imagine possible. With the high pretensions, ever associated with presumptuous quackery, its origin is lost in the shades of the most remote antiquity.-It does not, indeed, presume to rival the chronicles of the Chinese and other Eastern nations, who date their commencement some thousands of years before the creation, but, according to some of its professors, it stands first and foremost on the list of sciences cultivated, in the shady groves of Paradise, by no less a person than Adam himself, who, it is said, taught it to Enoch; from whom it descended, doubtless, with valuable emendations and improvements, to Moses and others. We are not fond of over-bold assertions without book. For Adam's knowledge, therefore, we beg leave to give the authority of the Propugnaculum.* "Certissimum est, hoc naturæ arcanum arcanorum omnium secretissimum, revelatum potius esse mortalibus ab ipsomet Deo, quam fuisse ab iisdem hominibus vi mentis humanæ excogitatum. Et si generalis et universalis naturæ creatæ cognitio fuit data et concessa Protoplasto Adamo nostro, nullo pacto dubitandum est, quin secretum istud naturæ etiam illi concessum sit,—ex qua tamen poterat ipse Adamus vi mentis suæ colligere tantum et secretissimum arcanum et deinde filiis suis tradere et communicare.”—In fact, he seems to have been indebted to alchymy, solely, for the power which enabled him to bear up against the overwhelming evils incident to his transgression, and under the excitement of a sort of spiritual dram-drinking of the precious Elixir of Alchymism, undergo the labour of entailing existence in future generations. "Non poterat enim Adamus noster primus parens ex Paradiso ejectus et miser et nudus in vitæ humanæ calamitates omnes projectus se tam diu ab ipsa morte conservare ;" and that," absque divina illa medicina, quam existimo illi fuisse concessum, Adamus et uxor ejus Eva," would never have been able to endure the fatiguing routine of common life, or genus humanum propagare et multiplicare!* Further, indeed, its good effects extended; for, thereby, we find an easy explanation of the protracted lives of the antediluvian world, both man and beast. The patriarchs themselves, indeed, preferred the Elixir, in its pure unadulterated state; but, by administering it in minor diluted doses, to their dogs, horses, and cattle," diluendo illud aqua communi et in potu præbendo," they could, even at the point of death, again set them on their legs, and thus keep up a farming establishment in admirable working order, coeval and coextensive with their own vitality. Nay more, by a subsolution of this same medicated syrop (eadem medicina) applied to the roots, trees, in the last stage

# 66 "Propugnaculum," ch. 29., p. 89. + "Propugnaculum," 91.

of decay, became sound to the core, and our patriarchal woodsmen were thus supplied with a perpetuity of vigorous and flourishing forests, for, by persevering with this alchymical fomentation, " tali fotu, adeo roboratæ fuerunt arbores illæ, ut illo frondescere, vigere, florere, et fructus inde ferre, visæ sunt!*—That Tubal Cain, the acknowledged instructor of every artificer in brass and iron, should have made considerable progress in the art, is natural enough; we ought not, therefore, to be surprised that some did "hold this skill contained the whole and perfect decoction of the metallick virtue, wherein the central virtue was most abundant;" but although this may follow, as a matter of course, we doubt whether all our readers are aware, the light, which Noah was commanded to make, was "a precious stone hanged in the ark," (the true Philosopher's,) giving light to all living creatures therein; upon which Paracelsus properly remarks, that this "the greatest carbuncle could not do, nor any precious stone that is only natural." We know that, notwithstanding all this information, some will still remain impracticable sceptics, unassailable by any arguments we might presume to urge: to such, we can only address the words of the great and good Michael Sandivogius: "If any man doubt of the truth of the art, let him read the voluminous writings of ancient philosophers, verified by reason and experience, whom we may deservedly give credit to in their own art; but if any will not give credit to them, then we know not how to dispute with them, as denying principles: for deaf and dumb men cannot speak."+

