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A.5(ASVS YT&H ER%'S 
rinfed by Fire, as other Linnen is by Water. See my 
*1 
,b. .?. 
l'd Jaocbeu, on the'Northern Bank of the River Po, in the 
which alone hath the honor to make the beff Porcelans 
es, fo highly efteem'd in Europe and elfewhere ; yet they 
from another City that hath that precious Vein of Earth 
S I   I   4 1  1   A 4 -   .  *  . -  III 
in great abundance, which yields them.re ml Audits, not being able to make
the like ufe thereof. The.Body of this Earth is rather of a fandy than clayie
Sublfance, tender and brittle, which they knead, with often fprinkling Water,
into a contiguous Pafte, thence raifing and nhodeling Veffels of what fize
or 
Shape they pleafe, which they bake with great care by gentle, yet eontinu'd
Heats, tiU they bring it to fome perfeQ ion; and being broken, they new mould
'them, bringing them almofi to their firft value. 
As the Mountains of China are replenifh'd with other Metals, fo alfo there
are plenty of Gold and Silver Mines ; but by the Emperor's Edi~ts they are
prohibited to dig them, becaufe from the virulent Exhalations of that Earth,
the Workmen are cxpos'd to Difeafes and Death. But they have Golden Ore,
which they extra& from the Sand of Rivers and Springs. And befides, they
have thofe which promife to themfelves and others, Mountains of Gold by 
the.Art of Chymifiry ; and there is a Place near Pukiank in the Province
of 
Sucheu, that boafis it felffor the Birth-place of Hoangtius, the firft Profeffor
of 
Alchymie, and Tranfmutation of Metals into Gold, two thoufand five hun. 
dred years before the Birth of our Saviour. And that this Empire is rich
in 
Gold and other Metals, the plenty of hot Baths, the abundance of Nitre, Alu.
men, Vitriol, Sulphur, and Subterranean Fires, do fufficiently evidence.
There is a Spring in the Province of Honan, the upper part of whofe Was 
ter is cold;- but if you thruft your Hand in a little depth, you will find
it to be 
fcalding hot. 
But that which is mof worthy of admiration is, That in the Province of 
Xanfi are Wells of Fire, and thofe as common as Springs of Water in other
Parts : the Inhabitants drefs their Meat therewith, clofing up the Mouth
of 
the Well, that it admitteth of nothing elfe but the Pot or Kettle; and the
Heat 
fo 
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