*

"

"

"

"

"

"

ALCHEMY
ITS

SCIENCE

RIGHT

AND

REV.

BY

THE

J.

E.

BISHOP

SOMETIME

FOUR

WITH

ROMANCE

D.D

MERCER,
OF

TASMANIA

ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON

SOCIETY

PROMOTING

FOR

KNOWLEDGE

CHRISTIAN
NORTHUMBERLAND
NEW

YORK:

AVENUE,
THE

MACMILLAN

1921

W.C.
CO.

\^.'

"V
\'

THE

BY

to

define

Cosmic

SOME

OF

PROBLEM

THE

SAME

the

AUTHOR

CREATION.

Gharactet
328 pp.

Process.

WONDERS

OP

and

An
Trend

GREAT

of

the

75. 6d,

MATTER.

192 pp.

S.P.C.K.

''PHlNTei-

attempt

fc"^-^^^.

...r.*

6s.

^^^^^^BHi^Bsn^^Eis

PREFACE
4

This

perhaps claim to be an apology for

Alchemy. It attempts to set forth,with more of
its history,
system and of sympathy than is usual,
the doctrines it professed,
and the results it achieved.
It must not,however, be thoughtthat the apologetic
intention of the studyimpliesany failure in recognising
may

the weaknesses
in the
nature

Secret.
of the
had

and

follieswhich

abounded
chimerical

developmentof the art, nor the

its Grand
of the means
adopted for solving
The

defence is based

conditions

under

on

which

critical estimate

the

genuineadepts

to think and work.

I have

consulted

the

works

of

representative
periods.But I
lay no claim to detailed research throughoutthe
whole vast range of the literature of the subject.
I have availed
Berthelot had to specialise.
Even
less
or
myself freelyof materials which are more
accessible in modem
treatises on the Hermeitic
easily
art. I gratefully
acknowledgemy indebtedness to the
above-mentioned author,and, thoughin less degree,
to such studies as those of Figuier,
Muir, and Thorpe,
written article in Hastings'
also to a carefully
as
and Ethics. Fortunately
the
ofReligion
Encyclopcedia
juain features of the subjectstand out clearly;a
of the earlier
alchemists, especially

" *"

t"

20185

PREFACE

iv

of

study

and

tedious

often

founded

make

fair

the

the

but

evidence,

venture

for

alchemists
their

To

discoverers.

is

present

right
judge

hopelessly

to

them

8,

1920.

as

from

EDWARD

so

work,
true

the

we

scientists

standpoint

MERCER.

we

which

under

their

rank

the

when

irrational.

J.

February

that

conditions

did

not

is

condemnations

contend

the

detail
is

question

the

of

it.

allowance

genuine

to

justice

upon

acknowledge

the

What

unnecessary.

unintelligible

generally

shall
and

of

CONTENTS

PAOI

x^RGFACEi

lit
"""

"""

t*t

"""

"""

"""

INTRODUCTION

THE

What

aimed

Alchemy
astrology

AKT

AND

Alchemy

at"

Psychological

"

SuDj6Cu

t*"

PART

accounts
"

mystical

AND

Early

HISTORY

EARLY

references"

factor---Spread

of

The

the

testimony

of

words"

idea
of

mutation
trans-

of

Leyden

"

The

art

11
...

ARABIAN

Alchemy

The

"

Papyri

CHAPTER

The

Trismegistus

^Hermes

"

"""

"""

HISTORY

CHAPTER

Mythical

the

GENERAL

MYTH

of

"

t**

"""

and

Division

Romance

"

magic

with

compared

aspects

"""

V^

APPEAL

ITS

...

...

II

ALCHEMY

Documents

Gteher

"

Spread

"

of

Arabian
^3

"""

..t

"""

"""

"""

"""

vi

CONTENTS

CHAPTEE

III

MEDIiBVAL

ALCHEMY
PAOK

Gerbert"

Albertus

LuUy

"

Magnus

Universal

Aquinas

"

diffusion

Medieval

"

Bacon

Roger

"

criticism

OHAPTEB

Baymond

"

Persecution

"

31

IV

DECADENCE

Medical

Alchemy

^Paracelsus

"

Rosicrucians^

Chief

Successors

"

CHAPTEE

Boyle

The

of

TO

at Oxford

Alchemy

"

end

Alchemy

Critics

"

"".

IDEA

world
"

The

...

...

Dr. Price

Semler

"

...

...

"

...

I
NATURAL

PROCESSES

The
aim
quality of colour
Fixed
ments
elequalities of metals
^Imperfect
gold
analysis" Two
receipts for making
Precipitates Appeal to history

alchemist's

"

57

TRANSMUTATION

PROM

of change"The
Dyeing the metals

43

II

OF

SUGGESTIONS

"

"..

CHAPTER

...

"

SCIENCE

PAET
THE

Paracelsus

TRANSITION

Robert

of

of decadence

cause

"

Other

"

"

"

"

...

...

CHAPTEE

passage
and

from

The

Alchemy
the.metals
"

of
as

Psellus

"

separate entities

"

Platonic

Sulphur
...

TRANSMUTATION

theories
of

mercury
"

71

II

OP

PHILOSOPHY

...

of

matter

the

Platonism

"

tion
Composi-

philosophers
Theory and practice
"

Qualities

"

...

...

...

...

8G

CONTENTS

vii

OHAPTEB
ALCHEMY

III
AND

ANIMISM
FAOB

Metals

grow

metals

and
have

Metals

"

icieas

Metals

"

"""

animal

birth

body and

soul

"""

"""

reviving

,,,

,,.

of

of moral

Introduction

"

CHAPTER
MAQIC

and

Dying

"

","

,t,

lUu

IV

AND

ABTBOLOGY

Attitude of the Church

Alchemist
Early metallurgy and magic
and
and
The
metals
magic
philosophy Astrology
alchemy
and
and the planets
formulas
Signs
symbols
Magic
ing
VaryAn
animated
statue
strength of magical elements
"

"

"

"

"

"

Palliation

"

...

...

...

THE

OF

CHAPTER

Wanted

"

of

"

the
and

"

"

Beligion and

grand

Alchemy

secret

"

AND

STONE

"

Death

Summary

and

CHAPTER

The

secret

elixir
"

"

Dyer

stone
moral

"

AND

^The

alkahest

and

Eelley

"

"

of

of

Measure

properties

"

...

...

131

MYSTICISM

of metals

resurrection

of chief characteristics

CREDULITY

agent
potency

STONE

II

CHAPTER
THE

the

Early descriptions

transmuting agent
The
stone
Descriptions
Mental
Healing powers

...

QUEST

philosopher's

...

III

OBJECTS

THE

113

...

PART
THE

"

of the

"

The
143

stone

III
IMPOSTURE

False
tations
transmuBejuvenation
Alchemy and spiritualism
"

152
...

CONTENTS

vHi

IV

CHAPTEE

PAQK

OP

LIFE

SCIENCE

AND

CHAPTER
DIFFICULTIES

161

"""

"""

IV

PART
ALCHEMY

TREVES

OP

BEBMABD

INTERPRETATION

OP

I
Obscurities

of

obscurity
^Straightforward receipts
Examples

"

Vagueness

"

.*.

Map
\

p8B

clavicula"

Gold

II

Lead

Iron

"

of

feeling
"

Apparatus-"Processes~Ben

in detail

...

...

ADVANCES

of

...

...

178

III

CHAPTER

Combining

"

LABORATORIES

THE

Processes

Bronze,
sulphur" Tin

Copper

"

"

and

CHAPTER

Intrusion

Eleotrum

"

and
Mercury
Mercury
magnesia---Other materials

Brass, Aurichalcum"
"

1G9

...

MATERIALS

Silver

"

terminology
.."

...

CHAPTEE
THE

of

AND

theory and practice"

Jonson*s list

...

"

.."

"""

193

IV
DISCOVERIES

Dawn

of the scientific

The experimental method

^Boger Baconr" Aristotle
Classification
discoyeries"
Mediaeval discoveries
"

"

spirit^
Arabian

"

...

...

203

CONTENTS

ix

CHAPTER

TBANSITION

TO

MODEBN

CHEMISTB7

PAOI

in

Difficulty

discovering

Boyle

"

"

elements"

^Discovery

Unclumging

of

gases

Discoyery
"

Alchemist

elements

THE

elements

are

Natural

"

"

transmutation

abandoned

220

"

CHAPTER

The

elements
Lavoisier

Priestley

Joseph

the

of

not

VI

OUTLOOK

ultimates

and

Isomerism

allotropism

"

families

of

elements

"

"

Badioactivity"

The

elixir

of

Conclusion

life

233

"

,,,

...

...

...

...

...

ILLUSTKATIONS

The

Frontispiece

Alchemist
...

...

From

by

painting

Wrijht

Joseph

of

Derby.

facing

An

an

engraving

by

Ridley.

193

Labobatoby

Alchemist's

...

From

The

an

old

Boyle

222
...

From

an

"

...

print.

Robebt

Hon,

48

page

...

...

Front

...

Pabacelsus

Theophbastus

Philip

...

...

engraving

by

W.

Uoll.

...

...

"

CALIFJOPNIA

ALCHEMY"

ITS

AND

SCIENCE

ROMANCE
INTRODUCTION

The

OUR
strong

Art

subject
a

record

so

alchemy

ancient

shattered
has

Appeal

its

^that

"

and

of modem

stream

leavingit
days, and

is

and

yet

science

forlorn.

and

almost

passed

bafflingart, with

so

tarnished.

has

swept

It has
of

out

The

it,

over

fallen

on

evil

remembrance.

sympatheticallystudied, it abounds
yet, when
in varied interests,for the poet, the historian, the
And

scientist himself.

philosopher,and for the

its adepts some
among
the

famous

most

civilisation.

It

operative toil

of

the

picturesque and
annals of European

most

in the

personages

It numbered

philosophicspeculationand
mysticism, magic and technical skill.
welded

It lost itself in the wildest aberrations, and

in

modern

chemistry.

medley of attractions
appeal in proportion
is softened

What

If

we

ask

what

strenuously sought

It

thus

and

to

unique

gain

in their

humanised.

Alchemy
the

of
power
rialism
Mateof modern
the rigidity

which
as

presents

yet issued

aimed

objects were
attain, the
1

at.

which
answers

the
are

art
not

so
as

"

"

"

"

-ALCHfiikXrljbjS.SCIE
AND

2- :

ROMANCE

would
simple as many
imagine. One of them stands
the popular mind-r-the discovery
out prominently m
of the Philosopher'sStone which was
the
to transmute
baser

than

more

into

metals

making

gold

remedy

for

objects

disease,

tended

to

the

to

renew

was

to

effect

universal

btone

extension

natural

was

idea

and

indefinite

an

of the

lhe"EIixir.

and

of the

vigour

far

at

The

medicine.

because
together,

run

of the

was

aimed

rivalrywith the hope~6f

of discovering a
that

constant

silver

and

identitication

by

In

this.

BiiFaTcTiemists

gold.

of

of

graces

two

frequent
latter,

"The

master-power,

youth,

lengthening of

the

nay,

term

it
of

life^ Further, adepts claimed that Their woiSdfous

remedy would give intellectual and moral excellence,
happiness,influence with the spiritworld, communion
with

the

Thus

Creator.
until

expanded
of metals

they

only, but

were

embraced

of human

pf_powers^which^reached
large.
"

But

the

objects, it

was

delusive ;

aims

into

said,

and

of the

transmutations,

beings,and
out

art, it will be

the

the

never

is therefore

the

art
not

control

universe

at

attained

its

unworthy

study. Such an inference is easilyshown

be
to
superficial. Delusion
hasty and
undeniably
bulks
largely in the history, and raises in an acute
the curious
in man's
form
problem of its function
intellectual and spiritualevolution.
delusion is
But
tale. In searching for the Stone
and
not the whole
the Elixir, real substances
had to be handled, real
It could not, then, be
experiments had to be made.
that there should accumulate
than
otherwise
a
body
of the substances
of empirical facts concerning the nature
and their mutual
reactions.
Moreover, even
of serious

INTRODUCTION
the

helped

alive

keep

to

their

had

charlatans

to

part
the

play,

interest

in that

in

they

alchemical

pursuits.
Alchemy

has

Bacon

kindred

kinds

two

to the

attributed

better

intelligenceand

Astrology, Natural

his reason,

the

ends

astrology pretendeth

For

belief is

to certain authors

which

have

the

three

tion
imaginaof

pretences

which

are

which
noble.
-

that

is

had

in number

discover

to

the

opinions,

Alchemy;
or

concatenation

or

are

and

Magic,

nevertheless

sciences

and

confederacy with

with

than

for

much

too
or

he groups

"As

arts

themselves

sciences

The

when

themselves,

arts

art.

man

yielded to

either

in any

of

in which

pseudo-arts.
is

which

Astrology.

and

suggestivepassage

together three
of credit
facility
it is of

Magic

with

compared

spondence
corre-

between

the

inferior ;
the
natural
superior globe and
magic
natural
pretendeth to call and reduce
philosophy
from
a
variety of speculations to the magnitude of
works
alchemy pretendeth to make
separation
; and
of all the
nature

are

few

help
could

much

unlike

comments
to

an

the

on

points

imderstanding
long

so

it gained

in mixtures

"

by

facilityof
Bacon.

here

of how

raised

of

We

credit
It

of

note

was

will

pseudo-art

period, and

attention.

continued

groimds mentioned
of

which

incorporate."*

flourish for

worthy of
place that
men

parts of bodies

why

in the

"

on

both

cultivated

it is
first
the

by

selves,
imagined that either they themrepute who
or
others, had genuinely solved the great secret
"

Advancement

of Learning,

Bk.

I.

ALCHEMY"

ITS

SCIENCE

AND

ROMANCE
"

of

Philosopher's Stone,

the

soUd

of

amount

it thus

and

prestige which

gained

survived

an

constant

failures and

disappointments. It was also in the same

case
as
astrology and magic through the strength of
its appeal to the emotions.
Spurred on by the dazzling
hope of wealth and all that wealth can
give, and by
the

desire

clever

to

their

Astrology sought
of

life ;

hiunan

with

In

which

as

as

Bacon

shall see,

we

they

and

all three
the

among

says,

chief

in

astronomy,

alchemy

in

chemistry.

merging do not affect

of the principlesand
ignorance and

away,

and

nucleus

for

the

themselves

natural

differences

The
the

greater and
from

and

nature

the

more

store

solid

physics

which

and
are

Astrology
physics, and

in the rates

of

significance

the

involved.

processes

arts,

fortunes,

together

in

magic

Accretions

gradually stripped

superstitionwere

and

Their

times.

own

vanities

these

sciences

to

our

accumulating

Mathematics

noble.

tp

of human

and

errors

powers

laboured

debased,

birth

gloriesof

merged

of

the

relation

the

satisfaction

were

gave

sufficed

into

bend

to

intimately linked

were

alike

the

often

too

even

their

sway

success

alchemy

of

spite, then,

marred,

their ends,

wills
for

to

star-lore

magic sought

substances

manipulate

of

decay,

aglow.

bring

to

human

to

nature

needs.

chances

fire of enthusiasm

the

natural

and

imagination

slenderest

The

keep

disease

conquer

allowed

men

reason.

to

'

of facts

formed

the

triumphs.

were

the

first to
of

entangling creations

free

tion.
imagina-

to
early emancipation they have
the comparative clarityand
thank
precisionof their
for a
longer time
Astrology was
subject matter.

For

cultivated

their

on

its

emotional

side

ets

means

tq

INTRODUCTION
and
foretelling,
was

in the

times,
,

of

case

had

men

Alchemy
For, until quite recent
the unravelling of the

changing, the

even

worst

all.
in

guides

no

future.

other
reactions
of chemical
complex and subtle mazes
than a medley of loose analogiesand vague
hypotheses.
in this sphere of research
Advance
was
necessarily
slow
and
Liebig is justified
painful. Nevertheless
when
he asserts that
alchemy from first to last was
chemistry."
"

Aspects.

Psychological

The

interest.

during

piu'suitof

the

the

psychological

brings

art

before

amid
changing centiu'ies,

an

aim.

absorbing

putting
mystic and

for

material

here

of

of

replete with

us,

varying

the influence of emotion

types of civilisation,

stages and
in

story

long series

also

is

subject

Our

the

to

Is

test

there

not

of

many

the

occult

speculations and
themselves
so
persistently
practices which manifest
?
not
in all ages,
excluding oiu* own
Undoubtedly
is a place for these.
The
world is in realitya
there
temple of mysteries, and there is perennial truth in
the much-quoted
aphorism that there are more
things
tendencies

in

to

heaven

and

earth

than

philosophy. Notwithstanding,
of the

alchemists

allowing

the

dominant

set

serve

to

dreamt

are

put

the

us

errors

on

oiu*

of

and

in

omr

follies

guard against

critical

faculty

of keen

desires, of deep cravings,or

to

be

swamped

by

of

soaring aspirations.
If it be

weaknesses,
can

moreover

urged

that

our

own

age

has

outgrown

such

psychology utters
a
warning note, and
appeal to a sufficientlydisturbing

ALCHEMY"

of

array

ITS

bids

It

facts.

environment

distinguishbetween

us

of the

hereditary structure

individual

provides that
(or its development. True, oiur
vastly improved ; but oiur minds

the

which

those

as

same

of this fact wfll

immunity

our

with

mind

make

the

and

the

stimulus

environment

has

fundamentally

are

realisation

of former

condemnation

our

will likewise
of

mind

forefathers.

our

mitigate

credulities,and
the

of

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

less confident

us

of

generation.

own

Romance.
from
possible,then, to justify,even
standpoint, a serious consideration
its
But
alchemy was and what it achieved.
It is

constitutes

the

it has

outset

poets^laywrights
days

medium

in

marvellous.

the

for artists,

In

of

in which

to

verse

Jean

the

de la Rose^

subject
his

is at

Jonson

which

Alchemist^

with

many

mysteries

inconsiderable

no

(1275), the

was

the

expoimd

art, and

Meung

de

it the

makes

famous

fh'm believer in

of two

author

alchemy,

of his shorter

"rarest"

his

in

consider

his

poems.

play,

finest

brings it to the fore. Writers

have
fiction innumerable
exploited its resources
their plots Scott in his Antiquary being
enhance
the least notable example.
Browning has chosen
"

the
most

hero

of

an

ambitious

poem,

Paracelsus,

astonishing professors. Artists

have

one

The

work.

in his Faust

Goethe

the

Aurelius

of the Roman

Ben

novelists.

romance

it abounds

fascination

what

certain

success.

and

and

had

of

tarian
utili-

early mediaeval
Augurella employed the

practicesof

and

For

fantastic, the. uncanny,

wild" the
From

claim.

further

of

of
to
not

for
its

exploited

INTRODUCTION

picturesqueaccessories

presiding sages and

of allegory and
Lovers
its mysterious apparatus.
symbolism can revel in its mystic serpents, interwoven
triangles,salamanders, dragons, and the like weird
is
of imfettered
creations
store
imagination. The
its

its

"

inexhaustible.
It would
science
6f its
our

inexcusable

be

has

teems

conquests
of the

sense

all is said

free

the

into

on

world

labours

hopes and

no

the

than

to

cold

the

which

facts

chills romantic

and

get back

to

way

share

to

when

have

we

hard

surer

or

deepens

But

said,

of

phantasy

easier

story

present-day experimenter

burden

of

and

peculiar charm

for

while

the

alchemists.

of the

Division

be

can

of

us

is

olden

the

that

rovings

There

fervour.

universe.

methods

depersonalised
impose
limits

of the

score

modem

The

romance.

interest

loss of

the

acknowledge

that

with human

mystery

this

on

of

its elements

not

contend

to

of

Subject.

the

"

It would

separately

be
each

history

the
its

science, and

divisions

the

of

interest

its

from

art

devote

to

subject.

our

of

to

however,
profitable,
the

of

cumbersome

sources

to

these

shall thus

We

desultory wanderings.

from
as

of

It will be

enumerated.

and

artificial and

Let

us

treat

above
to

tinguish
dis-

philosophy
the larger

be

preserved

therefore

proceed

follows.
We

cannot

story until

hope

we

general course.
of the historyof

have
We

to

understand

secured

the

details of the

bird's-eye view

will begin, then, with

the art from

its

of

its

sketch

originto its decadence

ITS

ALCHEMY"

obtain

thus

and

closer

it.
the

come

of

an

the

attempt

to

will

the

ask

promising
that
of

to

could

bygone

thus

is
attain
be

day.

of

the

taking

for

results

suspected

or

ditioned
con-

the

sopher's
Philo-

Next

will

the

value

science.

be

really
new

which

the

admiring

and

positive

which
of

and

Life.

amount

art

may

which

clear

be

the
to

not

art

ideas

substances,

estimate

it

Then

materials

Elixir

whether

persons,

ruling

the

illusive

made

rather,

anything
sages

will

which

fitted.

the

and

those

and

we

of

way

Stone

whether,
and

The

contributions

lastly

of

methods,

of

virtues

be

may

development
skill,

technical

into

consideration

the

guided

ROMANCE

AND

framework

discoveries,

happenings,
come

SCIENCE

lease

may

imagined

And
dead

of

or

life,

surpass

by

the

PART

GENERAL

HISTOBY

CHAPTER

MYTH

did

WHEN

it

of

fall

the

in

be

second

the

it resulted

era,

and

that

art

of

the

Egyptians

Greeks,

and

with

conjimction

from

take

us

it is of

back

origin

by

were

invest

the

But

it

no

with

of

Some

Adam
it

as

as

old

its
as

the

race.

home

triple

this

third

them

dignity

were

the

The

loss
11

of
and
a

bold

very

with

of

the

art

sought

hoary

to

quity.
anti-

claimed

and

naive

desire

of

of

secret

came

the

of

century

historians

easily satisfied,

traced

when

even
or

and

imposing

founder,

its

of

the

of

importance.

second

adepts

the

practical

the

note

is ancient

the

thus

means

Christian

Accounts.

alchemy
than

further

no

era.

our

of

careful

"

alchemy

found

which

be

can

philosophy

fundamental

Mythical

The

the

the

into

the

of

until

not

"

called

union

mysticism

Let

But

of

deed,
in-

known,

however,

century

with

the

Alexandria.

in

much,

third

or

is

it emerge

properly

art

certainty.

any

It

does

This

history.

with

The

career

ancestry.

Empire

the

long

lacking.

ancient

an

its

answered

is

Roman

that

inferred,
arose

has

HISTORY

begin

cannot

valid

of

light

EAELY

evidence

that
the

AND

alchemy

question
Trustworthy

making
with

ITS

12

ALCHEMY"

the

loss of Paradise.
finner

ground

AND

he

when

ROMANCE

Borriehius

Olaeus

fixes

is

what
some-

on

Tubal-eain, the

on

Bible, for it is certain that

of the

smith

famous

SCIENCE

the

metallurgy of primitive times provided the practical

enlisted
Noah
these
basis of alchemy.
was
among
patriarchaladepts. It was argued that he must have
possessedthe Elixir of life,otherwise he could not have
begotten children when he was five hundred
years old.
The
contention, however, is not quite convincing.
different and
A supposition of a very
far sounder
kind
is advanced
the
word
when
is
alchemy
"

derived

from

Noah.

But

in

should

we

Philosophy^*that
Once

lore

the

were

or

Chem

name

not

this

on

Shem

started
enrol

of

was

this

on

Moses.

the

Chem,

he

not

be

Hermetic

the

track, historians

Was

to

conclude,

score

alchemist

an

of

son

proved

seventeejith-century History of

fail to

Shem,

name

even

evidence,

with

the

"

could

learned

not

in all the

the

not
Egyptians, and would
alchemy be
included ?
that when
Moses
Moreover, it is recorded
was
angered at the idolatry of the Israelites, he
"

took

the

fire,and

calf which

and

water,

it

ground
made

they had made, and

to powder, and strewed
the

children

of Israel

burnt

it with

it upon
drink

of

the
it."

Here, they triumphantly infer, is proof positive that

he
its

had

the

agency,

float

the

Philosopher'sStone.
could

he
?

have
And

made

For
the

if it be

how,

save

by

gold powder

objected that there

is no trace of knowledge of the Stone in the subsequen t
is ready.
Moses
narratives, the answer
kept the
entrust
the
knowledge to himself, and would
never
secret to his people.
on

water

"

Longlet du Fresney, bom

1674.

MYTH
Solomon

AND

EARLY

even

was

HISTORY
certain

more

18

be

to

claimed

as

of
widely held to be a master
occult and magical arts, and was
possessedof enormous
of gold. Clearly he knew
the mysteries of
stores
transmutation.
Yes, said early higher critics,he had
it, why did he go to so
gold ; but if he could make
trouble
and
much
This
to send
to Orphir ?
expense
obvious
objection was
parried by the supposition
that, determining to keep the secret, he had the metal
and
carried there
brought back again, in order to
mislead the people as to its real source
I
For

adept.

an

he

was

Hermes

the

greater significanceis the

much

Of
art

Trismegistus.

founded

was

Thrice-greatest Hermes.

supposed
the

as

account,

inventor

of

gods. So
alchemy that

statement

the

it.

mass

elevated

time

his

Hermetic

of

of their

one

of

with
be

to

came

earliest and

^that of the

"

of waters

unity

open

to

me

faculties

bearing

of this

treat

of the

open

praise
on

our

and
the

winds

All

and

of

exists.

earth, open

the All and

the

subject will

philosophy

trees, tremble

heavens

istic
character-

most

of all that

voice

to my

Let

we

"

Art

praisethe Supreme Lord,

my

rank

the

connected

name

I would
the

to

that

on

His

Universe, be attentive

the

arts, and,

often
was
mystical hymn
quoted by the adepts, as an authoritative

doctrines
"

"

for

recited and

useful

closelywas

the

synonym

of

course

Egyptian priest,
B.C., widely revered

an

2000

all the

the

"

was

lived about

to have

in

He

that

Trismegistus

Hermes

by

claim

be
the

let

not.

the One.

still ;

let all

One."

The

be considered

alchemy.

when

ITS

ALCHEMY"

14

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

significanceof the prominent place given to

lurgical
Hennes
lies here.
It was
undoubtedly the metaland
chemical
knowledge and skill possessed
by the Egyptians that started the idea of the practical
From
the
earliest
possibility of transmutation.
metals
times
that
with
pioneer civilisation worked
and alloys,with the making of glassand enamel, and
The

has

shown

which

of

concoction

the

with

it is the

that

take

we

Hermes

claim
of

large measure
We

claim

overlaid

by

For

yet

there

has

extinct

during

1) that

magical formulae
The

veil that

be

may

accorded

not

press

historical

fact

and

myth

whole

of

our

over

arts,

occult

the
was

fantastic

this should

that

the

to

have

Christian

widely spread conviction

ancient
the
Egyptians had

which

hung

Egyptian

secret

many

of

wonder

we

been

of

the

single individual

of

core

accretions

can

happened.
era

this

enormous

Nor

legend.

be

to

validity*

For

far.

too

of

careful, however,

be

must

succession

alchemy.

on

Trismegistus

his behalf

on

Berthelot

accumulated

oldest treatises

representative of a whole
instead
priest-metallurgists,
discoverer, the

And
thus

material

in the

is embodied

If, then,

medicines.

(not
covered
dis-

doctrines, and

had

been

lost to

the

ruined

retreats

the

world.

at Thebes

and
Memphis, the ignorance of what was known
practisedthere, allowed free play for imagination and
cast
the little that had
survived.
a
glamour over
Mediaeval
few
a
(and not
modems)
firmly
sages
of that
believed that the bizarre signs and
emblems

and

almost

obliterated
of

and

the

past concealed

deepest import.

absurdities.

The

fact

secrets

Hence

nevertheless

and

tions
revela-

exaggerations
remains

that

MYTH
this

HISTORY

EARLY

AND

starting-pointfor

a
metallurgy gave
alchemy properly so called.*
At last,then, we
approach the

ancient

have

We

discovered

accumulation

of

craft

had

its

generation
between

itself.

confines

of

history.
Egypt of a large

in

materials

Jewellers, painters,potters,

of technical

store

which

with

pre-eminently metal-workers

own

after

of

kind

the

alchemy concerned
glass-makers,and

existence

the

15

each

"

handed

secrets

on

generation by personal instruction

and

masters

were

also manuals

been

preserved, and

apprentices.

and

treatises

in any

there

Doubtless
have

these

but

as

not

sidiary
played a quite sublays great emphasis on the
part. Berthelot
He
tends
conimportance of such professionaltradition.
that the Egyptian lore was
in this way
mitted
transof Rome,
to the artisans
preserved during the
Dark
Ages in the workshops of Italy and France, and
into the generalbody of alchemical
gradually absorbed
doctrine and practice.

Idea

The

Although
facts,we

have

derived

from

have

We
from

to

succeed

pwHm,

For

Transmutation.

of

are

in

now

yet reached

the time

to

inferences

found

in

of

the

idea

Certainly

detailed

of
not

proofs, see

especiallypp.

31 fP.

when

more

later

records.

probable
it is

And

have

we

tracing

Berthelot, Les

testimony

less

or

transmutation.

by

historical

is available.

documents

contemporary
trust

with

touch

period of semi-obscuritythat

rise

"

not

statements

in this
the

we

case

any

to

find

Can
series

we

of

Origines de VAkhimie,

ALCHEMY"

16

ITS

specifichappenings,
of scientific

about

in

Egypt
alloys of

is

possiblein

made

resembled

gold

in

to

to

from

the

baser

be

their

use

certain

that

closely

which

would

knowledge,

the

that

metal-workers

and

compounded
Now

case

metals.

observe

soon

silver.

and

think

came

the

Still,it is

times.

goldsmiths

could

ROMANCE

men

would

They

often

so

in modem

how

those

metals

putting

AND

discoveries

possibleto surmise
precious could be
How

as

SCIENCE

be

they

slow

legitimately,

some

others

artificers would
illegitimately.The dishonest
get great gain from
debasing the precious metals and
from uttering false coinages,being thus the precursors
of the

fraudulent

of the

long history.

But

alchemy,

producing
laboured
about

alchemists

as

alloys that
for genuine

that

there

have

we

flourished

who

seen,

aimed

resembled

an

honest

more

end

than

or

silver;

it

How

came

it

gold

transmutation.

arose

at

to the

belief in the

possi*
question

to the
bilityof this process ? A full answer
would
our
anticipate too much
study of the three
/ conjoining factors
knowledge of technical processes,
Greek
philosophy, and Alexandrian
mysticism. But
not
we
speaking quite generally, may
safelyimagine
that something of this kind happened ?
Certain
in the
workers
making of these alloys
of their
were
reallypuzzled by the results of some
of analysis
experiments. With the imperfect means
at their command,
they would at times be deceived
into thinking that they had perceptiblyincreased the
of the preciousmetal
amount
they were
treating. By
of reinforcement
of a growing suspicionof success,
way
"

there

would

them

the Greek

come

to the

doctrines

minds

of the

concerning

more

the

one

learned

of

substance

MYTH

out

of

EARLY

AND
all others

which

HISTORY

supposed

were

further, there

And

17

be

would

be

pounded.
com-

keen

edge

to
a

research

by the hope of a sure and

the
of multiplying their wealth.
Under
easy
way
of these converging influences, it is not difficult
sway
alchemist.
how
craftsman
to see
an
a
might become
had
the idea of transmutation
For when
once
begun
take
definite shape, it would
to
speedily establish
itself with peculiar strength. The
magnitude of the
fire the imagination, and
lead to
stake would
would
of effort.
specialisedconcentration
Alchemy would
its extraordinary career.
thus be launched
on
put

their

upon

Early
the

Supposing
the

near

direct

mark,

or

the

it

such

whether

does
This

there

exis^, and
is

of

our

be

to

would

much

earliest centuries

somewhere

is any

lend

evidence,

it

support.
is valuable, though

clearlyproved,
there

era

had

that

in

into

come

definite class of

their

They
but

ask

we

scanty.

being

surmise

above

indirect, which

Fortunately
all too

References.

business

well

were

The

to

alchemists

not

were

operative chemists who made

effect genuine transmutation.

the

on

for

who

of-fact allusions to

of the term,

sense

way.

authorities

at first authors

in the full

justifyingthis

make
an

statement

incidental

mere

accepted belief

and

in the

are

matter-

possibility

of transmutation.
The
an

first bit of

author

century)

"

of

testimony

uncertain, but

^Manilius.

Astronomicay

in

which

He
he

I shall

did

early,

very

wrote

his

adduce

poem
best to

is from

date

(first

entitled
emboUish

18

ALCHEMY"

the

dull

of

action

for hidden

calcining of veins

the

gold

and

and

in

yet

Elder.

the

Pliny

allusion

second

The

discourses

fire
and

in the
In

of
process
in with
no

metals, brought

explanation ;

how

astronomical

"

He

specialart

passage

doubling
of

idea

be

to

the

course

quoted

records

riches,

of articles made

case

it of

possible

for buried

this

the

on

makes

of minerals, and

silver."

of the

mention

he

metals

material

the

doubling

of

book

tells

He

ROMANCE

astrologicaland

fourth

fire.

search

the

of

the

In

AND

SCIENCE

his

details of

themes.

*'

ITS

"

have

we

the

precious
a
necessity for
mutation.
implies transis to
the

that

found

be

Emperor

of
Caligula,greedy of gold, ordered a large amount
orpiment (arsenicsesquisulphide a yellow powder)
"

but

gold ;
did

not

at

the

that

the

repay

warranted
but

that

calcined;

be

to

any

Berthelot

thus

in itself,such

probable ;
analogous

was

involved.

cost

this

it does

rate

was

of it

amount

taking

in

result

the

comments

to

mean

excellent

some
so

We

small
may

for it

be

not

artificial manufacture.

mean

the

on

that

seems

it

transmutation

"

passage

Pliny reports it,is nothing

as

that

we

have

here

The

fact

else than

operation

an

cupellation (refming),having for end

in
of the
result the
extraction
and
gold contained
certain
compounds of sulphur with metals, distinto

"

"

Quidqiiid in

iisns

metalla
Scrutari caeca
Ignis agit.
Depositas et opes, terrseque exurere
venas,
certa
manu
duplicarierarte
Materiamquo
Quidquid ot argento fabricetur quidquid et auro."
.

t
brem

**

Invitaverit

spes Caium

jussit excoqui

czcellens, sed
(Bk. xxiii,ch. iv).

aurum

magnum
ita parvi

principem avidissimum
auripigmenti pondus,

ponderis,ut

auri, quamoet

detrimentum

plane fecit
sentiret

"

HISTORY

EARLY

AND

MYTH

their colour

19

possibly containing gold.

of pre-existing
extraction
The
gold, or the making of
ideas quite distinct for
two
it out and out, these are
in the minds
confused
of ancient
us
they were
; but
(Les Originesde VAlchimie^ p. 69).
operators
not
The
two
just quoted are
quite,
passages
though nearly,free from suspicion. There is,however,
doubt
cast upon
a
testimony which points to the
no
time
Diocletian
Greek
of
(284-805). Suidas, a
lexicographer(c.975-1025), tells us that this Emperor
all Egyptian books
the making of gold and
ordered
on

guished by

as

"

silver

to

be

practicallythe
a

time

We

burnt.

time

same

which

noted

was

and

writings. Alchemy

had

not

attained

to

The
The

dealing

oldest
with

thus

are

by

as

taken

Manilius

for secret

and

plainlyon
dignity of an

was

the

Papyri
authentic

back

and

to

Pliny
magical arts
"

its way,

but

art

of transmutation.

in

existence

Leyden.

of

documents

this

early phase of the art are certain

of manuscripts stored in the libraries of Leyden,
groups
Venice, and Paris.
They are not treatises on alchemy,
rather
but
guides to the technical
practices of the
chemistry of their period. The most ancient of them
in the Leyden collection,and on the score
are
of their
Kistorical value

and

characteristic

contents

call for

brief

descriptionand critical notice.

According to Berthelot, the greater
this collection are
Egyptian, dating from
century,

by

order

and
of

so

of the

Diocletian.

same

order

They

were

as

those

number
the

of
third

destroyed
probably found

ALCHEMY"

20

together

ITS

in

the

They contain,
the

tomb

in intimate

SCIENCE
of

AND

ROMANCE
of

magician

some

Thebes.

association, magic, astrology,

alloys,dyeing, and the virtues

of plants. Here
is a heading which
displaysa singular
combination
of magic
and
to
gold-craft. How
make
a
ring that shall act as a talisman, by graving
on
a
jasper, set in the ring, the form of a serpent
of metallic

study

"

which
Sim

bites

its tail,the

with

moon

two

stars, and

the

above."
From

speciallyalchemic point of view,

remark
number
of receiptsfor working metal
we
a
and
of imitating
alloys,and descriptionsof methods
and falsifying
gold and silver. There is,for example,
be given
an
explanation of how a white colour may
to certain
of arsenic ; and how, by
metals by the use
the

the

addition

gold.

more

of cadmia,

All this is leadingup

colour

acquires the

copper

of

belief in the

possibility
of real transmutation.
And, indeed, we actuallyfmd
paragraphs treating of the multiplicationof gold by
alluded
recall the
doubling
forming alloys. We
in the classical authors
to
previously quoted. The
idea was
evidently taking possession of the nascent
to

"

"

alchemists.

The

Mystical

Factor.

manuscripts also give us a glimpse

the
in which
into
mysticism
magic and
manner
blended
with
philosophy ^the third
practice and
in alchemy
factor contained
properly so called. So
strong is the thaumaturgical ingredientthat it points
of mysticism, as the
to Alexandria, that great home
art had its origin.
actual centre in which the Hermetic
These

ancient

"

MYTH
There

that

in

was,

all

brought

into

to

directly
in-

in these

And

incantations

spells and

aid of technical

to the

it.

with

contact

how

see

we

of

medley

bound
religionwhich was
directly or
thinking was,

whose

brought
treatises

seething centre,

21

and

philosophy, magic,
influence

HISTORY

EARLY

AND

were

It is obvious

formulas.

supposed co-operation of unseen

powers
would
tend to develop the idea of real transmutation
;
for the
barriers
set
by ordinary experience of the
there
natural
be evaded
order would
or
ignored when
was
expectation of supernatural intervention.
that

the

Spread

We

be

may

to

The

Art.

the

from

knowledge

Alexandria,
of the

art

new

great cities in

the

of

most

Empire.

that

sure

originating centre,
spread

of

the

the

as

would
Roman

superstitions,religions, and

arts,

the Western
world
speculationsof the East invaded
with
the
travel
and
More
rest.
alchemy would
in Constantinople,
especiallydid it find a congenial home
the cityin which so much
art and
learningwere
fostered and granted a refuge in the troubled
days of
it is from
Rome's
Alexandria
decay and fall. And
and
of those
Constantinople that there issued most
the preservation of the
ensured
Greek
treatises which
lost ; others were
Hermetic
art.
Many of them were
in forgotten libraries ; others
fell into
buried
the
"

hands

of

the

tongue, and

so

the

end

were

in

transmutation
It is in

Arabs,

one

of

were

the
new

of these
the

fifth

translated
of

means

into

their

setting the

own

idea

of

environment.
Greek

treatises,written

century

by

certain

about
iEneas

ALCHEMY"

22

Garseus,

the

as

work

specimen

his

History

much

of Chemistry

from

this

they
the

laziness

great
led

were

into

disservice

great

it thus

Since

roughly

maintained

were

The

sufficient
from

to

will

come

did

official

completely
At
find

the

that

the

of

alchemy

will

be

conviction

or

managed

to

and

order,

after

their

though

adepts.
it

Here

of

relations

and

from

In

was,

that
of

sort

religious

new

well,

so

they

days

art

so

never

was

banned.
close

of

alchemy
Wars,

Empire.

what

to

art."

of

with

condemnation.

succeed

not

the

to

life,

of

way

alchemists

motives,

themselves

escaped

rise

whether

that,

speculations

again.

up

that,

say

prudential

adjust

solitary

ecclesiastics

between

question

and

ask

to

should

writers

these

of

contemporaneous

it is natural

Christianity,

interest

Boerhaave,

says

the

it

as

we

decadence.

that

appears

speaking,

what

is

adulteration

and

this

historical

enthusiastical

vain

earliest

the

Be

It

of

period

"

be

to

broader

class.

its

said

is

transmutation.
of

of

from

anticipate
in

is

ROMANCE

AND

what

alchemic

of

may,

found

is

that

mention

SCIENCE

ITS

out.

We

being

adopted

now

this

had

become

into

to
an

see

alien

in

extinct

revolutions,
turn

period,

preparatory

invasions,

how

it

was

civilisation.

then,

the

Roman

crushed

resuscitated

we

it

by

CHAPTER

II

ARABIAN

the

IN

seventh

dire

for

confusion.

settled

But

they

began

speculations,

arts,

and

Alexandrian

others,
itself

devoted

many

affairs

by

thrown

were

when

the

conquerors

to

interest

themselves

of

had

they

the
of

students

into
had
in

art,

life, and

who

the

the

suppressed.

Hermetic

lease

new

invaded

was

sciences

form

given

was

its

time

down,

The

Egypt

century

and

Arabs,

ALCHEMY

among

attracted

were

to

genuine

very

chemists.

The
We
some

this

to

owe
cases

are

preceded

the

by

al'kohl

^kohl

Oriental

by

use

and

liquids,

group

of

is

said

and

of
El
to

be

now

Greek

is

at

of

the

course

Greek

last

known

Such

aL

black

to

the

the

Arabic

xerion,
23

used

to

powders
particular

the

alcohols.
we

article

meaning

still

lashes.

and

various

adopted

word

instance,

powder,

attached
as

alcohol,

for

eyebrows

in

words

are

alcohol,

extended

was

was

fine

darkening

for

word

liquids

of

example
elixir.

the

Greek

others,

word

The

being

ladies

The

article,

aludel.

"

in

which

words

certain

era

Arabic

Arabic

Words.

of

Arabian

pure

elixir^ alembic,
is

Testimony

As

take

may
;

an

the

ixir

powder.

dry
0

24

ALCHEMY"

But

it may

meaning

ITS
be

"

It would

ROMANCE

AND

Arabic, iksir^from

pure

kasara^

root

grind."

to

chief

The

SCIENCE

of this group

in line with

be

to

seem

of words

alchemy itself.

is

above

those

but

disputed ; and a glance at the rival

derivations will be not only interestingetymologically,
but
will give us
valuable
some
side-lightson the
As
was
history of the art.
pointed out in the last
derivation
would
link it to Shem,
or
chapter, one

its

originis

Chem,

another

much

son

son,

desperate ;
the

of the

patriarch

Ham,

or

Egyptian

of

Hebrew

meaning,

Hebrew

chamariy

lead

those

called

Chemla,

the

black

of

descriptiveof
still

the

the

blackness

of

Egypt,

word

same

eye.

authorities

some

dialect

the

The

it to

the

follow

the

would
soil.

the

think

the coimtry

that

as

name

of

who

purely

to

of

in his treatise Isis and

tells us,

OsiriSythat in the sacred

founding

refer

who

how

seen

for

It is safer

mystery.

of Plutarch, who

was

do

is

this word

in the
seek

means

no

have

we

then,

not,

by

that

";oncemed

substitute

we

is

case

and

Egypt,

was

as
a

If

is little doubt

name

closelythis country
need
alchemy. We

the

Cham,

for there

Noah.

used

for

thus

be

There

are

Plutarch

that

was

stronglyin his favour is the

fact that
the arts which
provided the practicalpart
of alchemy were
peculiarlyEgyptian.
Other
that
authorities, however, argue
alchemy
is one
of the terms
resultingfrom prefixingthe Arabic
on

the

article

righttrack.

to

Greek

chemia, which
before

the fourth

And

word.

appears

mentioned,

silver."

And

There

in the

against

commentator

century of

our

"

is

decree

the
on

Greek
of

makers

word,

Diocletian,
of

gold

and

Aristotle, writing in

era, calls attention

to various

ALCHEMY

ARABIAN
vessels and
were

named

chuika

organa

melting

and

pouring.

It

which
for
that

would

many

word

the

Perhaps
that

both

way

of

an

chumeiaf

alchymy

contained

"

"

the

has

the

have

reference

^Egypt supplying

the

speculations on

the

rational basis

know,

case,

the

art

is first called
In

centuries.
but

name,

Hermetic

the

have
with
in

the

Renaissance

and

its

was

art,"

of

nature

idea

Arabic

phase

earlier

known

as
"

divine

the

to the

front.

of

the

which

of transmutation.
article

testifies to

of its development.
so

sixth

far

and

stages it had
"

two

Greece

and

matter

of transmutation,
in the

the

foimding

practicalpart,

alchemy

the

the

to

of

no

art,"

science,"

and

which
"

as

we

seventh

sacred

of
designations of a like kind, many
retained rightthrough the history,though
"ame

its chief

reflected

each

to

for the

the

In any

be

chemistry

our

contributed

which

would

prefixingof the
importance of the Arabian

Then,

describe

"

also

offered

would

chymistry.
would
thus
be
defensible, though the
the greater weight of authority. And
we

forms

countries

It

in

of

groimds

on

spellings alchemtfyand

of

art

but

out
suggestion thrown
the Egyptian
alchemy mean

derivation

difference

should

^and

"

melting and pouring. May there not

of the Egyptian chemia
early confusion

Greek

former

by declaring
this, not by

The

make

would
Greek

processes,

Both

of terms

part of the

settled

sound

are

probability.