Having thus, as in duty bound, given our authorities for the high and undoubted antiquity of the art, we shall proceed to offer a few humble remarks in corroboration of its having been studied, if not by our ancestors before the flood, which we take the unpardonable liberty of doubting, at least, by those who lived a few centuries subsequent to that event. Of its antiquity, indeed, seriously speaking, there can be no doubt. Whether it was, however, an importation from Egypt, by the Greek philosophers, must remain a questionable point; but we are inclined to think, from the extraordinary degree of information and learning combined with the practical knowledge of metallurgy, possessed by the Egyptians, that the supposition is not without some foundation. Moses, who was deeply skilled in all the sciences of that country, evinced a very considerable knowledge of the nature of metals, particularly gold; and, although there is some obscurity and ambiguity in his details

* "Propugnaculum," 92.

+ "Paracelsus," 48.

I "New Light," 36.

respecting the trituration of the molten calf, there is yet sufficient to shew, that the operation was effected by an experienced hand; and we may rest assured, that if, once, any data, however trifling or inefficient, were afforded, of the possibility of metallic transmutation, the report would not only gain ground, but become a permanent fiction, too tempting to be ever forgotten or given up by those who were sanguine enough to hope for success. We may, therefore, conclude, that the art was more or less admitted and encouraged, in successive ages; and that books existed, treating upon subjects nearly akin to it, we learn from Acts xix., v. xix., where we are told, that many which" used curious arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men." That it was practised, and, moreover, to a considerable extent, amongst the Romans, we also know, since a law was passed for the banishment of all who professed it: Cæsar exerted himself to check its progress; and we learn from Suidas, that Diocletian caused a diligent inquiry to be made for all the ancient books which treated of the admirable art of making gold and silver, and, without pity, committed them to the flames; apprehensive lest the opulence of the Egyptians should inspire them with confidence to rebel against the empire. In the fourth century, we again hear of it from certain Greek writers, who speak of it as a well-known

art.

*

In the 13th century, it seems to have gained ground, a natural consequence of the enthusiastic, and, at the same time, degraded superstition and ignorance of the times. It infected even amongst those who ought to have soared above such palpable absurdities, for even the learned Thomas Aquinas became a proselyte, though severe laws were enacted and enforced against such as professed it. In the following century, it continued to flourish with an apparent accession of encouragement, going hand in hand with its sister science, astrology, rousing the indignation of Petrarch, amongst others; who, as Ginguenè, in his valuable Histoire Litteraire d'Italie, informs us, availed himself of every opportunity to enlighten the world, and combat its errors. "Loin (says he) de se laisser entrainer au torrent, il ne cessa de se moquer de l'astrologie et des astrologues, soit dans ses ouvrages publics, soit dans ses lettres." In England, we have a curious instance on record, not merely of the hold it had on the public mind, but of the most singular piece of royal cajolery ever practised by a monarch on his people; namely, the barefaced expedient, or, as the narrator expresses it, "the beg garly shift," by which Edward I. attempted to replenish an exhausted treasury, and satisfy the claims of his creditors by

* Vol. iii., 147.

