438 SADDLES, BRIDLES, AND STIRRUPS ,

translation was published at Paris, intituled “ Metallurgy ,or the Art of extracting and purifying Metals,” translatedfrom the Spanish of Alphonso Barba, by M. Gosfort, towhich is added a dissertation on mines and metallic opera-tions ; of which translation the very eminent Abbe Lengletdu Fresnoy is said to have been the editor.

It should appear that Gobet has been doing an injusticeto Barba, as Barba expressly says, he does not believe theancients were acquainted with the art of extracting silverfrom pounded ore, by the means of quicksilver. Hence itcertainly does not appear that he claimed the invention;besides, lie always speaks of amalgamation as being an artlong practised in America . Barba only complains of thenegligence with which the American miners had hithertopractised it. A passage appears in the Vienna editionof 1609, which recites the mode by which Barba had at-tempted to fix the quicksilver ; with that idea he thought ofmixing it with the silver ore, and at first really believed hehad obtained a mass of silver; but he soon perceived themercury was not transmuted, but that attraction only hadtaken place. “ I was,” says Barba, “ highly pleased withmy new discovery of managing ore, of extracting its con-tents, and of refining it: this method I continued to prac-tise.” Hence it is submitted Barba did not wish to claimthe invention himself; he speaks in consistent languagewhen he says, he was pleased with the discovery; yet wecertainly may inquire, what induces him to speak of it ashis discovery, and calling it a new one, if the facts werenot strictly applicable? Differing from the opinion justgiven, we conceive if the discovery was not his own, helearnt it in America, and first introduced its use into Europe .

SADDLES, BRIDLES, and STIRRUPS .

In the earliest ages it was customary to ride withouteither bridles or saddles, if the poet be worthy of credit;for we observe Lucan, speaking of the Massillians, says:

Et gens qua residem Massylia dorsoOra levi Jlcctit pasnorum nescia virgti.

“ Without a saddle the Massillians ride,

“ And with a bending switch their horses guide.”

They regulated the motion of the horses by this switch andtheir voice. It has been observed, that the case was thesame with the Numidians, Getulians, Libyans, as well asmost of the Grecian people. As the reason of the thing