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there is； nevertheless； reason to believe that it is； on the whole；
well founded。 It is doubtless true that implements of stone continued
in use long after those of bronze and iron had been invented； arising
most probably from the dearness and scarcity of articles of metal；
but when the art of smelting and working in iron and steel had
sufficiently advanced； the use of stone； and afterwards of bronze
tools and weapons； altogether ceased。
The views of M。 Worsaae； and the other Continental antiquarians who
follow his classification； have indeed received remarkable
confirmation of late years； by the discoveries which have been made
in the beds of most of the Swiss lakes。*
＇footnote。。。
Referred to at length in the Antiquity of Man； by Sir C。 Lyell； who
adopts M。 Worsaae's classification。
。。。＇
It appears that a subsidence took place in the waters of the Lake of
Zurich in the year 1854； laying bare considerable portions of its
bed。 The adjoining proprietors proceeded to enclose the new land； and
began by erecting permanent dykes to prevent the return of the
waters。 While carrying on the works； several rows of stakes were
exposed； and on digging down； the labourers turned up a number of
pieces of charred wood； stones blackened by fire； utensils； bones；
and other articles； showing that at some remote period； a number of
human beings had lived over the spot； in dwellings supported by
stakes driven into the bed of the lake。
The discovery having attracted attention； explorations were made at
other places； and it was shortly found that there was scarcely a lake
in Switzerland which did not yield similar evidence of the existence
of an ancient Lacustrine or Lake…dwelling population。 Numbers of
their tools and implements were brought to lightstone axes and
saws； flint arrowheads； bone needles； and such likemixed with the
bones of wild animals slain in the chase； pieces of old boats；
portions of twisted branches； bark； and rough planking； of which
their dwellings had been formed； the latter still bearing the marks
of the rude tools by which they had been laboriously cut。 In the most
ancient； or lowest series of deposits； no traces of metal； either of
bronze or iron； were discovered； and it is most probable that these
lake…dwellers lived in as primitive a state as the South Sea
islanders discovered by Captain Cook； and that the huts over the
water in which they lived resembled those found in Papua and Borneo；
and the islands of the Salomon group； to this day。
These aboriginal Swiss lake…dwellers seem to have been succeeded by a
race of men using tools； implements； and ornaments of bronze。 In some
places the remains of this bronze period directly overlay those of the
stone period； showing the latter to have been the most ancient； but in
others； the village sites are altogether distinct。 The articles with
which the metal implements are intermixed； show that considerable
progress had been made in the useful arts。 The potter's wheel had been
introduced。 Agriculture had begun； and wild animals had given place to
tame ones。 The abundance of bronze also shows that commerce must have
existed to a certain extent； for tin； which enters into its
composition； is a comparatively rare metal； and must necessarily have
been imported from other European countries。
The Swiss antiquarians are of opinion that the men of bronze suddenly
invaded and extirpated the men of flint； and that at some still later
period； another stronger and more skilful race； supposed to have been
Celts from Gaul； came armed with iron weapons； to whom the men of
bronze succumbed； or with whom； more probably； they gradually
intermingled。 When iron； or rather steel； came into use； its
superiority in affording a cutting edge was so decisive that it seems
to have supplanted bronze almost at once；*
＇footnote。。。
Mr。 Mushet； however； observes that 〃the general use of hardened
copper by the ancients for edge…tools and warlike instruments； does
not preclude the supposition that iron was then comparatively
plentiful； though it is probable that it was confined to the ruder
arts of life。 A knowledge of the mixture of copper； tin； and zinc；
seems to have been among the first discoveries of the metallurgist。
Instruments fabricated from these alloys； recommended by the use of
ages； the perfection of the art； the splendour and polish of their
surfaces； not easily injured by time and weather； would not soon be
superseded by the invention of simple iron； inferior in edge and
polish； at all times easily injured by rust； and in the early stages
of its manufacture converted with difficulty into forms that required
proportion or elegance。〃（Papers on Iron and Steel； 365…6。） By some
secret method that has been lost； perhaps because no longer needed
since the invention of steel； the ancients manufactured bronze tools
capable of taking a fine edge。 in our own time； Chantrey the
sculptor； in his reverence for classic metallurgy； had a bronze razor
made with which he martyred himself in shaving； but none were found
so hardy and devoted as to follow his example。
。。。＇
the latter metal continuing to be employed only for the purpose of
making scabbards or sword…handles。 Shortly after the commencement of
the iron age； the lake…habitations were abandoned； the only
settlement of this later epoch yet discovered being that at Tene； on
Lake Neufchatel： and it is a remarkable circumstance； showing the
great antiquity of the lake…dwellings； that they are not mentioned by
any of the Roman historians。
That iron should have been one of the last of the metals to come into
general use； is partly accounted for by the circumstance that iron；
though one of the most generally diffused of minerals； never presents
itself in a natural state； except in meteorites； and that to
recognise its ores； and then to separate the metal from its matrix；
demands the exercise of no small amount of observation and invention。
Persons unacquainted with minerals would be unable to discover the
slightest affinity between the rough ironstone as brought up from the
mine； and the iron or steel of commerce。 To unpractised eyes they
would seem to possess no properties in common； and it is only after
subjecting the stone to severe processes of manufacture that usable
metal can be obtained from it。 The effectual reduction of the ore
requires an intense heat； maintained by artificial methods； such as
furnaces and blowing apparatus。*
＇footnote。。。
It may be mentioned in passing； that while Zinc is fusible at
3 degrees of Wedgwood's pyrometer； Silver at 22 degrees； Copper at
27 degrees； and Gold at 32 degrees； Cast Iron is only fusible at
130 degrees。 Tin （one of the constituents of the ancient bronze） and
Lead are fusible at much lower degrees than zinc。
。。。＇
But it is principally in combination with other elements that iron is
so valuable when compared with other metals。 Thus； when combined with
carbon； in varying proportions； substances are produced； so
different； but each so valuable； that they might almost be regarded
in the light of distinct metals；such； for example； as cast…iron；
and cast and bar steel； the various qualities of iron enabling it to
be used for purposes so opposite as a steel pen and a railroad； the
needle of a mariner's compass and an Armstrong gun； a surgeon's
lancet and a steam engine； the mainspring of a watch and an iron
ship； a pair of scissors and a Nasmyth hammer； a lady's earrings and
a tubular bridge。
The variety of purposes to which iron is thus capable of being
applied； renders it of more use to mankind than all the other metals
combined。 Unlike iron； gold is found pure； and in an almost workable
state； and at an erly period in history； it seems to have been much
more plentiful than iron or steel。 But gold was unsuited for the
purposes of tools； and would serve for neither a saw； a chisel； an
axe； nor a sword； whil