Annot. ad Theoph. iv. 552. Xen. Anab. v. 3. 10. Strab. viii. p. 145. Sieb. ----- We may here observe, by the way, that the ancients, instead of flint and steel, or lucifer matches, made use, in kindling a fire, of a curious apparatus still employed in the East:[999] it consisted of two parts, the one hollowed out like a diminutive mortar, the other resembling a pestle, which was inserted into it, and turned round with extreme velocity until sparks were produced. This necessary piece of furniture[1000] was most commonly manufactured of ivy, or laurel, or clematis, and was something of the rhamnus ilex, or linden-tree; in short, of nearly all trees, except the olive. Generally, however, it was thought best to make the two parts of the instrument of different kinds of wood. It was observed that, with these contrivances, fire kindled more readily during the prevalence of the north than the south wind, and on high places than in hollows. At Rome the vestal virgins originated the sacred fire by means of a kind of mirror, and the power of burning-glasses was not unknown.[1001] Nay, things resembling our lucifer matches were possessed by certain jugglers, though they do not appear to have passed into general use, either because the inventors refused to divulge their secret, or from the natural slowness of mankind to profit by useful discoveries.[1002] ----- Footnote 999: Plat. de Repub. t. vi. p. 194. Footnote 1000: Theoph. Hist. Plant. v. 9. 4, sqq. Footnote 1001: Aristoph. Nub. 758. Cf. Orph. Lith. 171. p. 111. Footnote 1002: Athen. i. 35. ----- CHAPTER V. INDUSTRY: HOUSE-BUILDERS, CARPENTERS, CABINET-MAKERS, TURNERS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENT-MAKERS, POTTERS, GLASS-WORKERS, ETC. Another flourishing branch of industry was that of quarrying stones for building, carried on wherever marble, or freestone, or tufa, or granite, was found.[1003] The stones were usually fashioned by the axe, or saw,[1004] in the quarry, and drawn thence by ropes. In many cases, however, as where cheapness or despatch was aimed at, bricks were substituted,[1005] made, in addition to the materials at present employed, from powdered tufa.[1006] ----- Footnote 1003: Winkel. Hist. de l’Art. i. 37. Footnote 1004: Cf. Sch. Aristoph. Pac. 299. Footnote 1005: Plato de Rep. t. vi. p. 15. Winkel. Hist. de l’Art, ii. 544. Goguet. iv. 11. Theoph. de Lapid. 48. Footnote 1006: Winkelmann, ii. 544. -----