The

the

this set

substantive

harmonising,

convenient

Plutarch

been

is to

is best

dispute

contentions

historical

art.

the

^that is, apparatus

"

alchemy."

"

by

refer

calcination

for fusion and

used

instruments

25

special
"

the

other
were

alchemy

"

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

20

ROMANCE

AND

Documents.
So much

for derivations.

form

what
The

the

But

great.

very

assumed

art

in the

inasmuch

hands

issued

false.

consider

to

of the
be

to

in later

as,

impudent forgeries were

famous
adepts, it is matter

in

Arabs*

Arabian

times, many

the

of

names

to
difficulty

of great

is

sift

I shall

keep to the evidence

is most
which
generally accepted as trustworthy,
relyingspeciallyon the researches and conclusions of
Berthelot
in his splendid treatises on
this subject.
the

from

true

oldest

The

of the

master

There

doubting

tradition.

the

of Arabian

alchemy
without

features

which

did

because

the

ground

is clear

simply
Many

to

Arabian

medicines.

It is curious

Paracelsus
with

to
as

for

dependence
as
daylight.

take

their

over

of the fantastic

severelyin

so

and

the

art

was

healing. This change

mostly
adepts were

themselves

devoted

who

chieflyconcerned

good

abandoned,

physicians

of the art, with

dedicated

Greek

to

for

he

rate, the

means

had

have

to

condemned

were

ascribed

any

not

Boerhaave

Greek

about

the

no

modification.

alchemy
mainly practisedas
came

At

on

Arabs, however,

material

be

to

three

whom

to

seems

are

reputed

was

monk

Syrian

treatise.

the

documents

(704 a.d.), who

Halid

The

the

turn

us

which. claim

of documents

mass

Let

note

its

healing.

chemical

to

that

the

final

prophet, was
The

wheel

phase

likewise
came

full

circle.

Geber.
The
life is

most

famous

assigned

to

is that

name

the

end

of

the

of

Geber, whose

eighth century.

ALCHEMY

ARABIAN

his

right,and

own

he

Ages when
of

to

him

the

case,

It

illustrious in

was

still more

became

honoured

was

he

But

in the

so

by being made

legends. No

numerous

ascribed
his

him.

about

Little is known

27

less

than

the

Middle

subject

works

200

are

be

easilyimagined that, in
distinguishingof genuine and spurious
can

Even
those
which
bear
extremely hazardous.
marks
of the
of authenticity,though free from
many
absurdities
of later periods,abound
in obscure
terms
of exposition. It is amusing
and
modes
find
to
from
his name.
Dr. Johnson
deriving
gibberish
Needless
The
to say, he was
ever,
mere
fact, howwrong.*
that
such
what
error
an
was
possible shows
minds
the
of those
on
impression had been made
hardy enough to explore those tangled disquisitions.
Recent
critics,with fuller and better opportimitiesfor
to say, put a high
understanding what Geber wanted
is

"

estimate

on

value

the

of his work.

titles given

The

"

to

these

treatises

symbolic, such as
of Pity The Book

The

trationy The

of Oriental Mercury.

which

of Royalty

The

of Balances^

The

usually

Little Book

Book

Book

are

Book

of

Concert-

They contain

is

strangelymixed, and include formulas

and
known
what
of
was
receipts which
embody
chemistry at that period. Let us glance at the contents
of one
of these
The Book of Royalty.
matter

"

The
formula

author

"In

sets

the

out,

as

usual, with

of

God

the

Muslim

compassionate and
merciful
^and asks for blessingson
Mahomet
and
his family. He then proceeds :
The
present little
is one
work
in which
I have
speciallyindicated two
classes of operations. The
first is that
in which
"

name

"

"

"

"

"

Gibberish

"

is

reaUy

akin

to

"

gabble

"

and

"

jabber."

ALCHEMY"

28

execution

ITS

is

themselves

inner

able

work,
the

thinker.

heaven's

lead
facility

cherished

child, and

around

be
as

not

"

If

corrupted ;
glass is

brother, do

to

still less to
do

not

your
any

heed

repentance is

clear

But

for

let

this

not

wife,

to show
or

other

your

person.

this advice, you

too

late."

approbation the saying of the

divulge this work, the world will
as
gold would then be made
easily

we

for

made
it I

make

are

with

quotes

ancients

firmly, my

if you

master.

you,

brother, if you

will repent of it when

He

Seize

this

to

in this work, and

you,

my

given

or

for

execute

divulge this proceeding,or

to

of those

dear

by
dear

it to any

My

to

second,

only
I have

why

easy

my

you

The

of Royalty.

it

swear

sake,

princes do not feel

complicated operations,

going to expound

am

will appear

thing

for

sages

reason

Book

name

ROMANCE

them.

which

is the

AND

undertake

is that

brother, what
the

easy

towards

to

That

princes.
treatise

and

drawn

being

not

rapid

SCIENCE

for the
A

bazaars."

needless

And

warning

yet, he could

body of the treatise is occupied with

of operationsfor concocting the Elixir of
descriptions
The

main

"

of ferments, which

Elixirs, the ferment

the

elements

itself."

at

They

the

time

same

author

while

of what

he

he

has

water"

has
in

spoken

plain terms,
about

that

it transforms

seemingly simple, but,

are

unintelligible.The
he

will transform

"

the

in

reality,

does, indeed, allow

calls

"

the

wrapped

balance

of

"

fire

balance
up

"

that

in

his

of

structio
in-

terms

enigmatic and a little complicated." Iljuminating

is his concluding paragraph.
all this, dear
In
fimdamental
brother, the
principle is that the
lam
of the
elements
(them transmuting Essence)
"

ARABIAN
well

be

should

That

effect."
this

but
to

been

hinder

is to say,

there

free from

naive, but
he

Moreover,

certain
the

on

defend

to

arguments

he had

no

lived in the tenth

There

Rhazes.

ment

his
had

are

he

of Alchemy
and
so

blinded

and

of the

denying

of the

stars

of

most

scientific

of this

the

spirit.

school, who

the medical

for art

entitled

philosopher

him

violentlyacross

unable
face

the

to

with

Establish-

prince.
of his

verify some

to

him

finding

The

it to his

presented

asked

logical

uses

important treatises which

these brought him misfortune.

of

plea

several

One

written

man.

of the treatises

discarding and

was

have

to

honest

an

one

student

It is

himself

he

seems

him,

to

share

century,

name.

royal patron
him

small

enthusiastic

Another

He

he

was

In

his art,

that

out

opinions regarding the influence

Like
production of metals.

Arabians,

bear

reformer.

attributed

assuredly

most

producing its
unvarying failure ;
the ingredients,not

certainly he

oils which

alchemist's quest.

doubts

graver

was

was

point

to

the

it from

of the

character

not

from

impuritiesin

to

Geber, however,

fair to

29

freed

which

due

was

vain

the

was

purifiedand

it, and

corrupt

ALCHEMY

His

ments,
experi-

comply, struck
a
whip that he

him.
other

Many

Arabian

alchemists

there

were,

of

less fame,

stand
though these two names
them.
from
out
Speaking generally,we may
among
the Caliphs alchemy
accept it as proved that under
had a comparatively wholesome
and
made
a
career,

greater

distinct
an

or

contribution

industrial
"

to the

Stimma

to

rank

the
of

which

movement
an

experimental

PerfectionisMagisterii

in

sua

Nalura.

art.

raised

ITS

ALCHEMY"

80

Spread

The

carried

into

of Arab

arms.

all the
It

cultivated

in

deservedly

so

is to

to

with

merge

The

mediaeval
of

Islamic

yet

extinct.

places, there
renowned

and

recorded.

Ah

In

interpreted

^gold

"

"

for

of

the

them.

would

their

Mecca,

in

the

if the

What

Geber's
be

"

of

secret

made

unchanging

its

treatises,

their

their

breasts.

really

was

production

formulas

boast

would

as

other

stirred

hard

easily

to

is not

and

old

that

of

tion
considera-

interesting

Philosopher's Stone

the

acquired

the

cherish

bums

Western

moribund,

hope

was

complexion

it is

in

The

still

Their

to

though

who

it

of
thus

the

are

countries,

stream

art,

Crusades,

European

on

Morocco,

that
I

the

century,

passing

alchemy,

that

discovered,

took

Before

ancestors

believe

They

made

and

jealously guard

twelfth

general

individuals

are

of

of transmutation

phase

next

that

even

and

idea

which

learning

other

the

thought.
this

the
into

environment,

new

note

travel

to

civilisation.
a

towards

triumph

enthusiastically

time

the

By

was

eighth century,

was

of

centres

famous.

say,

beginning
and

those

it

the

by

that, in the

where

Spain,

reached

that

thus

alchemy

East,

affected

countries
was

Alchemy.

in the

firmly established

Once

it

Arabian

of

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

could
be
as

is
be

cated
vindi-

glass

is

bazaars.

"4

III

CHAPTER

MEDIiEVAL

Spain,

FROM
the
was

that,
the

the

fifteenth

the

whole

attained

in
a

exceedingly

reliable

form

to

this

as

at

least

which
are

the

of

period

reflecting

characterised
above

suspicion.

together,

it is

of

mediaeval

to

work

is

By

possible

to

alchemy.
to

study

number

putting
gain
The

the

doctrines,

fair

full

true

and

and

there

that

the

within
thus
and
of

simplest

teaching
31

can

it

fiction

But

sources,

and

ideas,

it.

from

appeared

it concerns,
the

renders

estimates.

all

nearly

preceding

the

fact

earlier

as

Magnus,

distinguish

the

over

of

in

names

Albertus

treatises

historical

advantage

pseudo-literature
limits

to

such
"

case

we

believed

spurious

of

difficult

when

who
it

Bacon,
the

prominence

manifest

men

about

in

As

is

famous

Roger

seventeenth

The

Ages

By

throughout

the

in

was

safe.

was

success.

wrote

multitude

the

its

the

of

Aquinas.

period,

is

list

art

and

Middle

the

LuUy,

Thomas

and

of

rule

Arab

cultivated

was

expansion

of

the

the

through

out

process

time

of
it

it, and

it, practised

Raymond

future

apogee

through

run

the

Christendom,

the

spread

The

by

century
of

attained
it

nations.

steady

overthrown,

alchemy

then,

Western

so

ALCUEMY

and

be

the
used

practices
authorities

spurious

living picture
way

of

activities

going
of

ITS

ALCHEMY"

82

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

but
representative
adepts ^not biographically,
merelyin so far as they throw lighton our particular
subject.

few

"

Gerbert

Michael

and

Scott.

completedependenceof mediaeval alchemy on

the Arabian
is manifested
by the fact that the first
Western
students
gained their knowledge in the
Spanishuniversities. An illustrious example is foimd
in Gerbert, afterwards Pope Sylvester
II (999-1003).
The

he attracted the attention of Borel,

young man,
of Barcelona,and went
Count
with him to Spain,
As

he

where

studied

science

especially
chemistry. His
that, after the

and

attainments

of the

manner

philosophy,more
were

times, he

was

so

great

reputed

leaguewith the devil. It would seem that

such a charge should have put an end to his chances
of ecclesiasticalpromotion. He was, however, made
Abbot of Bobbio
by Otto II, became Archbishopof
Ravenna, and then climbed into the Papal chair
itself. His career
thus not only proves dependence
on
Spain,but shows that an alchemist could attain to
the highestojBSce. He was
the precursor of a long
series of men
of note who honoured
the art by being
to call
accurate
adepts. Perhaps it might be more
to

him

be in

chemist

than

an

alchemist

is

hardlyworth drawing, as
those days inseparable.
We
The

descend

Muslim

Spain.

the two

classes

were

in

to Michael Scott.
years to come
influence was
still great ; for we
find
200

that he studied Arabic

in

; but the distinction

Frederick

in

and spent ten

Sicily,

II became

his

patron,

years
and it

MEDIAEVAL
this

to

was

monarch

that

Secretis.

treatise, De
into

ALCHEMY

notice,,but

did

He

writes

for

the

There,

Evidently

the

different

very
in

the

best

much

resigned his see to

While cultivatingmany
Stone

in
and

LibelltLS de

his

efforts

the

Elixir.

Alchimia^

also

of

one

He

was

devote
branches
to

He
in

alchemy."
!

was

Magnus
a

of Ratisbon.

he

relaxed

Scott

type, Albertus

Bishop

became

and

in

in evidence

Michael

and

infernal

the

Magnus.

of his time.

men

of

experimented

was

with

sense,

doubtful

invocation

Albertus

Contemporary

art

"

too, he

magic

the

bring

to

guise. For
At Toledo
he learnt magic
famous
natural
magic or
jugglery, as well as black

"

thus

city was
experimental physics or
magic, involving the
powers.

in

dedicated

he

1209

much

apparently

Fergusson
which

in

88

the

himself

to

guished
distin-

most

Dominican
After

of

alchemist

an

"

man

monk,

three

years,

his studies.

of

learning,he never
discover
the Philosopher's
published a treatise, his

which

he

gave

copious

structio
in-

the

practice of the art, described

of the
apparatus and operations,and gave accoimts
substances
origin and main propertiesof the chemical
In short, he proved himself
to him.
to be,
known
the limitations
of his day, a man
under
of genuine
his Libellus
scientific spirit. A brief quotation from
for

reveals

"

much.

I found

many

rich scholars, abbots,

imleamed
folk,
physicians, and
superiors, canons,
time and
who, in prosecutingthis art, expended much

labour, and
Of

himself

who
he

had
"

says,

to

desist

I did

not

from

lack

despair, but

of means."

expended

ITS

ALCHEMY"

84

alchemy

Clearly, the
money."
sections of society was
very

enthusiasm

the

and

all

on

ROMANCE
hold

and

labour

infinite

AND

SCIENCE

evoked

of

strongs

immense*

was

Aquinas.
renowned

The

scholastic, Aquinas,
shared

Albertus, and
An

master.

amusing

the

statue

fully of

pair

the

Hermetic

that

gold

to

say,

there

there
decides

confined

and

effects, though

the

to

Ixxvii,

distinction

between

distinction

Michael

that

men

may

be

that

the

art.

art

ii).
in

more

famous

determines
if it be

the

true

That
he

unlawful

natural
it

here

and

black

also

tion.
transmuta-

is not

He

of

nature

but

successful

if

causes

demoniacal
has

in

magic

mind
"

^the

estimate

Ferguson's

of

Scott,

Bacon

(1214-1294).

with
Practically contemporary
Roger Bacon, undoubtedly one
our

the

he

not

think

white

appeared

Roger

was

In

investigationof

qu.

have

to

practice of the
only as proof of

fraud,

is

some

livmg

is fraudulent.

transaction

it be

the

here

if it have

but

knows

he

also

(Pt. ii, 2,

the

by alchemists,

silver made

and

recognises that
He

with

his

of

treat

to

come

we

discussing adulteration,

be sold
metal, may
the true metal, the
is

when

collaboration.

the

of

when

Summay

told

It is mentioned

art.

labours

concerning

story

magic mingled

closeness

the

alchemic

pupil of

popularly supposed

were

will be

fashioned

in the

was

nation

has

produced.

His

the

last

named

of
range

the

greatest

of scientific

MEDIEVAL

inquiries was

wide

favoured

of his

unwearied

in

ALCHEMY
but

85

alchemy

least

the

not

was

subjects. He devoted the third book

of his Compendium
Philosophiceto the art, and it is
of the
earliest authentic
one
(some maintain, the
He
of
it.
that
treat
earliest) European works
firmly believed in the Philosopher'sStone, and was
Alchemy

Trdm

of

modem

That

is to

last.

first to

chapter dealing

By

the

on

secret

books
true

was

number

of

of the

more

possessed

spent

and

in

various

of science

been

power

of

tradition, modem

speedily
Gerbert

the

to

and

Albertus, and

a;nd imprisonment.

provoking

How

is hard

cause

Raymond
Less

higheron

prominent
that

of

his

Had

and
spirit,
shackles
come

of

more

than

persecution

alchemy

was

to say.

the

(1285-1815).
science

alchemy, comes
"

librae

2000

fortunate

much

suffered

Lully
on

have
less

was

far

to

philosophy.

off the

would

He

from

postponed

his

by

throwing

birth.

of the

discoveries.*

animated

science

our

experiments. That
plain from the variety

remarkable

his

adepts

his

is

as

animistic

than

more

simpler

doctrine

alchemist

the

with

various

use

the

of it is

had

man

in

things

same

in the

of alchemical

he

1267

year

the

brings

consideration

The

of

out

much

If differs,however,
which

of

that

held

built up
be

to

characteristic

so

he

defines

He

it.

generation

say"

be

seem

"generation,"

element

the

of

can

would

discover

to

science

notion.

term

and

efforts

substances

This

ones.

he

the

as

elements.

kinds

the

his

See

p. 208.

the

roll of honour,
name

of

but

Ra}anond

ALCHEMY"

86

ITS

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

full of romance
exceptionally
remarkable
and
and
adventure,
presented a most
and enthusiasm
for
combination
in religion
of fervour
knowledge. It was not until after middle age that he
life

His

LuUy.

turned

to

taken

it up,

and,
of

as

he

and

to the

in

Edward

allotted

that

of Arabian

be

to

certain

invitation

an

him

to

adept,

an

title

the

in the

he

not

power

to

that

in his

It is said

from

that,
I

Edward

where

London,

to

came

as

had

with
applied himself
philosophy,chemistry,

popular belief
it.
actually claimed

II, he

were

fame

to

response

he

once

sciences,earned

He

It appears

gold, but

make

the occult

on

study

countenanced

only

when

acquired great

soon

medicine.

but

art ;

lUuminatus.

Doctor

ardour

Hermetic

the

writer

one

was

apartments

The

Tower.

or

story goes

he

replenishedthe royal coffers by transmuting

iron, lead, pewter and quicksilverinto gold. Some,
that the replenishingcame
however, maintain
through
his advising a tax on
wool !
evidence

The
But

there

is

for the

the

converted

that,

drawn

grand

in his last will which

statement
specific

definitelyproves
was

English episode is disputable.

he

up,
He

secret.

the

time

claimed
therein

less than

no

at

50,000

to

when
have

asserts

the

put
that

ment
docuto

he

pounds weight

use

had

of base

most

gold.* This is very puzzling,especially

had consistentlyshown
himself to be free from
of the delusions of his day.
It has been suggested

that

in his

metals
as

he

and

into

that

accord

we

"

*"

plumbi,

he

age

the
una

stanni."

his

mental

himself

dreamt

him

Converti
et

old

powers

into the

were

idea.

waning,
Willingly

benefit of the doubt,

vice

in

aurum

ad

millia

pondo ai^nti

vivi,

MEDIEVAL

Arnold
noted

ALCHEMY

Villanova

of

87

(1245-1810).

of

Arnold
of
LuUy was
He
Villanova.
was
probably a Spaniard; at any
of Spain. He
is
rate, he studied
amongst the Arabs
iron bars into gold at Rome.
transmuted
said to have
A
paragraph from a treatise of his on "the
grand
to a pupil of his, will give a fair
operation," addressed
A

of

notion

contemporary

the

fantastic

more

elements

in

mediaeval

alchemy.
"

to

Know,

teach

the

take
bed

in the

appeared

That

him.

afresh

put

him

to

crucified

will be

quake.

Then

will

everybody

is the
raise

see

has
*

rent, and

been

Quoted

to
a

in error."

Sun

will be

the
a

him
Then

he

has

deliver

him

being

thus

veil of the

great earth-'
hot fire,and

employ a
spirit concerning
"

by Figuier,VAlchimiei

when

seize

when

to

and

destroy

water.

and

moon,

there

time

itself

The

the

see

afresh

Jews.

the

by

him

cold

have

son

not

may

again,

into

will

Signs

in his bed, and

his bed

on

seize

will not

you

temple
you

time

second

crucified

be

pride

senses

naked

him

his senses,

recovered

his

his

to

come

plunge

to

that

she

seize this

the

on

penitence

Then

will sin.

moon

replace him

done,

him

see

you

the

and

sun

reason,

sons

strict

sins.

who

son

in order

him

all her

this

eight
a

so

woman,

For

her

with

going

am

Philosopher's

the

by

she makes

from

the world

into

chastise

that

; see

is washed

until she

bring

her

the

re-established.
her

chapter

of

lost

was

place

mother,

watch

her

by

in this

preparation

world

the

it be

must

the

you
As

Stone.

that

son,

my

p. 42.

which

ALCHEMY"

88

ITS

modem

conceive

ROMANCE

less like the

Anything
in

AND

SCIENCE

manual

descriptionof an
chemistry it would

of

experiment
be

hard

to

that Arnold
himself
seem
Figuier remarks
to have
of the value of this exposino
high estimate
tion.
For
when
the pupil exclaims, "Master,
I do
the
not
master
imderstand,"
promises to be more
clear another
time.
The
interpretationwould indeed
be hard
Certain
will gain a meaning
terms
to find.
when
consider
alchemist
to
come
we
phraseology,
such as the sun
for silver,and
for gold, the moon
so
forth.
and
But
the
general tenour
spirit of the
exposition belong to another world than ours.

Universal

Diffusion.

be apparent

how

firm

had

got in Christendom

at

had

seized

It will
the

art

Stone

now

was

society

on

that

viction
large. The conthe Philosopher's

that

substance, and

known

the hold

was

that

its secret

The
contagion of
by any one.
might be discovered
Reason
example fanned these high hopes to a flame*
was
compelled to play a subsidiary r61e; emotion
and led it captive.
blmded
the monarch
all ranks, from
Its spell was
to
on
XXII
the peasant.
A Pope himself, John
an
was

alchemist.

ardent

in
him
the
than

25
source

at

magic

He

florins

of the

was
a

"

wealth

in transmutation

but

he

Avignon, where

person.

million

careful, indeed,

was

black

on

censures

laboratory

He

said

to

he

had

conducted
have

to

nounce
pro-

his

own

ments
experi-

left behind

though
thing quite possible,
has to be sought elsewhere
Nor

was

the

highest royal

MEDIEVAL

from

the

fame

there

was

open

to

Almost

whom

And

the
other

the

at

peasant's cottage
modest

was

the

fool

court

end

of
its

had

of stillsand

store

century the

Emperor

accorded,

were

privilegesof

art

study

stimulated.

89

Rudolph II, for

the title of "the Hermes
of Germany,"
of his laboratory at Prague, where
for all adepts who
welcome
cared to
in Europe had its alchecourt
mist,
every

example, earned

it.

The

lacking.

patronage

use

ALCHEMY

devoted

Indeed,

or

the

furnace

"

the

and

its

In the sixteenth

religion

it, so

said,

poet laureate."
social scale, many
a

crucibles.

to

been

the

smoking

almost

became

has

as

"

intense

earnest

so

the

feelingit

the

knowledge of the secret,

declared, could only come
by the grace of God
many
^bya specialinspiration.One adept thus addresses
thank
has granted
the operator: "Now
God, Who

"

so

you

many

favours

to

as

lead

work

your

to

this

to guide you,
and
point of perfection. Pray to Him
to keep your
precipitationfrom bringing about the
has come
loss of a labour which
to a state so perfect."
Another
adept, after an experiment, breaks forth into
a
doxology, long and fervent, such as might conclude
It is quite common,
in technical
a devotional manual.
with injimctionsthat no operation
treatises,to meet

should

be undertaken

without

Medieval

There

how

remember
about

the

was,

the

for its

success.

Criticism.

however,
Geber

prayer

another

had

side to all this.

confessed

accomplishing of
Mediaeval
period, there

to

doubts

grave

transmutation.
were

some

We

So, in
who

were
D

sufficientlydetached

ROMANCE

AND
critics

become

to

line of criticism

One

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

40

"

The
by Aquinas in his Sumtna.
it was
urged, is impious ; it
transmute,
we

are

the

prerogatives of

in the

unknown

not

present day,

spiritualistic
phenomena.
of reverence.
based
a perverted sense
on
decided, so we, too, may
regard all avenues
of nature
to be open,
provided, of
moral principlesare transgressed.
no
line

Another

criticism

of

was

of

As

regards them

"

that

tells him

metals

shadow

of

by alchemy.

And

rightly recognise thee,

Adam

Brescia

of

is accused

"

had

sort.

He

of

from

Arezzo

recoUect, if I

aped
"
"

nature."

If I

"

spoke

The poet in
falsifythe coin."
he had
these passages
speaks of def rauders of whom
misused
the
He
art.
actual
knowledge, and who
not
does
imply, however, that the art itself was
that the phrase,
spurious. It is even argued by some

false,thou

too

Dante,

didst

see

falsified the

who

Sinon

the

me."

shalt thou

so

must

well

by

he

practised in

Capocchio
how

the

condemned

err,

it

Canon's

distinction

Griffolino

thou

find

From

of every

things,in

not

that

course,

alchemists

sees

alchemy

may

are

ledge
know-

to

Dante.

Florentine, laments,

the

am

in

words.

for the

who

world, Minos,

Capocchio,

and

deeds

of

case

suggested by the
which
accompanied

Falsifiers

falsifiers in

as

falsifiers in

it
he

suffering among

known

that

find

chasm

tenth

the

of

arch

We

Tale.

YeowmCs

on

Aquinas

knavery
We
,and tainted the development of the art.
quaintly, but strongly,stated in Chaucer's
amount

enormous

to

They

into

inquiry

as

arguments

in the

as

to,

presumes

ParaUel

Creator.

art.

attempt

saw,

the

the

^alluded

theological

was

of

Inferno^Onrto

xzix, 118-139

; xzz,

115.

MEDIEVAL
"

How

than
such
A
the
may
of

41

aped nature," impliesits impiety rather

its misuse;
but the whole
context
negatives
an
interpretation.
weU

third

line of criticism

first,and

transmutation.

1830

wrote

preciosa (a
scholastic

tradition held

Good

the
a

the
to

arguments
is

assumption.

Here

substance

be transformed

can

it be first reduced

to

than

the

here

possibility
to

and

advance

imperious ;

so

sway

It

second.

there.

For

of

treatise
for

name

legitimatethan

ventured

many

its appearance

Peter

example,

more

It questioned the

Not

when

still it made

was

fundamental

more

be called scientific.

it in the times

in

ALCHEMY

one

Lombardy, a physician,
on
Chemistry Margarita
he used
Stone), in which
alchemist
disprove the
of his syllogisms.* "No
"

into another

its elements.

Now

kind

imless

alchemy does
an
imaginary

it is
Therefore
proceed thus.
science/*
Again, "Natural
gold and silver are not
the same
artificialgold and silver. Therefore," etc.
as
of its weight (such
This criticism is deprived of much
find its author
it is)when
as
we
assertingthat he can
with equal ease
prove that alchemy is a sound science !
Still,it raised the issue.
not

Persecution.

practicalside to the effects

failures. Kings and
rulers
produced by constant
who
patronisedalchemists looked for tangibleresults.
How
fared it, then, with
adepts who
disappointed
Some
saved
themselves
them?
planations!
by plausible exThere

was

also

^some

"

"

Quoted

by

flight.

Not

by Figuier,VAkhimie,

few

p. 87.

suffered

ALCHEMY"

42

punishments,

severe

Honest

and

Marie

Ziglerin,

the

of

Bragadino

hanged

by

hanged

irony,

had

the
this

how
Some

imtil

imprisoned

then

The

became

device

learnt

to

avoid

^naive

were

was

in

their

and

harmony

with

the

and

promises.

and

comedy
Mediaeval

of

its

am

invitations.

fraud.

spirit

gibbet

alchemists

wise

tragedy

gross

grim

courts,

flattering

most

"

alchemy

fulfilled
that

with

now

to

intermingled

fanaticism

and

was

his

on

'

the

by

1590

invited

common

the

even

strangely

Thus

so

they

Saxony.

who,

mercury,

were

avoid

Krohnemann

posted

'

Brunsto

of
in

Beyreuth,

fix

to

himself

de

inscription

fixed.*'

myself

of

adept,
of

Augustus

William

that

female

Julius

Munich

than

failure

of

killed

at

Margrave

knew

once

that

fates.
better

no

fact

Duke

by

Elector

Bavaria.

of

the

Benther

the

was

Elector

burnt

David

1575.

anger

Was

off

thus

was

untoward

by

came

was

"

It

mattered.

in

it

rogues

really

wick

failed

who

ROMANCE

AND

perished

or

professors

deceivers

SCIENCE

ITS

time.

CHAPTER

IV

DECADENCE

the

WITH
its

materials

provided

sifted

out

point

for

less
"

further

balanced
to

wilder"

the

of

popularity

ol

the

of

decadence

its

claims.
This

from

art

of

century,

with
which

that

art

in

and

in

ushered

advance
the

in
43

facts.

with

for

total

its later

general

of

world

followed

lasted

decadence

wandered

the

by

acme

period

discrediting

until

stages
in

triumphs

well

the

even

thus

And
was

ended

abandoned

and

heavy

bear.

the

which

period

eighteenth

of

hand,

overwhelmed

too
to

other

quacks

the

was

monstrosities
credulous

foolishly

and

starting-

foundation

the

absurdities,

away

consequence,

burden

nature

visionaries

ever-

it the

the

On

chemistry.

and~further

further
a

of

ways.

tliought

sober

laid

and

was

were

the

of

parting

false, made

experiments,

it

objects

careful,

of~

have

But

avowed
a

the

rom

complexity
would

advance.

came

minds,

themselves'

As

tru^f

reaTsciehce

'

of

the

operations.

It

good.

its

men

its

increasing

further
;

~one"^andr

the

On

for

Hence

/Ufiattainable.

the

to

chimerical

essentially

and

science,

all

been

multiplied

alchemy

years,

doctrines,

genuine

have

would

its

aims,

it been

Had

of

passage

into

of

the

porary
contem-

was

knowledge
of

modem

of

*y

ITS

ALCHEMY"

44

science.

SCIENCE

Steady lightswere

ROMANCE

AND
into

coming

which

view

students
of the
out
quagmires of
guided earnest
rescued
the irresponsible
them
from
fantasy and
pranks of will-o'-the-wisps.

Medical

Perhaps the
decadent
period

characteristic

most
"

the

was

extension

of

the

the

of

transmutation
rather

the

on

of

virtues

professed

healers

anything

there

of

new

went

of

need

was

hope

of

were

more

sober-minded
and

spiritual

based

or

the

on

in their nature.

livingorganism,
that the
Not
remedy.
a

abandoned.

was

alchemists

it remained

with

visionaries

even

became

sickness

mental

chemical

fixed

now

even

was

the

been

Alchemists

chemical

and

then, with

transmutation

great aim

moral,

bodily and
development

wrong,

is

Attention

wonder-worker.

vital processes

that

idea

medical,

the

The

disease.

metals.

powers
Hitherto

the

to

the

of

feature

Philosopher's Stone.
main, though not the only, object had

attributed

If

Alchemy.

the

the

With
the
and

one
tionaries,
reac-

to the gaining
merely subordinated
of health, prolonged life,and happiness,by alchemical
Concurrent
with growth of the new
means.
tendency
there was
a
startlingincrease of nebulous mysticism,
superstition,and trickery.

it

When

root, it

was

once

the idea of chemical

naturally led
It is fearful to

had
We

to

had

days,

suffer
a

when

very

the

at

faint

drugs

were

to

the

remedies

making

of many

had

taken

ments.
experi-

contemplate what poor mortals

hands
of practitioner
adepts
reflection of it in fairlyrecent
fashionable, and patientswere

DECADENCE
dosed

without

regard

45

methods

sounder

and

for other

healing. Nevertheless, in so far as the experiments

were
reasonably conducted, the results of medical
often profitable
both for chemistry and
alchemy were
of

medicine*

Ifor

Paracelsus
The
the

active

originatorof the

whom

man

alchemists," the

he

was
an

in

any

extended,
and

career

and

He

the

new

the

development
zenith

and

Paracelsus.

right,is

own

influence

of

sum

How

existing tendencies,

was

far

how

and

imcertain.

But

enormous,

widely

persistent. Some

knowledge

of

teaching is

to

of his

standing of what

of

in his

his

case

^^

renowned

adapter

innovator

far

caUs

Naud6

all

an

(1498-1541).

was

essential

the

his

imder-

is to foUow.
of

himself
physician, and was
for his father's profession,though it would
educated
much
without
or
seem
care
thoroughness. While
under
the spellof alchemy,
still a student, he came
and was
deeply smitten by the lure of the Philosopher's
was

With

Stone.

might aid him

son

in the

series of travels.
means

"

view

to

acquiring knowledge

quest, he

set out

on

an

extended

gained his livingby very

^tellingfortunes, professing magic
He

that

varied
powers,

and
sellingquack medicines, acting as army
surgeon,
other activities reputable or the reverse.
When
many
at length he settled down, the diversityof his pursuits
less remarkable.
As one
no
was
biographer puts it,
he was
at once
adept and wizard, scepticand critic."
The
most
noteworthy acquisitionhe had gained was
an
acquaintance with metallic chemistry,l)y which he
"

ALCHEMY

46

said

was

had

-ITS

to

been

have

cured

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE
thirteen

princes whose

cases

declared

fame
hopeless. His
rapidly
increased, and in 1526 he was
appointed professorof
Medicine
Natural
and
At the
Philosophy at Basic*
end of two years he was
ejected on a charge of quackery.
He led a life of unbridled
intemperance, became
died at
and
a
hopeless sot, took again to travelling,
the
of forty-eight in a
condition
of
abject
age

poverty.

glaringfaults and weaknesses, his vanity

effrontery,his intemperance and quackery, have
His

he

Perchance
he

had

be

as

bad

so

hardihood

that

sure

by venturing

he

as

he

painted ; for
with
unsparing

was

attack
of

the

the

gave

gain

not

Still,there

enemy

; and

time

reputation would
course

led

charlatan.

worthless

traditions
his

such

on

that

little doubt

to

medical

the

may

not

was

the

vehemence
we

him

condemn

to

many

and

ample

can
cause

be
to

be
him
declared
to
blaspheme. And
yet Lavater
The EncyclopcediaBritannica
a prodigiousgenius."
the
the pioneer of modem
chemists
and
calls him
in
science."
Browning
prophet of a revolution
him
of his most
be the subject of one
chooses
to
ambitious
not
extenuating aught, but recognising
poems,
"

"

in

greatness.

It is

give grounds

can

of

elements

him

the

have

so

of

noble

assuredly necessary
for such

prejudiced and
long obscured

encomiums

strain
that
should

and
a

of true

man

who

be cleared

superficialjudgments
his exceptional giftsand

which
solid

merits.'
Take

as

an
a

recorded

of him

represent
example of misunderstanding, or misIt is
practiceadopted by Paracelsus.
that he had a jewel in which
he kept

DECADENCE

imprisoned
of the

some

that

and

remains

powers

As

traits which

loved

of

suum

and

their

it and

knew

used

Preceptor

From

poor.

another

dispensed medicines
free of charge to those

attendance

they

"

the German

and

who

call

King

that

we

was

find

personal

gave
could

of

he

source

and

been

For

of him

often

have

must

dear

records

at least two

are

pupils.

and

remedy

monarch,"

epitaph

the

to

he

his

He

shall

Who

it.

beloved

our

his

And

generous

and
'*

and

Arts."

his credit.

to

noble

of his most

is

respected by
"

this

poem,

one

"

Browning

as

his

word

"

stand

Hermes,"

to

end

accomplished as
alleviator of human
suffering?
to his personal character, there

an

that

Now,

it has

what

estimate

him

he

that

the

inscribed

it.

this

possible,nay, probable,
popular delusions concerning the
of his potent drug
^but the fact

the

fostered

nature

as

It

discoveries.

he

to

In

represented with

it

laudanum
siriiply

was

notable

is

the

at

notes

his command.

at

on

he gave

name

the

in

remarks

and

hand,

the

Azoth,"

Azoth

spiritwho was
old portraitshe

his

in

jewel
"

47

not

afford

him.

pay

attributed
to him
critically
full of turgid,incoherent
are
writing. The obscurities
stances
subnecessarily incident to describing non-existent
in his case
and
were
imaginary powers
gerated
exagcondition
of his brain.
But
by the inflamed
is in
rebellion
He
one
thing is certain.
against
The

the

works

medical

that

system

unsparing in his
in its vigour.
by his coarseness
that

he

be

can

of

diatribes

initiated

school

of

Galen.

He

is

his

language is unrestrained
be
although we
repelled
may

And
and
a

the
"

self-assertion,

great reform.

He

we

must

burst

allow

through

48

ALCHEMY"

the

fetters

ITS

with

which

it should

gold,

at

as

and

he

in

place

those

was

of

Violent

and

type*
much

so

His

medicine.

maintained

He

the

at

of

making

the

furthering of healing and the arts ;

direct appeal to nature
ever
ready to make
of
searching for authorities in the works
written

of her

knowledge

not

had

of tradition

centuries

new

ROMANCE

AND

chemistry

of

aim,

had

who

the

in

strangled progress
alchemy, even, was
that

SCIENCE

as

about

nature

with

small

but

ways.
his

was

rebellion

against the received

rid himself completely

systems, he could not, of course,

of their influence.
Indeed, in

he

respects

many

started
strengthened prevailing superstitions, and
fresh ones.
is
How
deeply he erred in such matters
claimed
evidenced
by the fact that the Rosicrucians
him

medical

Elixir of Life.

the

the

instance, he

For

heart

all

and

cured, provided that

is

be

he borrowed

source

administered

diseases

gold had been

here leaning on

analogiesderived
same

that

old

from

the

and

ossification of
thus

could

obtained

certain

past, and

be

by

logical
astro-

the

from

should

his idea that medicines

particular conjunctions

at

new

potable gold

the

He

transmutation.

of

manner

connects

held

He

with

his

Even

greatest founders.

is adulterated

chemistry

absurdities.

with

their

of

one

as

of

the

planets.
One

bizarre.
hmnan

of his doctrines
He

taught
there

will be
that

dwells

in

judged by
the

stomach

most

of

to

be

every

is a sort
of
spiritwho
alchemist, mixing in due
proportions the various
atory.
foods that are
brought together in that livinglaborIs this reallyso far removed
from the teaching
authorities
modem
?
of many
Driesch, for example,

being

DECADENCE
has

49

***

the unknown
entelechy,'*
unifying agent in
organism which guides and controls the physical
his

an

chemical

and

life.

alchemy

medicine.

"

has

Bacon

It

chose

and

sustain

Paracelsus

the

nobler

also the

was

judicious

build
also

case

Paracelsus

rate

any

this

in

Perhaps
prophet I
At

that

processes

comment

was

side

of

difficult.

more

this

on

its

subject.

body (he writes)is of all things in nature most

susceptibleof remedy ; but then that remedy is most
**

Man's

of error.
For the same
susceptible
subtletyand variety
of healing,
of the subject,as it suppliesabundant
means
of failing. And
it involves great facility
therefore
so
have
be
this art (especially
now
as
we
it) must
as
of the most
reckoned
so the inquiry
as one
conjectural,
of

it must

difficult."
He

failed.

mystical
"

him.

be

accounted

It

was

follies.

and

man's

the

exact

that

Paracelsus

body

to fancies and

Bacon

(he proceeds)the

alchemists, that

and

most

exactness

it is that

Hence

that I share

of Paracelsus
in

in this

of the

rash, headstrong, prone

was

Not

one

repudiates
idle notion

there

are

to

be

certain

correspondences and
parallelswhich have respect to all the species (as
in the
extant
are
stars, planets, minerals) which
universe 2
foolishly and
stupidly misapplying the
ancient
emblem
a microcosm
was
or epitome
(thatman
of the world) to the support of this fancy of theirs." *
is right. Nevertheless
such
Bacon
even
errors
as
their share in bringing in a better system,
had
these
the prestige of
because
they served to break down
found

tradition.

aspect of Paracelsian

Another
*

De

healinghas

AugmerUie Scieniiarum, ohap. ii.

an

oddly

ALCHEMY"

50

modem

SCIENCE

ITS

look.

ROMANCE

AND

anticipates Christian

It

Science, by
"

tion
Fascinaemphasising the power of mind on body.
(says Bacon) is the power and act of imagination
the body of another;
the school of
wherein
upon
Paracelsus
and
the
disciplesof pretended natural
been
so
magic have
intemperate, that they have
the power
of the imagination to be much
one
*
Paracelsus
the power
of miracle-working |aith."

exalted

with

wrote

imaginativa
of his

specialtract
and

Once

again,

he

mentions,

to

bread

and

lie eye,

"

food
and
all

meat

parts of

the

elements

parts

that

"in

brain, liver;"

and

his

nose,

internal

notion

artist, educes

rejectionthe several
body." f Here Paracelsus

our

to

nearer

animal

truth

than

his critic.

For

of

out

members
is after
it is

now

of
nitrogenised components
the corresponding
bodies
derived
from
are
also
is separation and
of their food.
There

that

transformation
how

on

genius.

How

the

of

tragicallyhis

of

It

is remarkable

irresponsiblespeculator
powers

He
were

verily

was

wasted

Paracelsus.

for the great master.

successors

this

discoveries.

modem

Successors
So much

materials.

the

points

many

touches

and

other

many

by separation and

established

at

was

condemn,

the

Archseus,

Vi

subject,De

prophet I
anticipated organic chemistry.
also he

Bacon

that

it in

mentions

Here

writings.

this

upon

What

Healthy development

of his
was

Augmentia ScierUiarum, chap. iii.

of Aphorism,
Organon, 2nd Book
t Novum

disciples
slow

De

xlviii.

and

DECADENCE
The

laborious.

still too

was

thinkers

steady
the

in

absurdities.

we

just now

new

seized

entangling
all the

on

Certain

transmutations.
this.

alchemy

held

They

of

that

his

and

taught,

they

"

well

as

as

plished
accom-

vital

were

followers

as

gloried

were

everything

of all kinds,

substances

elements

worst

^that

"

The

errors.

that digestiveprocesses

subtle

ledge
know-

strong and

even

example, Paracelsus

For

saw,

by

material

enable

to

avoid

to

chemical

doctrine, exaggerated them,

in

on

physical and

scanty

minds

unbalanced

of

store

51

improved

^metals

and

animals

and

digests, eats, drinks, assimilates, rejects. Or

had
taught that a spirit presides
again, the master
men

"

His followers improved

digestiveprocesses.
this idea also.
They multipliedthe spiritsuntil
on
with all the manifold
they had corresponded in nmnber
Sylphs inhabit the air, nymphs
workings of nature.
the water, pigmies the earth, salamanders
the fire.
In medicine, rashly responding to a rashly given lead,
harm
by employing, without
they wrought untold

these

over

skill

knowledge,

or

strong

metallic

poisons.

And,

they provoked by their irrational

that
zeal reactions
seriously retarded
much-needed
Nevertheless
reforms.
they were
breaking up the
their master,

like

of

cake

world,

mixed
is

and

custom

wise

In

into

to

In

have

suffer

this

strangely

their function.

fools

gladly
"

It

^within

measure

calm

fanatics

even

sometimes

tradition.

cheering
and

the

acute

contrast

intellects

scientific value

discipleswho

these

wiser

those

striking encomiums

the

was

progressive

who

of the

have
;

for

carried
new

work

of

inquiries
teaching. It was

secured

on

for Paracelsus

they seized

upon

and

ALCHEMY"

62

ITS

developed what
there

the fateful

came

length to which
effect

who

mysticism and

parting

thus

that

of the ways.

The

very

had

went

carried

not

were

away

steadying
by their

speculations.

occult

Rosicrucians.

The
A

was

the visionaries

those

on

It

in him.

best

was

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

famous, romantic, and

of

development
known

altogetherextraordinary
the irresponsiblealchemy was
that
brotherhood

the secret

as

of the Rosicrucians.

itself with so much

societycontrived to surround
mystery that popidar imagination had free scope in
able to do.
guessing at what it was, and what it was
This

As

they

excitement

the

artfullyfostered
books
purporting to
of the fraternity,
as

of

advertising of their

by dramatic

and

was

members

authorised

from

caused

issue

by the

maintained

stories got afloat ; and

extravagant

consequence

come

and

powers

also

their

inte^tions"
such

society existed
not any
known
at all ; for it had
meeting-place,nor
there a recognised roll of membership, though
was
individuals
less definite
various
or
professed more
adhesion
to its professed principles. At
rate,
any
those who
representedit by their publicationsrepudiated
It is not

any

certain

even

other

derivation

of its.name

referred

it back

This

certainlyhad a career
r61e assignedto him.

man

play the
in

monastery,

magicians when

the

that

to

he
he

initiated for five years

than

that

which

reputed founder, Rosenkreutz.

