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

 CX. Earths of ome kinds are alo ued about Cloaths, particularly the Cimolian. The Tymphaican is alo ued for the ame Purpoes; and the People of Tymphæa and the neighbouring Places call it The Antients had many kinds of Gypum, very different from one another, and ued for different Purpoes: but the principal were three; 1. the Terra Tymphaica Gypum incolis dicta, the Tymphaican Earth, called by the Inhabitants Gypum; 2. the real genuine Gypum, which was made, by burning, from a certain talcy Subtance; and 3. that made by burning many different Species of Stones of the Alabater and other imilar 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 Plaiter or Cement by mixing with Water, without having paed the Fire. This Subtance is yet to be found in many Places, if carefully ought 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 Suex. And Mr. Morton is recorded to have ent to Dr. Woodward, from Clipton Stone-pit in Northamptonhire, an Earth truly of this kind, and endued with this Quality, under the Name of Calx Nativa: His is decribed to be a whitih gritty Earth; but what I found was a true genuine Marle, omething looe in Texture, but with no Sand or other tony Matter among it; and of this kind the Gypum Tymphaïcum evidently was. This Author calls it an Earth only, and oberves, that the People about the Places where it was found called it Gypum, I uppoe from its having the Properties of that Subtance. As to its Ue about Cloaths, the Subtance I picked up in Suex eemed of a Texture o much reembling that of Fullers-earth, that if it could be conveniently ued, it might promie to anwer all the Purpoes of it, and o did the Gypum Tymphaïcum of the Antients, of which Pliny Gypum.