Page:Theophrastus - History of Stones - Hill (1774).djvu/229

 were ditinguihed by the Names of Terra Lemnia, and Rubrica Lemnia,  and, the Lemnian Reddle, and Lemnian Earth: The firt of thee was ued by Painters, as it was taken out of the Pit; the econd was firt made into Cakes, and ealed with great Ceremonies; and was in very high Eteem in Medicine. I hall be the more particular on thee Earths, as it will naturally lead to a better Undertanding of ome other of the Earths now much in ue in Medicine; the Names of which at leat are o. The great Occaion of the Errors about the Lemmian Earths, is the Mitake of Pliny, in confounding them together, as he evidently has done; not ditinguihing the medicinal ealed Earth of that Place, from the Reddle ued by Painters. The ealed Earth was eteemed acred, and the Priets alone were uffered to meddle with it. They mixed it with Goat's Blood, made the Impreion of a Seal upon it; and it was, therefore, called, and Sphragis by the Latins; Diocorides. This, therefore, was the Sealed Earth of Lemnos, the Earth ued in Medicine, and called by the Phyicians Lemnian Earth: The Hand the Priets had in the making it up, got it the Name of Sacred Earth,. And this eems to be the very ame with the true Terra Lemnia ued at this time; which is a fat unctuous Clay, of a pale red Colour, made up in Cakes of about half an Ounce Weight, ometimes les, and brought from Lemnos, and many other Parts of the Turkih Dominions: This we now call Terra Lemnia Rubra, by way of Ditinction from a white Earth, les unctuous and more atringent than the red, which is dug in Lemnos only. And we have ometimes, beide thee, an unealed Earth from the ame Place, which is yellowih, with blackih Specks: it has this Advantage of the other, that we are ure it is genuine; for we are enible they are too often counterfeited.

Thee were the Terræ Lemniæ ued in Medicine. The Rubrica Lemnia was a kind of as it is commonly called; but it is dug in Cappadocia, and thence carried to Sinope. There are particular Pits in Lemnos, in which nothing but the Earth is dug. -