OF GOLD

It seems reasonable to me that if there were any river that produced it throughout its entire bed, and if one searched, one would find it everywhere and at all times. And if the influence of the heavens The author refers to the common Renaissance belief that planets and stars "ripened" metals within the earth through celestial influence., as a powerful cause, is what performs such a thing, it seems to me that it would need to work very rapidly; otherwise, it could not observe the order that nature usually uses in the generation of metals: producing it first in the open and in a place where a continuous flow of water abounds. Furthermore, it would need to be powerful enough to move terrestrial materials from place to place without also mixing in a great inequality of coldness and humidity.

Even if this composite and primary order established by the river waters did not strike it down, I seem to see that the rains or the floods that pass over it would surely dilute and break it, completely spoiling everything that might have been conceived there. And I would also like to be told: if such a thing is generated there, why is it generated only in those places and not in others? And why, in a similar way, are silver, copper, lead, or some of the other metals not generated like gold? These are materials perhaps easier for nature to form than gold, given the many harmonies and ultimate perfections required of it. (Furthermore, although in many places throughout the Roman countryside fine black iron ore This likely refers to magnetite or "iron sand" commonly found in volcanic soils and riverbeds. is found among the sands of certain small rivers, this is granted only to certain particular parts of the river and not everywhere).

For these reasons and apparent effects, it seems that the gold is carried there by the water rather than being generated there. Yet, the truth is not fully understood through this contradiction of ours. Therefore (speaking among ourselves quite informally, not by way of a firm resolution but to tell you what I think), I tell you that I hold one of two concepts.

The first is that this only happens in large rivers that receive a great volume of water from springs, ditches, and other rivers. Whence (as often happens) due to the melting of snows or very heavy rains, the banks and all the slopes of nearby mountains are washed. In these mountains, it may be that there are earths which, by their own nature, contain the substance of gold, or perhaps in such places there are organized mines original: "minere ordinate"; referring to structured veins of ore rather than loose alluvial deposits. at some peak or other surface where men have not yet taken the care to go, or where one cannot easily travel. And whether it is exposed to the embrace of the sun original: "coito del sole"; a metaphorical term for the sun's heat and light acting upon the earth to "fertilize" or generate minerals., or to the coldness of the snows, or the soaking waters—whatever the case may be—the great quantity of rain provides the means to wear it away and thus carry it to the rivers. Or it could be that such earths are inside locations within the nearby mountains themselves, or even within the main riverbed itself (which, because it never dries up or ceases its continuous flow of water, always keeps its bottom covered from our eyes). It is no wonder if, in so many centuries, the true origin and knowledge of such a thing has not been understood by those living near such places. But let it be, in the end, as it

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