypſum, I ſuppoſe from its having the Properties of that Subſtance. As to its Uſe about Cloaths, the Subſtance I picked up in Suſſex ſeemed of a Texture ſo much reſembling that of Fullers-earth, that if it could be conveniently uſed, it might promiſe to anſwer all the Purpoſes of it, and ſo did the Gypſum Tymphaïcum of the Antients, of which Pliny

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