The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-12-21

ike to be Familiarity acquainted with an
element so abundant and an agent so ac-
tive as oxygen, especially when such an
acquaintance is equally simple, useful
and delightful
No. g.
Rocks are the oxydes of metals. ST.
lex, the most abundant ingredient in
rocks, mountains, and soils, in the on
yde Of silicium.-Thls oxyde constitutes
nearly one-half Of the solid matter ofour
globe. 1t is the principal element of
quartz, in all its varieties, which are ex-
ceedingly numerous, and some of them
very beautiful. Quartz is the only min
eral found everywhere. Sand is pull
verified quartz. Pebbles are fragments
Of quartz, rounded by attrition. Gun
flint is quartz, breaking with conchoi-
dal (shell like) fracture. Jasper is red
quartz, with fine compact texture.
Amethyst is purple quartz, frequently
found in six-sided crystal, which is the
common shape Of quartz crystals in its
different varieties. Agate is clouded
quartz, in numerous varieties, some of
which are used for watch-seals, finger
rings, breast-pins, and other ornaments.
Comedian is quartz Of a fine texture and
of a yellowish red Characterization
bloodstone, catseye, and many other
gems, are varieties Of quartz.
Most, perhaps all, the gems used in
the breast-plate ofAaron, the high priest
We're quartz of different textures, colors
and hues. The precious stones present.
ed by the Queen Of Sheba to the King
of Israel We're probably quartz. The
stones mentioned in the Book of Reve-
lations as forming the streets ofthe
New Jerusalem, with all the gems re-
ferred to were but varieties of the stones
used for paving our streets, and of the
earth moved by the plough and the hoe
of the farmer, and of the dirt carted for
filling our docks.
The coloring matter giving most of
the beautiful hues to gems, and an end
less variety ofcolors to quartz, is the OK
yde of iron. The oxyde of silicium and
the oxyde of iron are hence united in
this same most abundant mineral in the
world.
Next to quartz, feldspar or clay form
ed by the decomposition of feldspar, is
the most abundant element of soils. This !
too, is composed Of several oXydes of
metals in chemical combination. FIELDS
par is also very extensively united with
quartz in the formation ofrocks, not By
chemical combination, but mechanical |
mixture. The feldspar and the quartz
can be separated by the hammer. Not |
SO with the oxygen and silicium, form
ing silex.-Chemical agency alone can
separate chemical combinations. Such
combinations in rocks, soils, and other
mineral bodies, are exceedingly numer-
Gus, complicated, and delicate.-The
most common stone that meets the eye
in any part fthe world is composed of
two oxydes. The oxygen and the met
ais are each united by chemical affinity,
and then the two oxydes are again COM
bined by the same agency to form
"common stone," evidently worthy of
more respect than it commonly receives.
An experiment: Pour upon a little
Pearlash in tumbler some strong vine
gar. An eflervescence will follow, pro-
ducing carbonic acid. A burning can
die immersed will be extinguished,
showing that carbonic acid is fatal TO
combustion. 1t is equally so to life.
How TO WEAR A SuAwL.--If a lady
sports shawl at all, and only very fall.
ing shoulders should venture to do so.
we should recommend it to be always
either falling Off or putting on, which
produces pretty action.-Or she should
wearit upon one shoulder and down on
the other, or in some way drawn irregu-
larly, SO as to break the uniformity. One
of the faults ofthe present costume, as
every real artist knows, is that it offers
too few diagonal lines. Nothing is
more picturesque than line across the
bust, like the broad ribbon in the order
OF the garter as worn by Queen Victo.
ria, or the loose girdle, sloping across the
hips, IN the costume of the early Plan
tagenets. On this very account, the long
scarf shawl is as picturesque thing as a
lady can wear. With the broad pattern
sweeping over one shoulder, and mar
row one, Or none at all on the other, it
supplies the eye with that irregularitv
which drapery requires; while the slant
ing form and colors of the border, lying
carelcssly round the figure gives that
eastern idea which every shawl more or
less implies. What Oriental would
ever wear one straight up and down,
and uniform on both sides, as our ladies
often do?-QuarterIy Reriew.
A FRIEND OF THE UNIoN.-"Oh don't
do thet till / am Dead" The Atlanta
(Ga.) Republic says:
"On the day of the meeting of the Sc.
cessionists at Kingston, a revolutionary
soldier returned to his residence in Cobb
county, on the Railroad, though his eyes