156. Campan Marble.—Three kinds of marble are known by this name, all of them procured from immense quarries at Campan, near Bagnere, in the Pyrenees. The first, called Green Campan, is of pale sea-green colour, and exhibits, on its surface, lines of much deeper green, forming a kind of net-work. The second, called Isabel Campan, is of delicate rose colour, with undulating green veins. The third variety, the Red Campan, is of deep red colour, with veins of still deeper red. The green variegations in this stone are formed by a talcy mineral, intermixed with the lime-stone.—The Campan marble is well adapted for slabs, tables, chimney-pieces, and other ornamental purposes in the interior of buildings; but, if exposed to the weather, the talcose substances perish, and leave hollow spaces which render its surface rough and uneven.
157. Griotte Marble is of a deep brown colour, with blood-red oval spots, formed by shells. Its name has been obtained from its brownish colour, being similar to that of the cherries that are called by the French griotte. This marble has, of late, been much used in the decoration of public monuments, and in splendid furniture, in France. Some of the ornaments of the Triumphal Arch of the Carousel are made of it. The department of Herault is the part of France from which it is obtained. It sometimes contains large white veins, which destroy the harmony of the other tints.
158. Marquese Marble.—This, which is obtained from quarries, near the village of Marquese, between Calais and Boulogne, is marked with different shades and variegations of white and brown. Of this marble Buonaparte commenced a magnificent column on the heights near the sea, at Boulogne, to commemorate his victories; but, since his dethronement, the erection of this structure has been discontinued.
159. Sarencolin Marble is distinguished by exhibiting large zones, and angular spots of yellow or blood-red colour. It is found at Sarencolin, in the High Pyrenees.
160. St. Beaume, or Languedoc Marble, is of light red colour, marked with white and grey zones, formed by madrepores. The eight columns which adorn the Triumphal Arch, in the Carousel at Paris, are of this marble. It is obtained from quarries at St. Beaume, in the department of Aude.
161. Breccia Marble of the Pyrenees.—One kind of this marble contains black, grey, and red, middle-sized spots in a brownish red ground. It admits of a good polish. Another kind has an orange-yellow-coloured ground, containing small fragments of snow-white colour. Both these are found in the Pyrenees.
SPANISH MARBLES.—162. Few countries are more productive of marble than Spain; and in few countries are the public monuments and buildings more profusely decorated with marble. The vault of the theatre of Toledo is supported by 350 marble columns; and an ancient mosque at Cordova is ornamented with 1200 columns, most of which are of Spanish marble. The palace and church of the Escurial, and many of the churches in Madrid, are decorated with marbles of the most beautiful description.
163. White Spanish Marble.—Near Cordova; at Filabres, three leagues from Almeria, in Grenada; and in some other parts of Spain, white marble is obtained, which is susceptible of a good polish, and is well adapted to the general purposes of sculpture.
164. Seville Marble is a beautiful red variety, with shining red and white spots and veins. In the vicinity of Tortosa is found a kind of marble which has a violet ground, spotted with bright yellow; and near Grenada a marble of green colour, which somewhat resembles the celebrated verde antique ([149]).
165. Spanish Breccia.—There are several beautiful varieties of breccia in Spain. At Riela, in Arragon, there is one, composed of angular portions or fragments of black marble, embedded in a reddish yellow base. The breccia marble of Old Castile is of bright red colour, dotted with yellow and black, and encloses fragments of pale yellow, brick-red, deep brown, and blackish grey colour.