besides, the advantage of more convenient shelter. Add to this, that the wool of the flocks bred and brought up in the Crau is not only the finest in the whole country, but bears the highest price of any in France. From hence he concludes, that it is to the unlimited use of salt that these surprising effects are to be ascribed; for it frequently happens that the Crau is so burnt up in the summer, that the poor animals are forced to turn up the very stones to come at the few blades of grass that grow round them, and yet none perish for want of food. Let every excellence, therefore, that can reasonably be supposed inherent in the herbage, be allowed to it, yet the quantity of it is so small, that, without the abundant use of salt, a fourth part of the sheep kept in the Crau could not subsist in it. But, as a still farther demonstration, that this astonishing effect is solely to be attributed to salt, we have, says the writer, in Languedoc, on the borders of the Rhone, a spot of the same kind of stony land, in every respect similar to that of the Crau; yet, for want of the free use of salt, that of Languedoc does not maintain a tenth part of the number of sheep that are brought up in the Crau, though in other respects it is nowise inferior, the wines and other fruits produced on the borders of both being, in their goodness and other essential qualities, equal. Having proved his first proposition incontrovertibly, he proceeds in proof of the second, to recommend an easy ex periment, which it is in every farmer's power to make; and that is, to give to one half of his cattle salt, and to the other half none. By this simple trial, he says, in less than a month, the difference will be discernible. The cattle to whom the salt is given will shew it in their looks, in the sleekness of their coats, in their growth, and in their strength and fitness for labour. He adds, that with little more than half their usual food all these effects will be produced. To establish his third proposition, he appeals to the prac tice about Arles, where the cattle have as much salt as they will eat, and none are so healthy, or thrive so fast, as those that eat the most of it. From these observations, there cannot remain a doubt of the good effects of salt in the feeding and fattening of cattle; but it is much to be regretted, that the writer is totally silent with respect to the method of giving the salt to the labouring cattle. He has, indeed, informed his readers, that in eight days his flock of 300 sheep eat 15lbs. of salt, being one pound to every score; and it should seem by his manner of expressing himself, that he gave them the whole quantity in one day, as he cautions the farmer against suffering his sheep to drink on the day the salt is administered, apprising him at the same time how much it sharpens their appetite; and that he had seen them not only browse upon stubs after eating the salt, but even gnaw pieces of wood of a surprising bigness. As the subject of the above Memoir appeared to me of importance, I have only to request of you, Mr. Urban, the immediate insertion of the few hints which are here extracted from it; as, during the present scarcity of hay, it may be interesting to many; and as it has, in its consequences, a tendency to lower the price of provisions, it is to be hoped, that a discovery that promises so much benefit to the public, will not wholly be overlooked. 1776, Dec. W. W. LV. Particulars relative to large Diamonds. PERHAPS your curious correspondent may receive some pleasure from the following account of the most capital diamonds now known; and will excuse some palpable inaccura cies in the relation, owing probably to different weights being used in different countries. The Duke of Tuscany's diamond, according to Tavernier, weighs 140 carats (the biggest in Europe before Gov. Pitt's); is of a yellowish water; said to have been bought for 75,000 scudi, equal to 8,7001. of a religious, who bought it at a stall in Piazza Navona, as a bit of chrystal, for a single paolo, value sevenpence. Keysler's Travels, ii. 183. The Mogul's famous diamond is not so broad as Mr. Pitt's, though it exceeds the largest [then] in Europe for depth. Keysler, iv. 298. The diamond brought into England by Governor Pitt in 1706, weighed, when cut 136 carats; was two years in cutting, which cost 4500l. the pieces sawed off were valued at 5000l. was sold to the crown of France, in 1717, for 125,000l. and was paid for at several times. Dr. Mead's model of it measured, in the expanse, 1 inch and 1, and in depth of an inch. I have seen another account which makes this stone to weigh only 127 carats, and that it was sold for 120,000l. It is well known, that diamonds are cut to perfection in Europe only. Mr. Hanway, in his Travels, mentions seeing a prodigious fine suit of horse-furniture of Kouli Khan's covered with diamonds, but so disadvantageously, that he could not help telling the person who shewed them, that, if he was allowed to take them to Europe, he would return them in a far superior condition; and seems to express some surprise at his offer not being accepted. The European method of cutting diamonds was, I think, the invention of a Fleming; and now, I believe, the English artists are in the highest repute. Diamonds now are rarely sawn, as the powder of them, which comes off in grinding, is of great value for cutting others, and the sawing is exceedingly tedious, which is done by drawing backwards and forwards a very fine copper wire; every minute almost the wire snaps in two, and then a