Architecture can never arrive at an advanced state of improvement, without the assistance of appropriate tools, for executing the various mechanical processes which it requires ; such as cutting and smoothing the stones, and raising them to their proper situation ; hewing the wood required for the internal parts of the structure, and conveniently fashioning it into its appropriate shapes, &c. Hence arises the art of working metals, which are the only substances adapted, by their superior hardness, tenacity, and ductility, to form every kind of tool that the exigencies of the workmen may require. Thus agricul ture may be considered as the parent of metallurgy, through the medium of architecture.
According to Moses, the art of working metals, and even iron, was known before the deluge, (Gut. iv. 22.) But that dreadful calamity deprived the „greater part of mankind of this, as well as other arts useful to life. It was not long, however, after this perioditill some me tals, at least, were known to the eastern nations ; for in the days of Abraham, they seem to have been common in Egypt, and several countries in Asia. The metals most anciently in use seem to have been gold, silver, and copper ; as these are the metals which are most fre quently found in a native state, and may be separated from their ores with the least difficulty.
In many parts of the world, these metals, and particu larly gold, may be found without the necessity of dig ging into the bowels of the earth. Torrents pouring down from the mountains deposit great quantities of gold in the sand and gravel of certain valleys, and in thq beds of brooks and rivers. The ancients speak of several rivers, famous for rolling down gold, silver, copper, and even tin, in their waters, (Strabo, 1. 3.) ; and we still know of certain streams, which enjoy this advantage. Gold is found in this way, not only in grains, but in mas ses of considerable bulk. In Peru pieces of virgin-gold have been found, some of which weighed more than an ounce, and in Africa we have heard of natural ingots of a still larger size. Where the gold is divided into mi nute particles, and mixed with the sand or gravel, little trouble is necessary for collecting it, and forming it into masses. Nothing more is necessary than to wash the earth well, and collect the grains of metal which sub side, in order that they may be melted into solid ingots. This art was well known to the ancients, (Pliny, 1. 33.
s. 21.) ; and is still practised in many parts of the world. Little greater difficulty would be experienced in the early ages in procuring silver and copper. Both these
metals were deposited in a pure state, in the beds of rivers, as well as gold, (Strabo,1.3.); and this continues still to be the case. They are also found in consider able masses ready for use, at or very near the surface of the earth. In some parts of Peru they find large pieces of virgin silver, only by digging lightly in the sand. It is the same with copper. The ancients speak of coun tries where that metal was found naturally pure, (Arist. de lIfirab. ./luscult.); and in Louisiana and Canada, they gather red copper in a pure state, (Rec. des Voy. au Nord.
t. 9.) Masses of this metal, weighing 150 quintals, and in a state fit for working, have been discovered. Voyag. de Frezier.
Even when men came afterwards to dig for metals in mines, they would at first find little difficulty in refining them ; for on the tops of mines, metals are commonly found quite pure, or with very little foreign admixture. At the discovery of the famous mine of Potosi, the vein was so rich, that the metal appeared elevated like a rock above ground. According to Acosta, it was a kind of ridge upon the top of a mountain, three hundred feet in length, and thirty in breadth, (Hist. .Nat. des Indes.) In the mine of Salcedo, says Ulloa, they at first found lumps of silver, which gave them no farther trouble than to cut them with the chisel ; and on the mountain Ucun taya, there was discovered, in the year 1713, a prodigi ous crust of solid silver, which yielded several millions. Alonso Barba affirms, that the mine of St Elizabeth was almost entirely of pure silver ; and that in the same dis trict, there was another mine, whose surface was pure copper, (t. In the mines of Roussillon, the workmen find sheets of red copper, formed by nature, very fine and ductile ; which are either scattered amongst the gravel, or pasted, as it were, against the stones, (Le Monnier, Hist. .Nat.) In Hudson's Bay there is a mine of red cop per, so rich and pure, that without using fire, and only by beating it between two stones, the inhabitants are able to form it into all kinds of utensils that they have occasion for, (Rec. des Voy. au Nord. It is reason able to judge of the ancient mines by these specimens of the metallic treasures of modern countries which are but little frequented ; and when we consider these facts, we shall not be greatly surprised at the abundance of implements of metal in very remote times.