CHAP. IX.
Some Things worthy Memorial, relating to Stones, left us by the Ancients.
It will not be foreign to our Purpoſe to hear
what a Variety there is in Stones, and
what admirable Qualities ſome are endued
with, that we may be able to apply each to its
propereſt Uſe. In the Territory of Bolſena and
Stratone, they tell us there is a Stone extremely
proper for all Manner of Buildings, which nei
ther Fire nor any Injuries of Weather ever af
fects, and which preſerves the Lineaments of
Statues beyond any other. Tacitus writes, that
when Nero repaired the City, which lay in
Ruins by the Flames, he made uſe of the Al
banian and Gabinian Stone for Beams, becauſe
the Fire never hurts that Stone.
what a Variety there is in Stones, and
what admirable Qualities ſome are endued
with, that we may be able to apply each to its
propereſt Uſe. In the Territory of Bolſena and
Stratone, they tell us there is a Stone extremely
proper for all Manner of Buildings, which nei
ther Fire nor any Injuries of Weather ever af
fects, and which preſerves the Lineaments of
Statues beyond any other. Tacitus writes, that
when Nero repaired the City, which lay in
Ruins by the Flames, he made uſe of the Al
banian and Gabinian Stone for Beams, becauſe
the Fire never hurts that Stone.
IN the Territory of the Genoeſe and of Ve
nice, in the Dutchy of Spoletto, in the March
of Anconia, and near Burgundy, they find a
white Stone, which is eaſily cut with a Saw
and poliſh'd, which if it were not for the
Weakneſs and Brittleneſs of its Nature, would
be uſed by every body; but any thing of
Froſt or Wet rots and breaks it, and it is not
ſtrong enough to reſiſt the Winds from the
Sea. Iſtria produces a Stone very like Marble,
but if touch'd either by Flame or Vapour, it
immediately flies in Pieces, which indeed is
ſaid to be the Caſe of all Stones, eſpecially of
Flint both white and black, that they cannot
endure Fire.
nice, in the Dutchy of Spoletto, in the March
of Anconia, and near Burgundy, they find a
white Stone, which is eaſily cut with a Saw
and poliſh'd, which if it were not for the
Weakneſs and Brittleneſs of its Nature, would
be uſed by every body; but any thing of
Froſt or Wet rots and breaks it, and it is not
ſtrong enough to reſiſt the Winds from the
Sea. Iſtria produces a Stone very like Marble,
but if touch'd either by Flame or Vapour, it
immediately flies in Pieces, which indeed is
ſaid to be the Caſe of all Stones, eſpecially of
Flint both white and black, that they cannot
endure Fire.
IN the Campagna di Roma is a Stone of the
Colour of black Aſhes, in which there ſeems
to be Coals mix'd and interſpers'd, which is
beyond Imagination eaſy to be wrought with
Iron, thoroughly ſound, and not weak againſt
Fire or Weather; but it is ſo dry and thirſty,
that it preſently drinks and burns up the Moi
ſture of the Cement, and reduces it perfectly
into Powder, ſo that the Junctures opening,
the Work preſently decays and falls to Ruins.
But round Stones, and eſpecially thoſe which
are found in Rivers, are of a Nature directly
contrary; for being always moiſt, they never
bind with the Cement. But what a ſurprizing
Diſcovery is this which has been made, name
ly, that the Marble in the Quarry grows! in
theſe our Days they have found at Rome under
Ground a Number of ſmall Pieces of Trever
tine Stone, very porous and ſpungy, which by
the Nouriſhment (if we may ſo call it) given
it by the Earth and by Time, are grown to
gether into one Piece.
Colour of black Aſhes, in which there ſeems
to be Coals mix'd and interſpers'd, which is
beyond Imagination eaſy to be wrought with
Iron, thoroughly ſound, and not weak againſt
Fire or Weather; but it is ſo dry and thirſty,
that it preſently drinks and burns up the Moi
ſture of the Cement, and reduces it perfectly
into Powder, ſo that the Junctures opening,
the Work preſently decays and falls to Ruins.
