Page:Theophrastus - History of Stones - Hill (1774).djvu/43

 XI. The greatet, however, and mot wonderful of all the Qualities of Stones is that (if the Accounts of it are true) of thoe which bring forth young This is one of the many Paages for which this excellent Author has been cenured by Perons who had never ufficiently tudied, or, perhaps, even read him (as I hope to prove has been the general Cae in the Accuations to which he has been ubject) and this has been as much miundertood and mirepreented as any one of them all.

Pliny has given a Handle to the Accuations of him, in this Place, by aying, that he and Mutianus believed there were Stones which brought forth young. Idem Theophratus et Mutianus ee aliquos lapides qui pariant credunt. This has been a ufficient Source of Cenures on the Author: mot of thoe who quote, or mention him, never having given themelves the Trouble of learning any Thing more of him than what Pliny has told them; as this, and many other Paages, frequently quoted from him, to be hereafter conidered, will abundantly prove: But, with Pliny's Leave, I mut oberve, that I find no Reaon here to imagine, that Theophratus ever believed any uch Thing. He mentions it, on the contrary, as a Thing which he did not believe; but which, as it was generally reputed true, and a very remarkable Property of a Stone, he could not avoid mentioning in a Place where he was profeedly writing on that Subject. He would not however let it pas, even though he did allow it a Place, without frankly expreing his own Supicion that it was but an idle and groundles Story.

The Stone meant is the Ætites, or Eagle Stone; the ''Ætites Aquilinus. Linn. Ætites, eu Aquilinus Lapis, Worm.'' 77. Charlt. 31. Lapis Ætites, Boet. 375. De Laet. 114. .