Do minerals live, grow or move of themselves? Where are they found?

In the bosom of the earth there are many kinds of stones. Some are called precious stones, because they are brilliant and rare,— such as the diamond, ruby, emerald, topaz, &c.

What are those brilliant and rare stones called? name some of them?

Others are more common, but useful, as the granite, slate, marble, alabaster, &c. These are used for building, or for ornamental purposes.

What use is made of the granite? the slate? the marble? the alabaster?

The metals are dug out of the earth with great labor.

Where do we get the metals from? do we get them easily?

Of metals there are six kinds which are most in use.

1. Gold, the most valuable. 2. Silver, the next in worth. 3. Iron, the most useful.

4. Lead, the heaviest.

5. Copper, of which cents are made.

6. Tin, which is white like silver, but softer.

How many of the metals are there? which is the most valuable? which is the next best? what use is made of it? which is the most useful of metals? which is the heaviest ? of which is the cent made? can you think of any thing else that is made of copper? what is that called, that is white and softer than silver? what use is made of it?

Steel is iron prepared by fire.

Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc.
Pewter is a mixture of tin and lead.

What is steel, of which scissors, penknives, razors, &c., are made? what is brass? what use is made of it? what is pewter? Coal also is dug out of the earth.

There are two kinds of coal; one is called Bituminous, is soft and burns easily and with a blaze. The other kind is Anthracite, harder, and more difficult to burn.

Where are coals taken from? how many

kinds are there? which is the softest? which is the most difficult to burn?

There are other things taken from the earth, which are not minerals, but which I will mention here.

Clay, of which bricks are made.

Sand, of which glass is made. Limestone, marble or chalk, of which lime is made.

you

Sulphur and salt, which are minerals. Of what are bricks made? how? If y do not know, ask your parent or teacher. Of what is glass made? how? of what is lime made? what use is made of lime? where do we get sulphur?

Some salt is taken from the ground, and some is made by evaporation.

Is all salt taken from the earth? how is some of it made? what is evaporation?

Job xxviii, 1–29. Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for the gold where they find it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone. The stones of it are the place of sapphires; and it hath dust of gold. But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof;

neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not with me; and the sea saith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious Onyx, or the Sapphire. The gold and crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls; for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia, shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

CHAPTER XVIII.

OF MATTER.

All that we can see and feel we call matter or substance. We can see and feel our bodies, a tree, a stone, &c.

What do we call those things which we can see and feel? Name some things which are substances?

There are three different kinds of matter or substances, namely: animal, vegetable and mineral.

How many kinds of substances are there? what are they called?

That which lives, grows, and feels is called animal substance.

What is animal substance?

That which lives and grows, but does not feel, we call vegetable substance?

What is vegetable substance?

That which neither lives, feels nor grows is called a mineral substance.

What is mineral substance?

You live, feel and grow. Are you a mineral, vegetable or animal substance?

Is the hair of your head a substance? can you see and feel it? is it an animal or vegetable substance? of what is that desk made? did it ever live and grow? well then, what kind of a substance is it, animal or vegetable?

Look at that stove. Did it ever live, grow or feel? what is it made of? what substance then is it? is a pin an animal, vegetable or mineral substance? why is it mineral?

Look at this slate. Of what is the frame made? is it an animal or vegetable substance?