Page:Theophrastus - History of Stones - Hill (1774).djvu/57

 from the particular. Powers The Author, having now gone through the general Differences of the Strata of Stone, ariing from common Caues; and having particularly mentioned, and in few Words decribed the various Species of Marble known in his Time, comes now to the Conideration of certain more extraordinary Qualities in Stones of maller Size; ariing from the Powers of more particular Combinations of Matter in their Formation. The particular Stones he mentions in this Place, as poeing thee Powers, are hereafter treated of more at large. I hall therefore refer, what I have to oberve in regard to them, to their proper Places, where they are eparately decribed. To thoe particularly named the Author adds a great Number, which he alo hereafter decribes, in the Words, which I have choen to tranlate "that are cut as Gems," not as the literal Meaning of the Words might eem to imply, limiting what are added only to thoe on which Seals were engraven.

It is evident, the Author meant himelf no uch Limitation, ince he has afterwards decribed, among the Stones of this Clas, many which he expresly ays were too mall for this particular Ue. The Reaon of his uing the Word in this Place is, that the Greeks had no particular Name for the pellucid Stones, which we call ditinctly Gems; they called all Stones, whether large or mal], hard or oft, precious or common, by the general Name, and ditinguihed them, one from another, by their Epithets only, as &c. and as the general Ue of what we call Gems, and for before named, are les frequent; nor do they, like thee, happen. to whole Strata, or vat Maes. Some of the Stones, in which they take Place, are very carce and mall, as the Emerald, the Carnelian, the Carbuncle, the Sapphire; and, in general, all that are cut as Gems: and ome of them are found in dividing other Stones.