Jell
was

into
but

into

which
Bom
the

sixteen

fitted

him

to

in 1878, educated
hands
years

of

certain

old,

was

their secrets, travelled

in

DECADENCE

58

Turkey, Palestine, and Syria, conferred with Arabian

visited
Spain, and at last, fully illuminated,
sages,
his

returned

to

in

and

himself

up

lived in solitude to the age of a hundred

always in full health, and exempt
years,

cave,

and

six

from

infirmities.

from

him

; his

There, in 1484, God

in the

body remained

his tomb.

became
it

shut

He

country.

own

After

"

spirit

which

cave,

six times

his

took

thus
"

twenty

years

of
marvellously rediscovered, and all manner
found
there.
It
magical things were
mystic and
in the year of this reputed miracle, 1604, that the
was
Rosicrucian
confraternitytook its rise. This legend
is abbreviated
from
Figuier'saccount
Figuier
; and
took
it from
Rosicrucian
manifesto
a
published in
It
1615.
admirably illustrates the spirit which
animated
the society.
was

It
the

was

society

existence

1459,

should

with

name

to be

in

Thus

years.

and

claimed, then, that

those

be

were

the
also

with

kept
refuted

the

those

derived

it from

for

Rosie

ros^

"

the

Cross
"

dew

its
200

connected
"

that

secret

who
of

founded

ordinance

profound

sign or emblem
who

Rosenkreutz

'*

(held

cross
powerful dissolvent of gold),and cruXj
(which, in chemical
symbolism signifies light**)"
The latter of these repudiated origins,at any rate, is
in harmony
with the view
that
supported by many
the Philosopher'sStone was
vention
to be sought by the interof dew and light.
In an
pamphlet, issued in 1614, the
anonymous
members
declared
to be
are
possessed of fabulous
scientific knowledge, and
to be absolutely free from
illness,disease, and suffering. In 1622 the Society
We, deputed by
put out the following manifesto :
"

"

"

"

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

54

make
college
each
in this city
speak the language of
our

draw

to

"

books

and

notes,

or

the

"

invisible
the

that

mentioned,

refers

Society

the

to

had

fact

already

settled

no

and
its
government;
the gift of being
have

visible

nor

without

invisible,

we
country wherever
are,
like ourselves, from
the error
of death/*

men,

word

The

ROMANCE

abode, visible and

our

AND

centre,

members

were

and
unseen
known
unsupposed to
^thereby in no small measure
increasingthe
when
excitement
they proclaimed that they were
about
to visit any city.
This late development of the Hermetic
art sought
doctrines
to give prestigeto its fantastic
by assigning
spurious treatises attributed to Hermes,
as authorities
"

of the

other

Aristotle, and
to

modems.

Gradually

It

continued

Stone

The

supposed

was

the

generally for

used

be

well

as

Magnus, Paracelsus,

Albertus

attributed

ancients,

kind

be the

to

give

to

those

and

other

Rosicrucian

name

any

as

of occult

great

pretension.
of

centre

command

to

came

mystery.
elemental

over

defy limitations of space, time,

and
matter, afford intimate
knowledge of the arcana
This farrago of nonsense
of the universe.
pressed
exwas
through a welter of symbols and metaphors
and
red bridegrooms
lilybrides, green dragons and
ruby lions, royalbaths and waters of life. At last such
enable
spirits,

to

men

"

overshot

extravagances
not

only

say

the

other
so

is that
and

salamanders,
of

Brotherhood,

of the

can

one

Middle
horrors

far made

the mark,

the

the

but

"

that

world

sealed

of the

the cruel

incubi, succubi,
had
a

art.

sylphs, pigmies,

the rest, ousted

Ages

and

terrified

All that
gnomes,

demonology
and

demons,

Christendom

happier place to

the fate,

"

live in.

and

DECADENCE
has

Addison
"

He
in

engaged
great

charming Essay
it by tellingus

opens

with

discourse

secret.

"

who

not

55

he

Rosicrucian

this kind

As

"

on

of

was

once

the

about
those

(I mean

men

ment.**
Content-

of

with
professedcheats)are over-run
and
enthusiasm
amusing to
philosophy, it was
very
hear this religious
adept descantingupon his pretended
is much
which
discovery.'*Then follows an account
them

to

are

it summarises

because

present purpose,

our

the

"

He talked of the Secret

leadingideas of the Society.
lived within an
of a Spirit which
as
emerald, and
converted
it to the highest
near
everything that was
It gives a lustre,'
perfectionthat it was capable of.
*

says

he,

to

It irradiates

the

sun,

and

metal,

every

water

and

to

the

diamond.

lead

enriches

with

all

into
properties of gold. It heightens smoke
further
flame, and
added,
light into glory.' He
that a singleray of it dissipatespain and care
and
it falls. In
melancholy from the person on whom
its presence
he,
short,' says
naturally changes
he had
After
place into a kind of heaven.'
every
in this unintelligible
time
for some
on
cant, I
gone
that he jumbled natural and moral ideas together
found
the

the

into

nothing

same

discourse, and

else but

The

Addison

that

his

great

secret

was

content."

Chief
hits

on

Cause
the

of

Decadence.

gravest fault of

alchemy,

jumble of natural and moral ideas

or in more
generalstatement, the confusion of objectivefacts and
c"

"

the

"

No.

674, July 30th, 1714.

E

ALCHEMY"

66

ITS

characteristic

marked

read

themselves

patiently
No

on

so

did

science

alchemy

men

could

science

conducted

had

as

sober
reckoned

activities

The

fostered
Ashmole

it,
and

and

Newton

^but

among

of

the

it

Indeed,

experiment.
those
science

which
of

is

may
the

transmutation

the

"

future.

true

subjective

survived

engaged

was

when

head,

It

them.

research

as

of

of

teach

to

And

hope

disappear.

however,

not,

Adepts
instead

long

its

up

head

career.

method.

lift

first
to

came

had

so

doomed.

the

experiments,

develop

fatuous

but

long

nature

length

at

was

which

what

observing

true

did

their

mto

from

its

of

period

ROMANCE

was

alchemy

of

closing

this

AND

fault

This

nntiaps.

subjective

in

SCIENCE

the

minds

only
even

engage

of

by
yet
the

art

such

way
to

highest

of
be

CHAPTER

TRANSITION

old

THE

the

belong

prepared
there

that

not

was

detail

child
If

^a

"

about

the

off

rather

at

stroke,

self-sufficient.

long

of

pressure
careful

This

continuity

central

of

only yielded
but

in
and

parent

existence.
has
did

child

an

unbroken

change

idea

of

growth

come

not

is

cut

way
straight-

transmutation
the

to

growing

accumulated

surely

by

experiment.
would

It

of

beginning
concurrently
well

The

slowly

facts

than

more

have

difference,

science

new

any

and

will

independent

the

the

yet

links

the

to

is the

the

which

by

its hold,

retained

as

which

an

that

find

And

observes,

that

but

steps

shall

we

itself

wide

Thorpe

living bond,

trace

we

that,

^how

"

seem

chapter

characterises
as

but

They

continuity.

which

plant,

individual
every

last

nevertheless

was

True.

the

in

of

recognise

to

us

them

worlds.

treated

incidents

chemistry

new

between

gap

different

to

the

and

alcheiny

great

SCIENCE

TO

on

century.

its
Its

nineteenth

predited

be

artificial

the

transition

with

the

way

in

close

century,
and

modem

to

assign

decadence
the

of

middle
be

may

It

period.

put

when

the

67

set

its

ran

the

was

seventeenth
of

fhially

was

on

the

course

and

beginning

alchemy

chemistry

for

alchemy,

of
at

date

firm

the
dis-

footing.

SCIENCE

ITS

58

ALCHEMY"

The

essential difference between

ROMANCE

AND

old and

the

the

new

conveniently paralleled by that between

Paracelsus, the representativeof the mysticaldevelopment,
and
Robert
Boyle, a splendid example of the
alchemist merged in the scientist.
be

may

Boyle

RoBEET

the

contrast

the

aims

of the

sent

was

his father, the

by

Paracelsus

Eton.

set

last

On
from

last

on

Paracelsus

tutor.

of Cork,

vagabond
nent,
the Conti-

first

from

chaotic.

Boyle

studious, gentle, restrained.

hurried

experience to another,
at his home
quietly down

settled

Both

Oxford.

almost

on

his travels, Paracelsus

turbident

Boyle

rest.

was

returning from
one

first Earl

violent, ungovemed,

was

first to

from

out

striking. The
been
neglected.

six fruitful years

Boyle spent
accompanied by

travels.

to

had

Paracelsus

of

yet

characters, and

the
most

was

And

century intervenes.

pioneers is

two

Boyle

Robert

1640.

environments,

in the

education

early
Boyle
to

Hardly

in 1626.

bom

about

died

Paracelsus

(1626-1691).

cultivated

men

the

on

at

never

and

sciences,

at

more

chemistry. But whereas Paracelsus buried

especially
what
was
good in his reforms under a load of incoherency and charlatanry,Boyle manifested the cautious
critical temper
labours
Just

old

as

and

advanced

diverse

alchemy

yet, as
parent

that

gave
the

sustained
cause

of

in aim, method,

and

was

before

and

child.

the

purpose

to

his

systematic research.
and

newly-bom
stated, they were

spiritwere
chemistry.

the
And

in the relation of

of

their

labours.

Boyle
association

was

scientists

of

meetings,
Society.

He

these

two

which,

after

hood.
brother-

in

of

members

1668

is strange

dissimilar

so

that

think

to

societies

his

but

presidency,
him
retiringdisposition made
It

an

holding private
the Royal
as

the

offered

was

honour.

the

first

incorporated

was

and

modesty

the

of

one

its

found

Rosicrucian

the

congenial expression in

most

outcome

tradition

Paracelsian

The

in the

the difference

Equally strikingwas

69

SCIENCE

TO

TRANSITION

decline

the

rise of

temporaneous
practicallycon-

was

naturally ask how

We

doctrines
did not
far

crucial

when

scanty

and

facts and
and
the

the
for
the

led to

and

doubt

relied.

should

in their

into
the

observations,

be

for

He

imperfect.

alchemists

himself

evidence

on

to

work

the

to

so

so

was

collect

false notions

to

clear away

the

explanations on which
that
speciallyanxious
the part played by the

was

of

thus

calcining experiments, and

prominence

was

point

against

and

went

He

taken

He

transmutation.

commit

to

the

thus

was

account

air

of
possibility

cautious

too

the

of
the

deny

rent
Boyle accepted the curHe
Hermetic
art.
certainly

far

problem

brought
It

of combustion.

was

problem that ultimately subverted

old doctrine
of the elements, and prepared the way
the discovery of the really fixed
elements, in
sense
now
accepted. He has been called the true
solution

of this

"

precursor

of the

eruptive

force.

Each

heralded

more

evenly

truth.

modem

Boyle

chemist.
was

advances,
in

line

with

but
the

"

Paracelsus

was

an

patient investigator.
was
Boyle's career
onward

march

of

ALCHEMY"

60

SCIENCE

ITS

Alchemy

during

this

period was
class.

chemistry

brought

was

Wren

He

agreed

his

many
on

famous

over

from

were

among

that

he

in

and

would

Rosicrucian

of which

room

Ashmole
alchemists.

topher
Strasburg ; Lock and Christhe pupils. Elias Ashmole
provided for its continuance.
hand

to the

perhaps

was

His

was

over

to be

the

less
him

than

person

Chemicum

Britan-

for

time

extracts

many
at
on

Sir Isaac

atory.
laborOxford

treatise,Theatrum

published in 1662, contains

old Hermetic
philosophers,while
places the study of chemistry

well-fitted

last of these

nicum^

No

chemist

University
tific,
scientreasures, artistic,antiquarian, and
condition
that a fittingmuseum
built,
was

lowest

the

the venture

joined in

the

history of the art

the establishing
of an alchemical
Boyle there organised a famous

Oxford.

at

centre

Oxford.

at

interesting episode

An

ROMANCE

AND

the

time

same

sound

from
it

footing.

collaborated

Newton

in the

mutation
investigationof the transdoctrine, including the question of the
of some
existence
transmuting material. Philosopher's
and
ton
NewWe
other.
Stone
or
regard Ashmole
may
eminent
as
examples of the class of scientists who
doned
alchemy a fair trial,and who reluctantlyabangave
the hopes it had stimulated.
The gradual undermining of belief in the principles

with

of

alchemy,

on

their

result of research
small

not

degree

and

accelerated

pretenders.
avoid
being

Even

scientific

side,

was

mainly

experiment. But it was

by the unmasking of
the

influenced

credulous

most

by

the

in

the
no

lent
frauducould

atmosphere

of

TO

TRANSITION

SCIENCE

61

suspicion which had inevitably gathered round

The
art.
suddenly, at
collapse,however, came
in England and
rate
Germany, as the result of
fiascoes
one
tragic,and one comic.

the
any
two

"

Critics.

gradual undermining of belief in the principles

A series of critics dealt
of alchemy went
on
apace.
trend
the whole
it doughty blows ; and
of careful
old claims.
the
adverse
John
to
experiment was
of an
Kunkel
alchemist, con^
(1680-1702), the son
the lack of precision in the terminology of
demned
Helmont's
the art, and repudiated Van
teaching about
himself adopted the
all a lie." He
the alcahest as
and
made
experimental method,
ihany valuable
Nicolas
discoveries.
Lemery (1645-1716) wrote
one
The

"

of the

best

text-books

of

his time, Cours

his aims, he writes thus

"

The

de

Chimie.

fine

imaginations
of other philosophersconcerning their physical
elevate the spiritby their grand ideas,
principles
may
but
nothing demonstratively. And
they prove
as
chemistry is a science of observation, it can
only be
"
based on what is palpable and demonstrative."
Boerhaave
Hermann
(1668-1788), one of the most
the author
of his day, was
of a valuable
learned men
he traced the developtreatise on chemistry, in which
ment
of the art, as well as
expounded its principles.
As regards alchemyi he was
an
agnostic. On the one
to set bounds
to the possible
hand, he woidd not venture
the other
in nature
hand, he could not yield
; on
assent.
content
So, like Boyle and Newton, he was
to
Defining

"

Quoted

by Thorpe, History of Chemiatry,

vol. i, p. 64.

ALCHEMY"

62

his

suspend
available.

this hesitation
ourselves

the
may

back

And

we

be

the

beaten

paths have

again

we

But
shall

an

think

if we

acknowledge

thoroughly scientific.
sympathetic when we

was

more

constitution

of

of the

old

some

closed.

been

reign

theories

new

was

knowledge,

present

our

problem of the
one, though
open

the
Scientifically,
the

evidence

whole

is

with

further

days,

attitude
all the

matter

end

ROMANCE

excessive.

into those

his expectant
shall

light of
appear

that

realise that

until

judgment

In

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

of

alchemy

of

combustion.

came

to

As

an
our

need
into detail
not
enter
alchemy, we
concerning the development of experimental physics
and chemistry. There are a multitude
of works which
the
it suflSce to say
that
this ground.
Let
cover
of the Hermetic
elements
art were
replaced by the

subject

is

"

"

"

elements

"

of

the

chemist.

modem

The

old

art

end

with

the

doomed.

was

Dr.
"

Price.

Scientifically,''
alchemy

emergence

of

new

views

came

of

to

an

matter;

experiment

of it. It was
gradually supplied explicitrefutations
otherwise
with what
tional
we
distinguishas the emomay
spellof the art, and the popular belief in the
it was
rather
the
claims
made
by adepts. Here
dramatic
unmasking of illusions or frauds that ruptured
In England the coup
the uncritical hopes of success.
of Dr. Price, of
de grdce was
given by the tragic case
Guildford, which shall be brieflyrelated.
and
He
wrote
a
was
wealthy and learned man,
he
on
interesting works
some
chemistry. In 1781

TRANSITION

TO

SCIENCE

68

in compounding
a
imagined that he had succeeded
would
silver into
or
powder which
change mercury
gold. At first he confided his secret to a few friends,
and
had
no
thought of publicity. But the rumour
of his discovery got abroad, and
him
to
emboldened
into the open.
He
far as to give
out
went
come
so
public exhibitions of his transmutations, and even
invited
to his laboratory
a
distinguished company
series of experiments calculated
to see
to produce
a
conviction.
bold, he printed an
Waxing yet more

truth

proceedings, and induced

give their signatures as witnesses

to

persons

eminent

these

of

accoimt

the

to

of his statements.

It is

startlingto realise that such pretensionswere

within twenty years of the coming
seriouslyadvanced
in

of

the

nineteenth

strikingproof

both

transmutation,

and

views

new

however,

of

accepted, or
undermining

Price's
that

had

for

the

cause

of

him

to

Price

was

honour

appear

an

thus
stock

that

authoritative
tested.
of his
its

He

be

before

himself

transmuting powder

replenishment would
further
undertaking. Under

Royal

at

The

stake, and

duly qualified
might be submitted
a

on

was

be

the

member.

refused

Price

judgment.

excused

to

conmiittee, in order that the claim

for

nately
Unfortu-

that

truth, it happened

concerned.
Society was
its
Society conceived
sunmioned

that

for

far

alchemist, though fortimately

belated

for the

were

were

too

think,

not

must

universally
unchallenged. The

statements

they
gone

We

of
the

which

with

slowness

matured.

matter

that

the

idea

persistenceof the

of the
of

affords

fact

The

century I

the

to

plea that the

exhausted,

long

pressure,

be

and
he

and

arduous

sought

ALCHEMY"

64

to

ITS

SCIENCE

by professing that
therefore
not
permitted

escape

and

he

was

to

of no
pretexts were
insistent, granted him time, but
he

1788

of him.
should

returned

Six

powder.

to

Rosicrucian,

divulge the secret.

avail
the Society was

These

In

ROMANCE

AND

The

passed

Society then

fixed

received

three

Only
and

them,

demanded

and

fulfil his engagement.

Guildford.

Guildford

to

months

"

then

to

date

members

heard

was

he

which

on

invited

He

the

prepare

nothing
a

test.

the

Society
He

responded.

in their

suicide

committed

presence.
Thus

tragicallyended
public alchemist.
Up to
deluded
of

When

how,

Nor

And

that

such

amply
the

him

he had

point was

did

he

These

even

the

to

have

gained

England's

enter

really

Price
on

questions

last

course

be

cannot

prior puzzle be solved,

been
originallyreally

the secret, he had

arrived

At any rate, the Royal Society

in its determination
to investigate.
justified

conclusion.

dramatic

prominently
the

can

supposing

convinced

was

and

of

career

what

why
systematic deception ?

answered.

at

the

overthrow

features

failure,brought

notice, completed in this

into
of

of the

an

already discredited

so

country

art.

Semleb.
time a similar
Singularlyenough, at about the same
failure led to the final rejectionof the art in Germany,
in the
circumstances
were
though the attendant
There was
at
region, not of tragedy, but of comedy.
Halle a certain professorof theology,Semler
by name,
had been stronglyattracted
who
by the literature and

practiceof

the Hermetic

art.

His

own

labours

were

TRANSITION
without

by

Baron

marvellous

Salt

only

not

was

for the

it in water
vessel
some

at

of Life.

SCIENCE

Hirschen

de

No

and

to

leave

uniform

^to

wit,
also

but

it sufficed to dissolve

it for

in

days

some

Semler

temperature.

glass

obtained

surprised to find gold in

chemist, Klaproth, analysed

of this, and

was

Another

Salt of Life," and

it to

found

sary
neces-

was

process

this salt

that

substance

elaborate

discovery

a
"

asserted

He

transmuting

65

wannly

up

production of gold ;

crucible.
"

Leopold

medicine.

universal

he took

But

success.

made

TO

the
the

of Glauber's

consist

also,
was
sulphate of magnesia. There
evident
to Klaproth
however, some
gold I It was
that particlesof gold had
the first in the
been
from
liquidto be proved, and that the addition of the salt
of supererogation. Semler was
a work
was
perturbed,
and sent a second
supply of the liquid and the salt,
and the analyser went
to work
again ^this time in
of a large company.
the presence
Semler's
position
as
a
though scepticism
professordemanded
respect, even
ironic denial.
bordered
He solemnly assured
on
those taking part in the experiment that he himself

salt

and

"

had

failed

once

never

obtain

to

successful

result.

of gold,
lo ! instead
testingproceeded. And
I The
Klaproth found a kind of brass called tombac
throughout the country.
joke spread from the room
The explanation of the fiasco put an
edge on it. It
So

the

appeared
attached
of
He

that

to him.

feeding
saw

the

how

crucible, and
some

Semler
To

had

this

man

fire and

eager

was

attending

his master

being anxious
gold-leafand put it

who

servant

was

entrusted
to

the

much
the task

apparatus.

gold in the
to please him, purchased
into the mixture.
Being
was

to

find

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

66

ROMANCE

AND

militaryservice, he entrusted the task

the situation
his wife, The
saved
to
good woman
by purchasing brass instead of gold, and poor Semler
This was
became
better, however,
a
laughing stock.
than being a disseminator
of a falsity
which might have
delusion.
given a longer lease of life to a mischievous
the
Of
course
one
acknowledged
professor's
every
the safer part of his
perfect honesty. He resumed
fain
the art he would
duties at the University. But
have
discredited
fostered
^laughed out of court.
was
The general public in Germany,
in England, at last
as
concluded
that the Philosopher'sStone
and the Elixir
if possible,
reach.
even
were,
beyond human
called away

on

"

End

The
As

recognised pursuit alchemy

close

the

Alchemy.

of

to

came

end

an

at

of the

What
remained
eighteenth century.
of an
were
merely flickerings
extinguished fire. In
research
existed
Germany, a society for alchemical
as

late

into

as

the

In

1819.

nineteenth

of several persons
the

art, among
ecclesiastics."

yet be

France, Chevreul, who

who

transmutation

being

Benighted
in

the

"

he

of the

convinced

were

them

dabble

that

century, records
who

lived well
knew

truth

generals,doctors,

dreamers

there

forgotten lore.

may
But

of

and
even

the

thing of the
be resuscitated.
A new
never
physics
past, and can
and
a
new
chemistry have made clear the futilityof
its traditional
doctrines
and
methods, though they
have
also, under
wondrously changed conditions,
rekindled
the hope they had
extinguished. But let
not forget that the old provided a basis for the new.
us
idea, in its old form, is

TRANSITION

As

vigorously

error

truth

a-breathing
time

same

is

Doubtless

has

the

quest

of

of

substances,

for

pi:epared

kept

of

embryos

gold

soid,

its

vigorous

the

pursued
:

67

being

at

the
and

the
of

body

Lavoisier

is

"

bom."

Such,

in

covered

long

on

the

of

orientating
the

ourselves

chequered

the

in

fuller

time

story

of

origin,

detail

to

time

Middkmarchf

chap,

We

can

can

notions,
by

development,

xlviii.

the

without

order.

decay.
"

We

practices,

doctrines,

art.

from

down

chronological

from

Hermetic

scientist.

modem

study
to

separately

treat

of

travelling

the

to

adherence

rigorous

history

the

period,

mystic

enter

now

is

outline,

Alexandrine

to

**

it

put

questioning

Chemistry

It

has

Eliot

(reorge

SCIENCE

TO

referring
and

PART

THE

IDEA

OF

TBANSMUTATION

CHAPTER

SUGGESTIONS

LET

begin

US

that

sure

the

entirely

the

and

the

of

significance

modem

scientist

It

alters

Brought

up,

the

with

ourselves

is well

appreciate
how

they

into

their

worth

were

won

purport

if

we
we

old

For

if

conquests

our

order.

the

pulsing
physics
if

are

we

The

very

But

us.

shall

we

enter

study

tance.
impor-

new

effort

to

yet

universe.

the

know

we

shall

deep

the

an

is strange

while.

the

of

the

into

hardly

atmosphere

requires

alchemists

the

of

language

back

is

on

characteristic
it

Between

conceptions

and

an

miss

to

tremendous

advance

in

are,

we

chemistry,

new

think

effort

as

is

chemical

outlook

whole

our

conceptions

the

and

intervenes

own

our

story.

fundamental

is of

which

occupied

the

of

The

matter.

old, but

he

and

physical
of

nature

century

to

whole

idea

phenomena

accordingly,

criticise

to

in

revolution

that

making

by

alchemist's

external

the

assume

and

standpoint,

him

To

study

the

understand
and

it.

suggested

detailed

more

we

transmutation,

of

our

PROCESSES

NATURAL

FROM

the

the

better

something

of

thoroughly

more

which

errors

were

overthrown.
Can
and

the

Perhaps

the
new

the

fundamental
be

briefly

simplest

difference
stated

in

of

way
71

between

preliminary

doing

this

is

the

old

fashion
defme

to
F

ALCHEMY"

72

roughly what
of

was

He,

matter.

kind

of matter

in the world

when

and

us,

we

forms

how

certain

to

our

of

power

present

recognised.

are

discoveries

further
numbeh

But

with

the

substance

The

modem

which

them,

fixed

diminish

is

changeable.
un-

different

denied
increase

or

involved
principle

and

eighty

It is not, of course,

may

yawns

brought into
relatively
are,

than

more

us

has

process

atoms

dealing

At
kinds

of

forms

substances

primary

diversified.

so

on

primarj'

between

the

scientist holds that the cosmic

being

assuming

gap

far

thus

are

all the different

The

ask

to

in

agree

formed.

manifest

to

of

many

of which

proceed

we

comes

idea of the behaviour

out
are

ROMANCE

AND

the alchemist's

that

ground,

common

SCIENCE

ITS

that
this

firmlyadhered

to.

other

Quite
held

He
**

that

fluid," so

to

to

say, and

strivingto develop,or

naturally from

pass

kind

assumption*
substances

all the aiger5it"km3s"of

Each

another.

alchemist's

the

was

he

conceived
into

grow,

to

nobler

be

one

are

form

actively

state.

And

what is
hastening,by specialmeans,
The points thus raised
a natural
essentially
process.
But
will be discussed in due course.
with the sharply
his art

aimed

drawn

distinction

alchemist
for

so

came

long a

at

to

time

A
On

the

more

our

embrace
his

minds,

let

the doctrine

speculationand

World

us

of

his

ask

how

the

that

governed
practice.

Change.

grand scale and on the small, the universe

all-pervadingand unceasing change. And
closelynature's ways are examined, the more

the

manifests

in

SUGGESTIONS

FROM
this

clearly emerges
of these

many

in gases

and

The

evaporates.;

fuel

go to the

Foods

animals.

and

Water

smoke, leavingbut

ash, in turn, may

Moreover,

the appearance
of bemg
few
simple examples germane

subject.

into water.

condenses

faet.

78

have

Take

our

PROCESSES

fundamental

changes

transmutations.
to

NATURAL

are

the fire disappears

on
a

vapour

dead

buildingup
taken, and

ash
of

; the

dead

livingplants

form

flesh

and

body decays and returns to the dust from

So compelling is the evidence
it sprang.
that
which
it suggested the
first philosophicalsystems
of the
to all the subsequent
Greeks, and is thus fundamental
nations.
of these
One
philosophy of the Western
that existence
early thinkers, Heracleitus, concluded
blood

is

eternal

an

in

water
a

man

as

flux."

never

Add
and

"

He

likens

river ; the current

can

stream.

form

the

to

it to the
on

moves

ever

flow of the
;

so

that

really step twii^e into the same

this conception the idea of change
and

appearance,

we

have

the world

in

viewed

series of transmutations.

The

Alchemist*s

Aim.

Alchemists

busied

with

metallurgy

practicalchemistry. They therefore applied this

reasoning with specialreference to their art. Their
largely of a kind to illustrate and
experiences were
from strikingchanges
enforce it,gathered as they were
wrought by chemical reactions, and by fire. Fire
not
only melts substances, but often metamorphoses
them.
a
Mercury can be heated so that it becomes
colour,mobility,gleam, all vanish,
bright red powder
and

themselves

"

ALCHEMY"

/^74
to

ITS

give place

to

qualities. What
knew
nothing of
the

the

air

and

laborious

alone

the

of that
in

experiment
to have

the

about

operations, bring
change

of tin into silver,or

line

argument

of

conclusions
We

it

therefore

long

times.

Fire

agent,

seemingly
into

allow

Such

that

that

as

it led

to

reasoned.

were

erroneous,

simpler

know

We

other

or

far

gold

followed, and

was

of

oxygen

tion.
startlingtransmuta-

of brass

which, though

must

opposite
?
They

result of

recent

same

natural.

was

fact

of

matter

the
the

not

the

was

quite

effected

could

if so,

And

almost

they to conclude
part played by the

were

discovery

seemed

with

substance

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

the

that, under

tions
condi-

prevailing,the inference from observations

of external happenings to the possibility
of transmutation
warranted.
Indeed, the supposition may be
was
scientific."
That
in the long
granted the rank of
then

"

run

it

the

claim.

proved

to

be

on

does

deprive

not

little of

will be

like

grounds

of

Colour.

our

not

may

it of
upmately
ulti-

degraded

early

there

which

Quality

The
The

mistake

Otherwise

science

to-date

be

alchemists

were

in

possession

of

large

receiptsfor making alloysthat imitated the

Their problem was,
not to imitate,
precious metals.
number

of

but

transmute;

to

simply

**

look

change

them

course,

that

consisted

must

not

like
into
the
be

"

to

gold
the

make

baser

metals

or

real

silver^nSuf actuallynEo

thing.

qualitiesin which
modified.

the

This
the

meant,

of

difference's

SUGGESTIONS
The

first of the

PROCESSES
receive

to
qualities

75

attention

was

Alexandrian

The

colour.

of

NATURAL

FROM

adepts conceived
it to depe'nSTon'ar^process^dyeing. But
must
we
the genuine alchemist
what
be careful to understand
think
ourselves
of
meant
dyeing." We
a
by
which
imparts a particular
dye as a colouring matter

that

"

hue

by

to

material, but

does

it.

with

combination

chemical

become

not

part of it

The

alchemist's

dye should be so intimate

that'll ^liould changeTKe nature' of tlfe
and
complete
that to which
it
metal, and make
jt really become
made
lUce. According to this school of operators,
was
fundamental
there
two
were
dyes, answering to the
of the
colours
two
^Xanthosis, or
precious metals
It
dyeing yellow, and Leucosis, or dyeing white.
further held that the two
dyes, though differing
was

idea, however,

his

that

was

"

in

And

were

appearance,
it

to be

and

one

thought

the

that

substance.

same

there

dye
which, if it could be discovered, would be veritablya
transmuting agent. The idea developed and gradually
For
merged in that of the Philosopher'sStone.
came

Salmon,

instance

the master

in the seventeenth
thus

substance

"

colour
The

dye and the

It may

pass

The

into

be said that,

the

full excuse

the

region
must

that

and
of

medicine
that

are

gives

nature."

coalesce.

Stone

might merit

those

impure,

greater than

brilliance

and

universal
fixes

all

master

century, describes

The

imperfect metals, which

volatile, purifiesthose that are

for

was

although
rank

of

the

"

of imcritical

wait until

we

idea

of transmutation

scientific,"we
Not

so.

to discuss

the

fantasy.
come

here

philosophicalbasis of alchemy, and the doctrine of

qualities."But even on the ground of observations
**

ALCHEMY"

76

ITS

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

happenings^ we can see how the mistake

arose.
Experiences gained in the dyeing of cloth,
the
and
misled.
enamels, glass, and
rest, deceived
of metals
the colour
could
Moreover,
actually be
Under
changed by alloys,and by chemical actions.
the
natural
circumstances, misinterpretations were
external

from

and

inevitable.

Dyeing
^

Let

) These
(

look

us

the

early alchemists

which

make

can

that

copper;

metal
a

into

Metals.

the

matter

knew

metal

there

Httle

white

as

"

sulphur and
yellow as
golden tint to silver. Nowadays
"

changes result
We
must
keep

from

the

agents

are

whitens

mercury

which

agents

are

there

that

closely.

more

make

can

arsenic

give

can

know

we

formation

of

agents

of fire

that

the

compoimds.
this knowledge out
of sight,and
join
in regarding the changes as
the
alchemists
dyeing
of varying degrees of perfection. The
less
processes
of transmutaperfectthe dye, the smaller the amoxmt
tion effected.
The two
not
examples just given were
fixed
regarded as
dyes, for they could not resist
"

the

action

of
were

"

chemical

the

or

"

of

case

agents, and

was

We
perfect metal.
may
perhaps put ourselves most
easily at their point of
view if we
that the colour of gold, wherever
suppose
it occurs,
of gold-nature. Then
the presence
argues
one

it follows
nearer

the

to

coIourT

marks

resist such

^the transmutations

in the

only partial. Whereas

gold itself,the colour could

of

new

that

the

the

of

"

more

being gold

is the

fixed

"

the

substance

colour
that

is, the

possesses

SUGGESTIONS

FROM

It thus

became

NATURAL

PROCESSES

alchemist

an

problem

77

^legitimate

"

premisses" to tint the base metals so deeply

silver.
to change their nature
to that of gold or
as
attained, so would
According to the degree of success
the new
product be gold or silver of greater or less
did
is to say, the genuine alchemist
fineness.
That

on

their

seek

not

for instance, he
to

would

gold ;

becoming
the

metal

on

Let

remember

us

the eye, but

to deceive

as

metal

whitened

copper

by

on

the

arsenic

way
as

to becoming
silver; and so on.
way
that he had no idea of fixed elements
;

thought in
thing passing over
he

of

terms

transition

by stages

of his

the

evidence

his

presuppositions.

Genuine

that

so

Qualities

Otheb

processes"

one

thmg.

And

into another

seemed

senses

art
irresponsible

mad,

regard

Brass,

to transmute.

to be

all in favour

alchemy
have

many

of

was

not

of

the

held it to be.

Metals.

^viouslycolour is not the only qualityof a metal.

Each
has
its "particular
weight, hardness, malleability,^nd so foirtF. Copper treated with oxide of
to be turning into
zinc"putson a yellow jjntand seems
be
distinguished
gold. Yes" but the product can
Coiners
from the metal it imitates.
are
keenly alive
forgetfulof it.
of their colour-theory. If
the scope
They extended
could
of
be made
base metal
to acquire the colour
a
gold, why should it not be possibleto devise means
?
Each
for similarlychanging other qualities
change
in the
^weight, hardness, or
right direction
any
to

this

fact,

nor

the

were

alchemists

"

other

"

^would

mark

fresh

stage

on

the

road

to

78

ITS

ALCHEMY"

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

perfeetiDtty"^But^achchange must be a
"SKall we recognise tEat this was
argument from analogy ?
Come
as

the

down

herald

the

centuries

of modem

to

We

legitimate

who

one

science.

real transmutation.

is

find

regarded
him

thus

In
discussing the possibilityof transmutation.
gold, for example, the following properties meet.
It is yellow in colour, heavy up to a certain weight ;
ductile to a certain degree of extension
malleable
or
;
of its substance
it is not volatile,and loses none
by the
into a liquid with a certain
action
of fire ; it turns
degree of fluidity; it is separated and dissolved by
for the other natures
on
so
particularmeans
; and
in gold.
He
who
knows
the forms
which
meet
of yellow, weight, ductility,
solution,
fixity,fluidity,
the methods
for superinducing them,
and
and
so
on,
it his care
and their gradations and modes, will make
joined together in some
to have them
body whence may
of that body into gold." *
follow the transformation
need
not
of the
critical knowledge
It does
a
the general drift
Baconian
terminology to understand
The governing idea is that men
of this passage.
may
the means
for so uniting the qualities
to have
come
This
is true.
in gold as to produce the metal.
found
in building up
metal.
Chemists
a
yet succeed
may
This speculationwill be more
fittinglydiscussed at the
close, than at the beginning of our inquiry.
"

Elements.

Fixed
But
note

not

the
*

by

alchemist

reservation.
Novum

It is

means.

Let

Organon, Secoad

us

return
Book

of

for

important
a

moment

Aphorisms,

v.

to
to

SUGGESTIONS
the

FROM

mentions

Aquinas
"sublimated
white.

that
his

arsenic

you

will

see

79

St. Thomas
white

some

the

turn

copper

If you then add some

form
transpure silver,you
all the copper
into veritable silver."
It is plain

the

is

misconceives

great doctor

problem.

there

PROCESSES

with arsenic.
copper
it: **Add
to copper

of

treatment

NATURAL

modem

The

the

chemist

conditions

will

of

explain that

tion
change of copper into silver,but the formaof an
alloy of the three ingredients" each being
quantity throughout, and
present in exactly the same
each
in exactly the
recoverable, by suitable means,
originalquantity. That is to say, the alloyed silver
is not an
mists
imperfect form of that metal, as the alcheof fixed elements.
thought, but a compound
it come
to flourish,
The alchemy of the future, should
with a wholly different set of fundamental
will go to work
far the atoms
of the elements
conceptions. How
themselves
are
compounds will be considered
remains
the
The
later.
principle involved
same
of conditions, not growth.
throughout ^fixity
no

"

Nevertheless

the

alchemists

noT
suspicion llial alloys were
disliuclion
Ilcnce
a
they drew

and

**^

artificial^

metals.
of

the

The

from

the

first had

true"transmutations.

betweeiF**

natural

latter attained

to

"

qualitiesof the metal to be

imitated
And
; but did not attain to perfectlikeness.
in measuring, weighing,
in proportion as
accuracy
and
testingwas gained,so did the problem of alchemy
become
more
complex. Superficialresults did not
delicate processes
so
easily pass muster, and more
tried.
The
were
drawn, in this
parallelhas been
regard, with the increasing delicacy of present-day
mixing of alloys and tempering of steel. We
may
ceffaiiTriumber

ALCHEMY"

80

ITS

gladly accept
similar.
first

gold

And

therefore

be

for

silver

themselves

of

source

genuinely
might at

are

closer than

believed

that

alloys, and .could

compounding.

were

reproduced by

ROMANCE

alchemists

the

Imperfect
Another

cases

applicationis

sight appear
and

the

it, because
the

AND

SCIENCE

proper

Analysis.
in alchemist

error

conclusions

of analysis.
imperfection of their methods
of the gold-making instituted
Consider
Pliny'saccount
He
caused
consider*
a
by the Emperor Caligula.*
able amount
of orpiment to be calcined to get the
in making excellent
gold out of it,and quite succeeded
in
all was
no
gold/' There was
attempt at fraud"
there to start with,
good faith. But the gold was
chemist
undetected.
A modem
would have explained
the situation in a few minutes
speedy
; his tests are
was

the

"

and

We

accurate.

careful observers

hcmest

that

wonder

cannot

and

frequentlymisled into thinking

in producing or augmenting
that they had
succeeded
so
gold, when they were
poorly equipped for analysis
were

of their materials.

Boyle

Even
a

chemical

the

sorelyperplexed by

was

action.

dissolved

He

result

gold

some

in

of
a

"

"

containing chloride of antimony.

royal water
noticeable amount
To his suiprisethere appeared
a
^^

of silver."
a

therefore

He

did

not

know

quantity of
tempted to believe
had taken place.

certain

"

Given

in

that

the

chloride

this metal

that

sort

some

full,p. IS.

and

he

tained
conwas

of transmutation

SUGGESTIONS

FROM

Receipts

Two
It will be

PROCESSES

NATURAL

Gold.

hakino

for

several

interesting,on

counts, to give in

receiptsfor making gold

the other more
complicated. They are taken
Clavicula
ancient treatise entitled Mappce

this context

two

"

to

the

the

tenth

century, with

twelfth
the

sources

from
^a

to

an

script
manu-

belonging

matter

back

date

brief,

one

"

of

81

Alexandrian

again to the previousEgyptian

To make
period. The brief receipt is as follows :
gold ^take silver, 1 lb. ; copper, J lb. ; gold, 1 lb.,
of plain
This would
to be a case
seem
melt, etc."
title of the receiptproves
that the
falsification. The
resultingalloywas to be passed off as gold. We must,
a
however,
distinguish between
merely empirical
falsifier and
The
former
a
speculativealchemist.
latter looks
The
merely aims at scoring wealth.
the alloy as
he wants
an
on
a
approach to what
the
mists
path of transmutation.
Many alchestage on
times, and

behind

these

"

"

"

there

the

but

receipt;

concerned.

who

were

We

with
are

would
such

trying

make

to

of

use

at

not

are

we

bad

understand

present
what

genuine alchemy stood for.

Take
thus :
The
longer receipt runs
mercury,
of gold, 4 parts ; filings
of good silver,
8 parts ; filings
of brass, and
flower of copper
5 parts ; filings
called
chalcantum
by the Greeks
(sulphate of copper), 12
parts ; yellow orpiment (sulphuret of mercury), 6
12 parts.
parts ; electrum (an alloyof gold and silver),
Mix
all the filingswith the mercury
tence
to the consisof wax.
electrum
Add
and
orpiment ; then
"

add

vitriol and

alum.

Place

the

whole

in

dish

on

ITS

ALCHEMY"

82

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

burning charcoal ; boil it gently, sprinkling into it

fused
saf ran
(probably an orange sulphide of arsenic) inin some
(carbonate
vinegar, and a little natron
of soda) ; 4 parts of the saf ran
to be used.
are
Sprinkle
and
little by little until it is dissolved
drunk
up.
have
it and
When
is solid, take
the mass
gold
you
with

You

increase.

will add

the

which

little moonstone,

to

preceding

is called

stances
sub-

in Greek

applied to sulphate of
lime, mica, and transparent felspar)." Here we have
mixture
which
a
might well defy the analysisof early
chemists
! The
comparative simplicityof the result
be grievously disguised. Once
would
again we must
the mere
fraudulent operator who
distinguishbetween
would
consciously take advantage of the spurious
the
who
metal, and
might
speculative alchemist
himself into believingthat the alloy was
reason
really
and truly an imperfect sort of gold.
Afroselinum

(selenite,a

name

Peecipitates.
Evidence

of

like kind

furnished

was

by the study

of the

precipitatesof metali^. For example, if a filing

be dipped into a solution of a silver salt,
of copper
the
is immediately covered
of
with
coat
a
copper
silver ; or if an iron filing
be dipped in a salt of copper,
it is immediately covered with a coat of copper.
adays
Nowmisled by such
But
not
we
are
phenomena.
remember
that until comparatively recent
must
we
it

times

metals
that

was

among

metals

not

known

that

their elements
could

the
;

nor

exist in solution

salts often

it suspected

was

in

include

liquid. For

of copper

atoms

and
in

oxygen
the

of

for them,
And

as

The

simply different

metal

salt and

the metal

of certain

states

had

is
no

were"

substances.

was
deposited on an iron
copper
solution of the salt, it^appearedjto

_W^"s?!y that_the atoms

of
are
displaced by atoms
something was
changed into

transmutation.

the

in

copper

iron ;

it is dissolved, the

this.

thus, when

them

88

alchemists^ however,

The

knowing

filingplimged in
of

when

and

solution.

means

PROCESSES

(sulphateof copper) is a salt containing

with atoms
in combination
of sulphur

blue vitriol

us,

NATURAL

FROM

SUGGESTIONS

they

salt
that

said

copper.

eaffyexample

An

in ^neas

of Gaza

subsists, while

the

matter

because
it be

reasoning employed
The
(fifthcentury).

"

is found
form

of the sort of

it is made
statue

destroyed

to

and

its

an

irpn

of iron ; suppose

made

fragments

changes
these qualities. Let
undergoes

all

assume

of Achilles

"

reduced

it is

tiny morsels.
If now
collects this iron, purifies
a workman
it,and by
a
peculiar science changes it into gold, and gives it
the figureof Achilles, this will now
be a golden statue
instead

of

It is in this

way

one

that

the

but

to

it will still be

Achilles.

in bodies

matter

that

are

and
corruptible behaves, and by art becomes
pure
his meaning
makes
clearer
imperishable." ^neas
the change of
by saying, a little further on, that
into a higher condition
has nothing incredible
matter
that
those
in working up
learned
in it. It is thus
take
them
matter
gold and tin, make
apparently
and
disappear, colour the matter,
change it into
excellent
vening
evidently regards the intergold." He
"

chemical
*

actions, which

"

make

the

Quoted by Berthelot, Lea Origines de VAlchimie,

metals

p. 75.

84

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

apparently disappear/'as
muting

'^

of

the

idea

in

stages

many

trans-

of the
special mention
colouring,"and also the plain statement
^^into a higher
that matter
can
pass
the

Note

process.

operationof

so

ROMANCE

AND

condition."
This

presents

extract

than
can

did ^neas

familiar
of

as

case

the forms

them

two

form

molecule

of the constituent

of

conjimction of
still groping.

two

different

Appeal

for

borne

the
must
to

the

success

have
resist

than

Is the
mere

We

substances

Are

are

History.

to

class under

transmutation

laws, and

water?

modified

atoms

really something other

may

to

do we
equations. But
yet
What
really happens in such a
of hydrogen uniting with
atoms

water-molecule

We

them

about

more

to

by

to

oxygen

know

reduced

have

we

them

them

understand

one

calculate

We

actions.

explain chemical

early attempt

very

evidence

of external

the head

persuasive

force

of

the

mony
testi-

by generationafter generation of adepts to

of their efforts.

requireda
it.

Geschichte der

As

mind

late

of
as

So

great

was

in the

it

exceptionalindependence
1882,

Schmieder,

Alchimie^ actually concludes

of evidence

this that

seventeenth

in

that

his

the

and

eighteenth
that it impels belief in
centuries is so remarkable
We
well forgive, then, those
transmutation.
may
who, in preceding epochs, honestly held alchemy to
had
not
be a true art, even
though they themselves
The great secret might illude them
succeeded.
; but
that others, more
the appeal to history satisfied them
learned or more
fortunate, had penetrated it.
weight

SUGGESTIONS

PROM

When

from

take

thus

we

imperfectly

reinforced

unquestioned

testimony,

the

possibility

maintained.
at

the
to

causes

of

now

desire

possession

another,
turn

of

and

our

not

attention.

that

belief

fostered

and

the

And

least

keep

discover

to

of

other

no

to

unbounded

work.

at

were

wonder

been

sufficed

have

never-diminishing
the

amount

was

there

and

small

no

cannot

we

had

would

these

inferences

experiments

transmutation

of

Even

work,

chemical

by

85

natural

of

account

analysed

observations,

in

PROCESSES

NATURAL

causes

edge

an

short

wealth.

