1822 Novr. 15. Tripoli. Securities against Misrule. Ch. Bashaws Inducements 2.

Extra-regarding

2. Now as to the interior of the earth. Say in the English phrase the bowels of

it: meaning in general whatever masses of matter lie within the surface down to

which vegetation extends.

Extensive portions of the matter of the earth considered in this point of view

are called mines. Such portions as are regarded as consisting of earth concreted

into a stoney hardness, and not containing metallic substances in any porportion

worth regarding are in English distinguished by a particular name, quarries: and

so in other languages.

When separated from other substances, the several different subjects of the

mineral kingdom as it is called exhibit differences in value upon a scale of

prodigious length - witness, at the one end of it diamonds and other glittering

stones deriving value from their splendor combined with their rarity: at the

other end, clay, sand, lime and coal. Not, however, from the value of the

species of the matter when obtained separately is the value of the mine that

affords it to be estimated, but to that circumstance combined with the quantity

and quality of the labour employed in effecting the separation, and conveying

the matter in its separate state to the several places where it is put to use.

Taking all these circumstances into consideration, the working of a diamond mine

or of a gold mine may instead of the most lucrative of all mining concerns, be a

losing one, and such in many instances it actually has been. Witness, for

example, Brazil; as may be seen in Mr. Mawe's interesting travels in that

interesting country. On