But round Stones, and eſpecially thoſe which
are found in Rivers, are of a Nature directly
contrary; for being always moiſt, they never
bind with the Cement. But what a ſurprizing
Diſcovery is this which has been made, name
ly, that the Marble in the Quarry grows! in
theſe our Days they have found at Rome under
Ground a Number of ſmall Pieces of Trever
tine Stone, very porous and ſpungy, which by
the Nouriſhment (if we may ſo call it) given
it by the Earth and by Time, are grown to
gether into one Piece.
IN the Lake di pie di Luco, in that Part
where the Water tumbles down a broken Pre
cipice into the River Nera, you may perceive
that the upper Edge of the Bank has grown
continually, inſomuch that ſome have believ'd
that this Encreaſe and Growth of the Stone
has in Length of Time cloſed up the Mouth
of the Valley and turn'd it into a Lake.
where the Water tumbles down a broken Pre
cipice into the River Nera, you may perceive
that the upper Edge of the Bank has grown
continually, inſomuch that ſome have believ'd
that this Encreaſe and Growth of the Stone
has in Length of Time cloſed up the Mouth
of the Valley and turn'd it into a Lake.
BELOW la Baſilicata, not far from the River
Silari, on that Side where the Water flows
from ſome high Rocks towards the Eaſt, there
are daily ſeen to grow huge Pieces of hanging
Stone, of ſuch a Magnitude, that any one of
them would be a Load for ſeveral Carts. This
Stone while it is freſh and moiſt with its natu
ral Juices, is very ſoft; but when it is dry, it
grows extremely hard, and very good for all
Manner of Uſes. I have known the like hap
pen in ancient Aqueducts, whoſe Mouths,
having contracted a Kind of Gummineſs, have
ſeem'd incruſted all over with Stone. There
are two very remarkable Things to be ſeen at
this Day in Romania: In the Country of
Imola is a very ſteep Torrent, which daily
throws out, ſometimes in one Place and ſome
times in another, a great Number of round
Stones, generated within the Bowels of the
Earth: In the Territory of Faenza, on the
Banks of the River Lamona, there are found a
great many Stones, naturally long and large,
which continually throw out a conſiderable
Quantity of Salt, which in Proceſs of Time is
thought to grow into Stone too. In that of
Florence, near the River Chiane, there is a Piece
of Ground all ſtrew'd over with hard Stones,
which every ſeven Years diſſolve into Clods of
Earth.
Silari, on that Side where the Water flows
from ſome high Rocks towards the Eaſt, there
are daily ſeen to grow huge Pieces of hanging
Stone, of ſuch a Magnitude, that any one of
them would be a Load for ſeveral Carts. This
Stone while it is freſh and moiſt with its natu
ral Juices, is very ſoft; but when it is dry, it
grows extremely hard, and very good for all
Manner of Uſes. I have known the like hap
pen in ancient Aqueducts, whoſe Mouths,
having contracted a Kind of Gummineſs, have
ſeem'd incruſted all over with Stone. There
are two very remarkable Things to be ſeen at
this Day in Romania: In the Country of
Imola is a very ſteep Torrent, which daily
throws out, ſometimes in one Place and ſome
times in another, a great Number of round
Stones, generated within the Bowels of the
Earth: In the Territory of Faenza, on the
Banks of the River Lamona, there are found a
great many Stones, naturally long and large,
which continually throw out a conſiderable
Quantity of Salt, which in Proceſs of Time is
thought to grow into Stone too. In that of
Florence, near the River Chiane, there is a Piece
of Ground all ſtrew'd over with hard Stones,
which every ſeven Years diſſolve into Clods of
Earth.
Pliny relates, that near Cizicus, and about
Caſſandra, the Clods of Earth turn into Stone.
In Pozzuolo there is a Duſt which hardens into
Stone, if mix'd with Sea-water. All the Way
upon the Shore from Oropus to Aulis, every
thing that is waſh'd by the Sea is petrified.
Diodorus writes, that in Arabia the Clods dug
out of the Ground have a ſweet Smell, and
Caſſandra, the Clods of Earth turn into Stone.
In Pozzuolo there is a Duſt which hardens into
Stone, if mix'd with Sea-water. All the Way
upon the Shore from Oropus to Aulis, every
thing that is waſh'd by the Sea is petrified.
Diodorus writes, that in Arabia the Clods dug
out of the Ground have a ſweet Smell, and