But

the

consideration

to

potent,

of

them,

on

cut

other

we

will

PHILOSOPHY

have

WE

the

from

and

derived

Greeks

with

thus,

though

involved

mystical
they

results

of

of

theoretical

the

peculiar

We

It

thought.
the

and

character

the

considered

bear

to

of

external

of

to

task

examine

the

constituted

belief
its

have

We

art.

the

and

combination

that

Hermetic

aspects
turn

now

the

their
this

practical

which

materials

on

was

And

discovery

laboratory

of

brought

abstract

elements.

of

quest

the

of

doctrines

magical

in

were

they

certain

and

manipulation

apparatus,

the

fused

chemists

Alexandrian

and

Byzantine

their

philosophers.

also

were

the

of

side

practical

were

they

of

had

which

systems

But

students

were

They

that

sketch,

technical

the

Egyptians.

metallurgists.

They

historical

the

in

alchemists
art

TRANSMUTATION

OF

seen,

II

CHAPTER

in

mutation.
trans-

philosophical

bases.

An

subject
in

the

named
him

to

Passage

excellent
is

introduction

provided

by

an

eleventh

century

Psellus.

The

explain

Psellus.

from

his

art.

to

from

extract

by

86

Xiphelin
is

passage

of

phase
letter

the

written

alchemist

Byzantine

Patriarch
Here

this

had
in

his

asked

reply.

PHILOSOPHY
"

You

OF

desire

this art which

I should

that

make

in fires and

resides

the

expresses

TRANSMUTATION

destruction

of natures.

of

Some

for the initiate,held

87

known

to

furnaces, and

substances

you

which

and

mutations
trans-

believe that it is a knowledge

secret, which

they have not

^a thing which
attempted to reduce to a rational form
I regard as an enormity. For myself, I have sought
"

from

the first to know

them

rational

sought
which

it in
all

the causes,

explanation

the

of

nature

and

of

the

the

by dissolution.

facts.

four

I have

from

have

elements

and

by combination,

comes

draw

to

from

into which

all

in my

youth
the root of an oak turned into stone while conserving
its fibres and
all its structures, participatingthus in
the two
natures
(that is to say, wood and stone).
After
of the propertiesof
quoting Strabo's account
an
encrusting fountain which produced the forms of
inunersed
In this way
objects, he proceeds thus :
the changes of nature
take place naturally,not
can
returns

...

seen

"

"

in virtue

of

formula.
wished
You

There

is

of what

to

know

science

gold

its secret, not

philosophers.

of Democritus

secrets

its

substances

have

to

or

I have
"

by the

and

would

as

"

aid
fain

but

great treasures,

of nature

of Abdera;

operations.
You

made.

secret

of transmutations.

be

can

miracle,

I will reveal to you

...

to

did the ancient

all the wisdom

I shall leave

nothing

in

sanctuary."
We

note

points
shines

and

art

by what

penetrate into the

the

an

or

to set forth its precepts and

wish

know

incantation,

an

of

out
on

in

this

remarkable

several

statement

significance.Its scientific spirit

clearly ^itsreliance on knowledge of nature
great

"

observation.

There

is

the

determination,
o

get down

to

moreover,

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

88

AND

the

to

ROMANCE
of

causes

its

things
"

there
is the
reference
And
philosophicaltemper.
to Democritus, and
through him to the whole field of
of the whole
The core
Greek
thought about nature.
is the making of gold"transmutation.
matter

Platonic
sends

Psellus

specialpurpose,

our

its

with
and

teaching

therefore

dialogue

known

as

the

**

eternal

in

spiritand

in substance.

has given

concerned, however,

clear

the

of

exposition

alchemists

entangling
is foimd

troversies.
con-

in

the

Timseus.
he

find that

there

We

For the Alexandrian

are

steer

fullest

The

speculationwhich

interpreted by

as

Greeks

the

is obscure, and
We

discussion.

can

we

of matter

theory

rise to much

lines of

the

to

to

limit ourselves, for

can

largelyPlatonic

philosophy was
Plato's

we

his followers.

and

in Plato

centre

Matter.

of

the Greeks, and

to

us

Fortimately

will go.

we

Theoeies

something

to teach

seems
"

which

the

existence

hardly be called
and
It is formless
matter.
indeterminate, beyond
the
of thought and
the reach
senses.
Though so
dimly apprehended and so hard to be explained, yet
all things ; it originatesand
constitutes
it underlies
^the principleout of which
universe
all
the material

of

an

can

"

things

"

"

womb

or

"

mother

that the Creator

and

that

substance

water,

there
so

thus

of

all

imposed

came

widely

earth, air, and

calls

Plato

formed.

are

into

declared
fire.

it sometimes

becoming.

to

He

it certain

upon

being

"the

the

be

"

four

ceived
con-

forms,

kinds

elements

Of these, he said, water

of
"
"

is

related

for

point

earth, and

to

succession

showing
of

of
a

value

in

curve

89
the

important
thought of as a

substance,

the least to the

is to

and

of

kinds

from

That

movement.

And

series is not

the

separate

progress

air.

fire to

is that

us

TRANSMUTATION

OF

PHILOSOPHY

And

dignity.

as

highest degree
is an
upward

there

say,

but

there

is thus

of transmutation
strong suggestion of the possibility

change

of continuous

from

kind

one

"

of substance

to

another.
Plato

himself
itself and

splittingand

again the

earth

forms

can

fixed

not

are

that

nature,
them

hone

and

an

guished
extin-

water;
that

And

water

if the

when

ever

ments
ele-

tator
commen-

he

conserve

a"firm

to

old

an

explains
a

that

thing, rather

air ;

air thickened

as

sound

cannot

such

and

by

another, their properties

one

venture

can

is such

runs

It follows

is therefore

things

and

of air;

densing
con-

earth;

wind

determined.

and

since

into

pass

Plato

on
"

thus

and

fire condensed

form

stone."

and

water

see

stone

then

mist, and

into

changes

We

it becomes

fire ;

becomes

takes

"

becoming

dividing

air inflamed

thus

writes

any

than

proper
of

one

something

else."
Hence

problem.

to

form, how

from

form

man

intervene

Bacon

states

superinduce a
aim
he
**

is

the

"

as

retard

Power."
a

transformation

possible."

far, and

nature

new

of Human

gives

substances

or

by what

hasten

thus

can

methods,

the

pass
can

transitions

problem in the first Aphorism of the

On
a
given body to generate and

this

book.

second

and

to

If

or

in the

And

secondary work
of concrete

is the

natures,

new

to

bodies,

ism
Aphor-

same

be

work

undertaken
so

far

as

this

ALCHEMY"

ftO

SCIENCE

ITS

Platonism

ROMANCE

Alchemy.

and

assimilated

alchemists

The

AND

this

teaching

so

"

completelythat Gebcr, the great master of the Arabian

that metals canschool, goes to the lengthof asserting
not
until they have been reduced
be transmuted
to
In other words, he not only
their "first matter."
maintained
that metals are
compounded out of this
mother stuff,"but also that, if they are to be brought
to higher states of perfection,
by artificialmeans
they
first be decomposed into their primmust
necessarily
ordial
condition.
This teaching affords a striking
example of the influence of philosophy on laboratory
operations,and with various modifications,retained
its hold down
to the days when
alchemy was decadent
"

discredited.

and

typicalinstance
Valentine, an adept
A

is found
of the

writingsof

thirteenth

is clear and

following passage

in the

the

to

The

century.

point :

"

Basil

Think

^
'

diligentlyabout this, bear it often in mind,

and
observe
and
comprehend, that all minerals
metals are produced and generated in the same
time
most

in the

and

fashion, and

same

This

matter."
principal
We
the

central

and

deny
and

idea

teachings

other.

one

is simple and

not, however, imagine that

must

their

of

Many

fantastic.
the

which

were

were

were

But

of
speculations

time

the

vague
we

and

that
each

incoherent, mystical

should

not

which

to time

same

straightforward.
all who developed

equally sober-minded, or
always in harmony with

rational element
from

and

on

that

underlay them

reasserted

the nobler sort of

account

all,

itself in the

'

adepts*

PHILOSOPHY
Take

as

OF

favourable

TRANSMUTATION

example

of

91

attempt

an

at

the
development of the Platonic doctrine
of the Valentinus
system expounded in the works
above
quoted. He sets out from the idea that beneath
all the sensible
there
is an
qualitiesof a substance
therefore
He
distinguishesthe
incorporeal Essence.
specificbodily, or material, part from the Spirit.*
In the bodily part he holds there are the four generally
earth, water, air, fire. So far
recognised elements
he then makes
there is nothing reallynew.
But
an

rational

"

advance.

holds

He

the

from

that

relations

between

result what
he calls the three
pairs of these elements
air produces Sulphur;
Principles. Fire acting on
air acting on
water
produces Mercury ; water acting
earth produces Salt.
The
on
Sulphur, Mercury, and
Salt thus produced are
not to be thought as being of
the
use.
ordinary sort in common
They have an
exalted
sublimated
which
nature
or
implies special
and
virtues, and become
a
recognised Triad
powers
for alchemy, as distinct from
the Four
of philosophy.
Can
make
the three
man
Principles out of the
Elements

that;

man

can

to

go

them

able

says

has

simply

work

in various
to

Valentine

No,

with

to

alone

God

accept

them.

But

Principlesand
proportions. He

the three

ways

and

effect transmutations

of the

do

can
man

mingle
is thus

substances

with

he is

which

actuallydealing.
The
blind us
strangeness of this speculationmay
It is an
to its merits.
originalattempt at analysis.
And
we
parallelits conclusions under our modem
may
conditions.
not
May we
fairly say that the place
chemical
elements
of Valentine's Principlesare our
"

For

further consideration

of this,see

the

next

chapter, p.

'*

107.

ALCHEMY"

92

which

the
he

But

ITS

SCIENCE

scientist

can

combine

them

can

neither

ROMANCE

make

in endless

the idea of

Eliminate

AND

unmake

nor

and

ways

tions.
propor-

passing of one substance

into another, substitutingthat of a building up
of
fixed kinds of atoms, and the kinship of the old and
the

is

new

apparent.

regards the underlying Essence, Valentine says

it is hidden
and
by the wrappings of Elements
Principles. But though impalpable,it acts as a mystic
here an
Have
not
we
uniting bond.
anticipationof
the modem
concept of the ether of space ? Read
of this mysterious, illusive,allaccount
recent
any
phers,
pervading entity postulated by our physicalphilosowill sympathise with
Valentine's
and
you
speculation.
As

Mercury

The

has

What

of

was

"

called

apprehend
the Mercury

reached
in this
Philosophers." It was
applicationof the doctrine of a
specialised

matter,"

adepts

composition.

due

various
had

mercury
was

inmost

The

reasons

attracted

be

to

however,

were

Is Ihe

between

at

was

be
basis

them

impurities.

given later, the

this

first

esseritiany^oT
and

matters

the

metal
and

it

common

Theory and practice,

loggerheads. For it was

of the metals.
here

all

way.
**

must

exceptionalattention,

generally agreed that

substance

there

which

differences

colouring

various

to

that

of substance

metals, rendering them

of ialtthe
uniform

think

to

came

kind
particular

some

For

of what

to

us

the

Bya

are

preceded will enable

notion

the alchemist

Philosophers.

the

of

PHILOSOPHY

OF

TRANSMUTATION

93

could not
painfullyevident that the ordinary mercury
made
fulfilthe excitingdemands
it. The adepts
upon
thus.
that the
saved the situation
They maintained
is not
the real thing, but that
its
ordinary metal
essential virtues are negatived and disguisedby various
qualitiesand impurities which impair its perfection*
its liquidityargues
the presence
of the fluid
Thus
of the
its volatility,that
element, water;
light
element, air ; its grossness, that of the heavy element,
These
then
be stripped away,
and
earth.
the
must
refined substance
first
remaining would be the true
metal
volatile or Uquid, but
not
fixed," that is
first metal
to say, ideallystable and solid.
To this
of
the Philosopher's
name
they gave the honourable
of it, the
Mercury." By means
happy possessor
metal
he
be able to produce artificially
would
any
that the
the rest.
it was
Hence
liked, gold among
"

"

"

"

"

**

"

alchemist's

aim

is

wonder-working
mercury." "

the

Although
as

it

the
was

"

of

the

with

Arabians
that

it, and

proportions in which

the

metals

one

differed

from

developed by their
"

For

laboured

the

Metals.

that
said

it
two

was

grim jest on

to

to

"fix

regarded
them
all,

the

stituent.
only conbe
that
sulphur must
owing to the varying

was

combined

were

another.

successors.

was

common

it

to this

reference

He

base

generally held

not

by

Philosopher'sMercury

first metal,"

The
united

substance.

Composition

The

defined

oftai

so

The
A

this,see

that the

doctrine

was

typical mediaeval
p. 42.

ALCHEMY"

94

SCIENCE

ITS

ROMANCE

AND
Gold

into detail thus.

is

engendered
associated with a clear red sulphur ;
by a clear mercury
and a white, or slightly
silver by a clear mercury
red,
and
a
sulphur
sulphur ; iron by an impure mercury
and a white
white and clear ; lead by a thick mercury
The
sulphur, thick and a little red; and so on.
been
dealt with as to
to have
question does not seem
what
the impurities are.
Perhaps it is covered
by
the idea of a passingthrough stages to perfection.
of it goes

fonn

further

A
the

of

amoimt

of

cause

baking

the

differences

which

the mixtures

found

was

had

in

gone
under-

(The notion that they

another
under
comes
head.) Gold, for
grow
baked
a
long time at a gentle heat ;
example, was
silver,some
said, required a hundred
;
years to bake
metal
iron was
baking ; tin, if
spoiltby too much
down

below

in the

earth.

"

"

further baked, would

sulphur badly

become

baked.

The

silver ; lead is detestable

idea

of

passing through

stages is stillfimdamental.

various

Sulphur.

why sulphur should be chosen as a

ingredient in the composition of metals,
necessary
still keeps us in touch
the answer
with Greek
sophy.
philoThe element of mercury
provided the metallic
as
lustre, malleability,ductility.
properties, such
But the fact that fire had the power
of alteringmetals
had to be accounted
Now
Plato had taught that
for.
fire is a substance
excessivelyattenuated, indeed,
bat
nevertheless
to be ranged with
air, water, and
If

we

ask

"

earth.

There

are

several kinds

of

it,he says

flame

PHIL#S"PHY
which

gives Kght
fire which

and

of

eyes

without

is extinct.

flame

their elemental

95
them

burning

in substances

remains

associate

to

the

to

enflamed, after the

came

TRANSMUTATION

OF

that

have

The

alchemists
the

fire with

been

sulphur

was
Philosophers. To this constituent
the
combustibility of metals, by
under
the
intended
their alterability
was

the

term

buted
attri-

**

"

which
action

of fire.
The

notion

with,

of fire

shut

or

sistent.

It

as

real substance

in, other" substances,"

up

its last appearance

made

compounded
was

very

in the

pcr-

famous

the
at
theory, promulgated by Stahl
beginhiiig~ofthe eighteenUr century". Briefly stated
this.
When
substance
the theory was
a
bums,_it
is losing phlogiston
light are
; the flame, heat, and

FMogiston

evidence

of

the

violence

"bustible substances

of

the

All

process.

com-

contain

phlogiston as a common
~Tt is so intimately combined
with them
principle.
be seen
that it cannot
until it is escaping. That wTiich
is the original substance
remains
after combustion
phlogiston.
"^.^sJ!^.
of them, such as
Some
Apply this to the metals.
and
be made
to bum,
zinc, can
earthly substances
remain.
if

but
It

Others, like lead and

exposed

was

to

heat

lose their metallic

therefore

that

of

the materials

argued
phlogiston and

after

the

combustion.

metal

was

connected

do

mercury,

the

Moreover,
with the amount

appearance.

metals

the

burn

not

were

that

pounds
com-

were

colour

of

left
the

of the

phlogiston
heated, it yields

example, if lead is
further, it
litharge ^a yellow substance
; if heated
yields ^ed lead.
Evidently, said the champions of
different
this theory, there
are
quantities of the
contained.
"

For

ALCHEMY"

96

fire-substance

present*
again Z.. Yes, in

back

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

Could
not

the
few

ROMANCE

phlogistonbe put
Thus, if the

cases.

^the earthy substance

remaining
dephlogisticatedzinc
after burning
^be heated
with wood
cTiarcoalTtlie"
or
metal
reappears ! It has acquired a fresh stock from
"

"

the

Here

have

we

dress.

wood

of the

burning

the

Substitute

in the

experimenters did
metal
much

alchemist
for

sulphur

essential features

"

charcoal.

or

two

are

lay such

not

doctrine

in

the
stress

the

upon

theory

It focussed

oxygen.

combustion,

the

their
but

later
"

first

theory

the

root

same.

Stahl's

Now

the

The

same.

out
they worked
thoroughly and logically
;

principleis

scientific

phlogiston,and

substance, and

more

led

to

up

attention

on

the
the

discovery

phenomena

of
of

brought together the scattered facts

of an
by means
explanation which, though erroneous,
enormously helped scientists to get on to the right
track.
Why should we be so unfair as to deny to the
the merit of preparing the way
alchemists
for Stahl ?
and

Follies and

they

had

falsities ought

in

achievingthe

Theory
We

'

us

get

ultimate

Greek

development
generalidea of the

of the

now

seen

set about

obscure
success.

way

philosophy largely
Hermetic

in which

art.

chosen

silver

or

Let

the alchemists

their task.

substance, usually a metal,

SQm"4)ai"iciilar
be

share

the

Practice.

and

the

to

how

have

moulded

not

as

^old.

likely to
The

allow

^eat

of

transmutation

objectITien'was

to

would
into

stripit

PHILOSOPHY
of

be
"

qualities,

those
the

from

of

and

The

the

process.

short

Art

cut,

in

any

were

Philosophers, or,
the

'discovered,

for

then

Substance,

would

same

effect the

not
"

be

case

transmutation

of

its

been

were

transmuting
in

aim

own

speed them
possible if

be

what

it
this

first matter

the

Mercury

tended

accomplished,
would
and

and

The

the

same

"

^those derived

chemical

air, fire.

were

The

If
must

power
much

time

one

in

of

the

view,

both

at

cases

matter

philosophy.
simply

the

concentration

operations explains naturally the

specificsubstances.

sophers,
Philo-

Mercury

Greek

triad, Mercury., Sulphur, Salt,

for the
\

from

in

coalesce.

At

statement.

the

would,

of the

to

the

could
to

the
Mercury were
won,
be
gained. Hence

old quartet, earth, water,

on

virtues

reduced

were

be

Master

or

be the direct object

precious metal would
the Philosopher's Stone.
But
another
in
the underlying conceptions of the nature
were

could

substance

up.

the

practically

was

powers

held that

methods

If the

won.

confusion

since

metals, be
two

always

case

Magisterium,

unless

and

of the
the

have

by

transmuted

first matter,"

the

this

duced;
pro-

characteristic

Philosopher's Stone,

changes.
it was
commonly

Since

and

would

speak,

to

thing,

the

them

aid

be

must

hardness, malleability
the

must

so

of the

Mercury

of

right weight;

Transmutations

in

tint

proper

right degree

ductility;

lustre.

97

or

forth.

so

the

and

TRANSMUTATION

properties,
jn which it differed
required. Lead, for instance, must
its easy
tin of its peculiar
fusibility,

metal

stripped
cry,"

OF

ence
prefer-

ALCHEMY"

98

ITS

Qualities
There
further

arises

point

would

we

Several

which

times

it is

the

just

statements

important

the

into

enter

the

of

out

Entities,

Separate

as

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

minds

expression

if

alchemists.

the

used, "a

was

understand

to

of

made

substance

be

strippedof certain of its qualities." Vincent

rob
de Beauvais
can
definitelyclaims that adepts
be
substances
of their
must
we
qualities.*'Now
prepared to interpretthis language literally.That is
realise that the alchemist
must
to say, we
imagined
be
the
to
qualitiesof substances
separate things
existingin their own
right. We need not go deeply
into the metaphysics,implied. It will be enough to
the profound difference between
their point of
grasp
must

"

and

view

liquidity,he
who

man

that

Let

had

much

If_a

process.

our

of

liquidany

as

substances

it.
of

way

condenses

man

"

fix

in his mind

idea

same

through

contrast

us

the

fish out

scattered

"

would

operator who

get rid of its volatilityand

to

would

were

and

the

determined

mercury

When

ours.

viewing

into

steam

some

parallel

water,

fr^ziTttiiwt^^^^^

then

"of "its"
of any
robbing the originalsubstance
but merely that he is causing it to change
qualities^
He is causing the mole^
call its
what
states."
we
closer and closer together. The
cules of water
to come
he

is

*'

alchemist,
when
of

he

on

had

the

condensed

quality that

froze

the

water,

made

it

liquid.

other

made
he

had

Two

hand,
the
it

he had

steam,
"

an

robbed

conceive^hat

would

air

"

it of

reallyexistent

that

robbed
when

it

he

quality that
things hadlieeii
a

PHILOSOPHY

abstracted
off
he

from

the

to

It

it.

disguising

hoped

get

must

aright
The

the

be

subject

reason.

taken

and

will
let
at

well

kept

theories

Meanwhile

art,

is

its

before

best,

acknowledge
was

founded

be

this
if

view

receipts

come

us

in

would

that

clear

in

us

by

orilinary

from
that

residue

99

that

was_thus

qualities

TiherVMeBcmyj^^It
ence

TRANSMUTATION

OP

we

the

profound
would

alchemical
in
that

on

stripping
mercur^
Philoso-

differ^

interpret
treatises.

another
the

observation

context.

Hermetic

and

III

CHAPTER

AND

ALCHEMY

ANOTHER

of transmutation.

possibility
the

first

deeply

the

world

of

metals,
that

endowed

were

fundamental

the

sufficiently

is

the

interpreted
the

conceived
the

similar

life

to

they

speaking,

broadly
of

principles

no

the

for

only

by

them

such

is known

what

persisted

other
on

that

of

that

him

than

his

into

times

the

tree

of
he

into
;

for

life.

could

The
in

noisy

the

woods,

beast

of

Indeed
all

of

when
Greek

was

understand

he

knew

prey,
it

relations

This

100

at

upon

practical

own.

earliest

the

or

on

looked

wills.

cracklings

presence

himself

around

things

activity

growing

he

man

him

around

living

the

waves,

primitive

changes

of

view

that

activities

the

bring

or

as

the

argued

him

and

human

roaring

than

less

known

manifestations

as

brook,

well

events

of

analogy

them

such

fact,

of

in

Animism.
It

the

In

from

particularly

kind

the

in

growth

they

more

with

organisms.

of

adopted
as

substances,

inorganic

that

of

And

last

were

processes

animals.

and

plants

the

by

impressed

belief

alchemists

The

the

in

the

enriched

and

strengthened

chapter,

strictly

less

considered

those

than,

philosophical

to, but

akin

ideas,

of

range

ANIMISM

no

with

mode

of

original tendency
reflective

thought,

philosophers,

strove

ALCHEMY

ANBIISW^f'i

AND

'lOJ

#"""""*

to

enter

deeply

more

into

the

and

nature

of

causes

world.
Mythology
phenomena of the external
yielded place to ideaUsms, gnosticisms,pantheisms;
behef
natural
the
in distinct
beings behind
mena
phenoweakened
or
disappeared ; but the belief in
And
of universal life lasted on.
form
some
alchemy,
in its turn, was
largelyinfluenced and moulded, from
first to last, by animistic
conceptions and speculations.
the

Metals
We
the

have

nature

that

seen

of

imagined

the

metals
that

was

by

HrTiT/

view

the alchemists

very

different

took

from

of

ours.

series of slow

changes imder
towards* perfection.
f^p pflrt.h tlipy wp^f^
p^^gfi^^^^g
the more
imperfect the more
They were
easilythey
were
changed by fire and chemical
agents. For
instance, lead and iron were
imperfect because they
yielded so easilyto such agents. Gold, on the contrary,
^indeed, most
strongly resisted them
strongly
therefore held to be the perfect metal
of all. It was
all others were
which
strivingto become.

They

"

alchemists, however,

The
this.

For

them,

went

much

further

than

the

not, as we
changes were
might
of a purely physicalkind, but were
imagined
suppose,
to take
place by a living process.
They held that
"follow
likeptarits.We modems
me"als"~groW,
can
thern to some
in the notion of change, and can
extent
understand

change
are

and

how

was

found
that

in
some

the

ancients

came

to

think

that

the

that metals
progressive. For we know
of all degrees of purity or impurity,
ores
of

them

at

times

are

discovered

in

10$ : ALCHEMY^ITS
*

mm*

k"*

their

''

the

"

native

in the
"

4-

SCIENCE
*^

It is not

state.

of the

ignorance

AND

ROMANCE

true

difficult to

nature

see

of what

we

how,
call

elements," this varying degree of purity might

give rise

the belief in

to

the

notion

And

there

"

of

upward progression.

an

But

"

is so far removed
from
growth
our
of thought that
we
are
present modes
tempted to
regard it as a flightof unbridled imagination. And
at any
rate, it persistseven
yet, in the popular mind
in this enlightened age.
A
in
poet is warranted
hewn
from
**the living rock."
as
describing stones

theory

vague

rocks

do

would

days
be

But

that

somehow

the

(In

be little doubt

can

that

under

certain

metals

the
into

come

coal

when

that

of

actually grow

earth

minerals

and

being and increase.

being formed, there
for it !)
justification

was

amount

still harbour

many

^that is

"

different

matter.

The

alchemists, however,

put

yet greater strain

capacity for sympathy.

Having entertained
the notion of growth, they developed it with a startling
thoroughness. Metals, they held, grow like plants.
From
How
do pl^ts start their life ?
seed.
Since
nature
plan throughout, there
proceeds on the same
be something corresponding to seed in the^ase
must
this
of metals.
They could not define exactly what
but they felt quite safe in assunung
metal-seed
was,
on

our

determined

its existence, and

that

they might

The

processes,
principlewould
and
course

them

put

under

of
the

"

discover

to

grow]"metals
would

of course,
be the

development

perfectmetal.

they

seed, once

conditions, would
which
Under

plants.

grew

be different,but

The

same.

proper

as

it in order

would
the

the

obtained

set

out

on

ultimately give
earth

the

growth

ALCHEMY

ANIMISM

AND

108

hindered
in many
indefinitelyslow, and was
to the
by artificial devices come
; they would
ways
aid of nature
and speed up her operations.
the train of reasoning which
Such was
led to these
such
chimerical
hopes,
strange conclusions, kindled
endless
labours.
And
and prompted such
yet even
here
be too
must
not
we
hasty in condemnation.
Does
modem
not
at
chemistry aim
speeding up

was

divers

**

"

natural

processes

it not

Does

build

up

aim at invading the sphere

increasingly
of life itself by
fabricating organic compounds ?
do we
of crystals ^a
And
not speak of the
growth
which
think
than a figureor
to be more
term
some
analogy ?
Given
the
reasoning
premisses, the alchemist's
was
logical. He had to meet, however, an obvious
difficulty. If the seed of metals develop into the
tHeHSasei metals ?
perfectjnetal,gold, whence
come
The
tion
was
singular. The formaexplanation advanced
br these was
regarded as due to a thwarting

molecules, and

**

'*

"

of

nature^s

which
the

rest

Again
when

could
were

modern

not

be

science
to

us

encountered

were

Iron, tin, lead, and

overcome.

comparedto

it describes

malformations

^ Resistances

purpose.

abortions

can

help

the

clash

us

or

to

monstrosities.
seize their

of forces

which

idea
cause

in

which
or
altogether
crystallisation,
preclude it. There are few of the reallyfundamental
that
are
concepts of alchemists
quite beyond the
pale of such suggestive parallels
although they
; and
of imaginative guessing
were
so
largelythe outcome

advances

in science

may

prove

them

to possess

pected
unsus-

kernels of truth.

ALCHEMY"

104

ITS

SCIENCE

and

Animal

Metals

Certain

of the

alchemists

ROMANCE

AND

Bibth.
not

were

with

content

referringto the plant world when they speculated on

the development of the metals, but brought in notions
the
from
derived
generation and birth of animals.
thoroughly their doctrine of the
Applying still more
unity of plan and action in nature, they likened the
genesis of metals to that of the foetus. The comparison
is at least

^e'

mcTudes

the

as

juit,in

ascribed

confidence

most
an

of the

father

Arabian

old

as

time

of Geber.

of the

one

him, works

to

of

concepts

works

it out

mamage;

This
with

in detail,

conception,

rearing,and education, claiming that the conditions

in the case
these imply aie
of metals
as
ay
necessary
of human
bebig?. The lead he gave was isedulously
followed upTHiitilit lost itself in the mystical absurdities
of the latest phases of the art.
did not
Some
male
and
shrink from
female
distinguishingbetween
in the process, afikming that there must
elements
be
before metal-growth can
a
conjoining of sex-elements
be initiated.
At
become
of

this stage, the

vehement

resist

to

courage

protests of the enlightenedcritic

and

it

requiresno

them.

small

Nevertheless

amount

it may

be

urged that, stripped of foolish accretions, the notion

result of the originalanimism.
is a logical
Moreover,
we

the

may

ask

ourselves
and

nature

great upward
dividing line
so

many

now

whether

function
curve

between

of

the
how

organic
far

yet fathomed

distinctions

sex

evolution.

of

assume),

have

we

If
and

down

there

in

the

be

no

inorganic (as
does

the

se^

ALCHEMY
?

principledescend
to dogmatise.

Dying

that

of

The

ancients,
before

died

He

is

as

we

modem

of

discoveries

saw,

could

it

bold

Reviving

and

comparison of
plants involved

The

ANIMISM

AND

the

generation

another

We

must

go

behind

alchemists, and
conclusion

such

metals
a

dying

the

^^

and
"

of

This

notion

metal

.was

and

Some
as

to

their

forth.

eyes

The

tjiat, if

be in their
even

it

fair to the

them

of them
means

so

resurrection.

upon

must

be

with

process

view

and

would

we

forced

reviving.

killing

the

seed, there

from

grow

albumen,

death

^most

was

metals

thought that a seed actually

life. The
germinate to new
shown
how
us
botany have

at

involving complete

as

of

less defensible.

notion

all this if

look

ventures

Metals.

of

cotyledons, stored

of

us

who

man

imperfect, and, indeed, false, was

tells

105

case

also

speak

of

to transmutation.

greatly strengthened by the

the
possibilityof spontaneous

prevailing belief in
roused
such
fierce
generation ^the belief which
times, and which, in a
controversy in quite recent
far subtler form, is again assertingitself. The connection
is well seen
in the following passage
from
Basil
"

Valentine

'*

Neither

human

nor

animal

bodies

can

multiplied or propagated without

decomposition ;
all vegetable seed, when
the grain and
cast into the
decay before it can
ground, must
spring up again.
Moreover,
worms
putrefactionimparts life to many
other
If bread
animalculae.
be
and
placed in
honey and suffered to decay, ants are generated.
also generated by the decay of nuts.
Maggots are
be

...

...

ALCHEMY"

106

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

The
same
thing
apples,and pears.
in regard to vegetable life. Nettles
such seed has
no
spring up where
This occurs
only by putrefaction."
is needless

It

ROMANCE
be observed

may
and

other

ever

been

Valentine's

that
say
quite other
to

weeds
sown.

instances

explanation; but he
capable of
and
he
makes
erred in good company,
plain the
He
establish.
to
proceeds to
principle he wishes
that in
give it the alchemical
application. Know
metallic
like manner
seed can
no
develop or multiply
without
the
unless the said seed by itself alone, and
be reduced
of any foreignsubstance, can
introduction
state of putrefaction." His
to
a
practicalinference
be brought to putrefy and
die if
is that
gold must

are

*'

be

is to

there

it with

life for

new

increase

of its

substance.

how

Consider

experiment

puzzling
this.
They

as

calcine

lead, and

its well-known
kind
had

it in the

of cinder.

Assuming,

life of its own,

imagined a
They then

seed

would

reheated

this

with

grains of

wheat.

it had

some

taking
ing

its

suppose
"

again

on

the

it
lead

was

that

the
"

was

the

calcining.

the

metal, say

natural

in the

condition

had

characteristics
more

the
and

metal
resmn-

natural

than

brought

about

in the

wheat

which

took

it had

combined

with

in the

had

nothing

they

of

We,

to

say

which

They watched

What

to

they
in the ground.
crucible
along

died

in

cinder

than

metal

carbon

an

it lose
They watched
change into a powdery
they did, that the metal

life in the grain had

of the

more

its wonted

oxygen
But

as

be that

originalstate.

resurrection

that

It

take

such

air.

what

died

that

would

and

appearance

been

have

must

course,

guide

to
a

know

them

from
first
to

ALCHEMY

AND

ANIMISM

107

explanation, and should not, therefore, be

charged with follyfor arguing as they did. The blame
in when
of them, startingfrom
this misunderstood
some
comes
such

an

chemical

imagination, and launched

and
occult
mystical theories
and

further

the

character

rational

which

they

the

were

Metals
It has

led

world

of

not

their

to

of

manner

them

further

facts.

tempt

broad

of the

These

ignore

to

us

considerations

of

perversions.

Body

have

shown

been

which

should

aberrations, however,

rein

all

into

out

the

from

away

loose

action, gave

how

Soul.

and

that

the

alchemists,setting

comparatively simple idea of a metalseed analogous to the seed of plants,introduced

the
with
more
generation
complicated ideas connected
world.
not content
to stop
in the animal
They were
this advanced
is
at even
stage of speculation. Man
of the animal
the crown
world, and consists of body
whether
soul.
similar
and
a
They asked themselves
the

from

out

does

distinction
decided
on

this

utmost

not

exist

in the

case

of metals, and

And

affirmative.

having ventured
further
analogy, they developed it with the
and
seriousness
exploitedit in their practical
in

the

work.

The
derived
to

the

from
these

incumbrance
nature.

for their notion

basis
philosophical

"

the Platonists.

mystical idealists man's

body
the
activities
of
a
clog on

It had

before that true

richest virtues

teachings of

therefore
nature
of the

to

could
metals

be subdued
show
were

and

itself.
to be

largely

was

ing
Accordwas

his

an

true

mortified

If,then, the

free for

higher

ALCHEMY"

108

SCIENCE

ITS

ROMANCE

AND

be

destroyed.
in the seventh
Thus
century an alchemist, Stephanus
it is necessary
that
to deprive
of Alexandria, declared
out its soul."
in order to draw
of its qualities
matter

transmutations, their material

form

must

"

declared

that

the

of

body

the

virtue."

gap

of

of the

by

to

substance

thousand

Yet

there

the

is

is

continuity

of the Hermetic
elaborated.

philosophersa
made

They

further

threefold

ceived
con^body, soul, and spirit. Spiritwas
be a primal element, not peculiarto any one
but fundamental
We
to all.
perhaps
may

it

"

was
essence

the

the

"

hand,

other

; that

substance

contained

perfect of
even
gold
purity ; it

held

to

of

into

The

nature.

be the

substance

any

particular

or

group

of

not universal.
specific,
held to be more
it
was
perfectthe more
of this essence.
Gold, being the most
richest of all in this regard. But
all,was

did

is to say, it

sublimated

spirit

was

characterised

substances

"

first matter
"

universal

obscured

could

it

had
be

was

exhibit

not

which
properties
"

years

proportion

writers

two

"

life that

"

in

is manifest.

some

that

soul, on

these

The

virtue.

more

in

is located

value

in the

the

Paracelsus

century

true

but

body,

Between

was

distinction

of

nothing

substance,

doctrine

refinement

nearly

But

"

"

is of the

less there

say

sixteenth

thus, too, in the

And

the

in

essence

by possessingcertain
to

be

stripped off

reallyfree.

the

And

complete
specific

before

the

strippingof
the
the
it was
problem which
practical
supreme
these
had
It was
alchemist
in view.
imperfections
between
that led the alchemists
to distinguish
ordinary
the gold of the sages
^the latter being
gold and
spirit

"

"

"

the

pure

essence.

ALCHEMY
This

ANIMISM

AND

109

applied to all substances ;

for all contained
some
Mercury
portion of the essence.
and sulphur were
speciallysingledout because of their
out
virtues, though gold stood
supposed alchemic
pre-eminent. And in every case the problem was how
the specificqualities. The first step was
to stripaway
soul from
Let
to free the
the body.
Stephanus of
Alexandria
again instruct us.
"Copper is like, a
it has a soul and
The
body is
a
man;
body.
the ponderable, material, terrestrial thing, endowed
doctrine, of

course,

with

shadow.

After
.

That

gold."

metal
will

be

must

bare

lay

is to

the

say,

subtler

ments,
treat-

shadow

and

better

material

form

of the

without

this

in

Success

destroyed.

that

series of suitable

becomes

copper
than

part of it which

attempt

lends

itself

to transmutation.

But
of the

from

the
of

nature

into

transmuting
^the

on

soul
into

substances
whereas

be

of

the

was

aim

that

transmute

of lead

into

to transmute

was

and

remain.

declared

would

therefore

Hoe

to be not

opus,

the

ment
treat-

other

lead, and
into

necessary.

nothing but

of

power

under

like that

copper

copper,

removed,

essence,

quest

substance

the

active

only render

stripping is

further
must

substance, this first operation does

It would

Xiot suffice.

"

division

threefold

of the

standpoint

so

gold.
The

or
spirit,

hie labor est !

soul
versal
uniThe

merely long and laborious,

perilous,demanding the highest qualities

character.
often
of intellect and
was
Nay, prayer
judged to be a necessary condition of success.
This notion
in substances
of a
spirit contained
did not wholly rest, however, on
analogies borrowed
of animals
and
doctrines
from
concerning the nature
but

even

"

"

ALCHEMY"

110

The

man.

SCIENCE

ITS

alchemists

ROMANCE

AND

certain

impressed by

were

empirical phenomena

which

transcended

their powers

of

power

of

for

explanation.
is mysterious even
to

them.

More

attractingiron
substances.
the

The

us';much

to

magnet,

more

it

was

"

spiritual

some

invisible,pertaining

seemed
"

"

of

"

virtue

to

the

inmost

example,

mysterious
of

its power

especiallystrikingwas
in spite of the presence

This

action

of

intervening

to them

to

argue

force, intangible,
the

of

nature

They
attractingbody, and also of that attracted.
the
placed in the same
category of subtle essences
action
of poisons on
organisms, supposing that the
due to some
force which, could
permeating power was
be regarded as
spiritual in its nature.
**

"

Introduction
It

For

to

if

endow

they

possess

part of human
characteristic

Ideas,

Moral

not, therefore, any

was

wards

of

considerable

step on*
qualities*

substances

with

that

constitutes

the

would

possess

which

they

nature,
activities

"

^the moral

moral

also
among

highest

the

its
rest.

Modern

It
thought entirelyrejects such a notion.
strives to be perfectlyobjective, assuming that
the
physical universe is wholly under the sway of unvarying,
determinate, natural laws.
Accordingly science
moral
raises no
questions in studjdng physicalpheno*
not even
as
regards the uses to which substances
mena,
less any
are
supposed inherent
good or
put, much
bad
The
manifest.
juice of a
qualitiesthey may
sake,
plant,for instance, is studied purely for its own
its composition, its effects, quite irrespectiveof the
use

any

individual

may

put it

to

"

say,

to

heal

or

to

ALCHEMY
Or

poison.
finds

in the

place

chemical

for

of such

case

it in

and

its
properties ; notes
on
livingtissues, and

powers

and
its

regarding
would

that

alchemists

had

not

studjdng

their

various

its

solvent, its effects

it leaves

But

to

the

practical questions
beings

human

by

idea

the

scorn

drug as alcohol, it
interestingseries of

as

reformer

consumption

111

describes

forth.

so

social

certain

compounds,

moralist

ANIMISM

AND

the

intrinsically

is

drug

and

evil.
The
of

way

into

what

attained

this

to

materials.

selves
them-

read

They

in their

they observed

objective

experiments,

both their theory and their

unduly confused
practice. It is curious to observe how traces of the
of our
old modes
of thought survive
most
in some
base
scientific terminology. We
still speak of
and
bad
noble
and
ductors
conmetals, of
good
of
of electricity,
imperfect
perfect and
moral connotation, though,
^terms of distinctly
gases
in such
connections, their real force is now
severely
still
ignored or
completely forgotten. They may
when
considered, as aids in putting
historically
serve,
ourselves
at the alchemist's
point of view.
We saw
that in supposing a
spirit in substances,
certain material phenomena which strengththere were
ened
the leadings of philosophicalspeculation. So

and

thus

'*

*'

"

"

"

"

"

"

'*

"

"

"

"

"

it

was

mind

here

of such

is allowed
A

black

substance
and
know

to

fall in

substance
is heated

the

the

experiment

an

condenses

that

Consider

also.

into

black

in
a

effect

as

fine rain

is

"

this.
to

on

produced.
a

Some

mercury

melted

When

sulphur.
this

black

vessel, it is volatilised

closed

beautiful

product

alchemist

the

on

red

is the

solid.
same

We
as

the

how

red,

ALCHEMY"

112

being

ITS

and

sulphur.

and

attributed

purifying"

the

of

composed
But
the

transitioxU".

moral

the

is

experiment
Thus~

to

good.*

to

be

of

irresponsible

fair,

from

our

actual

the

for
the

bad

from

if

we

are

the

to

which,

play

being

so

and

strange

appear

own,

of
ideas

of

attribute

notions

mists
alche-

symbol

that,

find

the

in

change

we

imagination

removed

far

as

hastily

not

Hre"as"a

association

again

once

of

comes

red

inevitable

this,

the

was

interpreted

must

we

Black

darkness

almost

an

here

mercury

know

not

modify
And

of

of

influence

the

to

ideas.

symbol

By

did

whic^~courd

substances.

ROMANCE

quantities

alchemists

change

qualities _of

light.

AND

same

the

agency

the

SCIENCE

fantastic.
whole

the

Reviewing

speculations,
conclusion.

The

accumulated

round

Nevertheless

analogies

or

in

arrive

may

them

which,

inferences

we

contain
in

not

scientific

rightly

are

few

solid

follies

which

speculations

reasonable

their

have

cases,

condenmed.

of

core

mistic
ani-

general

be

to

these

this

at

and

exaggerations

they

of

development

of

the

sequels
present

day.

and

This

chapter

are

taken

several
from

other
Muir's

examples
Story

and

oj Alchemy,

quotations

in

this

IV

CHAPTER

MAGIC

idea

popular

THE

of

of

the

development

down

to

our

own

claim

to.

and

invokes

Let

unjust.
not

popular

on

For

start.

themselves
metals
"

"

Greeks

various

as

as

something
of

thought

toiling
wonders

the
in

Roman
a

were

fashioned.
113

means

the

argues,

is

and

grievously
founded,

and

Magic.

facts.

had

alchemy
those

and

of

working
and

magicians
them.

about
as

Legend
workshop,
The

bad

busied

who

master-smith

Vulcan.

no

estimate

supernatural

marvellous

by

little

exaggerated,

enchanters

their

be

can

historical

extraction

regarded

^Hephaestus,

him

the

occult

beings,

the

antiquity

lays

the

unseen

score

an

that

remote

with

having

as

The

from

were

on

Metallurgy

acknowledge

must

at

but

opinion,

Early

We

arrive

to

try

us

in

Figuier

this

on

and

who

are

greatly

condemnation

wholesale

idea
as

is very

magic

of

stages

art,

man

There

Nevertheless,

by

played

role

aid

this

for

skilled

sort.

grounds

inconsiderable.

of

is

the

the

all

Hermetic

that

who

undesirable

the

that

doubt

is

in

the

of

powers,

who

the

of

chiefly

alchemist

an

times,

magical

sciences,

ASTROLOGY

AND

god

pictured
in

Cretans

which
had

SCIENCE

114

ALCHEMY"

their

Telchines, reputed the

ITS

and

of ill-fame

the

Due^'gars of

natiural

in metals,

first workers

with
So it was
spitefulenchanters.
Teutonic
myth, malicious beings who

as

Daktuloi

So, too, with

mines.

in northern

wrought

ROMANCE

AND

Ida

of Mount

in

the

Phrygia,

superwhom

to

attributed, and the art of

discovery of iron was
Saga, we have our
treating it by fire. In Teutonic
Wayland the Smith, a kind of demi-god, the hero of
Nor
be surprised
we
can
excitingadventures.
many
that
with
magic should thus widely be associated
metallurgy. The discovery of metals, and the art
of working them, meant
much
in those early days
the

"
i

"

in

power

employed

processes
seemed

they
and

advance

war,

were

in

civilisation.

so

little understood

the limits of human

to surpass

And

made

was

knowledge

the

bad

by

worse

And

start.

the

that

fact

position
alchemy was
the

engaged, not with ordinarymetallurgy, but

into gold, and
transmuting of base metals
wealth.
opened up prospects of boundless
of

decoction

for

seldom
powers

an

elixir which

of human

term

only

the

held
must

would

life,and

we

be enlisted

if

of

attempt

indeed,

were

at transmutation

for

the

Church.

as

an

Add

it
the

|
i

belief

not

not

attained.

frequently roused
Christian
theologians.
regard

encroachment

arts

to

'

supernatural

to be

were

inclined

the

that

reasons,

the

that

success

reputation for magical

suspicion and hostilityof

Some,

ample

see

The

with

indefinitelyprolong

popular view, but

by adepts themselves

Attitude

the

that

skill.

