it and watered its roots, but from the richness of the ftile that defcribes it. For my own part, as I defign only to fix the scene of the following Dialogue, I fhall not endeavour to give it any other ornaments than those which nature has bestowed upon it.

Philander was here enjoying the cool of the morning, among the dews that lay on every thing about him, and that gave the air fuch a freshness as is not a little agreeable in the hot part of the year. He had not been here long before he was joined by Cynthio and Eugenius. Cynthio immediately fell upon Philander for breaking his night's reft. You have so filled my head, fays he, with old Coins, that I have had nothing but figures and infcriptions before my eyes. If I chanced to fall into a little flumber, it was immediately interrupted with the vifion of a Caduceus, or a Cornu-copia. You will make me believe, fays Philander, that you begin to be reconciled to Medals. They fay it is a fure fign a man loves money, when he is used to find it in his dreams. There is certainly, fays Eugenius, fomething like Avarice in the study of Medals. The more a man knows of them, the more he defires to know. There is one fubject in particular that Cynthio, as well as myself, has a mind to engage you in. We would fain know how the Ancient and Modern Medals differ from one another, and which of them deserve the preference. You have a mind to engage me in a subject, says Philander, that is perhaps of a larger extent than you imagine. To examine it thoroughly, it would be neceffary to take them in pieces, and to speak of the difference that shews itself in their Metals, in the

Occafion

Occafion of stamping them, in the Infcriptions, and in the Figures that adorn them. Since you have divided your fubject, fays Cynthio, be fo kind as to enter on it without any further pre

face.

We fhould first of all, says Philander, confider the difference of the Metals that we find in ancient and modern Coins, but as this fpeculation is more curious than improving, I believe you will excufe me if I do not dwell long upon it. One may understand all the learned part of this science, without knowing whether there were Coins of iron or lead among the old Romans, and if a man is well acquainted with the Device of a Medal, I do not fee what neceffity there is of being able to tell whether the Medal itself be of copper or Corinthian brafs. There is however fo great a difference between the antique and modern Medals, that I have seen an Antiquary lick an old Coin, among other trials, to diftinguifh the age of it by its Tafte. I remember when I laughed at him for it, he told me with a great deal of vehemence, there was as much difference between the relifh of ancient and modern brass, as between an apple and a turnip. It is pity, fays Eugenius, but they found out the Smell too of an ancient Medal. They would then be able to judge of it by all the fenfes. The Touch, I have heard, gives almost as good evidence as the Sight, and the Ringing of a Medal is, I know, a very common experiment. But I suppose this laft proof you mention relates only to fuch Coins as are made of your baser forts of metal. And here, fays Philander, we may observe the prudence of the Ancients above that of the Moderns, in the care they took to perpetuate VOL. III.

G

the

the memory of great actions. well that filver and gold might of the covetous or ignorant, fpect them for the Device t the Metal they were made of. apprehenfions ill-founded; f imagined how many of these of history have perished in the before they came to be collec learned men of thefe two or t Infcriptions, Victories, Build other pieces of antiquity we thofe barbarous Ages, that t letters only ferved to spoil charged with them. Your this deftruction of Coins, a the Alexandrian Library, and to compound for them, wit a Vatican. To prevent this i ancients placed the greatest vices on their brafs and copp in no fear of falling into the in any danger of melting til gration. On the contrary, are moft in filver and gold, fmall number of each. I ha at Vienna, of Philip the second and twenty pounds, which in its kind, and will not be long out of the furnace whe peror's Treasury. I remen. King of Pruffia's collection, pounds weight of gold. The thefe Medals, fays Eugenius, figned them rather as an of Wealth, than of their Virtu

the memory of great actions. They knew very well that filver and gold might fall into the hands of the covetous or ignorant, who would not refpect them for the Device they bore, but for the Metal they were made of. Nor were their apprehenfions ill-founded; for it is not eafily imagined how many of these noble monuments of history have perifhed in the goldfmiths hands, before they came to be collected together by the learned men of these two or three last Centuries. Infcriptions, Victories, Buildings, and a thousand other pieces of antiquity were melted down in thofe barbarous Ages, that thought figures and letters only ferved to fpoil the gold that was charged with them. Your Medallifts look on this deftruction of Coins, as on the burning of the Alexandrian Library, and would be content to compound for them, with almoft the lofs of a Vatican. To prevent this in fcme measure, the ancients placed the greatest variety of their devices on their brafs and copper Coíns, which are in no fear of falling into the clippers hands, nor in any danger of melting till the general conflagration. On the contrary, our modern Medals are moft in filver and gold, and often in very fmall number of each. I have seen a golden one at Vienna, of Philip the fecond, that weighed two and twenty pounds, which is probably fingular in its kind, and will not be able to keep itself long out of the furnace when it leaves the Emperor's Treasury. I remember another in the King of Pruffia's collection, that has in it three pounds weight of gold. The Princes that ftruck thefe Medals, fays Eugenius, feem to have defigned them rather as an oftentation of their Wealth, than of their Virtues. They fancied, probably,