In fupergildings, that is, to make the richeft lace, they employ but fix ounces of gola, to cover or gild 45 marks of filver, that is, twenty-two pounds and a half avoir dupoife weight, rounded into the form of a cylinder or roller, which hath fifteen lines in diameter, and twenty-two inches in length; and here the ftratum of gold which invelopes the ingot that is to be drawn into wire, hath no more thickness than the fifteenth part of a line, which is extremely thin; as a line is the twelfth part of an inch.

But to make the common gold-thread, they do not use more than two ounces of gold, and fometimes not more than one, to gild or cover the ingot I have mentioned, and then the inveloping ftratum is not more in thickness, if two ounces be employed, than the 45th part of a line; and if one ounce be used, but the goth part of a line. Two ounces of gold are generally ufed, in gilding or covering the ingot F have mentioned, and vastly thinner must the stratum be, when the ingot is drawn till it furpaffes the fineness of a hair, and the diameter is nine thousand times fmaller than what it had in the mafs: By weighing out half a dram of this thread or wire, it is found by measuring the length of the half

dram,

dram, that the ingot of 22 pounds, and 22 inches long, is changed into a length of 1163520 feet, that is, ninety-fix leagues and 196 fathom; for the half dram of wire or thread measures 202 feet; by confequence, an ounce of it, 3232 feet; a mark of it, or eight ounces, 25856 feet. And yet, aftonishing as this length is, for two ounces of gold to be drawn to, the gold which covers the filver never ceases to gild it. The gold still keeps pace with the wire, ftretch it to what length the drawers can, through the wire-drawing irons, and holes much fmaller one than another. The filver never appears.

It does not however reft there. Before the thread or wire is wound on filk, and before they fpin it, it must be flatted by paffing it between steel wheels extremely well polished, and this flatting increases its length no more than a feventh part, One ingot, therefore, of 8 marks or 22 pounds, and 22 inches long, by this increafe of a 7th part, is brought to the length of 111 leagues, that is, about 300 English miles.

But amazing as this extent is, it is not the utmost bounds to which the ductility of gold may be carried. One ounce only of gold is fometimes ufed to cover one ingot,

and

and drawn to the length I have mentioned, and by the time it has paffed the flatting wheels, the gold that covers the filver lamina, must have its thicknefs reduced to lefs than the millionth part of a line; that is, a twelve millionth of an inch. This is beyond the reach of our conception. Imagination cannot plumb her line fo low.

But, Sir, (I faid) May not the gold be divided into fmall grains feparate one from another, but yet near enough to give their colour to the filver? Though we may not be able to see the thing, yet I think it may be imagined; the gold on the lamina, doth not form a continued leaf.

Experience, good Sir, demonftrates the contrary,—that every point of filver hath its cover of gold. Put a piece of this gilt wire in aqua fortis, the filver will be dif folved, and the gold left a perfect, continuous tube. It is an amazing thing! And fhews the astonishing power of the first caufe! As to the reafon of this ductility, and why gold in fuch a manner adheres to filver, fo as never to part from it, if the 22 pounds of filver gilded with one ounce of gold! could be extended by art for ever, this is

paft

past our finding out.

It is a fecret of na

ture we cannot form any idea of.

Calignofa notte premit Deus.

Ribble went on. These are the things most remarkable in relation to gold; and I have only to add, that as to the manner of getting it, it is found fometimes in glebes or clods, confifting of gold alone; fometimes in a powdry form, and then called gold-duft, or fand-gold, in the fands and mud of rivers and brooks; but moft commonly in whitish clods, dug out of mines of vaft depth, and intermixed with filver and various foffils. This they reduce by fire to a mass of metal, and by aqua regia or aqua fortis, the gold is eafily taken out of the ore.

And as to gold's being fo yielding and ductile by human art, it is to be observed, that in return it exerts a greater power on the human mind. Paffive it is in its ductility, but more active in its influence on man. It is a greater tyrant than a slave. It drives repeated millions of the human race to death and hell. King of metals as it is, bright and glorious to behold, and what procures innumerable bleffings to mankind; yet, without the grace of God, to moderate

the

the paffion for it, and to direct the mind in a true ufe of it, it is more dangerous to beings on a trial in a first state, than even poverty can be in this lower hemifphere. What villanies are daily committed to get it!. What iniquities daily perpetrated by those who have plenty of it! Lead us not into temptation, should relate as well to too much of it, as to a total want of it; and it is well prayed,In all time of our wealth, good Lord deliver us.

Mr. Ribble's

conclufion, containing his religious thoughts and advice.

In my opinion, neither poverty nor riches, but a middle ftate, is the thing we fhould defire. It is in this condition, we can beft live foberly, or with a found mind, and conduct ourfelves as those who have an intelligent spirit to prefide in body. Too much gold most commonly inverts this order, and produces an apoftacy that fets the inferior powers in the throne, and enslaves the mind to the body: It gives the paffions the commanding influence, and makes reafon receive law from appetite.

If we look into the world, we find too often, in this cafe, that wealth is big with innumerable fins. The rich are filled with wine, wherein is excefs, and fhew an un

bridled