Yes, alchemy had

the

the

the

very
on

the

|
i

MAGIC

prerogatives.

divine

instance,

attributed

teaching

of

Genesis,

with

temptation,
of cities,and

often

The

of

from

life
that

was

arts

the

and
been

these

the

founding

crafts.

children

of

who

in those

The

sons

of
is

men

shared

and
of

as

demoniac

the

name

passed

old

that

adopted

for
the

to

as

its

and

others

the

bears

is

of

asserts

among

TertuUian

that

alchemy

knowledge,

which

story had

Tertnllian,

notion

attendant

this book

patriarch whose

The

of

tree

of their

book

the

origin

its condemnation

and

quoted by

views.
in

its

wives

took

God

the

115

and

Zosimiis

angels.

bad

from

passage

ASTROLOGY

AND

his

expanded
Enoch

fateful

"

^the

times.

"

sinfid

angels dwelt with

and
mortals
sorceries, enchantments,
taught them
and
the propertiesof roots
trees, magical signs,and
the
of observing stars."
art
They betrayed the
how
of worldly pleasures, showed
to obtain
secret
of them, and taught
gold and silver and things made
the combination
the art of dyeing fleeces.
We
note
of the making of gold, the observing of stars, and the
The
practice of magical incantations.
applicationof
obvious.
this to alchemy was
In the Middle
intensified
Ages the suspicion was
There

rather

we

find

than

removed.

For

in

those

times

of

dark

superstitions,every fact that transcended

ordinary
attributed
to
supernatural agents,
experience was
And
who
exhibited
unusual
man
good or bad.
any
made
unfamiliar
branded
or
experiments was
powers
of sorcerer.
The
with the dangerous name
tendency
unfavourable
increased
to such
judgments was
by the
of many
of the adepts themselves.
attitude and behaviour
Some
who knew
that they were
of the
guiltless
could
not
resist the temptation
charge against them

ALCHEMY"ITS

116

of

SCIENCE
if

leaving uncontradicted,

foster, the

which

rumours

air of mystery

and

saw

drew

distinction

actually

not

them

with

reputations.

an

Others

the

popular ignorance. How

paid for the advantage we

historical

the

in

their

ROMANCE

did

they

shrouded

enhanced

on
consciously traded
dearly they sometimes

AND

also

sketch;

between

white

how
and

the
black

Church

magic,

by virtue of this distinction, even

Popes
ardently practised alchemy. Speaking
freely and
take it that in this mediaeval
we
period
generally,
may
much
talked
in
of, but were
magic and sorcery were
there
and
an
reality little practised. Here
adept
might dabble in the dark lore. The great majority,
and

how,

themselves

confined

however,

arduous

to

labours

in

their laboratories.

Magic

Alchemist

Philosophy.

and

of magic are
Though the varied forms
mainly
cate
sought to vindiproducts of imagination, alchemists
their acceptance
of them
by referringto the
teachings of philosophers. Plato, Pythagoras, Demoother

critus, and
been

great authorities, were

magicians. True, they

of this role in their

shelter
The

was

fourth

celebrated

lamblicus,

the

century.

He

although
of quite

his
a

evidence

names.

of these

philosopher-magicians

Alexandrine,
was

teaching

different

left any

have

writings; but tradition

deficiency,and enthusiastic
which
they published under

of their venerated

most

not

to

authentic

generously supplied the

adepts composed treatises
the

had

held

was

trend

accounted
in many
More

who
a

lived

in

the

Neo-Platonist,

important points
especiallyhe held

MAGIC
that
not

117

communicate

could

man

ASTROLOGY

AND

directlywith the Deity

spiritualintuitions, but also

his

only through

of magic rites.
He
studied
the
through the medium
of
the
Egyptians, Chaldeans, and
"mysteries"
he
wrote
of his
one
Assyrians, conceniing which
His great reputation did much
to
longest treatises.
between
alchemy and superstrengthen the bond
stition,
his influence lasted down
and
to the period
of decadence.

connection

Another
and

philosophy

it.

sort

and

Stoic

One

of the

is found

where

of alliance

was

thinkers.

It

Stoic

alchemical

between

might little expect

adepts
up between

we

struck

about

came

doctrines

magic

in

this

way.

the

emphasised

reign of a
of constant
law
Watch
change in nature.
(says
all things change continually,
Marcus
Aurelius) how
and
accustom
yourselfto realise that Nature's prime
delight is in changing things that are and making
All that is,is as it were
new
things in their likeness.
"

the

seed

of

which

that

shall

issue

from

it."

Such

eminently congenial to Hermetic

teaching was
philo*
belief in the possibility
of transmutation
sophers, whose
was

of

based,

as

we

have

on

seen,

this very

tion
concep-

substance

passing from form to form ; and

they gladly took advantage of the reasoned proofs by
it was
which
doctrine
of the
supported. Another
that behind
all the changes is the divine
Stoics was,
all things in the universe partake
Substance, of which
in
varying degrees. The
stars, and
sun,
moon,
be looked
to God, may
planets,being speciallynear
upon
to

lean

as

prove
upon

divinities.
this

The

doctrine,

sages

whose

Stoics, in their
were

in

their

endeavour

turn

practices dealt

glad
with

to

the

ALCHEMY"

118

ITS

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

became
ardent
they therefore
The
of magicy astrology, and
defenders
alchemy.
interdependence thus established was far-reachingand
lastingin its results.
and

supernatural;

Astrology
alchemists

Most

Alchemy.

And

believed

that

the

planets had

the

maturing metals, and so could influence the

aimed
their
transmutation.
at
operations which
Concerning the pseudo-science,or art, of astrology,
of

power

is

there

need

no

of

influence

affairs, and
and

to

aspects

himself

heavenly bodies
by
foretellingevents

with

substances

common

to

and

both

alchemist

the
their

was

that

that

the

For

the

loger,
astro-

generally to judging

the

whereas

detail.

into

enter

such, confined

as

the

to

human

upon
their

position
concerned

was

changes. The
the planets were

ground
active

agents.
It

natural

was

of Eastern

star-lore

should

as

well

believe

the

Arabians, under
of Alexandrian

as

astral

in

influences.

sway

sophy,
philoGeber,

example, held that the planets,arrived at a certain

point of the sky, aided the forming and perfectingof
under the earth, or when
the metals, whether
lated
manipuin the laboratory. He
denied, however, that
for

man

had

power

saved

himself

time.

Kalid

to

direct
the

from
went

so

far

or

use

cruder
as

to

this influence, and

so

superstitionsof

his

say

that

the

action

ties
planets constituted one of the greatest difficulin regulating chemical
operations. The ruling
the subject were
ideas on
mainly derived from that
of heterogeneous materials, the
strange store-house
of the

MAGIC
Hebrew
the

Kabala,

strangest
Some

adepts.
that

"

the

planets
direct

and

Sabsean

to the

ancient, and
Geber

asserts

of the

seven

signs (of the zodiac)

the

them

elements, make

four

their

in

Rosierucian

and

the revolution

and

of

developed

Babylonians.

of the

allow

and

more

are

spheres of

mutations

119

mediaeval
ideas

the

the

across

adopted

by

ways

back

ASTROLOGY

were

conjunction

the

vary,

and

of

be traced

can

AND

being predicted."

The

plain,though it is presented
as
coming from Pythagoras and Aristotle.
A passage
from
Basil Valentine
century)
(fifteenth
will show
how
such notions
took root and developed.
origin of

"Matter

is

extracted

stars,
which

from

by

or

other
the

is
which
vapour,
earth by the superior

mere

infusion, with

certain

and

power

The

macrocosm

airy sulphurous

an

and
acts
inferiors, so
upon
is implanted spirituallyand

there

minerals."

in those

virtue

is vague,

statement

metals

logy
the termino-

Still the
intentionallytechnical and obscure.
purport is plain" a ponderous attempt to give

fuller detail to the

The

than

descending

invisiblya

main

is

siderial distillation of the

that

operates

idea

elementary

siderial hot

property,

and

no

the

Arabian

Metals

prominent

the

assigning of
the
planets. The
always the same;
Chanoun's

accepted

alchemist

of

chief

the

metals

individual
but

Pi4ANETS,

the

and

feature

Yemannes

doctrine.

the

sun

assignments

Chaucer's

Tale

to

astrology is

gives

quaint
those

are

list in

most

and
not

his

usually

:
I

ALCHEMY"

120

**

The
Sol

ITS
bodies

Luna

silver

ROMANCE

AND

eke, lo ! hem

seven

gold is,and

SCIENCE

heer

anoon

thripe,
Mara
we
clipe"
yien, Merouiy quik-silver
Satonras
leed, and Jupiter is tin.

/^

And

Venus

by

oopper,

my

we

"ader khi."

is probably due
to the
mystical connection
but
knowledge of it was
Babylonians;
widely
disseminated.
the
Pindar, for example, mentions
relation
between
The
scholium
gold and the sun.*

This

on

the

is also

passage

"

full of interest.

each

To

of

is attached.
substance
the
To
planets some
Sun
silver,to Ceres iron, to Kronos
gold, to the Moon
lead, to Zeus electrum,t to Hermes
tin, to Aphrodite

the

A condensed

bronze."
The
in

account, from

treatise entitled

Open Entrance^ will furnish an example of how

later alchemy these
bined
comastrologicalideas were
with
chemistry. The author is describingthe

various

stages in the

Stone.

I quote from

Muir.J

heating

of

mercury

gold

with

the

perfectingof
"

The

Philosopher's
beginning of the

is likened

to

the

King

his

off

and
golden garments
descending
into the fountain ; this is the regimen of (the planet)
Mercury. As the heating is continued, all becomes
black ; this is the regimen of Saturn.
is noticed
Then
colours; this is the regimen of
a
plan of many
Jupiter ; if the heat is not regulated properly, the

stripping

ones

young

About

the
the

sign

of

this

is the

"

Isthmian

t Electnim

of

end

the
of the

crow

fourth

back

month

waxing moon,' and

regimen of the Moon.

you

to

the

'

will

see

all becomes
The

nest.'
the

white

white

colour

Odes, IV, 1-3.

was

originally an

p. 182.

X The

will go

Story of Alchemy, p. 72.

alloy

of

gold

and

silver.

See

MAGIC

ASTROLOGY

AND

121

in the
gives place to purple and green ; you are now
all the colours
After that, appear
regimen of Venus.
of the rainbow, or
of a peacock's tail ; this is the
regimen of Mars.
Finally the colour becomes
orange
and golden ; this is the regimen of the Sim."

Signs
It

only

was

planets should
metals,

seven

natural

that

"

tions.
transforma-

seven

figures,also, were

the

of

service

mystical signsfor the

metals
^seven
planets,

colours, and

seven

Mathematical
the

the

for the

used

be

Symbols.

and

art, and

used

pressed

with

into

specialised

circle
a
mystical significance.The sign for fire was
with a centre
point; thaFfor air a triang:le
; that for
that
earth
for
two
water
a
equilateral
square;
star.
trianglesinterlaced to form a regularpolyjgonal
Tt Is evident how the use of such signs,carrying with
rich

the

them

and

varied

associations

mediaeval

star-lore,lent themselves

of endless

fantasies

and

of shorthand

the

symbol
is the

art

of

to

the

of

the

these

better

must
sort

not

among

accessories,save

for

statement.

great importance in the

**

famous

and

invention

superstitions. We

forget, however, that few

adepts paid serious heed to
convenience

of ancient

history of

Phflosopher's
Egg."

An

egg

therefore

was
naturallySuggests life,"and"
widely used
the source
to designate the principleof fecundityon

of Ttr

The

"

"

primitive

egg

was

adopted

Chaldeans, the Persians, the Hindus, and

Egypt

had

enclosed

its egg

two

good things

white

with

of

Osiris

in which

among

the
the

Chinese.

god
pyramidal figures,symbols of
which

he

would

dower

the

had
the

mankind.

ALCHEMY"

122

ITS

SCIENCE

AND

brother, Typhon, introduced

His

ROMANCE

twelve

black

pyramids,
aflSict and

to
symbols of the ills which w^e
destroy. Another Egyptian legend tells how Khoum,
the egg
desiringto create, put forth from his mouth
of the universe.
He is often represented as fashioning
a
on
potter'swheel the mysterious oval from which
to

were

the human

come

The

alchemist's

notions

but

and

race

the whole

symbolised this

egg

it

in addition

taken

was

of the
Hermetic
special work
manuscript it is thus described :
of copper,
the
the Egg the Stone
Others
call
the Stone of Egypt.
Its shell is of copper,

world.

of nature.

lead, the alloy of iron and

the

to

In

art.
"

The

it the

signifythe
an
early

ancients

Stone

of

The

call

Armenia,
of the

Image

alloyof

copper.

of

range

copper
calcined

and

shell

chalk, arsenic, sandarac, Chian

earth, etc.
signifies
The liquidparts of the Egg are the rust of copper, the
The
white
of the Egg is
of green
water
copper.
called gum,
juice of the fig,juice of the euphorbia.
The yellow of it is called mineral of solid copper.
Thus
did imaginaAttic ochre, Cilician safran." *
tion,
when
given free rein, elaborate fancies intended
to invest the art with
tion
high mysteries. The applicaof the symbol in laboratory operations will find
.

mention

later.

symbol of prime importance is the

tail.
mystic serpent, or dragon, which bites its own
in the ancient world, and
This too was
widely known
Yet

connected

was

is

another

with

constant

the

round

doctrine
of

applied it
"

\
\

Quoted

in nature

there

changes. The
originalsignificance,

reciurent

I
I

retaining its
with specialreference

alchemists, while

that

to their

own

by Berthelot, Lea Origenea de VAlchimie, p.

work,
24.

MAGIC

[
\

which

N
'

it

128

larger aspect, to have

tained,
as
^imitating,
they mainnatural
They also used
process.
the "moist"
principle,without

they conceived, in
neither beginning nor
end
a

ASTROLOGY

AND

universal

its

"

symbol for
which
exist : of the soul of the world
nothing can
which
gives birth to, and envelops all that has being
^the starry sky which
the
surrounds
planets,the
The symbolism
beauty and harmony of the universe.
thus
with
that of the Philo*
practicallycoincides
three
it is pictured with
sopher's Egg. Sometimes
as

"

ears

which

four

feet

represent the
which

can

represent

the

vapours

four

metals, lead, copper,

or

last

three

details

recall

and

fundamental

tin, and

iron.

stances
subThese
which

mysterious salamander

the

with

live in the fire.

Magic

Many
symbols

and

will

out

Formulas.

the
formulas
and
interesting,are
found
in the ancient manuscripts.
of the
One
oldest is the Mappce Clavicular* containingvery varied
material.
By the use of a certain figure(not preserved
in the manuscript, but
probably that distinctive of
the metal, lead) you
work
You
wonders.
can
can
make
or
a well run
stop running ; a cup will hold or
lose its liquid; a cask will empty itself ; and
so
on.
By its virtue appliedto a lantern and its oil,a phantom
will come
and enter it again ; soldiers
out of the house
come

Then

Cardan

comes

in

of

their

descriptionof
which
a suspended
a

"

See

without

camp

p.

the
vase

178.

their

concentric
will

never

lances.

circles of

upset.

ALCHEMY"

124

In

ITS

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

Greek

manuscript which is very ancient we

find the formula
of the Scorpion, the Labyrinth of
Solomon
(a Kabalistic design),an astrological
sphere,
teachings of Nicephorus on the art of interpreting
dreams, the prognostics of the four seasons,
magical
alphabets, the Philosopher'sEgg. In another ancient
chemical
treatise, mixed
receipts,are tables
up with
a

calculate

to

for

the

bringing

to

death

or

the

about

wife, another
dies

life

of

sick man,

separation of
insomnia

cause

and

his

until

he

man

to

formula

man

friendship,composed of
plants, minerals, and magic letters. Thus
closely
were
astrology, magic, and
chemistry uncritically
intermingled in the same
treatises, and regarded as
being reallyconnected.
of it, a

Varying

formulas

in
*

Psellus

We

of

mingled
number

of

with
the

as

matter

Greek

the

must

make

magical
they
practical. But
art
develops. Michal

that

have

the

adepts

destructions

natural

and
by incantations
allowance, however,

influenced

not

Element.

Magical

the

definitelyaffirms

transformations
are

of

treatises
are

decrease

excite

Strength

the

In

philtreto

causes

secret

for the

and
and

formulas.
fact

that

things which offended the

were
prevailing sentiment
purged out of the old
therefore
magical element
manuscripts. The
may
have been greater than it appears.
Broadly speaking,
the Arabians
dominated
were
by a scientific spirit
which
kept magic in the background. Quotations
in the

Middle

Ages

many

"

See

p. 86.

MAGIC

given

in the

ASTROLOGY

AND

historical section

125

will afford

evidence

of

this subordination.*
the

Though
older

and

of the
Ages purged out many
acceptable formulas, they eagerly
and
sought for
magic of their own,

Middle

less

developed

new

hallowed

means,

unhallowed,

or

to

wills of

the

coerce

and

demons

art
an
angels. Alchemy became
the black magic of the sorcerer
hovered
between
such men
Even
the white
magic of the Church.
Basil
Arnold
of Villeneuve
Valentine f
and

that
and
as

took

astrology and magic seriously,and prepared the way

for the extravagances of Paracelsus.
Arnold, in his
of formulas
treatise
De
Sigillisygives a number
astically
against demons, and Valentine threw himself enthusiinto
the cult of Hermetic
mysticism. It
remained

for Paracelsus
the

with

art

"

Unless

Cabalists

of the

and

Rosicrucians

the

the

absurdities.

In

commits

himself

Physicorum Paracelsus
statement

and

thou
of the

De

created

thee

for the

spagyric % art, and

has

not

chosen

thee

for the

Work

An
told
"

of

extraordinary, but
Albertus
Magnus

usages

astrologers,God

not

Animated

Tindura

the

has

An

whelm
over-

to this drastic

understandest
ancient

to

Nature

of Vulcan."

Statue.
characteristic
his

and

story

is

pupil, Thomas

See p. 29.
See

t
p. 119.
of
for the Chemistry
X Spagyrism is a Paracelsian
synonym
of substances.
separating and combining the principal constituents
of
the compounding
to
It was
specially applied by this school
and
The
the ancdysis of metals
art included, of course,
medicines.
the securch for the Philosopher's Stone.
.

ALCHEMY"

126

Aquinas.
sion
he

of

It

succeeded

under

proper

with

immense

animating
conjunctions of

it to

and

It

other.

of

useful

most

of

power

speech unduly

became

Aquinas
he

remedies,

of

sorts

was

seized

so

irritated

hammer
him

to

work

such
him

reproved
no

attempt

no

more

outburst.

fact

could

alchemy

to

it

that

the

then

able

is shown

to

by

his

allowed

It

temper

severely

Albertus

at

he

pieces.

to

they

It appears

statue

was

the

tale.

invented

and

lengths

his

which

to

the

flourished.
throw

such

idle

reveals

and

go,

it

and

that

imagine

mere

of

the

problem,

rate

any

made
it

was

of.

countenance

the

repair

had

he

for the
to

ing
its chatter-

mathematical

pounded

that

its

!)

untimely garrulity that

mischief,

their

not

and

cannot

evidence

its

by

defect

some

adepts tried all

One
day while

two

proved

influence

vain.

dire

heard

We

The

in

to

itself,and

asserted

but

sorely

owing

planetary

struggling with

was

repented

But

nuisance.

duties, domestic

excellentlyand

itself

it

and

speech,

of

faculty

various

(wrong

which,

statue

planets, he had made

completed
Aquinas

the

servant.

construction

this

With

the

undertake

acquitted

got posses**

of Life.

brazen

and

it with

condemned

He

toil.

had

master

Elixir

in

together, endowed

itself

of the

portion

some

the

said that

was

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

overboard
distinction

See

p.

34.

is

credence

popular credulity

all belief

black.*
"

found

in
himself

Aquinas

between

the

Nevertheless

atmosphere

But

lend

would

men

in

the

which
was

magic,
white

as

and

MAGIC

ASTROLOGY

AND

127

Palliation.
That

Philosopher's Stone
was
always accompanied in greater or less degree by a
belief in magic cannot
be denied, though, as
was
before
not
urged, the place it filled was
nearly so
shall be said
large as is generally thought. What
the

this

on

the

in

coimt

the

answering
to

quest

question,

thinkers.

alchemists

charlatans

In

inquirersand

honest

were

ourselves

confine

must

we

who
and

Rogues

the

of

defence

of those

case

the

of

do

merit

not

apologies,in whatever
age they may
appear.
The
that
the
fact
outstanding palliation was
during the whole
development of the art (save for
the reaction
in the last stage) the pseudo-sciencesof
almost
astrologyand magic were
universallyaccepted
without
criticism.
If alchemy is to be condemned
because
it did not
rise superior to their prestige,it
share

must

itself.

This

without
have

the

blame

consideration

further

been

which

with

would

call

Christian

the

Why

Church
the

meet

to

seems

pleading.

case

prestige should

matter
lastingis another
The
fact
special treatment.

great and

so

the

so

for

remains.
let

Further,

position in
expansion
has

this
of

altered

our

our

ask

ourselves

regard.

It is true

us

knowledge

outlook, and

that

of nature
has

is

what

the
and

liberated

us

our

own

enormous

her
from

ways
the

sway

of many

foolish

fears

and

harmless
a
imaginings. Magic is now
and
used
by conjurers to amuse
in our
enlightened Western
yet, even

thing
"

vain

^the

mystify.

means

And

or

harmful

creations

of men's

AND

SCIENCE

ALCHEMY-ITS

128

ROMANCE

I
how

civilisation,
the

of
not

only

the

educated

to

the
of

the

edge

not

who

had

of

who

blazed
and

wider

^and

the

track

to

must
to

the

for

others

the
load

the

adventurous
of

destined

first

yielded

ruling
keep

of

twentieth

cast

we

that,
but

knowledge,

conceptions

off

liberty.

dim

the

No,

right

of

ages

gratitude

tion
fascina-

thinkers,
!

the

Rather

throw

to

the

retains

untrained

won

in

who,

our

which

occult

scientific

yet

thought.
of

of

the

pressure

world

truth

minds

and

those

at

stone

hold

"

the

has

century

the

the

and

uncanny
on

is

strong

in

their

undulled

"

pioneers

superstitions,

and

enjoy

fuller

to

PART

THE

OBJECTS

III

OF

THE

QUEST

CHAPTER

philosopher's

THE

gained
HAVING
alchemy,

are

in

now

definite

the
shall

first

Elixir

of

aims

and

properties
discovered

them.

Wanted

of, and

idea

The

have

preceding
and

of

into

gold

made

matter"
in

from

this

out

the

how
the

can

existence

that

there'

of

methods

the

which

were

constructed.

must

be
131

be

the

be

doctrine
various

They
fundamental

the

effected

alchemists,

all

some

original

metals

baser

the

Given

plain.
it

mutation
trans-

in

alchemist's

can

earliest

of

expounded

'^^^"_-A?!i-?^-?P*?^-*'?^^philosophical
"first

have

to

possibility

sufficiently

The

supposed

Agent.

and

render

how

their

and

in, the

transmutation,

particularly,

the

Stone,

consideration.

explained

They

We^

adepts.

claims

Transmuting

problem

master

the

we

with

quarters

the

Solvent,

materials

belief

been

part.

possibility
More

of

of

sophical
philo-

based,

was

Philosopher's

separate

"

art

closer

to

and

The

will Tiave

employed

the

Universal

history

conceptions,

practices

powers,

the

of

main

come

_the

the

Life,

to

and

consider

idea

which

on

position

the

of

other,

STONE

general

and

and

muted
transas

we

of

stances
sub-

argued
form

ITS

ALCHEMY"

182

which

substance

of

of

therefore

and

of

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

is

possessed of perfect qualities,

to it
They gave
special virtues.
less vague

or

more

connotation

many

names

Grand

Magisterium, the Elixir,the Tincture

Quintessence, and~ others yet more

fan^fuE
This, they held, when combined
the

"

^^the

(theDyer),
strange and
with

other

them
in the
powerfully upon
;
of the
purify and
case
imperfect metals, it would
vivifythem, and change them into the perfectmetal,

bodies~"WOuld

act

gold.
this

To

of

idea

that
generally added
action
was
regarded as

which

being

sets
a

going
here

Its
seed

development, and as
the genesisof the perfect
explanation of the term

to

have

was

of

process

means

necessary

We

metai.

transmuting substance
of its generating power.
being akin to that of a

an

in which
egg," used of the fmnace
philosophical
the fecundation
was
supposed to be effected, the
symbolism of which has been adequately described
"

the

above.

Descbiptigns

Early
The
what

early alchemists had

this substance
might
to find

methods

They
even

did

made

not
use

it,and

regard
of

and

as

organic

blood, hair, egg, and

Greek

looked
it

Arabian

so

the

of

clear

no

be.

or

They

settled idea
used

various

for it in various

places.
exclusively mineral, but

bodies

forth.

authors

Agent.

in its

The

preparation
majority of the

contented

"

themselves

the fact of transmutation

establishingtheoretically
without
venturing to specify any
particular
an
was
agent for effectingit. Geber
exception,an4

with

'

PHILOSOPHER'S

THE
himself

set

is

work

to

treatise

the

called

Seekers, that it is
in

buried

the

in

is found

which

which

is fired

; it is

used

as

"

would

ensure

Another
same

water

"

water

grows

on

man

bom

The

which

who

is

It

seeks

is found

red

peaks
Egypt

in

Arab

finds buried

countries

the

an

"Know,

in Andalusia.
in the

Here

of

one

Chadjer;

it.

for

brilliant
a

liquid

of Persia

of the
; it is

the

tains
mouna

prince

torment

last of these

descriptionswould
the truest, if these mystical phrases are to
guides to discovery ; for certainlythey

to be

seem

black

Andalusia

seekers."

of the

the

young

from

coming

be

which

stones

which

tree

by

make
Book

water

of

coimtry

water

it is

188

of Ostanes.

white

and

the Third

Book

soil of India

the

discover

to

it from

descriptionof

STONE

the

of the

torment

curious

seekers."
of

descriptionsfrom
treatise.
The master
substance
is running
^the fire which
^water of eternity ^burningfire
yet

more

set

"

thickens

"

earth

^the dead

"

^the hard

"

stone

"

^the soft

^the generous
^the
fugitive-*-thefixed
rapid ^that which puts to flight ^that which fights
against fire ^that which kills by fire ^that which has
has been taken
killed unjustly
been
^that which
by
^the precious object ^the object without
violence
^the dominant
value
vile.
glory ^the infamy made
that
the imagination of the author
It would
seem
riot in pilingup oppositionsand antitheses.
ran
May
take his meaning^ to be that the Quintessence is at
we
and yet potentially
devoid of all specific
qualities,
once
stone

^the

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

possesses

them
is

all ?

Looked

at

from

this point

of

something Hegelian in the rhapsody*

what
Or
be
interpret from
again, we
may
may
called the subjectivestandpoint. For instance, the

view, there

ALCHEMY"

184

ITS

uses

and

specificfor

the

other.

it,vile

himself

the

In

had

him

to

it is

case

any

discovered

not

about

it, keenly determined

create

an

us

add

to

it is mercury"
that

common

highly

can

the

make

it,and

degree

of

metals

into

this

fire which

has

we

your

needs,

not

name."

been

digestion

perfect than

more

are

is

that

gold

As
told

brought

of

sort

that

to the

if the

highest

it will

there
^the

"

times

that

of

only change the common

into gold. Others
advanced

silver, not

agent

as

it

artificial

and

distinction, we

purity,

opinion that
the

thousand

metal

common

careful

are

metals

of these

inward

natural

as

transmuting agent

of

they

mind,

of

Supplement (says one)

the

and

its virtues

get rid of its superfluous dross."

soon

matured

corollary to

the

merely writing

agent is gold (says another), but

The

as

will

you

"

with

mercury

but

think

not

them.

"

is

exalt

gold ;

or

must

we

ordinarily have
and

He

to

for

author

the

that

atmosphere of mystery.
adepts, of a more
positivistturn

Other
tell

plain

it.

it ; finite

indeterminate

infinite and

one,

it

knows

gloriousto him who

who
is ignorant of

Quintessence is dear and

and

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

reallytwo
Magistry

were

Grand

kinds

different
and

the

Little

Magistry ; the former being needed for the production

of gold, the latter only capable of ennobling a metal
as

far

as

the

stage

are

necessarilyvague

try

to

harmonise

them

silver.

of

and

All

such

statements

illusive,especiallywhen

with

the

^that is to say,

doctrine

that

we

metals

develop continuously from stage

to stage. Nevertheless
we
recognise throughout the
influence of philosophical
presuppositions which supply
basis for even
the most
rational
a
rhapsodical and
grow

"

mystical

of these

speculations.

PHILOSOPHER'S

THE

of the

famous

most

substance

heard

of in the

must

not

be

"

^the

giv^n to the
Philosopher'sStone

muting
trans-

names

is first

"

twelfth century.

taken

135

Stone,

The

The

STONE

The

''

word

in its strict sense,

but

Stone/^

rather

as
"

"

abstract
substratum
term
equivalentto the more
underlies
and
^the something which
supports. It
was
powder, liquid,solid
applied to any substance
^that was
supposed to have the magisterialpower of
"

"

"

transmuting.

The

of

emergence

this

definite

name

implies that purely theoretical descriptions were

practicalattempts to define the
giving place to more
worker.
and propertiesof the much-sought-for wondernature
oldest

the

Zosimus,

author

extant

on

alchemy, keeps to the early stylein his descriptionof

it.
In speaking of the Philosopher'sStone, receive
this stone which
is not a stone, a preciousthing which
has no
has no
value, a thing of many
shapes which
which
is known
of all."
And
shapes, this unknown
again, Its kind is one, its species multiple. All
"

"

from

comes

is

the

the

One, and

Mithriatic

all returns

the

Stone

has been

seen

mentions

it under

presents it

the
as

Here
.

with

this

thetical
anti-

that

assurances

express

handled.

6t

usually described

it.

incommunicable

contrast

and

Descriptions

It is

the

mystery,

mystery." But in strong

have
rigmarole,we

to

Stone.

the

as

red

name

"of Carbunculus.

solid

body
-

LuUy

powder.

of the

celsus
Para-

colour

j^

of

ALCHEMY"

186

SCIENCE

ITS

ruby, transparent, flexible,and

like

glass.

handled

Helmont

Van

the

Stone.

it

nevertheless
"

writes

It had

ROMANCE

AND

I have

the

colour

breaking
and

seen

in

of saffron

heavy, and brilliant as glass broken

into
bits."
it in the
saw
Berigard de Pisa, who
transmutation
which
unknown
an
adept effected for
him, is very precise,tellingus it is the colour of a
Helvetius
and
smelling like burnt sea-salt.*
poppy
gives it the colour of sulphur. In short, the descripdiverse
tions
One
are
as
as
nimierous.
they are
to be
author, Kalid, is determined
comprehensive,
powder

and

was

reconcile

to

contradictions.

in itself all the

unites

stone

the

colours,

He

the

says

It would

seem

such

specificexperiences as these, the

and
Stone
should
have been a real object with known
such
proved properties. And
yet, after all, no
that, after

substance
As

this from

The

or

will be, known

ever

longer descriptions we

Philalethes

"

Ruby

of

specimen

been,

has

ever

in his

Guide

Brief

Philosopher's Stone

take

may

to the Celestial

is a certain

heavenly,

fixed
substance, which
spiritual,penetrative, and
brings all metals to the perfectionof gold or silver
(according to the quality of the medicine), and that

by

methods, which

natural

Nature.
.

because

it is like

its fixed

of

Know

piu*e than
*

**

tnarinum

Colore

then
a

the
non

adustum

any

In

stone.

it is

al^similis flore

stone, not

only because, by
the

it resists

purest

action

species it

fixe4

and

of

is

virtue
fire

as

gold, more

incombustible

papaveris sylvestris,odore

vero

sal

referentis."

*/ Lapis iste habet

rubicundissimus,
by Figuier, from

it is called

that

stone, but

nature,

successfullyas

yet in their effects transcend

in

se

omnes

colores.

Est

enim

albus, rubens,

citrinus, citrissimus, celestinus, viridis."

whom

most

of the

above

references

are

Quoted

derived.

THE

PHILOSOPHER'S

like

fine

powder,

stone, but

STONE

its appearance

137

is that

of

very

impalpable to the touch, sweet to the

taste, fragrant to the smell, in potency a most
trative
peneand
spirit,apparently dry, and yet unctuous,
If we
easilycapable of tinging a plate of metal.
it would
be no
is spiritual,
more
say that its nature
than
the truth ; if we
described
it as corporeal, the
find in this
We
expression would be equally correct."
curious
a
blending of the old antithetical
passage
the
with
details which
author
mystical statements
"

had

somehow

the

world

described

other

persuaded

material

facts.

or

of
is

as

unreal

as

the

It is difficult to guess what

of adepts who
could be thus

Measure

of

himself
Yet

"

belonged

the

to

substance

mysticism is impalpable.
was
actuallyin the minds
circumstantial.

Potency.

did, that the Stone

Assuming, as these alchemists
actuallyexisted, and that it possessedthe transmuting
attributed
to it, a question naturally arose
as
power
to

the

metal

of

extent

could
of the

be

How

its potency.

changed

into

wonder-worker

gold by
We

much
any

given

tity
quan-

the

last of

how

saw

common

English adepts. Dr. Price, sheltered himself from

being put to the test by declaring that his stock of
had
that
it
the transmuting material
run
out, and
would
require a long time to prepare more.
Clearly,
our

then, in the latest stages of the

modest
not
regard were
sphere of scientific experience.
so.
Figuier provides us with

this

"

art the

claims

too

remote

But

it was

beautiful

made
from

not

in
the

always

crescendo.

ALCHEMY"

188
He

tells

declared

that

times

its

own

times

the

weight
the

Isaac

not

He

held

change mercury
give to the gold thus
rdle of that

which

is not

quite

beside

think.

For

the

the

Stone

would

be

could

be

if, as

fulfilled
of

in

as

"

objection,of

course,

because

that

final
the

he

step, and

Stone

was

was

at

this

would

gold.

than

virtue

of

also

playing

This

it.

the

view
to

of

conditions

necessary
of

case

continued

the

theories, by the

"

the

Stone

could

not

be

exist.

the

ocean,

that

the

were

took

alchemist, Salmon,
transmuting

power

it
the
of

Powers.

expected that an agent of sucli

should
be thought capable of doing
be

transmuting

simple extension
"

it could

infinite.

only to

more

t!ie

ferment, its effects

transmute

asserted

mystic potency
much

could

Lully, however,
claimed
boldly exconclusion, and

not

Healing
It

of

the

is that

Another

mercury.*

mond
Ray-

again in solvingproblems
physics !) The really fatal

it did

arrived

not

times.

into fashion

biology and

had

thousand

as

(" Ferment

yeast.

Figuier seems
supposed, the action

nature

of advanced

ferment

mark

often

was

but

converted

the

hundred

only

not

the

unending provided

coming

are

had

this last estimate,

gold,

formed

of the

was

production
way,

so

million

that

into

Stone

said

with

content

was.

convert

Villeneuve

de

Bacon

Roger

Dutchman,

was

it

as

generous

could

pretensions

the

Ages

Amauld

Stone

ROMANCE

AND

Middle

ambitious.

more

Lully

SCIENCE

in the

that

us

far

were

ITS

"Mare

tingerem

of

metals

common

this

si mercurius

most
esset."

into

prominent

THE
virtue

PHILOSOPHER'S
that

the

precious stones,

such

was

trees.

wider

in the Middle

Wealth

health.
belief

universal

We

of life.
elements
Matter

artificially,
A
pearls,rubies.

it could

which

And
that

it

the

here

in

touch

We

*'

held

was

to

dead

new

and

flourished

exceedingly
stages of the art.
longing ^but so
"

be

to

came

could

Stone

upon

alchemy.

revive

naturally to

us

bodily ills,and

for

panacea

that

139

make,

Ages, and in the later

an
object of anxious

was
was

could

diamonds,

as

of notions

range

also

Stone

singular claim was

And
this brings

more

STONE

could
one

be, in its

be

used

extend

the

of the

recall how

almost

an

term

philosophical

that

essence,

as

the
the

'*

First

soul

of

^the

spiritconstitutingthe ultimate reality

and
existences in nature, including
of all substances
Small
wonder, then, that the Philosopher's
man.
Stone, so akin to this spirit,if not the spirititself,
with life-giving
should
virtues.
to be credited
come
Boerhaave
has suggested a further
explanation
of
of this development.
Geber, the Arabian, in one
his works, speaks thus :
Bring me six lepersthat I
He means,
heal them."
Bring me six common
may
them
into gold." Now
transmute
metals that I may
of chemistry suspects that the
the judicioushistorian
had
its origin in a misunderstan
idea of a universal medicine
of these words.
They were
interpreted
this may
However
be, the healingpower thus
literally.
for the Stone.
It
attributed opened out a wider career

the

world

"

"

"

first receives

notice

and

in the thirteenth

fifteenth

centuries, it

century.

In the

gravely prescribed
the
of sovereign efficacy ^taken interiorly,
as
Let Denis Zachary set
most
preciousof all medicines.
To use our
of its u^e ;
forth the mamier
grand king

fourteenth

"

"

was

ITS

ALCHEMY"

140

SCIENCE

(the Stone) for the recovery

to take
a
grain-weight and
with

vessel
the

colour

of

white

malady

is

month

to

dissolve

let the

it in

turn

to

drink

patient
in

day

if

if the

malady is a year
days ; if the malady

in twelve

longer standing, he

silver

it will

he will be healed
old ;

old, he will be healed

is of

health, it is necessary

Then

citron.

ROMANCE

of

wine, which

midnight, and

little after
his

good

AND

will be

in

healed

month

by using it each night as above prescribed. And to

it
to take
keep always in good faith, it is necessary
and the beginning of
at the beginning of the autumn
of a syrup.
And
by this
spring after the manner
will live always in perfect health to
the man
means
shall have granted him,
the end of the days that God
the philosophershave written."
as
the end
the last clause
of the days
Note
"to
shall have
This is modest.
that God
granted him."
doubt
And
faith in the remedy would
no
go far to
Isaac
of Holland
and
Basil
justifythe statement.
the same
Valentine say pretty much
thingsas Zachary,
with
But
others
not
were
subsidiary variations.
so
cautious.
Artephius, for instance, put the limit of
"

life,thus

human

adepts brought
the

fortified,at
in

as

evidence

Patriarchs, assigning as

Stone.

As

especiallya
children

mentioned

in his old

Mental
But

medical

the

in

an

in this

favourite

thousand
the
a

Other

years.

prolonged lives

cause

the

of

use

early chapter, Noah

regard because

he

of

the
was

begat

age.

and

keener

properties.

Moral

Properties.

spiritsdemanded
If the Stone

was

more

than

the

akin
essentially

to

the

soul

virtues.
as

as

it must

world,

of the

It must

well

STONE

PHILOSOPHER'S

THE

have

his body.

on

The

still

possess

influence

an

141

higher

man's

on

fortunate

mind
could

user

understanding,
heightening of all his faculties, strengthening of his
As it
moral
nature, acquisitionof positive virtues.
wisdom,

secure

ennobled

the

of

enlightenment

metals,

Salmon

higher plane.
happy enough to

have

however

and

wicked

whole

it lifted the

so

''

writes

are

treasure,

rare

have

may

to

on

who

Those

this

possessionof
vicious
they

man

been,

and become
good people ;
changed in their manners
that no
so
longer deeming anything on earth worthy
of their affection,and having nothing to desire in this
world, they sigh for nothing but God and for eternal
The
writes :
Philosopher's
happiness." Norton
in his needs ; it rids man
Stone brings to each succour
of fear ; it takes
of vain glory, of hope and
away
are

"

ambition, violence, and

the

saints

adepts of our art."

concluding sentences

introduce

to

shall be

treated

have

gone,

much

that

search

for

us

we

further

of in the
may

appears
the

worthy
that

Granted
the

place

of

"

His

among

of

set

speculations which

to

us

So

chapter.

next

quotations

two

far

as

we

that, in spite of

eccentric

absurd,

or

the

Philosopher's Stone presents aspects

admiration.
our
approval, if not our

the

^there

in these

fairly conclude

desire

dominating motive,

motive

will

the

The

well

God

adversities.

hardest

of desires ; it sweetens

excess

were

cases

for wealth
it

by

was

not

was

no

few

in most
means

where

it

cases

the

only

was

the

The
noble
sort of adepts aimed
subsidiary motive.
at satisfyingman's
intellectual,moral, and religious
aspirations. One of this nobler sort exclaims, in the

ALCHEMY"

142

spirit
to

Moses

of

SCIENCE

ITS

God

or

all

men

of

might

ROMANCE

AND

Christian
become

Would

"

Apostle

"

in

adepts

art

our

...

for
lose

then
its

scientific

gold,
value,

the
and

teaching."

idol

common

we

should

of

prize

mankind,
it

only

would
for

its

CHAPTER

STONE

THE

aimed

be

may

us

broadly
the

During

mind

find

is

It

to

bridle.

him

allows
the

he

looses

it

an

ordinary

has

bridle.

deals

from

its

bonds
"

bonds
he

^so

it

makes

completely
143

the
has

it

to

blows.

that

Stone

and
He

it

it

poor

desired

stratagem
and

of

saddle

conquers

grievous

and

of

"

vein

succeed.

clever

Then

he

on

far

allegories

man

cannot

solid

which

creature

put

more

in

treatises,

example,

description

and
a

it

keep

and

with

tries

trying

to
to

saddle

whip,

he

Vainly
reduced

then

and

it

matters

for

crete.
con-

call

decided

forest.

should

^fanciful

"

"

this

in

mount

fact

the

Arabian

of OstaneSy

with

reared

lion

it for

use

Book

is credited
a

of

abstract

to

contain

statements

the

In

mystery.

that

prominent.

close

the

what

aspects.

itself to

we

in

"

not

lend

keep

to

and

concerning

were

easily

not

world

the

obscure

purposely

"

these

passages

from

Aristotle

period,

Philosopher's

mystical

terminology,

many

removed

"

objects

properties

detail

its

the

the

for

further

prefers

of

supposed

Nevertheless

positivist."

view

called

modem

In

we

search

does

but

speculations,

**

the

its

Arabian

Semitic

The

general

into

go

MYSTICISM

considered

let

powers,

in

at

and

Stone,

AND

taken

HAVING

II

march
one

is

which

put

on

with

Later

like
would

it has

affirm

What

fire.

is the

you,

say

"

is this
the

are

ROMANCE

singleday.'*

savage

comment

bonds

the

lion ;

AND

SCIENCE

been

never

author's

Arabian
the

ITS

ALCHEMY"

144

The

The
is

stone

preparations; the whip

seeker (he triimiphantly
"

The
readers
of
descriptionso close ?
with
not
treatises are
these
a
always favoured
key
with the key, things are
! Even
to these
a
allegories
But
little vague.
we
gain a good idea of the anthropomorphising, emotional, and mystical spiritin which
the alchemist
Nature, for
prosecuted his researches.
the
alive; and
him, was
properties of substances
were
regarded as beings with wills which had to be

asks), to

subjugated.
The
following
manifests
The
"

of

troop

of

If he

clearlythis characteristic
the search
apostrophises the
seekers, take
slay me.
me,
burn

slain me,
him

enrich

shall endure

me

me

have

night, even

me
completely and enchains
still alive). O marvel
(I am
?
ill-treatment
I bear
By

until

and

then

done

to

with

watered

am

I
my

shall

no

slain

in
!

poison
longer know

Then,

all revive,
burnt

if he

sublimes

absolute

me.

If I
me

fashion,

being alive,can

How,

seekers.

alive.

an

heaven

and

attitude.

am

fire,then

with

it all the

for I will after

shall

who

near

comes

treatise

same

more

object

having
and

yet

the

from

passage

!
which
what

I will

bear

it

will kill me,

the

fire has

body."

with a collection brought

allegories
of A Brief Guide to the Celestial
the author
the art was
when
treatise written
entering
a
Ruby
its decadence.
(The Essence) is our door-keeper,
on
may-dew, mother,
balm, our
honey, our oil
our
true fire,venomous
dragon.
egg, secret furnace, oven,

Compare
togetherby

these

"

"

Theriac, ardent
Goose

our

Mineral,

magic

vessel, and

secret

which

any

Cion, Bird

wine, Green

Hermogenes, two-edged sword

of
Cherub
that guards the Tree

true

our

in

145

of

of the
is

MYSTICISM

AND

STONE

THE

our

rod

of

and

...

is

It

sets.

likes."

