Von Born met with much opposition in his attempts to introduce Amalgamation. He says that some book learned Chemists, who never had handled a retort, and some Mine-Overseers, when he first set about his experiments, declared that it was impossible to ob tain silver by that method. After he had succeeded in getting silver from the ore publicly at Vienna, his detractors came forward with doubts and long calcu lations, showing that the process was inferior to that already in use. At last his process was tried suc cessfully in the great way by orders of Joseph II. at Schemnitz ; and then the calculators and doubters shrugged' up their shoulders, saying, " It is only the old. Spanish process of Amalgamation." He obtained from the Emperor an order that his method should be employed in some of the mines belonging to Government, and that he should receive a third part of the savings arising from the improve ment during the first ten years, and four per cent. of this third part of the savings for the next twenty years.
He was a Satirist, without possessing the qualities* of style that are necessary to attain a high rank in that class of writers. The States Peruche, a tale, pub lished without his knowledge in 1772, and an attack on Father Hell, the Jesuit, and King's Astronomer at Vienna, are two of his satirical works. The sati rical description of the Monastic Orders, written in form of an academic inaugural dissertation, entitled Monachologia, is generally ascribed to Von Born. In this piece the Monks are described in the techni cal language of natural history. Von Born, however, was deeply versed in the phraseology of Lin meus ; and it is the opinion of some good judges of the subject, that the language at least was furnished by Hermann, Professor of Medicine in the Universi ty of Strasburg, and author of the very ingenious work on the mutual affinities of animated beings, entitled, Tabula Affiditatum Animalium Comma: tario illustrata. But although the technical lan guage may not be Von Born's, the sentiments are such as he was known to profess ; for the to plc was so a favourite with him, that he found room for invectives against the monks even in his book On Amalgamation. The Monks in the Aus trian dominions were not then in a situation to obtain redress against this lampoon ; for it was pub lished in 1783, when Joseph II. had suppressed many of the Monasteries in different parti of his dominions, and transferred their property into his treasury, al lowing but a scanty sum for the subsistence of the members of these communities.
Von Born was well acquainted with Latin, and the principal modern languages of Europe. He arso possessed information in many branches of science not immediately connected with Metallurgy and Mi neralogy, which were his professed pursuits. He had a good taste in the graphic arts, and his printed works are ornamented in a neat manner with vig nettes illustrative of the subject.
His inclination led him to engage in politics ; and, in particular, he took an active part in the political changes in Hungary. After the death of Joseph, • the Diet of the States of Hungary passed a great many acts, rescinding the innovations of that schem ing Ruler, which tended to force upon them German Governors and laws, and even the German language. This Diet conferred the rights of denizen on several persons of distinction who had been favourable to the cause of the Hungarians, and, amongst others, on Von Born. At the time of his death, be was em ployed in writing a historical work in Latin, entitled, Fasti Leopoldini, probably relating to the prudent codduct of Leopold II., theiticcessor of Joseph, to wards the Hungarians.
He was of a middle size, slender made, and dark complexion ; his eye was penetrating and his counte nance agreeable. His constitution was delicate even before his accident. He was a pleasant companion and fond of society. He lived in splendour, and his house at Vienna was resorted to by scientific men of all nations. It is likely, that his profits from the cess of amalgamation were not considerable; at least, they were not sufficient to put his fortune to rights, as his affairs, at his death, were in a state of insol vency. His family consisted of a wife and two daughters, who survived him. See Townson's Tra vels in Hungary, and Pezzil, Ostreich Biographic:, 1792.
The following is a list of his published writings, and of the works of others which he edited : Lythophylacium Borneanum, 1775, 8vo. This is a Catalogue of his collection of minerals, which col lection he afterwards sold to Mr Greville, and it forms a. part of the magnificent Greville Collection of Minerals, purchased from the heirs of that gentle man by Parliament, and deposited in the British Museum. This Catalogue is arranged according to the system of Cronstedt, with the nomenclature of Linn us.
Index' rerum naturalism Musai Calarei Vindo baneful:. Pars. I. Testacea. Vindob. 1778, fol. maj. This splendid volume, which contains the description and figures of the shells in the Museum at Vienna, was composed by/order of the Empress Maria The resa. The shells are arranged according to the method of Linnaeus. Von Born's knowledge in this ' department of Natural History was not profound, so that, he needed some assistance in composing the work. The shells only are described ; of the animals to which they belong little is said. Joseph II. coming to the throne, and being fully occupied with a mul titude of innovations and vast schemes for the ag grandizement. of the House of Austria, the project of continuing the work, so as to form a description of the whole Museum, was laid aside.