fresh one is taken, and so on. I do not know whether diamond-powder, emery, &c. is used in this process: however, after a constant working for a month, perhaps a hair-like line may be perceived on the diamond. * It is remarkable, that the Czarina could buy, and pay for at once, one or more of the finest diamonds upon sale, that no other crown was disposed or able to do, and that, too, towards the close of a long and expensive war. She gave about 70,000l. for one, which was much below its value. In 1741, a diamond was brought from the Brazils to the King of Portugal, weighing 17 ounces, in shape of a turkeyegg, but much bigger, and was found on the surface of the ground. The same account says, it weighed 1680 carats, or 12 ounces and, in 1746, I suppose, after it had been cut. As the history of all these diamonds is pretty well known, except the Duke of Tuscany's, may it not be proposed as a proper subject of a literary inquiry, What is become of all the diamonds of the Ancients? Are they all lost in the ravages of war, &c. or do they subsist in the ancient crowns of the present sovereigns of Europe? or, indeed, is it certain, that those alluded to were true diamonds? To say a word of the inferior stones: the largest emerald in a dish is at Genoa, though Condamine believes it to be only coloured glass; and the largest granite and turquoise are at Venice. See the figures of them in Motraye's Travels, Engl. edit. *Diamond-powder only is used. E. fol. vol. ii. p. 149. The turquoise vessel is 8 inches in diameter: vol. i. p. 65. 1776, Feb. LVI. Sermon in Praise of Derbyshire. MR. URBAN, As your truly valuable Magazine has such a free and general currency in the county of Derby, I shall here present you with an Extract from a long old MS. Sermon, preached, as I think, before a society of Derbyshire men, in London, and in which you will find an eulogium of that county. T. Row. Extract. "If you fall out amongst yourselves, you'll discredit the county that bred ye. For give me leave to tell you, there is hardly a county in England where faction and division lesse thrives than in Derbyshire. Nay, you will also dishonour this honourable city, as if this place and aire (which has greate influence on mens bodyes and minds, say physicians) had much alter'd your naturall temper and disposition. It was the county of Derby (as I am credibly inform'd) that first of all revived these Love-feasts*, which, by reason of our late civil dissensions, were layd aside. By this you may see the naturall genius and disposition of your county, and may easely judge how like ye are still unto yourselves. And now I have mention'd Derbyshire, it may possibly be expected by some that I should make a long description and commendation of it. But that is the business rather of a topographer than of a preacher; of the mappe than of the pulpit. And, indeed, why should I goe about to describe or commend it unto you, who know it as well as, yea better than, myselfe. Yet if any one be desirous to have a sight *They seemed to have dined together, after a sermon. In one place, he mentions in the margin, as condescending to mix with the inferior sort, H. L. Mansfield, Sir S. Sleigh, Sir J. Curzon, Jer. Poole, Esq. Alderman Ireton. + As I had this sermon from the Gardiner family, I imagine it was preached by Dr. Gardiner, Rector of Eckington, who was not a Derbyshire man born. of Derbyshire, they may see it as in a landskip, described by Moses, Deut. viii. 7, 8, 9, whilst he is setting forth the choicest excellencies of that country that God chose out of all the world to enfeoffe his own beloved people in. 7. It's a good land, a land of brookes of water, of fountains, and depths, that spring out of the hills. 8, 9. A land of wheate and barley,.... wherein ye may eate bread without scarcenes. It's a land, whose stones are iron. A land wherein thou shalt not lacke any thing. What's this but a description, as in a type, of our own county, Derbyshire? What pen could have drawen it forth more graphically and exactly? It's a good land, not a hungry soile, that eates up the inhabitants *, but one that feedes, even where it's most barren, in the mountainous Peake, thousands of sheepe, and imployes a far greater number of men. : It's a land there richest where it's poorest by its mines and grooves where its surface promises least, it yields most, and what's wanting in nature is supplied by miracles or wonders.+ It's a land also (like that which flowed with milke and honey) full of brookes of waters, of depths and fountaines, that spring out of the hills. It is not like the dry desarts of Arabia, or the barren sands of Lybia, but like the delicious plaines of Jordan. A land well water'd, even like Paradise, the garden of the Lord. Quot tubera, tot ubera. Every exuberant hill is as one of nature's springing duggs, alwayes running to meete and refresh the thirsty traveller. In shorte, Natura gaudentis opus, a country wherein nature sports itselfe, leaping up and down, as it were, in the pleasant variety of hills and valleys, until being weary, it recreate itselfe at Chatsworth, Boulsover, or Hardicke. It's a land whose stones, by indefatigable industry are turned into iron, and by labouring men, for their owne worke and sustenance, into bread. Out of whose hills more lead is digged in a yeare, than Canaan afforded brass in ten. What shall I say more! for time would fail me sooner than matter. A land of wheate and barley, oates and pease, *Numb. xiii. 32. Here in the margin is writen, Wonders of the Peake, Plin. de Campania, lib. 3. |