We

Sages
Royal

our

that

how

note

It

Life.

triumphant vegetable Satumia,

he
of which
Hermes
by means

he

shape

rises

sun

hand

in the

of the

Garden

the

Hermes,

of

and

the

assiunes

the

old

simple intensity has degenerated into a wayward,

author
almost
artificial,play of imagination. The
flogshimself into mystical contortions ; and, save for
minds
to his own,
lamentably
similarlyconstituted
Rosifails in producing the effect he aims
The
at.
crucians earned
this development to such a height of
by its own
absurdity that the system toppled over
weight.

Religion
the

Between

Arabian

Middle

period

and

the

decadence

Ages ^the times in which mysticism

took
of its
a
highly peculiar form, as a consequence
to fit in with a specialset of theological
being moulded
ideas
and
standards.
It was
taught, by many
by God
adepts, that the Stone was
given to Adam
came

the

Alchemy.

and

Himself

"

that

Patriarchs,

the

promised

in

and
the

overcometh."

Book

That

incorporate their

promulgated by
very

bold

that

"

it
of

is to

doctrines

the Church.

Know,

it

was

other

and

Solomon,

personages

of

secret

is

"

the

Revelation

known
Old

say,

alchemists

into

the

Arnold

then, my

dear

Testament

white
"to

body

the

to

stone

him

that

tried
of

to

beliefs

of Villeneuve
son,

'*

that

is

this

ITS

ALCHEMY"

146

science

is

SCIENCE

less than

nothing

ROMANCE

AND

the

perfectinspirationof

God,"

alchemy with religionwas, as has

in earlier chapters,in itself no
been shown
new
thing.
:
Geber, for example, exclaims
Courage, then, sons
shall infallibly
find this
of science.
Seek, and you
is reserved
which
for you
excellent gift of God
most
alone."
The
connection, however, is comparatively
in the sense
that
simple; and, indeed, superficial,
not
mingled with science, except as
religion was
in the
Middle
inspiring and guiding it. Whereas
ideas were
Ages, little by littlethe prevailingreligious
alliance of

The

"

practice.

and

very

illustrate the extent

To

and

Christian

Dear

in

Stone

brilliant

is

the Father

God

the

under
same

form

such

as

and

as

man,

man

and

God, and

but

He

died

without

brethren;

them,

and

He

voluntarily,and

eternallywith Him
Thus
sin.
gold is without
able to undergo all tests ;

them

For

appeared, however,
in Genesis

is at the

sin.

live

renders

Philosopher's
manner!

is told

Christ, the Son, Who

Jesus

delivers

He

art, oh I

in

ought to regard the Philosopher's

the
Father
is
body spirit. Of God

bom

sick

the

marvellous

Spirit,and

of

created

blessed

we

way

Mercury

of the

amateur

Holy Trinity has

the

how

and

which

to

"

"

us

doctrine

develop, take the following passage

Basil Valentine's
Allegory of the Holy Trinity
the Philosopher'sStone :

from

die

of alchemical

texture

could

alliance

the

the

into

worked

rose

His

as

had

time

same
no

again

brethren

need
to

to

make

without

stain, fixed, glorious,and

but

and
colours

perfectin the

it dies for its

soon,

them
state

imperfect
rising glorious, it

for

life eternal

of pure

gold."

it

In

judging

careful

to

author.

'AND

STONE

THE

such

MYSTICISM

statement

ourselves

put

this, we

as

the

at

147
be

must

of

standpoint

its

the first

In

remember
place, we must
that,
for him, "the
in its essence,
perfect metal"
was,
the soul of the world, the
Spirit that underlies all
modes
of existence.
of the
earnest
Again, the more
wont
to
adepts, especiallyin religioushouses, were
their operations with
enter
on
thus
giving
prayer,
them
a definitely
religious
atmosphere and significance.
We
realise,therefore,that the object of so many
can
of so
much
hopes and vows,
mystical exaltation,
should
be regarded as
to
come
sacred
and
divine.
doctrines
certain
Attempts to read into alchemical

fundamentals
natural

of Christian

thus

are

We

in

saw,

soul

and

resurrection.

itself to

of

This

analogies with

71st

on

Metals.

of

to

notions

of their

death

line of

speculationeasilylent
find
We
religiousdoctrines.

even

in the

section

of that

connection

in the

led

ditions,
con-

philosophicalbasis of
between
the body and

distinctions

metals

the

of

be

the

dealing with

that

alchemy,

Resuriiection

and

to

seen

products of a peculiar combination

and we
judge them accordingly.

Death

the

belief

Arabian
named

treatises.
The

Thus,

Book

of Pity
(ofmetals),
9

we

read

as

follows

"

The

souls and

bodies

become
to
a
they unite and are transformed
be divided, have
homogeneous whole which cannot
been
compared to the dead which God will raise on
Souls
the day of the last judgment.
are
joined to

when

subtilised

bodies

which

will

never

more

die, and

that

ALCHEMY"

148

SCIENCE

ITS

AND

ROMANCE

because

light spiritsare joined to bodies

equally
light. Moreover, their place will be fixed, either in
eternal
will
an
happiness which
endlessly renew
which will increase
them, or in a grievous chastisement
without
ceasing. Alter this, the spiritswill be no
in this
more
separated from the bodies, as they were
world, where spirits
are
simply in contact with bodies,
It
without
them.
with
being intimately combined
is this contact
of neighbourhood that, in the current
mixture.'
speech, is called
"

'

This
to

the

death

the

unexpected
It

Luther.
this

to

score

stage when
of

told

of

Ages.

that

it

notion

It

was

it

men's

was

advanced

was

assumed
bodies

by

would

became

men

some

is

the

Grand

and

which

art,

and

enthusiastic

to

yet higher

that

change, a transmutation
Thus
order.
whole-heartedly did
strive
to
give their art a universal
bearing.
The

curious

the

tion
resurrec-

itself be,

alchemical

"^

quite

highly pleasing to

gained his support for

he praised in strong

The

terms.

be

Middle

of metals

transmutation

resurrection

and

in

common

on

of the

assimilation

an
literally,
of a
superior

the
and

alchemists
cosmical

Secret.

in no
art maintained
pursuit of the Hermetic
small
by the jealous
degree its mystical character
sopher's
of the Philoit guarded the secret
with which
care
had
its origin in the
This
Stone.
secrecy
receipts for making
Egyptian workshops, where
The

alloysand
down

who

from

handed
the precious metals
were
falsifying
generation to generation of the operators,
close
of
generallypriestsand so members
'*

were

THE

STONE

corporations."
of which

date

Hide

this

back

disclosed
The

sacred

to

would

warning

caution
that

and

149

ought

given
be

to

tents
con-

century, gives
adds,
gold," and

which

nor

the

tenth

"excellent

seem

alchemic

it had

the

to

secret

one,

any

MYSTICISM

early manuscript,

very

receipt for making

a
"

AND

to
a

mysticism.

any

not

to

be

prophet." *

mixture

of

Berthelot

trade

shows

have
several
Egyptian origin. We
times
that even
the ordinary working of metals
seen
of the
was
thought to savour
commonly
natural.
supertherefore
It was
that
be
the
to
expected
metal
excellence would
art par
gradually be invested
with a mystic halo.
A remarkable
of Byzantine
passage
duces
origin,dating back to the eighth century, introGnostic
element.
The
a
philosophers,being
of Mary, said to
gathered together in the presence
her :
Happy art thou, Mary, for the divine secret
has been revealed
to thee.'
f We here have a germ
which
thought from
developments might be
many
the
Secret
Stone
is frequently
anticipated. The term
an

"

'

"

"

and

in these

with

met

by

even

"

ancient

itself contains

alchemical
a

world

ments,
docuof

ficance.
signi-

given to alchemical operations

is expressly recognised in one
of the Leyden
Aristotle.
to
manuscripts in a treatise attributed
This
art speaks of occult
philosophy. To succeed
in it there must
be a knowledge of interior and hidden
The

occult

turn

thus

"

natures."
works

%
which

MappcB

In

the

were

seventeenth

definitelyentitled

Chimie

The

there
Book

14.

Clavicula, Section

t See Berthelot, La
t Op.cit.,^. 312.

century

au

Moyen

6ge, vol. i, p. 243.

were

of

ALCHEMY"

150

Secrets.

How

elements

need

been

said

another

shall

in

puts

out

who

one

This

is

words,

made

truth

another,

one

another,

one

and

and

have

loves

for

God,"

These

men

have

the

point

of the

at

"

"

another,

the

sword, and

species for
this

That
of

have

the

the

secret

for

sense

one

one

another.*

defended

etc.

changed the language

misrepresentation of the teaching

Ostanes is proved by this passage
from
"

(Ostanes)

He

to alter his books

substituted

for

passage

vision

"

prescribesthat his words

known
He
to the vulgar.
in order
that
be
they may
it be to a worthy person,
or

philosophers have

why

their

in

the

seeks

from

quotation

in

were

and

one

unless

none,

in this

shall dare

terrible oaths
to

has

after what

sketch.

manuscripts

one

every
wise be

no

revealed

no

described

the early alchemists

Leyden

that

developed the occult

is shown

secrets

of the

commands

historical

in earnest

these

commands

further

be

ROMANCE

AND

Rosicrucians

not

much

guarding

he

the

in the

How

SCIENCE

ITS

is

Book

no

of

book

itself

of the

Stone

abstained

from

given it a name
the crowd
under
which
know.it.
They have
may
disguisedit under the veil of enigmas, so that it has
escaped even
penetrating spirits,and so that the
able to comhave not been
most
prehend
livelyintelligences
it, and hearts and souls have despaired of
knowing its description. There are only those whose
understanding God has opened who have understood
giving it

name,

been

or

at

any

rate

able to make

it and

have

these

obscurantists

succeeded

have

it known.**
in

their

How

well

endeavours

abundantly proved in a later chapter when we

the interpretationof their formulas
to consider

will be
come
*

Berthelot, JLa Chimie

au

Moyen

dge, vol. iii"pp. 326-7.

THE
and

receipts! Their
difficult as it might
secret

no

hide

to

conceal

the fact

was

There

appear.
rate

any
Philosopher'sStone.

the

151

task, however,

at

"

MYSTICISM

AND

STONE

What

of their

failure

to

see
we
object. Nevertheless
revelled in the sphere of the mystical and

the

of

Characters
has

Putting together what

precedingchapter,we

points.

Chief

the

The

ancient

whole

are

doctrines

and

the life that

the

known

said

been

really to

attain

their

how

they

the occult.

in this

founded

concerning

instrument
led to
be

an

looked

for

on

virtues

occult

"

provided

the

First

Matter

as

It

faculties, ennoble

of its

area

universal

could
the

"

of action.
panacea

"

composing

attributed

effectingtransmutation

extension

and

basis

all the substances

pervades

The

"

on

world.

gold.

Stone.

the

They can thus claim to

rational.
The
primary object of the art
acquisitionof wealth by transmuting common
into

making

emphasise the following

may
series of notions
concerning the

Philosopher'sStone

1 by

of

so

reality,

for

had

they

supreme

Summary

in

was,

secret

no

not

was

be

so

the

was

metals
to

^the Stone
It

far

came

for human

the
"

to

perfectio
im-

give health, heighten the

character, prolong life. It

could

into touch with the soul of the world,

bring men
and
with
thereby enable them to hold communion
spiritualbeings and live on a higher plane of being.
Its modes
of working could
be compared to, or connected
with, the mysteries of the Christian religion.
indeed
These
were
adequate grounds for naming it
the Grand
of
Magisterium, and for holding the means
procuring it to be the Grand Secret.
L

III

CHAPTER

has

trated
chieflybeen concenbeliefs,aims, and practicesof

attention

HITHERTO

the

on

honest, though

often

undignified

undefinable

which

and

should

IMPOSTURE

AND

CREDULITY

substance,

fulfil their

large

that

for

searchers

deluded,

essence,

or

comprehensive

and

has
been
to
hopes. There
no
attempt, however,
disguisethe fact that the art has been continuously
turned
into follyby credulity,
debased
by superstition,
and degraded by impostors. Let a chapter be devoted
to
this shady side of our
then
can
subject. We

enter, without

follies,
on

further

the

Jonson
"

He

Secret

the Flower

once

The

perfectruby

Can

confer

Give
To

whioh

we

speak

of the

thus

Sun,

call Elixir,

"

honour, love, respect, long life,

safety,valour, yea, and victory,

he wilL
bi eight-and-twenty days

whoim

I'llmake

Here

has

Elixir.

his alchemist

makes

that

and

aberrations

of

of its scientific aspects.

study

The
Ben

mention

is the

help knowing

an

old

language
that

of fourscore

man

of

child."

charlatan, who

his claims
162

were

vain

could
and

not

foolish.

So,

with

too,

Scott's

Donsterswivel's

the

In

of such

make

we

case

is strange,
form

elements

humid

and

cold

humid, then with the

gives directions
that

away

which

corporeal and material

to mingle itself with the

it is subtle

portionsunless

subtle

Take

able

be

But

are.

its

away

for it will not

the

take
.

we

in

this ?

as

writer

"

concocting the Elixir.

for

where

the

of Geber,

Book

168

rhodomontades

know

We

Aniiquary.
do

what

IMPOSTURE

AND

CREDULITY

itself.

"

first with

at

Combine

the

warm

and

dry, and you will

the Imam
have
(the Elixir).
Keep it in a vase
in gold or in silver,as glass may
of rock-crystal,
be
and

warm

"

be

speaking

Reward

done.

the

on

of

best

the claim

Yet

them.

piety

the

Did

sincere.

the

of

to

of

the

period

will repay

doubt, his
of

the

case

alchemic

we

might
art.

and

make

you
is my

anything

it?"

or

seemingly

long

to

grant him
be

he

was

of that
of

strange

and

believe
the

paralleledin
Before

of

is clear, and

sentences

mean

If

tribute
Dis-

gratuitously

succeeded

concluding

facts.

are

modem

puzzling. The
given are so vague

Perhaps he is a member
class of people who, in consequence
at last come
willing and reflecting,
their fancies

"I

plain

prayers.

charlatan

fuses
con-

very

are

have

writer

or

name

could

one

no

ancient

suffices me,

directions

symbolicalthat

and

the

the

made

God

is

may

which

have

your

in my

protectors." This

in which

terms

no

Who

It is He

behalf.

my

you,

miserable.

the

and

poor

Elixir

writer

proceeds thus:

with

me

of the

part

to

he

that

way

the

of mind

frame

fancy. But
nothing from

in
all difficulties,

"

suppose

mixed

in that

hidden

has

may

we

with

fact
have

far

Thus

broken."

"

hard
that

benefit
every

indulging

in

154

ALCHEMY"

condemnations,
for

the

SCIENCE

ITS

influences

make

must

we

of

ANt"

ROMANCE
allowance

generous

environment

the

and

vagaries

of temperament.

The
Van

Helmont's

belief

in

the

discovery

Solvent, called by Paracelsus

Universal
affords

Alkahest.

the

of

the

Alkahest,

another

of over-credulity.
striking instance
took up the idea that this solvent
He
enthusiastically
kind a liquidform, and
could give to bodies
of every
that
he gravely retails all the absurdities
in his works
had
charlatans
promulgated concerning its powers.
This treasure, he tells us, was
committed
to him
by
able
not
adept. Unfortunately he was
he assures
in the most
gorical
cateto keep it long ; but
us
fashion, that he had actuallyproved its efficacy.
oak
charcoal
and
alkahest, in
"'Having put some
equal parts, into a glass vessel sealed hermetically,I
caused
this mixture
to digest for a period of three
At the end of this time
days at the heat of a bath.
all
is behind
the solution was
completed," etc. What
this ?
Certainly not the Alkahest I And
yet Van
his
Helmont
honest.
was
Perhaps we may
compare
who
have
savants
experienceto that of certain modem
which
borne
were
testimony to occult phenomena
shown
afterwards
to be due to trickery.
have
this may
However
been. Alkahest, in the
an

unknown

seventeenth

century, and

for

considerable

part of the

Boerhaave
eighteenth,had a considerable
vogue.
says
that a librarycould be formed
of the treatises written
that
about
it. Many
boasted
they had discovered
there is no tellinghow
it. And
it, or obtained
long it

CREDULITY

might
critic
solvent

156

reputation,had

not

pointed out the simple reflection that

reallyexisted, it could not be stored or

contained

the

dissolve

it would

for

its

maintamed

have

not

IMPOSTURE

AND

vessels

in

which

if the
used

it

was

Rejuvenation.

Johnson's

Ben

Masque, Mercury Vindicated

They will
from the Alchemists^ Mercury loquitur:
it might be the mother
calcine you a grave
as
matron,
of the maids, and
spring up a young
virgin out of
old
fresh as a phoenix; lay you
her ashes, as
an
the coals, like a sausage
courtier
or
on
bloat-herring,
and, after they have boiled him enough, blow a soul
This
is hardly a
into him
with a pair of bellows."
travesty of what had been popularly believed of the
certain
of the greater adepts ; nor
of
were
powers
slack in stimulating such
these
adepts themselves
delusions.
Artephius, for example, who lived early
In

"

in the
famous

name,

treatise
in

by

on

the

art

thousand

the

Many

made
century, and who
affirmed
that, when

twelfth

the

prolonging human
and
twenty-fifth year

skill with

which

what

happened

had

he

of

accepted his statement,

he

and

him

life,he
of

his

wrote

was

his

age.

confirmed

were

answered
to

himself

for

cerning
questions con-

at

various

times

in which

such

in this

prolonged span.
have a glimpse of the
We
be suggested, and
ideas may
of Alain

de

contemporary
friar of the

Lisle.
with

abbey

He

was

Albertus
of

manner

take

root, in the
of great

man

Magnus,

Citeaux.

He

and

died

story

learning,
became

in

1298

at

ITS

ALCHEMY"

156

the

about

was

reputed

severe

medicine.
or

know.

he

to

have

AND

and
in

was

ten

his

he

which

illness,from

had

was

hundred

when

that

happened

recovery

of

age

SCIENCE

discovered

the

ROMANCE
it

Now

years.

fiftieth year,

he

recovered.
Elixir

He

and

the

straightway attributed to this marvellous

far the sage acquiesced in this conHow
clusion,
far he
do
how
not
encouraged it, we

But

at

least

trace, in this

can

we

instance,

ground of the fallacy.*

Akin
that of palinto the rejuvenation idea was
genesis
^the art of making plants spring afresh from
their ashes.
Figuier suggests t that this probably
its origin in a natural
had
the
phenomenon. When
of certain
ashes
plants are dissolved in water, the
solution, left to itself,depositscrystalsof which some
originand

the

"

the

take

may

readilyaccept

form
the

of

arborescence.

an

suggestion.

it does

But

We
not

may
excuse

and
impostures that in the seventeenth
into the eighteenthcenturies, were
based
the
on
upon
the Indian
experience. It is not inappositeto compare

the bare-faced

of the

trick

mango-tree,

if the

plant produced by

the

alchemist

at all speedy in its growth.

conjurors were
If the development were
slow, by sprouting from seed,
the trick becomes
absurdly easy.

False
We

Popular

have

that

seen

of the

work

metal
*

have

Transmutations.

taken

the

alchemy had its origin in the

55ti3r^fhat
Egyptians, andhave

two

Delueions, in which

racilytold.
t UAlchimie,

p. 66.

stories
the

from

lives

of

Mackay's
the

chief

Extraordinary
alchemists

are

CREDULITY
the

gold

were

times.

false

of

uttering

common

The

rise and

of transmutation
for

AND

frauds

gave

which

IMPOSTURE

157

coinage and the debasing of

ancient
practices dating from
development of a distinct art
peculiarlyfavourable
openings

would

in any

flourished

have

case

full of
lustily.The story of alchemy is, of course,
impostures of this kind.
new
Moreover, there was
a
had proalchemist
an
spur to deception. For when
fessed
to be able to make
gold, and was
put to the
test by some
scientific,he was
or
authority,political
in his
it. Chaucer,
tempted to pretend to make

CanorCs

date,
tale

YeomarCs
the

gained

worth

gives of mediaeval alchemists

false.

and

The

how,

us

in

even

his

reputation. The
careful reading for the picture it

had

art

is well

Tale, shows

bad

their methods,

and
the

false is to

The

fore.

true

impostor

canon
**

Out

of his bosom

In whioh
And
An

ful

took

subtillywas

beechen
maad

cole.
an

hole.

therein pot was

of silver lymale
and
stopped was withonte f ayle
ance"

This hole with

wez,

to

kepe the lymailin."

silver
slipped into the croslet in which the quickis heated.
The
nothing of
priest knows
poor
that
the trick being played upon
him, and concludes
of the powder
the silver is the result of the action
the quicksilver. Chaucer's
on
indignationis hot :
This

is

Ever
For

when
shame

speke of

of him

my

his falshede,
cheekes

wezen

reede.'

principleto this of the false

Canon
were
though requiring more
conmion,
very
in a
careful preparation. The gold might be found
Methods

similar

in

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

1.58

ROMANCE

AND

large iron nails had been fused ; but

the nails had been
bination
partly made of gold, and the commight be
skilfullydisguised. Or chemicals
the metal in unrecognisable
employed which contained
crucible

in which

forms.

Double-bottomed

of

or

iron

the

copper,

gold packed

in

between

originalmetal

the

The
the

credulity on
the

when
the

one,

lure of
and

holes

the
;

of knaves

resources

of

upper

lead, gold inserted, and

with

are

coloured
drilled

and

endless

So
possessed by the other.
it is still. Alchemy
so
enjoys
regard.

and

this

Dyer

and

"

it
no

with

lumps

of

again

devices.

like
as

is also

peculiarly so
the

little of calmer

be

may

in

inexhaustible,

they impose
gain puts an edge on
what

wax,

filled up

opening

which

blunts

surface

crucibles, the under

ever

cunning

of

judgment
has

been,

monopoly

in

Kelley.

in his
amusing dialogue is recounted
by Bacon
and
Old
(262), which
gives a lively
Apothegms New
credulityand criticism.
pictureof the conflict between
Sir Edward
Dyer, a grave and wise gentleman,
believe
in Kelley the alchymist ; that
did much
he
the work, and made
did indeed
he
as
gold : insomuch
himself
into Germany, where
went
Kelley then was,
himself
his return
After
to inform
he
fullythereof.
dined
Lord
of Canterbury, where
with
at that
my
time was
the physician. They
at the table Dr. Browne,
fell in talk of Kelley. Sir Edward
Dyer, turning to
the Archbishop, said : / do assure
your grace^ that that
I shall tell you is truth.
I am
an
eye-witnessthereof^
and
if I had not seen it, I should not have believed it.
An

"

Master

saw

crucible^ and

IMPOSTURE

AND

CREDULITY

Kelley pvi of
afterit was set a

the

base

159

into

metal

little upon

the

fire^and

the

qiumtityof the medicine pvi in and stirred

with a stick of woody it came
forth in great proportion
perfectgoldj to the touchy to the hammer^ to the test.
had need take heed what
Said the Bishop : You
you
at the board.
Dyery for here is an infidel
sayy Sir Edward
Sir Edward
Dyer said again pleasantly: / would have
in any place than at your
looked for an
infidelsooner
a

small

very

Grace*

Bishop.

table.
Dr.

What

say

Browne

Dr.

yoUy

answered,

Browne
after

?
his

saith
blunt

the
and

The
Gentleman
hath spoken enough
huddling manner,
Why (saiththe Bishop), what hath he said ?
for me.
Marry (saith Dr. Browne), he said he would not have

believed it except he had

Alchemy
The

fraudulent

seen

and

it ;

and

no

more

will I."

Spiritualism.

exploitation of alchemy

all stages of its

was

so

historythat it has preponderant

the
coloured
of its
popular estimate
We
value.
perhaps draw a profitableparallel
may
the old art and
modem
between
spiritualism. Upholders
of the
with
possibilityof commimication
faced
with
discamate
the
spirits,when
they are
mediums,
acknowledged frauds of many
protest that
should
such
not
cases
against
prejudice our minds
the
larger claims made, or render us unwilling to
undertake
a
dispassionateinvestigationof untainted
ever
experiences. They have right on their side. Whatconclusions
be, they should be founded
our
may
on
an
impartial weighing of the available evidence.
common

at

ITS

ALCHEMY"

160

such

of

study

this

suppose

of

side

is

there

Society

residuum

which

attention

list

discoveries

of

our

we

charletans,

adepts.

it

shall,

future

while
acclaim

art

serious

be

for

alchemy

has

laughing
successes

to

at

won

centrate
con-

is

we

its

are

condemning
by

much

long

considerable

of
If

or

To

credit

many

them.

the

unreasonable

its

to

that

study^

would

the

on

allowing

neglected.

nature

before

the

for

advanced

has
of

knowledge

have

case

to

Now

itself
of

be

The

this.

than

extent

it,

The

unscientific.

stronger

calls

them

on

declared
extent

would

deceits

and

and

the

to

itself

phenomena.

have

to

ROMANCE

devotes

understood

spiritualism
a

frauds

little

AND

Research

Psychical

of

Society

The

SCIENCE

the

tions
speculafair

to

the

genuine

CHAPTER

LIFE

old

AN

^'

estimate

spirit
had

the

to

art

an

this.

of

its

actions,

its end

and

We
it

as

middle

in

the

birth

in

have

break

space

the

estimate,
in

related

life

in
of

the

Ught

from

superstition.
facts

are

common

evil

the

of

Delusions

to

results

standpoint

Our

Vol.

after

i, pp.
101

119

facts,

in

save

Let

his

of

for

in

be

Treves.

Mackay's
extracted

and

sets

purpose,

of

over-credulity

is

different

ff.

us

shall

Mackay

own

far

ordinance.

Bernard

J^

so

sympathetic

more

found

property.
"

it

of chemical

causes

autobiography,

favourable

most

illustrating

an

nature

alchemist

be

to

are

Popular

chiefly

and

^that

"

chemistry.

remarkable

used

Extraordinary
them

of

devoted

self-denying

higher

the

was

of

biography

this

end

alchemy

groping

modem

its

such

subject-matter.

our

detail

fuller

materials

The

of

its

some

was

the

toilsome

through
of

justification

Li

on

which

on

abjured

bore

directly

brief

far

so

best,

runs

has

toil, and

knowledge

reflection

in

which

art,

its

at

the

art

substitute

of

prosecution

beginning

its

it

for

Hennetic

in

rather

Taking

enthusiasm

the

middle

its

may

TREVES

without

art

an

We

as

OF

of

falsehood,

in

poverty."

in

is

It

beginning

BERNARD

estimate

Latin

thus

OF

IV

"

^but

them
that
and

the

ALCHEMY"

162

Bernard

the

was

shall see,

as

we

at

Treves,

SCIENCE

ITS

wealthy
importance.

son

of central

man

in 1406,

Padua,

or

of

ROMANCE

AND

time

He

fact,

^a

"

bom

was

the

when

search

Philosopher'sStone was in full swing ; and at

of fourteen
he came
under
the early age
the spell.
had read, in the original,
treatises
certain Arabian
He
the art, and they had fired his youthful imagination.
on
these authors, Rhazes
From
more
especially
among

for the

his

secured

certain that he had

and
to

intense

He

incomplete or

would

secret,

be

able

He

ardour

his conclusions

to

put

at

once

laboratory, and

in

All

ceeded
pro-

hard

for

four

less than

no

to

conducting

vain

800

^the secret

"

toiled for two

various

With

with

who

this

enthusiastic
"

^and

as

time

he

His
He

himself

struck

up

chanced
^a

monk

with

him

"

the

to

this

were

master

guide,

new

in the

faith

concluded

not
equal to the
equipment was
he therefore
his authority,and
wider range of study.

About

Rhazes

cluded
con-

aid of

only too delighted

them
they spent

Among

result.

no

merely

called

were

disturbed.

not

was

and

more,

wealthy.

so

man

crowns,

however,

years

alchemists

brother

join a

all

at

alchemists, Geber.

of Arabian

Order

was

grand

discouraged. He
the
directions
given by
imperfect,and he turned

not

was

that

he

He

him.

eluded

on

the

directions

researches.

his

on

crowns

own

him

from

worked
experiments. He
and, during that time, spent

years,

2000

confidence.

hundredfold.

test, setting up

endless

to

his

guided by
gold a
augment
with

he

gained

that

the

and

adherence

upon
of
a

task

in

Geber,
that

of

preting
inter-

launched

the

his

student

out

as

Franciscan

friendshipof

the

LIFE
closest

kind.

or

Solvent

facilitate

the

therefore,

now

rectified

They
vessels.

was

the

he

as

success

The

quest
His

taken

friend, the

Stone

resolved

put

"

and

Still

year
even

no

He
and

to

laboratoryto
a

would

try

others,

long

containing

the

fruitless
thing
Somematerial

the

shrinking

not

the

years

^largerand

"

larger

ments
experiof

sums

won.

had

monk,

magistrate

transmuting

than

mistaken

never

enthusiastic, who

his

in

labours.

expended.

were

twelve

This,

that,
expended. So earnest was Bernard
night and morning
us, he prayed to God
in vain.
might be his. And yet all was
was

by

the

they

For

hest,
Alka-

would

their

of

Had

continued

tells

that

crowns

more

the

Stone.

burst

spent

that

which

the

object

were

years

filthiest.

were

money

of

making
till it

They

were

substance

"

alcohol

wrong.

required

ings
teach-

maintained

constituted

the

800

"

wine

became

Three

enterprise

from

spiritsof

Universal

greatly

168

TREVES

authors, who

obscure

rectified

OP

pair explored together the

The

of certain

highly

BERNARD

OP

was

could
the

of

died.

the

His

city,

place

man

no

firmly persuaded

that

be found

notion

the shores

in sea-salt.
the

to

it for the

the

transported

test,

of the Baltic, and

sake of other

less

Bernard

for

calcined
sublimated, crystallised,
drank

was

more

sea-salt

experiments.

encouragement.
was

now

nearly fifty. Life

goal seemed as
be done ?
Might it not
possessed the secret and
the

to

far off
be

as

that

would

try his fortune, and

hasting

was

What

ever.

was

on,
to

adepts in
impart it ?

other

set

his travels,

out

on

journeying in Italy, Germany, France,

and
everywhere searching out alchemists

He

and

lands
mined
deter-

Spain
making trial
"

ALCHEMY"

164

the

of

heart
his

suggestions he
is proved by his

for five years.

that

the

had

confessor

discovered

with

last

At

his

him

III., Master

went,

alchemists.

dependent

Not

rewarded.

be

would

Henry,
he

off to Vienna

So

perseverance

settled

country, he heard

in that

five

relieve

to

he

France

Frederick

to

of

goodness

readiness

In

the Stone.

taking along

His

constant

While

ROMANCE

AND

obtained.

fellow-students.

poorer

down

SCIENCE

ITS

Henry honestly confessed that, though

been
toilingall his life,the secret had eluded
time
but at the same
stoutly declared that he
till he died.
keep up the search, if necessary

Master

so.

had

he

him

would
Here

was

came

the

gave

and

the

Bernard's

should

two

curious

Bernard

partner

after

man

that

natural
Then

present, stimulated

eternal

swear

episode.
grand banquet

alchemists

by

the

of

heart.

own

to

the

promise

his

It

was

friendship.
found

newly

Those

district.
of Master

Henry

gold subscribed,
The
clubbed
together and collected forty-two marks.
metal
was
put into the crucible together with other
chemicals
and rubbish, and the grand experiment was
made.
Three
days the furnace decocted the mixture,
but no
Ah, well,
transmuting could be discovered.
the temperature
had
been
too
high or too low, some
had
ingredient was
missing, some
necessary
process
that

he

been

omitted.

made.

The

result

was,

crucible
marks

The

would

increase

fivefold

Further

trials must

curious

that

was

the

part, however,

when

examined,

the

amount

it had

in due

course

be

particular
gold in the

of this
of

decreased

to

sixteen

1
fiasco

for
proved too much
even
long-suffering
spirit. He abjured further

Bernard's
efforts

to

LIFE
discover

the

He

his

kept

fascination

OP

BERNARD

OF

the

Stone;

case

valiantly

vow

"

of the

quest

^f
or

165

really hopeless.

was

strong

chance

the

The

months

two

too

was

TREVES

of

too
retrieving his fortunes
insistentlyalluring.
So off again he started on his journeys of exploration,
taking this time quite a different route, visiting
Cyprus, Greece, Constantinople, and
extending his
tour into Egypt, Palestine, and Persia
a wide
enough
and
been
if success
had
worthy of success
range,
attainable
! Returning from
the East, he revisited
Four
to England.
France, and crossed
more
over
"

years

gone,

He

was

and
now

still unvaryii\gfailure.

well

nigh melted away.

at Treves, only to

sixty ;

over

wandered

He

that

had

back

his

to

wellhome

family scorned him

and deemed
him a madman.
Disconsolate, poor, and
friendless, he sought refuge in the island of Rhodes,
livingthere in retirement, and prosecuting his studies
far as his circumstances
It was
allowed.
not
as
long
before he gained another
strenuous
opening for more
monk
the scene,
came
on
as
operations. Another
keen
The

as
new

Bernard
8000

the

was

find

his fortune

first,and

partnership had
induced

florins ; and

joined him in
hardly lasted a

merchant

for three

his

in the island
more

years

he

his studies.
year when
to lend him

struggledon

Such an
enjoyment of the wealth he thus secured.
fitness,but was
ending undoubtedly has a dramatic
the
to
save
clearly invented
prestige of the craft.
Human
life does not always fulfil the dramatic
prieties.
proPerhaps, however, we ought not to moralise
thus
himself
relates
pessimistically.For Bernard
in

that
of

at

the

close

contentment.

he
We

attained

one

recall the

great

secret

charming

"

essay

that
of

166

ITS

ALCHEMY"

Addison,

borrowed

in

should
and

later

him

enamels.
for

exhausted

His

that

sixteen

children

cried

what

and

other

one

merely visionary,
as

convinced

Stone
fair

as

to

the

had

of

Palissy

him

of

like

what

the
the
the

difference

range

is

answer

the

of

making

alchemists.

^.

one

that

of

plish.
accom-

and

him

succeeded
the

quest
other

Bernard

was

the

discovering

enamel.

as

up

practical, the

simple.

possibility

him

between

His

grimly

may

urged

of the

house.

his

he

hold

Only this, that

fuel,

him.

Still

Smiles,

it be

of

mocked

perseverance

If

devoted

buy

to

flooring
food.

make

to

experimenting,

money

wife,

for

is the

was

not

led

cup

pursuits,

tireless

the

French

the

how

discover

to

another

of

story

enamelled

an

other

his

failed.

within

was

all

Moralists,

of Treves

of

up

and

to

Bernard
the

would

even

shining example
Yet

Palissy,

years

furniture

persevered.

^Bernard

he

reflection

Deeper
the

of

Mackay,

with

Compare

resources,

neighbours,

Addison

that

indulge,

life.

sight

gave

his
the

"

chance

He

himself

burnt

them.

resolve

to

under

were

Bernard

to

wasted

Bernard

The

potter.

tempting

on

restrain

Rosierucians

and

reflections

ROMANCE

AND

it from

Was

his climax

It is easy

the

when

quoted

consideration.

our

SCIENCE

Let

us

be

IV

PART

ALCHEMY

AND

SCIENCE

""".

CHAPTER

DIFFICULTIES

HAVING
should

what

elements

however,
will

to

which

the

obscurity

from

the

intentional

much

of

of

the

or

recording
what

and

the

to

Before

entering,

of

subject,

our

difficulties
alchemist

many

to

turn

contributed

division

concluding

the

of

in

large

us

it embodies,

have

recognise

let

the

to

so

task

chemistry.

from

their

loom

art,

science

modem

well

be

which

congenial

solid

this

on

recognition

Hermetic

more

made

of

founding

the

the
of

it

due

impostures
of

be

discoveries

it

and

development

what

INTEBPBETATION

accorded

now

follies
the

OF

which

arise

authors,

and

looseness

inevitable

of

terminology,

Obscubities.

of

Many

will

chapters
that

the

revelled

formulas,

frequently

their
Terms

natural

meanings;

it

statement

of

expositions

in

frequently
magical

of

given

rendered

have

clearness

virtue

quotations

in
and

use

of

meaningless

definite
were

Hermetic

the

intention

violently
strange
169

the

abundantly

was

the

in

terms

manifest

held

not

preceding

to

Adepts

art.

be

too

allegories, symbols,
vapourings.
was

wrenched
were

to

be

from
invented

Too
telligible.
unin-

their
to

ALCHEMY"

170

ITS

those

entangle

undertaking

who

not

seldom
fact
of

central

and

nothing

not

exist.

How

did
that

expected

high-sounding
dwelt

they

society
ad

would

Sometimes

of the

secret, and

ness

the

it to

ignorant
that

only
to

the

sheer

honest

though

and

of the

their

themselves

that

We

must

make

human.

unveil

higher
gence,
intellithen

it, and

unreservedly

attribute

in

that,

failed, others

For

thinking

mixed.

In

was

ceeded.
suc-

in

the

confused

short,

strangely puzzling,

even

had
and

transmutation

Their
were

still

himian

reallyconvinced
had

Stone.

by revealing

it

singular subterfuges.

were

believed

gold
sacred-

the

taking

passed

great

property

profane

could
not

these

were
were

the

known

all would

Or

it

alone

motives

circumstances

to

of

manner

common

vulgar.

themselves

They
existence

it became

refused

alchemists

they

making

and

Sometimes

reticence.

they emphasised

and

deception

all

be

to

ignorance

invented

of

difficult

not

was

their

pieces, for

Gk"d

elect.

to the

truly
It

avow

they

if

possessed it;

was

it ?

meet

declared

ground, they
and

position

danger

libitum.

and

great

never

^they

for their

to

go

the

tell

so

that

alleging

secret,

pseudo-mysticism.

Philosopher's Stone,

they

the

on

aSumptio

an

regards

"

excuses

the

disguised

quest, the

Their

And

selves
them-

writers

in

of

as

they. would

failure.

their

The

for

these

of

cause

ideas, and

language

to

directions

real

vagueness

chiefly,

it did
one

their

of their

object
had

The

clear

any

the

and

pose

Moreover,

they

had

ROMANCE

extract

to

mistaken.

be

to

shrouding

by

the

strove

experiments.

perversitiesis

AND

SCIENCE

and

their

they

DIFFICULTIES

INTERPRETATION

OF

Examples

171

Obscurity.

of

Intentional

carried
extremes
to
obscurity was
thus
which
both amazing and
are
amusing. Rhazes
Take
alcohol.
begins a descriptionof how to make
of something unknown
the quantity that you wish.**
Take.'*
Figuier tells us it is not rare to find simply
in
In the days when
such directions
set down
were
"

"

treatises,it would

grave

examination

pass

Basil

from

that which
to

be

to be below

invisible ; that

which

let that

which

let the

have

been
is

Here

example

an

is

palpable

is below

be

to

pable.
impal-

that

become

Cause

"

is visible

that which

which
the

visible, and

invisible become

to

easy

(fourteenth century) :

is above

above;

rate

chemistry !

Valentine

Again
is

in

at any

the
see
impalpable become
palpable. Here
you
tion.**
perfectionof our art, without any defect or diminuroundabout
This might be taken
of
as
a
way
in a glassflask until it
water
tellingus to heat some
all turned
into steam,
then
and
was
cooling it until
the

steam

evidently had

into

say

water

much

something
shall

Who

mind.

condensed

was

recondite

more

what

the

but

And

yet

sage
in his

the

same

places reproaches himself bitterly

having spoken too plainly in his writings, and

author
for

lest he has

trembles
At

several

in

later

definite

too

there

is the

period

statement,

but

an

The

Twelve

Gates

of Alchemy gives

style:

"

when

the

united

in the

following

work

husband,

spiritof

must

be

Red,

and

I
avoidance

same

infusion

symbolism.
The

much

revealed

of

from

good

idea

undertaken

the

fantastic

more

passage

Ripley's
of the
at

new

sunset,

wife. White,

life to live in love and

of

are

tranquillity.

ALCHEMY"

172

in

the

the

south

advance

dissolve
and

winter

colours

towards

itself.

After

the

night. The
air, the

the

shadows

the

husband

when

East

it is

radiant;

and

water

the

purgation, the

the

earth

darkness

ROMANCE

AND

earth.

after

summer

and

water

the

the

and

full

sun

From

towards

spring ; change the

raise thyself across

earth, and

black

and

across

and

alter

between
a

proportion of

exact

west

SCIENCE

ITS

wife
into

water

the

varied
shows

moon

white

appears,

winter, day after

transformed

are

into

is

the
dispersed,light is made;
is the beginning of practicalwork, and the east
west
the beginning of the theory ; the principleof destruction
is comprised between
the east and the west."
into the spiritof such directions
If we
to enter
are
and
must
remember
that
descriptionsas these we
of the
sense
alchemy was not a science in the modem
of science, philosophy,theosophy,
word, but a mixture
and mysticism. It was
only gradually that the more
thinkers
and
trained
balanced
separated facts from
fancies.

Not

until the sixteenth

century did alchemists

drop the veil from their speculations and

in
try to set down
straightforward
practices,and
And
language what they reallysaw and discovered.
begin

even

to

the

then

in this direction

advance

slow

was

and

partial.
A highly curious
example of affected precision is
To fix quicksilver. Of several
given by Thorpe.*
things take 2, 8, and 8, 1 ; 1 to 8 is 4 ; 8, 2 and 1.
"

Between
1 and

there

and

1, 8 and

8
4 ;

is 1, between

2, 2, and

1, 1 and
"

there

is 1 ;

1 from
8 and
1 to

2.

8
2

from

is 2.

is 1 ;

Between

there is 1.
Then

then
and

1, 1, 1, and

1 is 1.

History of CTiemistrp, vol. i, p. 39.

I have

1,

told

DIFFICULTIES
all."

INTERPRETATION

OF

178

enigmaticalenunciation reminds us of
riddle once
well known
Two
to youth.
a
legs was
off
four legs; four legs ran
eating one leg ; in came
with
one
leg, and two legs threw three legs at four
of
But
while there is a fair chance
legs; and so on.
guessing the riddle, the alchemist formula passes the
wit of man
to interpret.
you

This

Vagueness
Even

when

the

formulas

genuine experiences and

used

Tebbonolggy.

of

is often

vague

receiptsare

and

observed
in the

based

on

logy
facts, the terminoMuch

extreme.

of it

is

of animals
are
symbolic. For instance, the names
mineral
substances, and
frequently used to denote
animal
The
actions.
to represent chemical
allegories
Lion
the alchemical
Yellow
was
symbol for yellow
that
for cinnabar;
the
Lion
sulphides; the Red
Green
Lion
for salts of iron and
the eagle
copper;
the
for black
or
crow
sulphides. Muir gives this
example of a descriptionof a process. If black sulphide
of mercury
is strongly heated, a red
sublimate
is
has the same
formed
which
composition as the black
If the temperature is not kept very high,
compound.
there
is only a little of the red sulphide produced.
The
operator, therefore, is directed to urge the fire,
"

else

The

the

black

is

expression

would

be found

Further,
terms

are

is seldom

by them

picturesque, but

in the

^such

"

safe to
what

back

to

is not

the

nest."

that

one

in Roscoe.

even

used

will go

crows

we

as

assume

should

cases

where

seemingly plain

sulphur,mercury,
that

the

arsenic

alchemists

naturallyunderstand.

^it

"

mean

For

ALCHEMY"

174

sometimes

SCIENCE

ITS

AND

they intentionallytwist

terms, in their determination

with

the
because

precision

substitute
times,
Some-

world, they fail in

will in the

best

and

abstruse.

be

to

ROMANCE

their

of

necessarily imperfect
Sometimes
analysis of their materials.
they are
rendered
careless of finer distinctions by their theory
that

all

these

substances

and

always

other

be

We

ourselves

of all

use

word

"

touch

the

our

Not

so
we

long ago
say,

state,or

that
we

The

fire is

the

should
house

"

mean,

thinking of

are

if

imply, even
have
is

there

Stop

say,

have

we

case

the

use

the

Do

not

in

not

our

thingsa substance.
called it
phlogiston.*'
a

"

If

From
little

it is in

mean
"

we

the process

action.

is in this

we

fire," we

on

in

may

we

"

If

effort

far between.

clearness

example,

condition, of burning.

the fire,*'
we
we

senses.

idea

"

If

in

three

few and

are

the

where

cases

reached

not

For

fire,*'
we

minds, the

the

terms.*
*'

fire

interpretationis
impossible. Moreover,

seldom

the while
have

For

essence.

accurate

that

confessed

interpretis worth

to

"

not

common

reasons,

difficult and

it must

have

say,

Put

of combustion

out
"

point,
practicalstand-

danger

of real

fusion
con-

enable
it should
us
thought. Nevertheless
to
when, in similar
sympathise with the alchemists
in conthemselves
failures to be precise,they land
fusion.
When
cold,"
they spoke of soft," hard,"
the states of softness,
hot," they did not simply mean
hardness, coldness, hotness, in which thingsare found,
exist apart from
but imagined that these qualities
can
such things
the things ; that is to say, that there are
And
as
softness, hardness, and the rest.
although we
of

"

"

"

"

may

not

even
"

Both

yet have
Muir

and

cleared
Thorpe

use

ourselves

of this error,

this illustration.