the aid of "alchymy and sophistication of his coin ;" a project, as the record states, "delectabile et quidem utile." And well did that project deserve such epithets, by which the baser metals were to be metamorphosed into "verissimum aurum et purissimum argentum!"-No sooner had this audacious imposition been published, than the proclamation was followed up by a patent, under the direct authority of parliament, wherein the royal swindler tells his loving subjects, that the happy hour was drawing nigh, when, by means of the philosopher's stone, he would pay all the debts of the nation in real gold and silver“in bona pecunia numerata de auro et argento."-In the 15th century, it again appears sanctioned by the government, and as an indirect source of profit, licenses being granted to practise it, copies of which may be seen in Rymer's Fadera.† We have not been able to trace its course, in any very conspicuous channel, from that period; still, however, it continued to pass current as a sterling science, and usually contained, in its list of supporters and patrons, names of considerable note, notwithstanding the masterly refutations of the ablest writers of their day, such as Guebert, Gassendi and Kepler. Libavius, who died in 1616, was, we think, the last active experimental philosopher who believed that transmutation had been actually performed. Unless, indeed, we include Boyle, who expressed something very like a belief in alchymy:—and, indeed, the great Lord Bacon himself, who not only learnedly discusses the theories of Paracelsus, but, in speaking of transmutation, says "the work itself I judge to be possible, for we conceive that a perfect good concoction, or digestion, or maturation of some metals, will produce gold." Nat. Hist. p. 160, vol. iv.-Soon after these times, more rational theories usurped the place of these spurious and unintelligible systems, preparing the way for those stupendous discoveries of legitimate chemical knowledge, to which, however, it must be conceded, that the alchymists, though working in the dark, with barely a scintillation of truth here and there to lead them on, were the undoubted pioneers. Men, as Lord Bacon observes, similar to those husbandmen, who, in searching for treasures supposed to be hidden in their land, by turning up and pulverising the soil, render it fertile ; and, in seeking for brilliant impossibilities, sometimes discover useful realities.

Having given a brief sketch of the history of this extraordinary art, we shall proceed to attempt some account of its character, and the principles upon which it is founded. Its object was twofold: the one, to produce a substance capable,

* See "Tover's Judaica," 257.

+ Vol. xii., A. D. 1476

by combination, of converting every metal with which it came in contact, into gold; the other, as a pabulum vitæ, to protract, indefinitely, the period of human life. In the prosecution of this part of our subject, we shall quote largely from the books before us, not only as authorities, but as illustrations of the style and mode of reasoning adopted by the alchymical, or, as they termed themselves, Spagyricall* philosophers. In our progress through the dark, and often intentionally unintelligible phraseology of these singular writers, we occasionally meet with bright gleams of pure science and well-founded rational opi'nions, bursting in upon the general obscurity, intermixed, also, with strains of eloquence, and, as we have before observed, fervent piety, soothing our well-founded impatience, and, like charity, throwing a veil over a multitude of their presumptuous sins and follies. Thus, to start ab initio, we shall find, that the very stepping-stone on which the alchymist sets his foot, for the purpose of springing into the recesses of nature, was a compound of these qualities, combining much that was true and excellent. "Si vera philosophia et cognitio rerum sit vera scientia, alchymiam excludere non possumus e numero scientiarum: cùm alchymia sit vera philosophia, et cognitio rerum creatarum sunt nomina tantum distincta alchymia et philosophia in rei veritate nullo pacto differant, nisi alchymiam ad metalla tantum determinare velimus."+ Here, divested of its absurdity, we see, that the principal object of the alchymist was a perfection of that knowledge by which the secrets of nature could be laid open; and, so far, it was not only a lawful, but a laudable pursuit; particularly when associated with the prevailing, and frequently repeated, opinion, that the initiated were working under the immediate sanction and guidance of the Almighty. "Itaque in hac sola scientia, non est possibile aliquid in ea scire, nisi per Dei ipsius demonstrationem: nec enim aliquid consequi possunt in ea alchymistæ, nisi Deus eos consequi illud præjudicaverit, nec quicquam in Alchymia retinere valent, nisi per fortitudinem à summo Deo liberis divinitùs collatum sit." Again, "Lapis philosophorum ab omnibus authoribus qui de eo contractarunt, existimatur, summum in terris Dei donum esse," &c. "Cum ergo sit tantum et magnum Dei donum, ut ejus excellentia et præstantia cognoscatur, summa est necessaria sapientiæ, quæ paucissimis est a Deo data." In the New Light, the same opinion is thus expressed-"Thou, therefore, that desirest to attaine to this art,

*This word was coined by Paracelsus, and is derived from the Teutonick word spaher, a searcher. ↑ "Propug." 34. 5" Propug." 101.

+"Propug." 4.