The PREFACE.

which is feparated or divided from the grojfer Parts in the Mines, after thefame Manner as Gold and Silver feparate themfelves from their Metals in theCupel. All Mines are not in a State or Condition of producing Metals, for it isneceffary there fhou'd he a Difpofition and natural Heat capable of raifing ex-traordinary Fermentations and Eleborations ; and high Mountains are ufuallythe pr&pereft Places for thefe Produtlions, becaufe the Heat therein contain dis more regular and exatl than others.

It is not Chance only that condutls us to the Difcovery of metallick Mines, butthofe who apply themjelves that Way olferve or take Notice of feveralCircum-ftances, which dire£l them Jo the Places where they may be found: For Exam'pie ; When on a Mountain, or in the Cliffs and Breaches of Rocks they meet withMarchafites, and fmaS heavy Stones of a Mineral Kind, or that they perceiveon the Surface of the Earth feveral Mineral Veins, thefe are Signs that thereisfomething to be found that is likely to anfwer their Expectations, and thatthey may he affured of Succefs.

When in certain Streams or Rivulets there is feen a Sort of Sand of littlePieces of the Marchafite of fome Mineral, this is a Sign that there is jomeMet allick Mine near the Place ; for thefe Metallick Bits being wafh'd off, andconvey d by the Current of the Water that flows ufually from the Bottom of fomeHill -, fo that it runs back again towards the Fountain Head, infomuch that ifyou purfue thefe fmall Pieces of Marchafite, they will bringyou to the Placewhere the Mine is.

When the Afpeft or Figure of a Mountain is rough and wild, the Earth isbarren, naked, and without any Kind of Plants, or that only fome particularKinds are produced, which are almoft withered and dry ; thefe are Signs thatthere are Mines in this Mountain, becaufe the great Barrennefs of the Sur-face was occafiond by nothing elfe but the Mineral Vapours, which confume theRoots of the Plants ; tho it does not always happen that Mineral Placesare barren, there beingvery many that are cover''dwith great Variety of Herbs.When we fee a very clear Water flow from a Mountain that has a Mineral Tafts tit is a Sign that the Place abounds with fome Kind of Metal or Mineral; forthofe Sort of Places are ufually fupply'd with a great deal of Water, whichgive great Disturbance to the Workmen, it being neceffary to drain off theWater before you can fearchfor the Metal.

When we are very certain, by fever al Signs or Obfervations, that any Hill orMountain contains in it fome Mine of Metal, we begin to fink or dig a Pit atthe lower Part or Foot of the Hill, in order as the Miners call it to carry theLevel, whereby the Waters may run off of their own accord, and mthout theAffiftance of Engines, and thereby they may be able to come at the Deep, wherethe largefl and richell Part of the Metal lies. We mufl take Notice, that

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