DIFFICULTIES
at

rate

any

Hence

terms.

what

we

axiom,

If you

do

state, and

not

had

if you

do

are

we

find

it hard

away
not

Hermes,

to

from

bodies

transform

to

For

in their minds.

attributed

take

philcNSophical
using abstract"
"

know

frequently

we

175

with

speddng

are

we

the alchemists

famous

a
"

when

scientific accuracy,

or

INTERPRETATION

OF

them

instance,

runs

their

seize

thus

corporeal

into

things

want."
corporeal, you will not get what
you
The
idea is, as explained in a previous chapter^ that
the metals
be stripped,or robbed, of the qualities
must
of substances
which
metals
make
them
by means
which
have
those
not
now
qualities. We
express
ideas
of this kind
are
by saying that substances
to various
changed in their qualitieswhen submitted
think of a
We
never
physical or chemical
processes.
metal-quality as something separate from a metal,
it like colour
and
from
capable of being taken away
not

"

"

"

out

"

of

cloth.

Receipts.

Straightfoeward
It is
alchemists

only

fair to

note

that

all the

receiptsof the

the
When
character.
crjrptic
Philosopher's Stone is the subject, obscurity could
not be avoided
sought or described
; for the substance
did not
But
exist.
when
ordinary chemical actions,
the making of alloys,are
dealt with, the directions
or
are
frequently straightforwardenough, and the chief
the meanings
difficulties are
to the
to be attached
In the following chapters, various
terms.
examples
will be given of quite intelligible
tions.
receiptsand direcA good average
specimen of the earlier period
is this,taken from the Book of Democritus
(Arabian):
are

not

of

"

ALCHEMY"

176

"An
One

Elixir

pound

Break

up

mercury
in

them
into

until

copperas

add

of

basin

the

and

open

and

become

of Persian

well, and

throw

adjust the
of the
the

When

"

copperas.
it

the

on

stir

pints ;
incorporated.

all is well

the noise

gold.

salt thirteen

dulcified

until

fire.

silver into

pound

; two

the

ROMANCE

AND

transforms

of mercury

hear

you

away

which

boiler and

new

SCIENCE

ITS

retort

; heat

it below

Take

cracklingsalt.

vessel

is

Put

it

cooled, take

from
product which has mounted
knead
the boiler into the receivingvessel gather and
with juice of the round
aristolochus,coloquint (lit.
in a glass
hellebore.
Put
white
serpent vine) and
of this
phial. Plaster the opening and the bottom
mixed
mud
with
with
horsehair, and leave until
quite dry; then bring a lump of cow-dung; place
let it
the phial in the middle, light the fire, and
there for a night. The
will harden
substance
remain
it.

acid

Throw

vinegar;

sulphur, of

whitened

product

like stone.
it

over

pour

The

each

add

dram.

like mastic.

soft

becomes

it into

boiler, and

flaky
Boil

alum

and

it until the

Project

of

this

pound of gold, and you will see

will not lose its lustre.
brilliant gold which
a
appear
This
has been
plicated
comtried, and is true."
Sufficiently
I and
mysticism or fanciful
yet free from

Elixir

dram

on

allegory.
A

little further

in

on

the

same

work

there

is

receipt for making an Elixir of Eggs which is still

more
complicated. It prescribes no less than twelve
different operationsbefore the final product is obtained
of them
^some
taking days to complete, and one of
in the shade, not in sunlight."
them
to be carried out
is no
But
in this lengthy experiment there
even
"

"

DIFFICULTIES

time
It

that
the

they
and
Geber

when

remember
than

how

have

they

of
real

the

and

what

be

We

can

that

given

on

sympathise

substances.

stress

or

skill

in

more

with

was

than
the

laid

has

silver),
testing
Indeed,

confidence.

naive

followers

assume

which

(gold

want

Increasing

this

the

authors

product

they

thing.

his

the

easily

obtained

overthrew

himself

we

will

examples

Other

noticed

be

analyses

truth.

177

time.

appearance

have

INTERPRETATION

obscure.

to

will

the

rather

be

to

attempt
from

OP

suspected
errors

on

when

qualities

CHAPTER
THE

most

THEmaking

II

MATERIALS

vital aim

of the

Hermetic

art

was

the

gold. It therefore busied itself with

a
particularkind of metallurgy,callingto its aid all
of chemistry. What
the
the known
resources
were
materials
were
employed by the alchemist ? What
of their nature
and
his notions
properties? These
their own
on
questions present themselves, both
estimate
and also as preliminary to an
of the
account
and

amount

of

value

of the

discoveries

which

added

t6

the existing stock.

Mappje
The

treatise

said, belongs
form, but

to

Mappce Clavicula^as

to

the

the

twef th

tenth

tenth-century matter,
and

Clavicula,

in

has

century in

regard

to

again, carries

already been
regard to its
The

its matter.
us

back

to

zantine
By-

Egyptian days. A glance at its

will thus give us a good general idea of the
contents
kind
of chemistry practised in the early days of the
for making various
find directions
We
art.
drugs,
for the preparation of colours,
starch, sugar;
soap,
white, dark blue, and azure
moulding
; for cuttingand
various
are
glass. There
receipts with a military
even

178

MATERIALS

THE
reference

"

lead

to

arrow

set

179

fire that

on

which

it

of
poison the arrows
mddng
; the
resins, oils,and naphthas, for incendiary purposes
famous
the most
petre
being the Greek Fire, of which saltOne
is the fundamental
constituent.
receipt
thus :
runs
By mixing a pure and very strong wine
with three parts of salt,and by warming it in suitable
hits ;

poison

to

"

"

vessels, an

inflammable

itself without

water

burning

is obtained
the

matter

While
spread." This is alcohol.
fermentic
liquors is of extremely
have

with

it.

determinate,

The

body without
of these
A

gold

of

burning

settingit

on

fire has

date,
of

the

dealing

surface

arrested

we

the

of

tion
atten-

observers,

few of the

receiptsfor making
in

given

are

ancient

on

it

discovery of

scientific way

property

sumes
con-

which

on

the

is

here

which

mentioned

other

contexts.*

in them

and

for

The

will be dealt

augmenting
chief

stances
sub-

with

directly.
receiptsfor writing

of
large number
in letters of gold, or
silver, on
stone, or
papyrus,
for
is one
Here
metal.
making powdered gold.
and alum.
Beat together
Minium, sand, gold filings,
and
vessel."
heat with
vinegar in a copper
This,
skill in the
though brief, proves a very considerable
named.
How
manipulation of the materials
many
continued
had
through how many
experiments
years
In the third
to the rendering of it possibleI
gone
part of the work are articles treatingof the working
of copper,
iron, lead, and tin; of the colouring of
glass,the making of pearls. In the fourth part come
of formulas,
miscellaneous
set
including those
a
the
Of
mentioned
at
beginning of this section.
There

are

also

^'

"

See

p. 81.

ALCHEMY"

180

ITS

the

specialnote is
alloys of gold
There

methods

divided

has

It

character
of

manual

due

are

into four

the
we

the

to

be

may

it is safe

materials

used

Their

the

to

say

the

that

the

technical

from

the

proves

had

chemical

of them

were

broad

view,
of the

great bulk

adopted,
laboratories
of Egypt.
that
they belong to a

learned

the
period when
metallurgicaland

few

adepts. Taking

variety

very

the

to

that not

sure

and

transmitted

were

architecture

Even

of

labours

however,

on

classes.

excessivelymixed
contents, to assign dates to the dis"
named
in this singular
compounds

of the

covery

ROMANCE

"

place 1
is impossible,owing

AND

hydrostatic balance for analysing

silver
^the problem which
Hiero
directions
for solderingmetals
by

and

solved.

SCIENCE

processes

concentrated

not

activities

so

exclusively

great quest.

one

Gold.
Let

And

rest

to

chosen

be

there

was

ever

beginning of the
being described,
gold of that land
discovered.

alchemist's
it that

was

materials

vidually,
indi-

point of view.
this particular

place it did in the

the perfect form

It

was

It

Bodk
we

time

honour

distinctive

fascinate.

as

chief

Hermetic

which

all

strivingto attain ?

were

Well,
have

the

to occupy

came

art, and

of the

some

keeping to the
of gold. Why

first

metal

the

consider

us

of

read

and

when

gold

repute ?

Genesis, when
of

certain

did

not

At

the

Paradise

country,

"

is
the

good." Its brilliance and beauty

be
to
probably the first metal
has
remarkable
qualities; it is
is

MATERIALS

THE

181

exceptional degree,ductile,resistant
the
of tarnishing agents.
It could
effects
to
be
and
fashioned
easilyinto ornaments,
employed for
all, it was,
from
gilding and ioiaying. Above
an
wealth
unknown
^itcould be
antiquity,concentrated
malleable

to

an

"

moulded,
The
for

coined, into money.

alchemists, then, simply took
or

granted. They had

of

store

certain

it.

when

And

their

keen

they
seemed

which

processes

of

desire, they

set

its pre-eminence

desire to increase
found
to
to

that

there

promise
work

their
were

tion
gratifica-

learn

to

and

the theoretical
On
side, however,
practise them.
doctrine
of its
they developed the characteristic
of defying physical
^itspre-eminent power
fixity
chemical
actions.
and
Judged by this standard, it
since nature, as
And
the perfect metal.
was
they
be this
held, is always strivingtowards a goal,it must
perfectmetal into which all else was being transmuted.
They would hasten the process.
"

"

"

Silver.

occupied the second

Silver
and

for

reasons

of

gold, though
white

similar

very

colour;

lessened

takes

place in general esteem

to

force.

those

which

It has

high polish;
malleable, lending itself to the making
Moreover,
could

was

coined

be
is

it

form

into

explained by

chronicles

of the great

Its lower
a

phrase

as

exalted
beautiful

is ductile

of concentrated

money.
such

and

of ornaments.
wealth

and

ever,
status, howoccurs

in the

reign in the Bible, silver was

of in the. days of Solomon."
nothing accounted
It
and therefore of less value.
plentiful^
Still,
lyas more
"

it

ITS

ALCHEMY"

182

SCIENCE

AND

ROMANCE

wealth, especiallyin countries

was

which

did

not

enjoy the opulence of Solomon's

glory ; and it thus
became
labours.
a
subsidiary object of alchemical
The moon
(said Zosimus) is pure and divine when
"

see

you

the

shine

sun

silver attains

say,

the

when

molten

its

metal

its surface."

on

shines

like the

after all
only the moon,
that, as Shakespeare has it.

^not

"

Taming
The

One

alchemist

with

meager

is to

highest perfection in refining

it is

C(

That

"

Yes, but

sun.

the

Plays the alohymist.

splendour of his preciouseye

gold."
cloddy earth to glittering

of the

imperfections of silver, estimated

philosophy, is its comparative lack

fixity." It does, indeed, resist

chemical
atmosphere and of many
in the
readily tarnishes
presence
solution
of
a
hydrogen, and even

the

"

its surface

'*

glorioussun

into

chloride

action

agents
of

by
of

of

the

but

it

sulphuretted
salt

common

it is also

verts
con-

dissolved

In these respects it is
sulphuricacids.
/Uearlyinferior to gold,which only yieldsto "the royal
In
alchemic
water."
language, it has progressed
the metal-seed
it
far in its development from
; but
has not attained to perfection.

by

nitric and

Electrum.

speciallyimportant alloy which for long ranked

It
electrum.
that known
as
as
a separate metal, was
its similarityto amber
its name
from
derived
(Lat.
A

electrum^ the
"

usual

electricity
").

term

Some

for

"

amber

of the oldest

"

whence

our

coins in existence

THE

are

of this

that
the

it

was

be

of silver from

smelted

natural

originis
explains much.
and

metals

the

minerals

there

would

gold. This
of great significance
for alchemy, and
likeness
The
of the
alloy to gold
out

silver tended

to

188

alloy of gold and silver. It is probable

not
always artificially
produced ; for in

extraction

often

MATERIALS

to

of

percentage

obscure

the

fact

that

these

tempted to the
conclusion
that they could
be produced by suitable
mixtures
and operations. Electrum
would
be regarded
intermediate
as
an
development.
stage in a continuous
We
honest
thus see
how
can
theory and intentional
fraud
could
For a certain
another.
glide into one
be added
of silver could
to gold without
amount
definite

are

detriment

to

the

and

substances,

fundamental

nature

could

be

nobler

the

of
"

multiplied."
this consideration
apply to proEspecially would
cesses
of colouring impure silver which, alchemically
viewed, was alreadyapproaching the state of complete

metal.

That

is to

say,

gold

transmutation.

analysing and separatinggold and

be gradually led
silver increased, alchemists
would
of electrum, and
the real nature
to understand
they
As

their skill in

neglect it. In spite of this, however, its

still appeared in the
list of alchemic
name
signs.
Jupiterbeing the planet associated with it *
^affording
a
good example of the difficulties of interpreting
formulas.
Later, the name
was
applied to various
bronzes
brass.
brilliant alloys,particularly
and
The
ground for the transfer was
evidently the analogy of
came

to

"

colour.
*

See

p. 120.
N

ALCHEMY"

184

ITS

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

Copper.
We
the

by

to the

come

alchemists,
their

to

means

metals

It possesses

not

end.

of

as

The

fine rich

"

known

direct

these

likest to

one

colour, takes

as

is copper.

gold

brilliant

"

there

is not

reason

gold, but its

of alloys.
Pure

is
in

frequently

find

is too

nature,

an

how

it the

was

admixture

to

be

made

the

that
tin.

the

bronze

was

by

nature

Later,
artificial

manufactured

started, the

Once

and

mines.

metal

historic
pre-

associated

that

in different

modify

some

hardness

necessary

into

unalloyed.

are

contain

discovered

thus
of

which

often

ores

differs much

It

mixtures.

laetal to

found

are

copper

give

copper

learnt

not

"

soft

primitive metfd-workers
men

of

art

attained
to
alloying it made
rapid strides and
notable
degree of efficiency.
See how
readily all this played into the hands
the

alchemists.

alloys, natural
there

Moreover,
another

Given
and

stages

were

these

by

the

And

formulas.

cutting instruments, though

which

of the

more

appears

only its similarityto

frequent employment in the manufacture
to

implements
metals

which

substance

no

hard

and

in

"

transmutation

copper

weapons

by

value, but

polish,
and
is highly malleable
ductile.
In
spite of
advantages, its comparative plentifulnessprecluded
theless
Neverits ranking as
a
precious metal.
its use
in alchemy was
of the highest importance

and

But

base," regarded

as

all

variety

artificial,it
of

increasing

stages could

insensible

the

be

made

gradations.

of

likeness

to

to pass

There

was

of

copper
that

evident

was

gold.

into

one

thus

MATERIALS

THE

strong suggestion

185

continuity of development.
The
qualitiesof the mettd, particularlyits colour,
marked
it out as a hopeful substance
for experiment.
It seemed
needed
effect
to
as
though so little were
the great change.
It is therefore
not
surprisingthat
material in the transmuting art.
a favourite
copper was

the

Brass,

Bronze,

Among

of

alloys of

Aurichalcum.
certain

copper,

were

given

Bronze
is an
alloy with tin, brass an
specialnames.
alloy with zinc. (This is the distinction commonly
made, though not strictlymaintained.) Along with
times, was
these, in olden
ranged aurichalcum, or
inwhich
to
nave
^a term
golden copper
appears
the Greeks, all the yellow alloyswhich
cluded, among
resemble
gold by their brilliance. In Pliny's day, it
made
was
by heating together copper, cadmia
mine),
(cala"

charcoal.

and
As

be

can

of these

use

well

names

imagined,

they

were

confusion

and

extreme,

was

of formulas, when
or

the

renders
is

exactness

in

the

pretation
inter-

sought,

carious
pre-

impossible. The alchemists

thought that
dealing with simple differences of development.

We,

quantitiesof

in these

days,

have

to

know

the

definite

employed.

fixed substances

Mercury.
After

what

has

been

said about

Philosophers,*insistence

pf this

metal

on

is unnecessary.
^

See

the

Mercury of the
alchemical
importance

And
p. 92.

the

even

were

evidence

ALCHEMY"

186

characteristics

earliest

be

should

lacking, we

names

It

it had

AgeSywhen

substance

with

fail

have

not

to

of

speculation. One

"living silver"
called

not

was

could

and

was

ROMANCE

AND

that

sure

marked

so

research

stimulated

SCIENCE

ITS

the

become

Middle

the

imtil

mercury

silver."
"quick-

our

"

its

substance

Hermetic

and the extreme

mobility
par excellence. Its liquidity,
it seem
which
makes
alive, always produced a pro-

impression upon those who reflected on natural

phenomena ; hardly less so, its corrosive and poisonous
rerum
propertieswhich led Pliny to call it vevunum
of its amalgamating
author knew
The same
omnium.
foimd

of the

and

powers,

with

readiness

it dissolves

which

ield.
/

It

dissolves

calculated

excite

to

expectation ?

most

gold
He

Could

concentrated

and
his

meted

this

on

more

wonder

alchemist's

an

be

anything

from
absent
hardly ever
KTs thoughts or
his experiments.
Ben
Jonson, in
his Masque, Mercury Vindicated
from the Alchymists,
it

presents

as

and

their male

"I

their

is

tortured

expostulate thus
sublimate

It

study.

earnest

am

their

precipitate and

their

their

and

crude

unctions

their

female, sometimes

it

makes

He

victim.

aphrodite
herm-

their

See,
they style me.
their forces
again, and draw
they begin to muster
I
The genius of the place defend
me
out againstme.
find
to the earlydays of the art, we
If we
go back
in the following
Zosimus
giving vent to his emotions
"

^what

they

list

"

rhapsody :

"

Concerning

the

divine

water

(that is.
the
thing

is the
grand mystery,
Mercury). Here
most
chieflysought. It is everything. Two
of them
draws
one
single essence
; for one

natures,
on

and

THE
controls
sexes

the

other.

and

is

understand

to
nor

It has

this
Its

Eroytle." *
magic
*'

All

is

Serpent is one
poison." Below
the

surmounted

ordinary

metal

the

essence

by

was

It

gold

and

in

also

are

axioms

mystic

in it is all.

The

and

the

signs

silver and

gold,

the cosmic

and

in view

was

alchemic

the

are

the

tion
descrip-

emblems

two

more

egg.

than

the

the

Philosopher's Mercury,
said it could be
things. Some

distillations ;

others

said

said

it

was

out

be

It

was

substance, but

an

to

at

once

substance

intangibleEssence ;
bodily spiritand a spiritualbody. If we stumble
do us
these
contradictions, it may
good to read
modem
ether !
descriptionof the luminif erous
not

Mercury
With

Democritus

was

mercury
also

which

had

fabulous

of

liquid, yet not

volatile,yet negativing the volatility
was

substances.

other

and

it

of all

wetting things ;
of

that

"

reach.

human

again

who

to his

There

it is all, and
the

He

it resides

the

with

for

tamed,

both

formulas.

of the world

that

remember

must

obtained

this

by

be

water,

it breathes.

metals, lead, mercury,

four

inner

and

it has

nor

fittingly
appends

by

mettd,

possesses

circles

one

is difficult

is hidden;

figures

concentric

The

mystery

Zosimus

three

life and

power

...

divine

nature

It cannot

(metallic)substance.

silver.

We

for it is neither

understands

for

Its

knows.

it is of both

It is the

in movement.

none

it is all in all.

187

liquid silver

It is

always

of which

water

MATERIALS

stone,
for
exalted

and

associated

use

divining.

of

at
a

Sulphur.
another

peculiar fascination
the

which

substance

for

(as said

alchemists

the

alchemists)

188

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

have

^sulphur. We

ROMANCE

AND

how

it

supposed to
of the metals, supplying the fierybe a constituent
in them.
element
wonderingly as they
They watched
saw
dissolvinggold. They also wondered
mercury
stick of sulphur, when
when
a
placed on
they saw
red-hot
iron, penetrate the metal like a spirit,and
it in a
of molten
dissolve
stream
drops. They
that by the contact
of the two
observed, too, how
formed.
A
substances
one
a
new
mysterious
was
change had taken place. Evidentlyr they concluded,
the
metal
and
over
sulphur has a peculiar power
and qualities.
controls its form
Some
unknown
alchemist, impressed by the
and sulphur, coupled
peculiarpropertiesof mercury
of all the metals.
them
The
together as components
ability,
was
supposed to supply the lustre, mallemercury
ductility,fusibility in short, the metallic
sulphursuppliedcombustibility(and colour ?).
qualities;
remarkable
This
by Geber, and
theory is mentioned

"

seen

was

"

he

himself

accepted
and

the

ancients.

of the

sixteenth

to

characteristic

a
so

it
middle

the

to

up

forms

Thorpe,

attributes

far

from

part of alchemist
condemning it, hails

of scientific

first manifestation

It

century,
doctrine.
it

in this

thought

was

the

as

ment
depart-

of research.

Tin.

Tin

is another

alchemists,
silver.

not

The

silvery white

so

metal
much

in

qualitiesthat
colour, and
"

which

See

had

its

reference
attracted

the
p. 94.

to

them

brilliant

appeal
gold

as

were

lustre

for
to

its

it has

MATERIALS

THE

when
and

cleaned.

or

new

and

water;

It

acids

189

resists

the

action

(save nitric)do

of

air

attack

not

it

with the aid of heat.

It thus
vigorouslyunless
virtue
of "fixity.'* Its
possessed the alchemical
between
intermediate
properties are in some
ways
those
of lead and
silver. This fact suggested its use
as
a
starting-pointin attempts to produce silver.
It was
regarded as a sort of lead ; and, indeed, was
called
"

black

"white"
"

lead.

crackling sound
bent.

This

"silver"

or

It
"

has

^when

is due

to

lead,

peculiar

slender

bar

opposed

as

cry

"

curious

^a

of the

to

metal

is

of

its

the

crushing together
the
crystallineparticles. This
**cry'? was
quality that adepts stripped off." *

first

"

Lead.
The
colour

bluish-white
when

newly

colour
cut

or

of

lead, and

melted,

led

its
to

bright
its being

the notion
would
with silver. And
closelyconnected
be confirmed
by the fact that silver is often extracted
from
ancient
lead by refining processes
known
to
the Romans
metallurgists. A common
alloy among
of lead and
tin which
mixture
was
a
they called
argentarium.
the
According to the Greek alchemists, lead was
More
especiallythey held
generator of other metals.
that it served to produce the three kindred
metals,
of its
of one
tin, and iron, by the mediation
copper,
to
derivatives, the protean magnesia. It is curious
bring together this idea and the modem
discovery
*

See

p. 98.

160

ALCHEMY"

that

lead is one

down

ITS

Of

this, more

Iron
These
do

to be

came

almost

ance,
prime importspecialdescription. The latter

Materials.

were

in quest of

they began with the metals in

The
Cosmopolite says
make

metal, take

but

engendered
of

their

substances.

In

failure

selected

metal

later

Stone.

metal.

"

If

as

Naturally

efforts to

for

But
them

is

dog
to

the

startling as

mute.
transto

want

you

the

stages of

sometimes

are

their

by a dog."
experiments led
the

of

for the

synonym

Other

alchemists

The

breaking

Magnesia.

and

call for

not

the

by

anon.

substances, though

two

ROMANCE

AND

products formed

of the

of radium.

SCIENCE

never

continued

try other
art,

those

they

are

disgusting.
Arsenic

was

tried, and

be

of

power

of the

one

for

first less usual

long inspired great

bleaching

copper

silver.

Mercury

and

into

fashion

only

be

discarded

out

all the

Roger
that

Bacon

they
If not

was

too

metals, what

test

in

Its

in its turn.
metals

on

the

Then
score

generate gold.

to

poor

next

The

salts

were

given

remember
how
especially sea-salt. We
moved
his laboratory to the Baltic
of Treves
of sea-salt.*
the possibilities
Saltpetre also
great requisition ^then vitriol. Still the great

chance,

Bernard
to

were

ruled

confidence.

to

suggested transmutation
tin failed.
Antimony came

into

to

metals

"

"

See

p. 163.

MATERIALS

THE

was

unsolved.

found

wanting.

secret
was

minerals, what

If not

world.

vegetable

of

formulas

their

celandine

the

reliance

other

many

and

of

the

colour

plants.

Still

the

Greek

might be hope ?
Accordingly juices

^rhubarb,

no

the

was

there

primrose

"

minerals

tried, in

were

and

honesty,

success.

animal

higher than the

vegetable ; and its materials, are they not richer ?
Let those be tried, said the adepts. So to work
they
derived
animals
from
went
on
organic matters
Ah

But

the

of

some

extended.

be

of

Well, there

not

here

their

on

had

And

realm

whole

next

suggested that

alchemists
Let

The

191

is not

world

"

bones,

flesh, blood, saliva, hair, and

always

not

fit to

in such

that

life, which

be

mentioned.

substances

The
resided

there

food

transmute

can

other

into

materials

rulingidea was
the principleof
tissues.

Very

of the arguments
for holding
used
one
singular was
There
that this principlecould even
produce metals.
testimony, they said, that children had grown
was
gold teeth I And with all this, unceasing failure.
last venture.
Was
the
One
not
Philosopher's
?
in realitythe soul of the world
mundi
Stone
spirittis
"

in nature

What
so,

of the

action

which

air would

spiritualessence

the
snow,
an

substances

those

and

adept
on

It

dew.
submitted

the

dew

akin

most

was

"

of the

are

most

The

air.

exposed

to

If
the

be

of
likelyto absorb most
^such as, freshly fallen rain,

is hard
to

this ?

to

the
month

to

believe

that

in

1665

"

Royal

tions
Society observaof May."
Others took
matter, that of
falling

yet wider flight. Meteoric

stars," would absorb the spiritin traversing the
"

Others

tried

to

side-track

the

sphere.
atmo-

problem.

ALCHEMY"

192

They

Must

of
this

the

fast,

the

So

track,

Solvuntur

lye

And

Would

And

yet,

these

up
could

solid
be

when

what

they
of

touch

o'

broths,

Your

and

of

made

strange
out

set

occult

the

on

and

head,

of

bones,

burst

after

of
a

basis
reared.

of

soalings
other
man

all,

strange
to

blood.
and

merds,

clay.

glass.

ingredients.

name."

as

and

on

chalky
iron,

materials^

man's

terms,

clout,

Ben

"

and

menstraes,

women's

burnt

in

Surley,

may

disdainfully

your

egg-shells,

the

moulds

Well

exclaim

eccentricities

be

air.

on

were

To

go

risu.

tdbulfB

"

Powder

creatures

can

there

time

condensation

distilled!

men

Alchymisiy

Of

long

if

serpents,

mystic

Hair

for

and

considerable

then

if

lizards,

wretched

clever

ROMANCE

AND

live

these

were

even

Jonson's

crabs,

involve

and

wrong

SCIENCE

could

food,

not

spirit

lengths
a

that

reflected

deprived

to

ITS

which

we

shall

follies,
the

see,

there
science

all

underneath

being

was

of

the

built
future

CHAPTER

THE

furniture

appealed

for

to

the

say,

the

light

and

devotional

of

what

of

the

Hermetic

first.
direction
to

are

follows,
prayer
is

in

in

Even
like
recite
in
here

the

this

that

alluded

conformity

the

of

is
hard

mystery

this

the

fact

strength

gold

to

is of

with

the
193

the

there

of Gold.

may

"

and

the

occurs

^Prayer

or

the

be

formed."

incantation

ancient

from

present

Clavicula

operation,

the

in

was

Making

the

during
order

emotion

The

That

Feeling.

Mappce
"

offer

art.

of

of

atmosphere

would

in

once

which

from

sage

have

at

Intrusion
This

exercises.

atmosphere

We
was

Not

experiments.

an

that

emotions.

altar
the

its

symbols

imdertaken

in

fervour.
of

weakness

but

science,

manifestation
the

his

not

was

the

for

much

was

mystery

and

an

it

of

success

of

place

it

religious

be

before

labour

clear

for

might

rising

was

and

place

air

signs

imagination

was

But

an

with

object

prayers

had

It

also

was

prominent
incense

the

to

it

certain.

decked

was

laboratory

is

That

this.

than

seldom

LABOBATOBIES

mediaeval

ATYPICAL
work.
more

III

you

that

fusion

The

class, and

practice

of

the

Egjrptians and

the

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

194

alchemists.

Greek

the

At

start,

magic which was always associated

with industrial and medical
operations. In mediaeval
times, the magic jdeldedplace to a dependence on God.
some
Among
fragments of Arabian treatises occurs
After
is highly characteristic.
which
a
passage
author
curious
questions, the
discussing certain
suggests a prayer which will keep the adept in a proper

it is

of the

matter

mind

of

frame

"Our
the

to
give intelligence

which

Father
of

eyes

in

art

Thy

heaven,
that

servant,

he

participatein Thy pure light which dwells in

heaven.
(Thus far the petitionsare plainlyChristian.)
holdest
the keys of the world ; Thou
Thou
art the
dwellest in the midst
beginning and the end ; Thou
may

fire

of the
and

the

make

sea,

dark

the

from

is fire,Thine
of

earth. Thou

on

flame.

Thy

and

stars.

in

magic.)

Abandon

ancient

The

are

Egypt

and

my

in my

let it dwell

with

fill me

being.

It is Thou

envy.

"

Who

good and
mysteries." Such

is the

Christian

and

is

what

ancient

prayers

Egypt,

the

of the kind

the

of

connected

are

form

with

but

God,

of

spiritand

Thy person
brightening

air is the

Thy right hand and the

God, deign to enter quickly my

wisdom

water

land, recall the dead

invocations

not, O

me

on

inflame

canst

Tartarus.

open

(These

common

fish to dwell

abyss

eyes

alone

aid of

give me
Thy people.

heart.

Penetrate

the

flame

Chase

from

givestthe

of true
my

science

soul evil and

heart

to

produce

divulge hidden
extraordinary mingling of

tongue

to

invocations
common

borrowed

among

from

thegnostics.

the author
of how
by a bizarre account
fought against personifiedenvy, which he overcame
It is followed

with

hatchet.

THE
But

this

alchemists

play

idle

of

scenes

LABORATORIES
emotion

of

dreamers.

genuine

hard

from
point, a passage
given to idleness,nor
or

velvet

fingers,or
hilts, or

fine

and

work.

in

Muir

on

this

are

not

quotes,
"

They

were

proud habit, or plush,

showing their rings on their

go

sides

their

at

gloves

gay

the

render

not

laboratories

Paracelsus

swords

wearing

did

Their

often

garments,

195

hands

their

on

with

silver
;

but

diligentlyfollow their labours, sweating whole days

and nights at their furnaces.
They do not spend their
time
abroad
for recreation, but take delight in their
laboratories.
coals,
They put their fingers among
into clay and filth,not into gold and rings. They arc
sooty and

black, like smiths

pride themselves

clean

upon

and

miners, and

and

beautiful

do

not

dress."

Appakatus.

The
of

for

course

the

with

Hermetic

of
Jonson's

*'

art,

The

reference
of

manner

to

work

our

the

; the

argent-vive,the dragon

our

The

alembic,

And

thence

some

and

sow'd

then

sublimed

so

of the Arabian

thirteenth

Medea's

furnace,

bulls,our

And

That

in Ben

"

sublimate,
dragon's teeth, mercury
hardness
and
the
whiteness,
keeps
they are gathered into Jason's helm.

The

sphere
atmo-

an

Mammon,
mystic and occult.
Alchymist^declares that the fable of

Still breathing fire ;

In

with

invested

was

the

had

charms

primarily devised
alchemy was
practicaluses ; but, like all else connected
of

apparatus

century,

the

biting;

his

field.
often, till they'refix'd."
in Mars

treatises,and
there

are

in others

of

simple outline

ALCHEMY"

196

pictures
aludels,
made

fit into

each

other

and

in beds

of hot

small

athanors,

constructed

arms

and

specialkind

of bath

In the

midst

of the

alphabet

of

certain
;

"

reports

is

oome

the

heat

vessels
or
pellicans,
beside.

denoted

helm

Marioe.

Balneum

by

to Mammon

over

of

degree

series of processes

Subtle

specially

furnaces

or

that named

was

furnaces

quaint device

many

for

cinders

or

cucurbits, or gourd-likealembics
with

ends, and

distilling,
sublimating ; flasks,

sand

maintain

to

both

alembics

find

there

We

at

open

for heating and

stills,

burying

ROMANCE

AND

vessels.*

of

pear-shaped pots

and

great

kinds

many

or

to

retorts

for

of

SCIENCE

ITS

letters

"

too,

Maker, in S. Mary's bath,

my
shows
lac virginis. Blessed be heaven

I thank

And

It is mentioned

older treatises,and

in the

Mary the Jewess who is supposed

of her.
Nothing definite is known

with
it.

seventh

century affirms that

sacred

art

makes

her the sister

in the

their

of

regard

It also
look

to

detail

it is well

retain

their

modem

our

which

to

writer

of the

initiated into the

was

effort to
to

under
note

this head

that

places,even

as

many

the

preserve

their

incidentallyillustrates the
Egypt.

Further
But

in

even

invented

of

typicalof the way

legend, and fancy in
mystery,

she

connected

to have

"

Another
Memphis.
legend
instance
This particular
of Moses.
alchemists
in which
mingled fact,

temple

is

familiar

constant

sense

utensils.

backward

is liot
of the

necessary.

vessels

still

forms,
regards specific

in

laboratories.

Berthelot, in his La Ohimie au Moyen dge, vol. i. oh. vi., reproduces

of these, and is generallyable to determine
the use
tq
many
they were
put.

LABORATORIES

THE

gives

Geber

list of

He

in his time.

vogue

Jonson's

"Ben

Processes

distillation

197

the

in

principal processes

mentions

sation,
sublimation, volatili-

by simple
filtration, calcination, solution, coagulation, which
includes
fixation, coupellation,
crystallisationand
softeningof
save

by

List.

evaporation

bodies, and

hard

so

or

Most

forth.

modifications, date

for technical

again, to

them

back

of these,
to

Greeks,

the

Egyptians. They are,

indeed, simply adaptationsof quite familiar processes ;
but
settings and specialised
they were
given new
for
philosophy, as means
by the alchemist
purpose
of various
substances
towards
hastening the advance
perfection. This point is well brought out by Ben
and, behind

Sirrah, my

Sub.
Like
Name

the

Of metals
Face,

in the

answer

vexations, and
in the

yarlet,stand you forth and speak to him

philosopher:

his servant

addresses

Subtle

Jonson.

the

language.
martyrisations

work.

Sir, putrefaction.

Solution, ablution, sublimation,

Cohobation, calcination,ceration, and
Fixation.
8ub.
Face,
Sub,
Face,

(toAnanias). This is heathen

comes
{to Face). And when
After

Greek to you,
vivification 7

mortification*

What's

cohobation

'Tis the

pouring on
and then drawing him off
aqua regis,
To the trine circle of the seven
spheres.
the proper passion of metals
Sub, What's

Your

Face,
Sub.
Face,
Sv^,
Face,

now

Malleation.
What's

your
Antimonium.

uUimum

suppHctum auri

(to Ananus). This is heathen Greek

{fo Face). And what's your mercury
A very

fugitive,he will

be gone,

sir.

to you.
7

!
"

ALCHEMY"

198

Sub,

How

Face,
His

ITS
know
his

By

and
oleosity,

Sub.

the

With

him

ANB

ROMANCE

viscosity.
his suscitability.

do you

How

Face,

you

SCIENCE

sublime

oaloe

of

him

egg-shells.

marble, talc.

White

Your

Sub.
What's

magisterium,

that

Face,

now.

Shifting,sir,your

Dry

into

elements,
cold, cold into moist, moist into hot.

Hot

into

dry.

Sub.

{toAnanias). This is heathen Greek to you

(to Faob). Your lapisphUosophicus f
'Tisastone

Face,
And

not

stone

a soul,and
spirit,

Which

if you

If you
If you

coagulate,it is coagulated ;

This

passage

make

do

brings

Gates^

which

on

out

earlier in the
processes

the

the

from

Processes

in

George
processes

of the

Philosopher's
Ripley a little

examine

alchemist's

on

successive

mentions
us

interest,

separate things.

founded

Paradise

Let

scene.

be

twelve

or

of

points

many

to

Jonson

Indeed,

Stone.

qualitiesare

seems

Ripley's Twelve
open

out

that

drift

".

flieth.

fly,it

idea

its main

body

dissolve,it is dissolved

it to

especiallythe
But

still !

few

of these

standpoint.

Detail.

rendering
fixed ; that is to_say, for robbing them
metals
more
unlike gold or silver.
them
which made
of the qualities
of its
thus robbed
cry," lead
was
Tin, for exaiii|)le,
Calcination

employed by

was

for

Geber

"

fusibility.The
some
reality,generfiJly
of

result

its

Sublimation,
meant

much

the

so
same

as

as

the

process

was,

in

of oxidation.

form

far

of

the

with

process

ourselves.

is concerned,

substance

LABOftATORIES

THE

is sublimated

199

it is distilled

when

volatilised

or

and

in solid form"
condense
or
crystallise
It is therefore
a
purifying process, and it is on this
result that the alchemist
lays the stress in relation to
his_jioctrine of qualities
_as separable things. The
When
the
of these had to be stripped away.
grosser
substance, on cooling,takes again a
corporeal form,
it was
more
spiritual,"
supposed to have become

allowed

then

to

"

"

"

and

It
the

by

was

substance

idea

the

element

an

of

theory
stand

and

animistic
for

and

are

aspect of
been

death

of

(C

view

we

can

and

of

the processes
As

known

of the

feeding

with

"

how
of

his

xmder-

actions

metal-seed

doctrine

fresh

fire,as

is

if there

it

the

basis

examples of
^the killing
"

is to

new

of

Another
a

process

of

feeding

still
a

be

formation

in

We
were

this

such.

found

material.

though

the

cation
Mortifi-

seen,

was

^the process

"

of

range

as

have

we

chemical

by Ripley, Cibation

crucible

organic growth.

allegories,several
given in other contexts

animistic

mentioned
the

in

another

scene

growth. The reference is reallyto

not
new
recognised as
compoimds
trace

error

matter

fantastic

have
the

the

Resurrection.

many

which

But

in

was

no

development,

"metal-seed

it

Correlative with
and

he

by

metal

reformings, a

treated.

brings on

^those of

"

that

supposes

know

in

comes

him.

excuse

Putrefaction
ideas

also,

unchanged

continuous

alchemist

now

remains

it is thus

times

many

We

fection.
per-

highest,power)

Here,

and
volatilisings

of

morefixed.

becomes
for

The

to

way

that
spiritualisings

last and

obtained.

of Fixation.

the

on

series of such

was

succession

stage

(the fifth,or

quintessence

of

advanced

have

to

so

speak of
livingthing.

ALCHEMY"

200

With
a

ITS

AND

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

this strong

down
to be
expression has worn
mere
figureof speech ; but it was not always so.
!' 4)rocess .-rr_B"ai_jQnspn's
^ieher!a L'-softening
us

which
*^dulcifying."-TrWas

causes

become

It would

one

flow like

soft and

wax.

substance

to

involve

often

specialmixtures or infusions^ as well as the application

tion*
of the rightdegree of heat.
Ripley calls it Fermentahad usually a more
But this term
fundamental
silver, being
meaning. It implied that gold and
be reproduced and multiplied by develop^
alleysr^^iuld
tion
a change analogous to fermentaing in their mixtures
~

in the modem

Feaching

sense

IdeA Of which
is

Cohobation

a^

we

of the
have

term".
not

yet

Tiiis

heard

repeated distillingin

liquor is poured back upon

the vessel, the object being

theltnatter
to

increase

is

the

which

last.
the

in

remammg
the

far-

amoimt

of

virtues desired in the finaTproduct.

^rinciplesjor^
is probably of Arabic~origm ; arid the
The
word
operation itself is still at times employed. Ceration
in wax
implies the wrapping of a substance
; but the
included
under
it any
alchemists
preparation of a
substance, especially a metal, for fusionor liquefaction.
do not need
and Ablution
Solution
explanation,save
in so far as to note the mystical character
assigned to
other
these
and
similarlysimple operations in the
the

Hermetic

art.

already been explained.* Another

with an equallyspecialised
term
meaning is Projection.
Originally this signifiedthe throwing of any kind of
It came
to l)e appUed,
material
into the crucible.
^that
supreme"^ tFrowihg on''
however^ to the one
of the
powder ofjrojection/' or theT?Kilosophe?"
Fixation

has

"

'^

"

Seep

181,

THE
Stone.

The

toil.
date

to

was

to

be

that

was

to

reward

powder

The

"

the

in

We

of

the

to

For
thus

idea

back

201

result

multiplication

^is

LABORATORIES

days
early

an

the

all

for

adept

of transmutation

seems

lurgy.
Egyptian metal-

ancient

of

or

it finds

document

mention

places of the Thebaid

prepared." There follows

in what

know

must

transmutation

the

is

mysterious powder

Egyptian cities and districts in which

of some
sought, evidencing the existence

list of the

be

might

pre-alchemist
The

female

tradition.

with

seeds

the

tEs

accomplishing
in

sealed.

Thus

an

is to

gold

oval
was

formed
"

or

Athanor.

be

carried

or

the

of the

male

and

generated.

For

and

what

tells

were

hermetically
called

was

house

the

of the

pulletof the
this operation

how

us

is the

"Here

out.

seed-materials

mud,

or

the

Salmon

be

to

was

purpose
of paste

Philosopher'sEgg,*
wise,"

century were^reatly

bringing together

which

by

enclosed

sixteenth

of the

adepts

concerned

it

which

in

way

philosophersmake sure that the thing is accomplished.

The
Philosopher'sMercury being joined and amalgamated
with
gold of great purity, and in leaves or
the female), is
filings(gold being the male, mercury
This Egg is placed
put into the Philosopher'sEgg.
in

dish

full of charcoal

which

the mercury,
by the heat
excited
by the fire kindled

is

necessary

gold without
the

which
"

The

end

of

Salmon

"

months,
calls

m3rsticaldoctrine

the

^this mercury,

"

the

black

crow's

of the Egg

was

fire,and

degree

it to

from

and

portion
pro-

dissolves
atoms."

powder
head," or
discussed

sulphur

operator

I say,

reduces

violence, and
six

the

by

continually in

fed

the

on

of its internal

then

without, and

put

the
At

is obtained

Saturn,

before, sae

p. 121

or

ITS

ALCHEMY"

202

Cimmerian

darkness.

prolonged,

the

the

white

is
red

colouring

silver

and

and

on

find,

We
considerable

of

the

the

melts

and

changes

Philosopher's

veritable
it

metal,

common

devoted

modem

that

then,
set

towards

way

is

if

Lastly,

pearls.

is

This

is

sopher's
Philometals

ordinary

convert

heat

fire

the
into

changes

immediately

of
to

the

alchemists
and

experiments
an

bringing
laboratory.

unattainable
into

existence

devised

operations,
end,

went

the

very

which,
a

Stone

gold.

into

though

produce

Little

the

or

to

the

of

white.

substance,

substance

It

powder.

action

the

able

ROMANCE

AND

becomes

is

to

the

increased,

Projected
it

If

substance

Stone,
into

SCIENCE

long

apparatus

CHAPTER

ADVANCES

was

good

for

condemns
mild

the

failings

but

he

of

prosecutions

vanity

such

other

And

yet

may

be

impostures.
that

it

whereof

that

sons

the
year

make

roots

and

ground,
of

reason

their
of

gold

the

hath

vineyard

gold

vines,
so

left

assuredly
to
m

them
and

had

the

light

gold

buried

but

mould

great
search
a

died

digged

none,

the

is

right

he

they

foimd

digging

they

brought

of

husbandman
when

that

ditions,
tra-

credit

this

the

unto

they

and

the

save

to

fable,

had

stirring

their

following

he
his

in

underground
the

compared

have

auricular

to

alchemy

to

and

error

enigmatical

by

to

surely

makes

^sop
his

devices

of

the

in

themselves

themselves

referring

and

both

full

are

conceal

and

over

the

mitigated

ends,

professors

great

derivations

these

to

practices,

the

and
and

over

the

veil

to

writings,

told

writes)

which

sought

due,

(he

realised

methods

and

The

not

was

fully

aims

"

sentence.

in

and

seen

judgment

Bacon

substantially

and

secret

already

worthless.

criticisms,

his

and

have

superficial

alchemists'

judicial,

severity

theories

the

grand

"

we

the

as

his

its

quest

But

art

in

of

was

its

rejecting
the

be

to

wont

in

solved.

never

reasons

which

DISCOVERIES

AND

failed

ALCHEMY

IV

great

by

about

vintage
and

all

stir

number

the
to

of

good

fruitful

and

the

for

ITS

ALCHEMY"

204

life."

these

"

inventions

disclosingof
Let

good

us

and

experiments

the

Theory

first great merit

as

well

of man's

use

important of
experiments."

more

fruitful inventions

of

ROMANCE

for the

as

review

Combining

The

and

nature

now

AND

SCIENCE

and

Pbactice.

and

of

alchemy was that it brought

together philosophicalspeculation and the practical
The Egyptian metallurgistsand chemists, even
arts.
who
neither scientists
those of them
were
were
priests,
nor
philosophers. No doubt there would be among
them
a certain
spiritof inquiry concerning the nature
materials
but
of the
they employed;
they never
evolved
system of speculative thought which
any
of a philosophy of nature.
the name
deserves
Why
been
is an
this ^should have
so
interestingproblem,
The

the solution

of which

SuflSce it to

note

the

from

technical
On

the

Egyptians
receiptsand

the

would

tempt

fact.

The

from

us

alchemists

little but

an

track.

our

inherited

accumulation

of

directions.

contrary, the Greek

who

thinkers

supplied

of

skilled in
not
alchemy were
the
were
they, in any strict sense,
natural
scientists.
foster
even
They did not
a
scientific spirit; for they despised all handh'ng of
of manufacture
materials for purposes
or
experiment,
leaving such tasks to slaves and ignorant wc^kmen.
thus debarred
And
from gaining any factual
they were
the

speculativeideas
practicalarts, nor

basis for then- reasonmgs.

Now

by

happy

a
"

concurrence

Advancement

of

of Learning,

circumstances, the
Bk.

i.

AND

ADVANCES

DISCOVERIES

205

philosophy, had himself

become
the
to
an
operative, and actually handled
he employed.
materials
The gain was
great. Theories
had perforceto be submitted
And
to the test of facts.
it was
gradually realised that facts are decisive when
is the object in
nature
knowledge of, or power
over,
made
A
view.
start
on
new
was
principles not
the less revolutionary
definitelyrecognised,but none
Novum
^principlesrendered
explicit in Bacon's
alchemist, while

interested

in

"

The

Organon.

rate

of

advance, however,

ably
lament-

was

slow.

Theory, though no longer in a solitary

throne, was
menters
unduly despotic,and blinded the experiof nearly all they saw.
to the real significance
forlorn when
a maze
They lost themselves in many
they
might have been expatiating on Nature's highways.
Hence
so

it

scanty

which

the

was

that

their scientific achievements

were

compared with the lengthy period during

art was
prosecuted.

as

Dawn

of

the

Scientific

Spirit^
r

Alchemy, then, heralded the dawn

spiritin the sphere of chemistry and
The
A

rigidityof
passage

from

of the
the

the

subjective attitude

the

Arabian

scientific

kindred
was

treatise. The

arts.

relaxed.
Little Book

"

Wise
of Clemency^ will illustrate this point.
men
do not pride themselves
the quantity of materials,
on
but on the perfectionof their operations. I urge you
"to act with precaution, to go to work
slowly, and to
follow the example of Nature
in all that you
desire
do^ when
to
dealing with natural things." There is
here manifested
an
incipienttendency to look without

ALCHEMY"

206

rather

than

much

ITS

within.

stress

We

the

on

Nature," for ancient

"

far from

was

of the term.

AND

SCIENCE

not, however,

must

"

in

to it

turn

Nevertheless, the effort towards

is full of

promise.

passage

from

The

Booh

which

scientific

modem

our

lay too
example of

the

phrase "follow
philosophy gave

natural

ROMANCE

of Ostanes

sense

ment
detach-

shows

an

insight into the possibiUtiesof natural

processes.
Science brings it about
that things the most
precious
made
out of the most
are
common.
See, for example,
"

the

loveliest garments

silk

eat

we

is the
and

from

comes

in the

world

The

worm.

of silk ;

are

finest

the

of

and

things

is

from
a fly. Musk
honey ; and honey comes
product of an animal, ambergris that of a fish,

pearlthat

the

stone

it

of

from

comes

that

matter

this marvellous

in eyes

of the

Though the object

aimed
at is chimerical, the reasoning is in the spirit
modem
of science, and could be supported by many
parallels.
Yet
more
strikingis this from The Book of Pity
ignorant

is of the

with

So

oyster.

an

commonest."

describes

which
**

There

was

founded

observation

an

magnetic

which

stone

lifted

on

fact.

piece of
for a long
a

kept it
time, and we tried it on another piece of iron which
it was
not able to lift. We
thought that the weight
exceed
of this piece of iron must
100
drachmes, the
weight which the magnetic stone before lifted. But
that it weighed
found
to weigh it,we
when
came
we
iron

weighing

less

than

then, had
remained
the

modem

100

100

drachmes.

drachmes.

We

The

diminished, although its

the

same

manner,

as

at

the

of

power

first."

particularlythe

the

stone,

weight had
This is quite in
weighing of the

own

ADVANCES

magnetic
had

decreased
This

in

itself to

stone

the

DISCOVERIES

AND

if the

see

207

in power

diminution

its substance.

spiritof
Arabian

detachment

went

period, to

allow

enough,

far
of

doubts

of

even

the

these doubts
possibilityof transmutation
were
; and
groimded, not always on the fact of failure or the
of
scientific
frequent occurrence
fraud, but
on

Avicenna,

argument.

for

instance, opposed the

idea

of transmutation

by urging that the metals differ in

their specificproperties,each
of them
forming a
definite species with
real characteristics
of its own.
He

concludes

that

there

bringing the metals

followed
by Nature.
such
to

as

to

their

from

time

to

died ;

and

this, that

declare

itself in

it was
but

it

never

be

cannot

shorter

of
way
than
that

perfect state
It is plain,then, from
evidence
the scientific spiritwas
beginning
quently,
Subsethe early days of the art.
time

obscured,

in the

minds

of

or

crushed,

series

of

it steadilygained in strength
independent thinkers
and
the art which
clearness,until it at last overthrew
had
the development came
to
How
given it birth.
will

pass

method

be

rendered

which

is its most

The

apparent

if

we

characteristic

consider

the

ally.

Method.

Experimental

hypotheses
Speaking broadly, alchemists framed
with them.
to bring facts into harmony
and
strove
scientist also frames
The
true
hypotheses ; but he
of the facts, and holds
brings them to the touchstone
to them
only so long as the difficulties raised are not
too

or

numerous

experiment

was

For

formidable.
an

attempt

to

the

realise

alchemist,
the

truth

an

of

Nature

question put to
theory or throw

his

The

postulate two
until

science

could

had

been

advance

will support

outlooks.

It

not

was

consciously adopted that

and rapid strides.
sure

with

RooEB

if she

see

different

widely

experiment

his problem.
light upon
sharply opposed, and

thus

are

latter

the

to

further

methods

two

ROMANCE

AND

the scientist,an

For

foregone conclusion.
is

SCIENCE

ITS

ALCHEMY"

208

Bacon.

Bacon

of the first to
one
(1214r-1294)was
realise the importance of the distinction
just drawn.
His remarkable
giftsenabled him to break away from

Roger

the

long

of the

he

time

he

late years
appreciate him at
But

of

to

this

was

success

In

Nature.

noble

statement

than

possible
revealed
what
the

the

the
"

later

interests
the
invented

man

had

Both

Its

work
is able

nature

covers

are

He

the

and

we

of

secret

his

put questions
find

we

this

chemistry is rather
mysteries are
only
and
tenacity. But
to

!"

Julian

raise

Rhazes

hungry

the

corrected

sorcerer.

of

larger outlook
varied
penetration. How

sage

of

power

hard

to

own,

Rhazes,

secret

impossible.

alchemist

an

The

how

learnt

routes*

new

as

his

value.

Arabian,
The

as

branded
to

great

many

out

open

come

^he had

"

join hands.

Bacon

has

so

upon

even

his true

by dint of
triumph when

veil which

looked

was

kind, and

orthodox

enslaved

territory,and

minds, explore new

For

had

which

traditions

of

comer

Friar

and

for facts ;
and

the

were

Kalendar

but

deeper
Bacon's
;

lysed
ana-

glasses;
properties of lenses and convex
spectaclesfor the short-sighted; propounded

ADVANCES

DISCOVERIES

AND

209

them
theory of telescopes,if he did not make
prepared the way for the discovery of gmipowder and
of the air-pump ; and, most
significantof aU, drew

the

attention
of

to

combustion.

think

rdle of the air in the

the chemical

Truly

of the times

he

in which

though exceeding the bounds

in its main
tendency redound
And

how

it attained

was

lived
of

was

experimental method.
in spite of
achieved

alchemist
had

traditions

the

By

the

largely

The

credit

provided by the
Boyle was
destroy. And
been

destined

to

successor

of the alchemist

which,

adoption
it is true,

success,

means

we

fairly
may
of that art*

definite

shackles

the

still,the

record

alchemy,

to

of the

^a

"

process

when

record

splendid

imposed by
the

to
art
a

success

they were
legitimate

Friar.

Aristotle.
It
his

way

the

way

to

stated

was

through
to

depend

Aristotle

"
"

progress.
on

the
the

that

just above
mass

The

of traditions
bulk

authorityof
Master

Bacon

of

of these

that

those

had
which

to

force

blocked

supposed
pre-eminent thinker,
who

were

know."

How

grievouslythat gloriouslyfree and originalgenius has

suffered in the house of those who
imagined themselves
be his friends ! It is certain that
to
his authority
in Europe for nearly twenty
was
centuries,
supreme
and that his influence, even
in the historyof chemistry,
be traced down
into the eighteenth century.
But
can
the appeal to the real Aristotle ?
So far was
this
was
from being the case
that it was
often than not
more
he had
to teachings quite opposed to those
which
promulgated. Dialecticians had robbed his arguments

ALCHEMY"

210

of their

twisted

livingforce, or
had

Commentators
under

mountains

Wh^t

wonder,

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

them

alien

to

his doctrine

tortured

issues.

buried

or

it

of

uninspireddisquisitions.
Spurious
his name,
had
treatises, published under
sented
misrepreand
supplemented it out of all recognition.

blamed

and

As

when

abjured
of

matter

emphasised his
only be advanced
Nature.

He

comes

made

it

its

interest

defects

that

he

was

instead

in

indeed
of

of

the

science

of

who

one

spirit,and
fate

of

irony

an

can

knowledge

aim,

dogmatism
a

strongly

ancients, the

modems

was

had

natural
of

all the

repudiation
over,

himself

increase

the

And

triumph
The

of

to

the

fact, Aristotle

by

was,

that

came,

conviction

nearest

method.

liberation

the

that
be

to

seem

of, his work.

continuance

practicalchemistry which, despite all

in
and

aberrations, the

Hermetic

had

art

of the scientific spiritwhich

sustained, the flickerings
it had
fostered, the experiments it had suggested
"

these

the

were

otherwise

true

upon

Discoveries.

attempt to enumerate
which, in the course

in detail
of

so

discoveries

the

centuries, the

many

Philosopher'sStone had more

tedious.
be
accidentally happed would
apology for alchemy would be deprived of

seekers

for the

vindication
notable

an

fruitless quest.

Arabian
An

in

elements

Aristotelian

were

additions
It

neither few

is
nor

an

it not
made
easy

to
to

task

record
the

store

to

show

unimportant.

some

or

But

that

an

its chief

of the

of human

less

more

ledge.
know-

they

were

DISCOVERIES

AND

ADVANCES

211

and
fused
conperiod is too nebulous
under
to allow of any
trustworthy statements
it is also almost
this head, especially
as
impossibleto
the amount
of their debt to the Egyptians.
estimate
hard
in this field of inquiry
Berthelot
has laboured
;

The

but

Alexandrian

conclusions

his

general

earliest

this

stage

when

Even
hold

on

we

any
For

discoveries.

high admiration
no

clear

means

tendency

of

had

also with

that

to

savoured

the

of

to

easy

the

the

East

of the

ascribed

exhaustive

an

with

for

mystic

uncertaintythat hangs

treatises

evidence, reaches
credit

reckon

look to

to

which

Berthelot, after
available

have

We

authenticityof

the

the

that

specificfacts in regard to particular

alchemists
had
though mediaeval
for their Muslim
predecessors,it is by
how
far we
safely lean on the
may

Westerns

the

occult ; and

sages.

barren

the Arabs, it is not

to

come

that
especially

wisdom,

over

of

however,

sure,

altogether

not

was

bear.

testimony they

and

be

may

allow

to

results.

valuable

lay

We

summary.

technical

too

are

the

Eastern

examination
cautious

Arabians

the

to

clusion
con-

with

making
in medicine, dyeing, enamelling,
considerable
progress
of coloured
the
making
glass, as well as in the
the peculiarprovince of
metallurgy which constituted
alchemy, as such.
The

we

famous

sulphuricacid,
chemicals

which

may

Geber

is

said

nitric acid, and

retain

to

nitrate

foremost

have

discovered

of silver

place

in

"

^three

modem

with
his name
is
Specially associated
of nitric and
the liquidaqua
regia,a mixture
chloric
hydrodissolves
acids which
gold ^so called because
the
The
of its power
royal metal.
over
resulting

laboratories.

"

"

"

ALCHEMY"

212

SCIENCE

ITS

AND

ROMANCE

he regarded as the Elixir of Life.

regalisy
administered
as
potable gold.'* In this view
told
His
followed
by Roger Bacon, who
IV. a story concerning its
Pope Nicholas

solution, aqua

'*

It

was

he

was

Holiness

marvellous

virtues.

An

old man,

yellow liquor(the solution

while ploughing one
day
dew, he drank

be

into

know

not

if he did, what

or,

these

However
is

in certain

given

and

century,

whether

that

the

of the
and

he

metals

his constitution.

mercury,

Of Geber

therefore

must

himself

have

safely
first to give precisedescriptions
and
silver,lead, copper
gold ;

he first noted

that

effect upon

discoveries

the

was

the

have
been, the record
things may
Latin manuscripts of the thirteenth

preceded this period.

aver

yellow) in a golden phi"l

in Sicily. Supposing it to
was
thereupon transformed
highly accomplished youth.
the Pope tried the Elixir ;

He

was

some

is

hale, robust, and

do

We

it.

he said, found

the

uses

we

may

of corrosive

sublimate,

precipitate,and flowers and milk of sulphur.

Rhazes
prepared brandy and employed alcohol as a
solvent in several pharmaceutical preparations. He
the propertiesof orpiment, realgar(" powder
examined
mine
various
of the
"), borax, and
compounds of
school as a whole
The
sulphur with iron and copper.
red

valuable

made
a

fine

spirit of

directions.

though

advances

not

There

in medicine, and

scientific
can

capable

be

no

research
doubt

of detailed

in
that

manifested

other

many
our

debt

to

it,

determination, is very

considerable.
Medieval
It is not
work

of

until the

individual

Discoveries.
time

adepts

of

Roger

stands

out

Bacon

with

that

the

sufficient

ADVANCES

prominence

AND
render

to

discoveries, and
we

in the

saw

substance

the

possiblethe
"

218

of

dating

of the

honouring

chapter on

makes

DISCOVERIES

specific

discoverers.

Materials," substance
in the

its appearance

As
after

early mediaeval

of

of particulars.
alchemy, but without mention
The
the less there
None
store
simply accumulates.
^"imilar,we
was
steady, if slow, advance
fairly
may
historical evidence
is
to that of the days when
assume,

period

"

abundant.

more

Roger Bacon
the
his
the

for the

way

suggestionsabout

Magnus,

Albertus

in respect of chemical

of lead, with
caustic

the

No
the
the
idea

even

famous

Not

only
metals
by
of alum,

uses

chemist
al-

successful

more

purificationof

he

was
means

and

with

the

determined

of lead

of acetates

times

in

and

first to

copper,

the

noted

on

this, when

achievement

mean

and

sulphur, and utilised the action of

separating alloys of gold and silver.

of heat
fortis

aqua

was

discoveries.

he

his preparing

"

composition of
of mercury) by forming it wholly
(an ore
metal
and
sulphur, described accuratelythe

preparation
effects

Another

chemical

various

alkali, but

cinnabar

from

the

with

acquainted

above

discovery of gunpowder, and

the part played by the air in

combination.

of

process

considered

have

we

the

speak

we

of the

affinities

"

of

account

Moreover,

opportunities!
"

take

he

of substances

was
"

^an

importance in modem
chemistry.
His pupil,Aquinas, employed the term
amalgam,"
connected
probably with the Greek malagma^ softness.
he treated
those
of
The
were
amalgams of which
of fundamental

"

with

mercury

Medallists

alloy;

then

another

came

the

to

metal
the

use

idea

of

"

or

combination

word

softness

of any
"

of metals.
kind

fell fiway,

of soft

leaving

ITS

ALCHEMY"

214

that

merely

the

t"mino4-d

ROMANCE

This

mixture.

of intimate
illustrates

admirably

AND

SCIENCE

in

way

development

which

alchemist

be
quietly absorbed
pn""ca m.y
with but little recogmtion of the source.
another
LuUy was
Raymond
genius who took the
field of knowledge for his province. In the
whole
of potash
sphere of chemistry, he prepared carbonate
and
of tartar
discovered
wood-ash, and
by means
several essential oils. He was
especiallyinterested in
would
which
"spirit of wine," the art of distilling
then
been
but
have
He
to
seem
recently learnt.

bestowed

of

name

declared

vUce

aqiui

it to be the very

of Life*

Elixir

Basil

To

Valentine

been

it has

Johann

certain

century, and
the

bearing

his

that

Tholde,

discoveries
in mind

under

to

or

seventeenth

matter

to

later date.

by

by

of the

say

But

alchemists

for critical

need
his

easy

made

were

the

no

assumed

was

name

author

an

it is therefore
him

triumphs.

assigned many

were

shown

reallybelongs to
case

honourable

in his enthusiasm

ardenSy and

But

it the

on

what

in any

and,

caution, let

us

prepared metals
methods.
For
wet
by what are called
example,
he transformed
pyritesinto sulphate of copper through
the action of humid
air, and then plunged a plate of
of the sulphate, thus
iron into a solution
obtaining
He
prepared sulphide of potash,
copper.
pure
He
wrote
a
fulminating gold, and sulphuric ether.
ment
salts,*'with particulartreatcomplete treatise on
of
(hydrochloric acid) ^an
spirits of salt
obtained
the
of great significance.He
achievement
them

group

"

He

name.
"

"

"

"

"

acid

(as now)

devoted

much

from

sea-salt

attention

to

or

oil

antimony,

of

vitriol.

and

He

examined

ADVANCES

DISCOVERIES

AND

215

of its
many
rediscovered

have
been
of which
compounds, some
tions.
acquisirecentlyand thought to be new
experimented with the air of mines, and
its fitness for respiration. Most
striking

He

determined
of
"

all

his

were

conclusions

spiritof mercury."

than

air

an

flyinghere

after it has been

to the

returns

air from

This, he

chased

it had

said, is nothing else

without

then

from its home,

(fire)
expands to pass into the
What

derived.

been

wings, which,

Vulcan

by

chaos, and

which

there

and

called

he

what

about

is this but the

gas liberated

oxide ? Hof er, in his

by heating mercury
HistoryofChemi^ry^ holds that this is an earlydiscovery
of oxygen
and Lavoisier.
of Priestley
^an anticipation
The instances above
given are but a selection from
much
a
Granting that most of them
largernumber.
stumbled
were
on
by-products
by accident, and were
to
(so to speak) of the art, they nevertheless serve
the chemistry of the Middle
that alchemy was
prove
Ages." Let the object of the quest have been as
chimerical as you will,the guiding theories mistaken
methods
or
fantastic, the
unsystematic, still the
discoveries
and
made
were
provided a basis for the
"

"

rise of the

science.

modem

Medicine.
The

object of
for
Stone
Philosopher's
have

main

that

seen

this the idea of

was

always
and

from
an

the

alchemist's

the

winning

first there

the

Elixir of Life.

close alliance
the

art

especiallyin

of

of

earliest

we

with

is to say, there

the

and

But

united

art

healing. Adepts

the

the

was

gold.

was

That

between

quest

of transmuting
were

in the
p

quently,
frelatest

ITS

ALCHEMY"

216

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

fold.
periods,professionalphysicians. The result was twosophers,
Chemistry which had been despised by philoof
became
a
subject of serious study by men
distinction.
Medicine
brought
was
learning and
within the range of physicalexperiment. It is to the

Hermetic

art

that

gains,since, but
of tradition

must

we

for the

would

have

credit
of

hope

these

two

enormous

transmuting,

lain yet

the hand
these

heavily on

more

sciences.

nascent

has
alchemy and medicine
been adequately dealt with in previous chapters, more
the
with
teachings of
particularly in connection
alliance

The

Paracelsus

need

and

further

tyranny

burst

the

not
to

its

Rosicrucians, and

emphasis.

of blind

inquiry,and
most
ready
who

between

Those

authority
least

in any

in the

not

here

reahse

the

does

who
branch

of human

healing art, will

acknowledge our indebtedness

and helped to give us a
bonds

to

be

the

those

science

of

medicine.

Classification.
It is

generallyacknowledged that classification is

essential to the development of science.
The manifold
objectsof our experiencemust be grouped into ordered
classes, each characterised
by certain definite marks,
selected, as far as may be, according to the real nature
of the
the Linnsean
things classified. Think what
in
advance
what
system effected for Botany, and
in the
deeper knowledge of plant-lifeis secured
natural system."
What
can
alchemy say for itself
in this regard ?
It has been
art
freelygranted that the Hermetic
*'

Even

tmsystematic.

was

century, Kunkel, a
that I
I, old man
for

sixty

their

discover

of

have

years,

217

the

as

eighteenth

art, could

the

have

who

am,

late

as

critic

'*

chemistry

DISCOVERIES

AND

ADVANCES

been

write

occupied

with
able

yet been

never

fixed

not
sulphur.
They are
of
themselves
agreed among
respecting the kind
sulphur. The sulphur of one is not the sulphur of the
other.
To that one
reply that each is at liberty
may
You
to
baptise his child as he likes. I agree.
may
if you are
disposed,call an ass a cow ; but you
even,
to

will

make

never

believe

one

any

that

your

is

cow

an

ass."
And

yet there

must

there

earliest times

were

be

reservations.

efforts made

to

From

the

classify. We

philosophy of the art was based on

thinkers
the fourfold divisions
proposed by Greek
Metals
earth, water, air, fire dry, moist, cold, hot.
non-metals,
distinguished from
were
though the
marks
of separation were
Here
imperfectlyselected.
is a curious
example of attempts to classifyin fuller
The
Book
from
The
It is taken
detail.
of Pity.
and
is
animal
between
distinction
earthy substances
substances
follows : Animal
are
as
gold,
mercury,
iron.
substances
are
silver, lead, copper,
Earthy
divided into two categories,livingand dead.
Among
the livingare sulphur,arsenic,sal-ammoniac, and everything
the

how

remember

"

"

"

which

bums

melts, and

or

spiritto depart. The

dead
things, comprehends
bum, or give off vapours
;
The
substances."
ground
the

the

presence

to the

action

or

absence

of heat

"

of

of which

second
all that
for

fire

cause

category, that of
does not melt, or

example,

of distinction

chalk
is

combustibility,or

^fireis taken

can

to

be the

and

like

evidently
response

principle

ALCHEMY"

218

of life.

ITS

result is crude, but

The

though
in

natural,

save

between

elements

more

far

so

and

ROMANCE

full of

promise. The
triad, Elements, Principles,
less
subtle, is really much

alchemist

characteristic

Essence,

AKD

SCIENCE

it led

as

the

to

up

distinction

compounds.

Byzantine example is full of interest, not only

the score
of its astrological
flavour, but also, and
on
of the singular medley of hits and
chiefly,because
With
misses.
one
are
exception, the substances
the
metals.
Under
lead
grouped \mder
(Saturn)
A

tin

stones

similar

of the

is the

the

emerald

but

honour;

merely a
silver (Luna)

it is

that
under
The

reasons

but

the

attracted

for most

appear

Under

carbon, and

incense.

metal

the

gold
most

of these

plain

variety

emerald

mastic.

(This
place of

in the
as

metal,

so

precedence.) Lastly,
glass and white eartlius.

appear

heads

Under

of

matter

is

is not

regarded

was

intention

groupings

^to group

"

of

are

under

substances

obscure,
hensive
compre-

which

had

attention

Paracelsus
harmonies

white

(Mars)

quicksilver, amber,

appear

in which

case

iron

pyrites. (A good hit.)

(Venus) appear
honey, myrrh, sal-ammoniac,
(Mercury)

materials.

(The conjunction of
precious stones.
is strikingI) Under
carbon
copper
pearls, amethyst, bitumen,
sugar,

and

diamond

Under

hyacinth, diamond,

(Sol)appear

like

coal, sulphur and

enamel.

to

and

magnet

brilliant

other

(Jupiter)appear

Under

the

and

litharge, agate,

appear

which
Soul

by specialqualitiesor activities.
three-fold
set
a
propounded
secured

wide

acceptance

Body

Mercury

Spirit
Sulphur

Water

Air

Earth

Salt

"

of

ADVANCES

This

was

reversion

Fortimately

to

of

speak

with

alkalies,

special
to

being
build.

building
modem

treatise

was

found

us

came

chemistry.

which

now

the
in

about

the
how

"

of

next

chapter

alchemy

in

actual

regard
method,

and

the

rest,

wrote

that

is,

advance.

science

of

saw,

experiment
slow,

though

the

data

we

fact

learning

and

the

as

The

with

as

real,
on

Let

salts.

on

and

metals,
for

respect

and

quietly

were

acids,

Valentine,

classification,

there

to

Basil

experience.

mysticism.

distinctions,

salts,

approach

some

adepts

sounder

making

219

obscurantist

to

sober

more

gradually

DISCOVERIES

AND

basis

could

future

see

developed

was

how

this
into

V
V

CHAPTER

TRANSITION

is

the

under

the

At the break

slew

me,

after

to

me

am

of

with

crushes

with

my
calcined

spiritis bom

that

his teeth

Seized with terror, I

in the

me

'

the

While

mutilate

and
awoke, reflected,

fire,

body.

blood, and

fall to

and

seized

head, he mixed

like

him

saw

me.

into morsels

with
me

oppresses
his eyes became

who

me

skin from

flesh and

all his flesh.

himself

was

sword, divided

that the

me

saw

having

cup,

of the power
which
there came
a workman

the

priestspoke thus,
tear

approached. The priest

the priestof the sanctuary, and I

day

is the power

vomited

of

weight

with

teach

That

it

"

alchemy.

altar in form

an

havmg lifted the

bones

my

Zosimus, the oldest of

prieststandingbefore
several stepsby which
am

CHEMISTRY

from
passage
writers on
known

HERE
answered

MODERN

TO

the
he

himself,

the

ground.
asked myself

I
And
reallythe composition of water.
congratulatedmyself on having divined rightly."
Compare this symbolicaljargonwith the directions
of chemistry. Can there
manual
given in a modem
if this

be

is

from

passage

undertaken

one

tempted

to

the

other ?

sympathetic study

aims, doctrines,and
be

to

answer

methods,
in the
220

we

Had

of the
should

negative.

we

not

alchemists'

assuredly
But

we

are

TRANSITION
in

now

position to

from

passage

"

the

CHEMISTRY

iinderstand

that

Zosimus

there

221

in the

strange

allusions

are

real

to

calcinations, fermentations, dissolutions^

operations
and

MODERN

TO

It

rest.

these

was

underlying experiences

of their
cleared
gradually seized upon,
obscurities, and given a place in an ordered scheme.
The
For
long drawn out, but inevitable.
process was

that

were

Nature

men's

differences

and
so

on

presses

attention
her

among

suggests larger inductions

and

phenomena, and
wider
tions.
generalisawayward
strivings

presuppositions and
and
of
gradually corrected
inquirers are
modem
Facts
chemistry
carry the day, and
The

nesses
like-

fundamental

curbed.
to

comes

the birth.

Difficulty

When

in

scientist

modem

alchemy, it may
adequately realised
old
the

chemists
brilliant

Elements.

discovebino

is

surmised

be
the

laboured.
discoveries

chemists, Lavoisier, there

that

he

difficulties under

Right down
made
by
not

were

of

contemptuous

to

not

which

the

the

the
any

has

days

of

greatest of
known

fixed

starting-pointsfor synthesis or
as
goals for analysis. It was thought that all matter
and
is endlesslytransformable, backwards
forwards.
tail was
The serpent bitingits own
a legitimate
symbol
of the doctrine imiversallyaccepted. Hence
problems
for
that
the
to
us
are
quite straightforward were
and complex.
alchemists hopelesslybaffling
mentioned
I
Take
a
simple case
by Berthelot.
elements

quote his
iron, say

to

serve

as

own

statement

one

of the

of it.
oxides

so

"I

have

widely

mineral

of

distributed

in

I treat

nature.

metallic

SCIENCE

it with

iron.

of fire and
of

ITS

ALCHEMY"

222

But

with,

Where

judge by

and

with

start

is the

easily?

so

in

product

resistance

great chemist
who

had

the

not

and

who

atmosphere
changes.

of the
the

Or
sound

take

the

pr

the

for the

weighing

5 lbs. into

and

the

slow

action

the

of

state

an

iron

which

appears
dis-

ma

con-

kr

not

concerned

which

to account

action

of d

did

Van

growth
200

watered

in

explanation of

an

puzzled and

investigatoras

an

means

was

case

quick

realises h

Berthelot

element,

an

en

it

as

give

can

the

the

seem

far

to

it the

agents of every

to

tyro nowadays
those

at

would
so

Is

is it the

is found

elementary body
last

?
Or

I obtain

analogous to, the primitive

primordial element, if we

or

appearances

by
by

back

passes

ROMANCE

chalk, and

air, or

with

atmospheric agents,

generator.

and

carbon

this in its turn,

in contact

oxide, identical

AND

of

misled
when

Helmont,
a

He

plant.

lbs. of earth

so

even

he

put

tried

willow

previously

dried

regularly. At the end of

five years he found the plant weighed 169 lbs.,whereas
the earth, after redrying, had lost only 2 ozs. in weight.
in

an

What

oven,

was

knowing
dioxide

he
the

it

to conclude

real nature

of water,

absorbed

therefore, seemed

from
to

the
be

He

had

the

not
nor

of the

atmosphere.

irrefutable

that

of

means

carbon

His

answer,

the

164

lbs.

woody matter, leaves, roots, and so forth, were

That
is to say, the water
to
produced by the water.
all appearance
had
been
changed into a variety of
of

Lea

de I'Alchimir,p. 283.
OrigiTtea

TRANSITION
solid substances
to

alchemical

which

the

with

modem

scientist

and

facts.

modest

realise

to

Discovery
It will
between

of

now

be

the

old

of the

doctrine

be

be

to

Elements

the

the

in

view

sounder
of

ease

gained

accumulation

Boyle

doctrine.
were

For

of matter.

the

basis

the

the

was

old, matter

the

the

new,

ultimates.
advance

Let
to

in almost

As

elements

four

and

three
of

"

school

had

had

decided

substituted

conception
from

these

both

for

of

"

an

element

"

which

was

old

these
the
was

duced
intronot

accepted. The alchemists

as compoimds
; he inclined to the
simple. He adopted the theory

that

regarded the metals

belief that they were

and
classifications,

the

how

Boyle, on
original experiments,

and

many

not

there

air, fire,and

^salt,sulphur, mercury.

his

far removed

Greeks

earth, water,

"

his

dissatisfied with
a

the

how

saw

the

every

discovery,the final result was

boimd, but by successive steps, and by
of guiding experiences.
of the first to question the
one
was

We

Paracelsus
the

difference

scientific
at

or

alchemist

an

chemistry

brought about.

was

proud

crucial

the

new

outline, how

broad

of

^Boyle.

"

for
indefinitelytransmutable
;
fixed and imchangeable
elements
were
see,

with

then, of

amount,

was

us

forced

fool.

apparent that

nature

thus

was

enable

that

the

and

228

quite in harmony
yet grievously out

was

necessarilyto

not

CHEMISTRY

imagination should

historical

cynical

clever

doctrine,

harmony

was

conclusion

MODERN

TO

now

See

p. 58.

ALCHEMY"

224

of

ITS

which

atoms,

he

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

regarded

particlesof
small
parcels

small

as

"

^^

different

shapes and sizes,imited into

that the alchemist
not easilyseparated,and contended
elements
not
are
simple bodies, but are built up of
In this way
particlesmore
simple than themselves.
he came
and
element
to distinguishbetween
a
an
compound in a manner
quite opposed to the older
doctrine
conception, and in line with the chemical
of the present day.
He also realised that a true compound
must

involves
"

confused

"

between

been

with

intimate

peculiarand

affinities

he gave

be

not

kind

substances.

followed

the

mixture, since it

of action

Had

the

due

to

fine lead

period might
much
curtailed.
have
been
The
phlogiston theory,
however, intervened, and, though by no means
wholly
in
this particular
mischievous, retarded
progress
up,

transition

direction.

Discovery
One

of the greatest bars

all gaseous

that

ancient

the

to

way

degrees

doctrine

of the part
combustion.

The

belief

the

essentiallyalike,
purity. That is to say,

as

of gases

played by
men,

was

were

of

of air

knowledge

to progress

substances

in

differingonly

Gases.

of

element

an

blocked

generally,and,
oxygen

the

quently,
conse-

in the process

therefore, who

of

first solved

problems presented by the constituents

of the atmosphere occupy
on
places of specialhonour
the scientists' roll of fame, and
have the fullest right
the

to

difficult

be

called the

of modem

chemistrv.

truth

not

gained

all at

much-neglected pioneer,John

Mayow,

bom

Needless
once.

founders

to

say,

the

was

TRANSITION
in

TO

1645, advanced

mentioned

CHEMISTRY

MODERN
far

on

the

road.

He

225

is not

even

in

Encyclopcediasor ordinary Biographical

Dictionaries, and yet he was
evidently a genius who
accomplished some
strikingresults. He firmlygrasped
substance
the fact that the atmosphere contained
some
concerned
in combustion,
in
or
principlewhich was
the
of
calcining of metals, and in the conversion
into arterial blood.
He called it spiritus
venous
ignO'
and also, by virtue of having found
it in saltpetre,
aereus^
It is singularthat his discoveries
nitro-aereus.
did
attention.
not
rouse
more
Perhaps his early
not
death, at the age of thirty-four,
only put an end
to further
of
observations, but precluded the chance
his work
A

becoming known.

later

for years

scientist,Stephen Hales

held

the

of

cure

(1677-1761),who
nate
fortumore
Teddington, was

in

able to conmiunigaining attention, for he was

cate his results to the Royal Society. His papers
make
it evident
that he must
have prepared a considerable
number
of gaseous
substances
^hydrogen, carbonic
acid, carbonic
oxide, sulphur dioxide, marsh
gas, and
others
but
he did not
break
through the charmed
circle of the traditional
teaching. He thought that
the differences between
these gases were
caused
by the
which were
tincturing of air with substances
more
"

"

"

or

"

less accidental.

fact that

there

until towards

are

The

various

first clear
kinds

recognition

of gases

did not

of the
come

the close of the

eighteenthcentury, when
Joseph Black, a professor of chemistry in Glasgow and
carbonic
acid, and
Edinburgh, studied
definitely
separated

it from

the

protean element,

this advance, discoveries

that

eccentric

"

air."

After

dish,
quickly. Cavengenius, distinguishedhimself by
came

more

ALCHEMY"

226

his accurate
on

observations

hydrogen.

His

his

was

two

gases

dethroned

SCIENCE

ITS

ROMANCE

same

also

and

gas,

brilliant achievement,
that

discovery

of the

blow

another

"

this

on

most

Another

AND

is

water
"

ancient

ever,
howof

composed
"

elements

was

levelled at the alchemist

was

ideas of matter.

Priestley

Joseph
still

(1733-1804).

scored
was
revolutionary success
by
the famous
Joseph Priestley. The title of his chief
Observations
is Experiments and
work
on
Different
Kinds
His chief attention
devoted
at first was
of Air.
A

to

more

adid

carbonic
and

by him,
It is

"

of

is not

he

He

oxygen.

experiment

endeavoured
se

to

and

lens, air

was

the

as

is

"

the

On

extract

thus

1st

of

air from

more

than

in this
was

by

it.

well express

can

air with

utterlyat

the

with
with

our

the

describes

August, 1774,

mercuritis

caldnattis

of this
presentlyfoimd that, by means
expelled from it very readily. Having

imbibed

not

was

credited

He

mercury.

air

believed

experimenting

was

the

that

alchemists

now

got about three or four times as

water
materials, I admitted
my
it

detected

were

establish

first to

all, he

friend, oxidised

fateful

per

the

was

Above

be.

discovery of
old

gases

of

simple substance,

it to

methods

new

that

asserts

other

many

examining them devised.

generallyacknowledged that he merits the
the father of pneumatic chemistry." Thorpe

now

name

but

a
a

much
to

But
was,

as

it,and
what

that

to

account

foimd

of

that

surprised me
a

remarkably vigorous

loss how

the bulk

candle

burned

flame.

for it."

I
...

TRANSITION

MODERN

TO

Priestleyhimself, in spiteof
independence of mind, did

CHEMISTRY
his marked

227

originality

quite escape from

ideas.
He
of alchemistic
the
influence
thought of
built up, so to speak, of propertieswhich
matter
as
He
could
be stripped off or added.
was,
moreover,
by his
sorely hindered in arriving at sound deductions
unquestioning acceptance of the phlogiston theory.
notable
a
Nevertheless, his work
impulse to a
gave
to
and
reformed
expanded chemistry which was soon
Let us again observe,
banish
the old ideas for ever.
of alchemy
in passing, how
largely the overthrow
the investigationof gases, more
turned
on
especially
As
of oxygen.
Thorpe puts it, the discovery of
and the recognition of the part it plays in the
oxygen,
to explain,
which
phlogistonwas invoked
phenomena
in chemical
of one
the termination
mark
era
history
This seems
to be a
the beginning of another."
and
than
Muir's when
of putting the case
he
sounder
way
that
destined
to
was
Priestley'sdiscovery
says
change Alchemy into Chemistry." For there were
contributing influences,as we have seen above
many
the
spirit infused
greatest being, perhaps, the new
by Boyle which led to the study of chemical affinity,
of the balance, and
careful analysis,the use
to more
of
generally. Nevertheless,
quantitative methods
than pardonable.
is more
enthusiasm
Muir's
and

not

"

"

"

Lavoisier

Priestley,then,
existence
grasp

of oxygen

(1748-1794).
the

was
as

first

separate gas

of his great
the full significance

to
;

recognise the
but

he did not

discovery.

The

ALCHEMY"

228

ITS

SCIENCE
is due

theory of combustion
chemist^ Lavoisier, who
true

communists

in the

Revolution.
he

adopted,

not

enter;

the

to

murdered

was

reign of

great French
first French

details of the methods

of combustion
process
belong rather to the

of the

or

they

French

the

by

of the

terror

the technical

Into

ROMANCE

AND

need

we

of

history

far
with them
so
chemistry,and we are only concerned
of alchemy.
The central
as
they led to the overthrow
fact is this.
the
of burning are
AU
ordinary cases
of the burning substance
results of the union
with the
of the atmosphere.
Calcination is thus a kind
oxygen
of combustion

and

gas,

it takes

the

metal

thereby increases
up.
main

The
time

in that

point to be
chemistry

onwards

its

the

weight by

seized

science

amount

From

is this.

became

this

with

combines

of

his
exact

not
True, Lavoisier
was
quantUative measurements.
the originator of the use
of the balance
in chemical
his teaching that gave it an
investigations
; but it was
An
method.
indispensableplace in soimd
example

his

from

own

also to show

value, and
an

idea

Greek

was

condensed
that

water

we

to

as

in the

is

did

not

put

it to

be

can

obtained

evaporated
to

the

test

distilled water

in

when
in

into

"

air

can

be

fallingdew,"

solid,as

in Van

the

growing willow, or in
even
carefully distilled

glass vessels.

this doctrine.
of

of

of

century.

that

seen,
case

changed
from

argument

assent

have

its

rejectionof

earliest times

nineteenth

to the

as

residue

the

prevailed from

water,

illustrate

to

it led to the

believed,
water

Helmont's
the

had

that

both

serve

how

philosophy down

It

and

of it will

use

He

Now

Lavoisier

determined

to

experiment. So he
hermetically sealed glass vessels
a

decisive

TRANSITION
which

and

before

weighed

were

steps of his argument

The

CHEMISTRY

MODERN

TO

after

the

operation.

typical of

so

are

229

the

new

given seriatim.
solid residue (theearth)does not come
from
1. The
outside
the vessel ; for the total weight of the vessel
and
its contents
is unchanged.

methods

that

The

2.

the

they

does

earth

weight of the
experiment.

the

The

8.

earth

vessel loses in
The

4.

the

weight

of the

earth

that

vessel

separated from

core

solution

or

gas

But

is an
there
are

names

"

is

is

mere

the

practicallyequal

"

it follows

only

be

can
a

is not

by evaporation,

given to

the

vessels in which

elements

water

to

of which

the

very
is

water

anything but themselves

become
True, liquidwater
can
turned

in the
a

these

Elements.

change

alteration

from

be

never

"

to

evaporated."

hydrogen.
solid

this

there
but

can

and

oxygen
a

is

rain-water

of the

The

matter.

constituted

after

vessel, because

the

experiment just given brings us

of the

and

greater part, possiblythe whole

the

Unchanging
The

for

formed.

concludes,

collected and

been

has

of the

Lavoisier

to the

water

vessel, because

wholly from

comes

weight

is due

the
before

same

the

from

comes

loss in

of the earth

from

come

is the

water

the

experiments

not

weight.

earth

Hence,

be

may

into

ice.

of substance

propertiesof

the substance,

three

accident, due

or

of states not

substance.

new

the

into steam

"

states
to

"

That

different

^ice,
water,

their-^commonness

steam

in

ALCHEMY"

280

Thus

nature.

"molten"

form^
similar

"

"

iron

elements

we

untU

it

of

it is in

vaporised

that

be

cannot
"

words,

own

the

"

as

the

iron, or
is

substance

If

better

the

apply

we

than

stated

in

term

principlesto bodies to express our idea of

point which analysisis capable of reaching,we

admit,
able

are

as

to

elements, all substances

reduce

consider

we

bodies

entitled

are

we

which

know

We

name.

"

call it

speak

we

heated

ROMANCE

or

last

that

should

doctrine

new

Lavoisier's

must

melted

be

if it be

we

AND

throughout.

The

the

SCffiNCE

if iron

iron;

gaseous
some

ITS

to

which

by decomposition. Not

affirm

simple

as

into

that
may

these
not

substances

themselves

be

of a greater number
of
compounded of two, or even
more
simple principles; but since these principles
be separated, or
have
not
cannot
rather, since we
of separating them, they
the means
hitherto discovered
ought
are, with regard to us, simple substances, and we
them
to suppose
never
compounded until experiment
have proved them
and observation
to be so." Lavoisier
this in 1789, but it remains
wrote
substantiallytrue.
Mellor, in his Modem
Inorganic Chemistry^quotes the
with complete approval, and
summarises
it
passage
"

thus

know,

element

contains

Thus
chemical
was

An

it

is

only

composition
a

for

the

held

by

clear

really involves
certain quantitiesof

substance
kind

one

that

was

substituted

notion

which,

so

far

as

we

of matter."
vague,

fluid

the

chemists

old

of what

such

ideas

of

there

tion
composi-

peculiarlyintimate union of
different and
unchanging kinds
The fact that the proportionsin which
the
of matter.
take
combinations
can
place are not haphazard, but
definite, is a discovery of fundamental
importance
"

CHEMISTRY

MODERN

TO

TRANSITION

281

actions
to represent chemical
possible
need
equations. But we
by mathematically exact
It is
not here inquireinto this further development.
the general
refinement
on
a generalprinciple. And
a
science its complete
for the new
won
principle,
by itself,
and lastingvictory.

which

renders

it

Alchemist
Atoms

are

Transmutation
for

now

abandoned.

ultimates,

the

us

And
practicalchemistry is concerned.
composed of definite unchangeable kinds
far as our
manipulation of them can be
is insistence

of

fabrication

early days
been

the

between

difference
the

this truth

on

transmutation

Hermetic
who

had

had

little influence

It

the radical
and

From

onwards,

so

the

there

had

the

possibility
intuitive sceptisicm,

Such

transmutation.

of

effective.

of metals

doubts

cast

are

of matter,

substances.
art

as

atoms

constitutes

compound

of the

individuals

that

far

so

on

the

theory or the
It was
the gradual accumulation
practiceof alchemists.
of facts, culminating in the work
of Lavoisier,
that at last bore all before it. No
longer do adepts
substances
their
labour
to
strip from
supposed
or
desired.
superinducethose more
separablequalities,
No
virtues and
longer do they search for hidden
essences
by the commingling of which they may speed
perfection and procure
up a natural growth towards
The
modem
the perfect metal.
adept goes to work
however,

in very

different
that

Jle examines

fashion.

certain
the

of

his

He

on

starts

materials

propertiesof

these

with

the

ledge
know-

are

unalterable.

with

unwearying
Q

ALCHEMY"

282

exactness

of

and

glamour
his

see

gold.
to

be

alchemists

learns

them^

no

tin
But

SCIENCE

ITS

how

how
to

build

lures

longer

he

discovered
could

into

knows
than

ever

silver,

there

that

He

on.

even

imagine.

are

the

compounds
The

ones.

new

up
him

transmuted

existing

analyse

to

ROMANCE

AND

expects

never

or

far
most

ancient

his

into

copper

greater

daring

to

marvels
of

the

CHAPTER

VI

OUTLOOK

THE

old

THE

natural

it

be

may

conclude

clearly.

"It

who

knoweth

well

superinduce

form

of

that

of

grains
of

through
of

of

the

thing

any

transmuting
form

been
and

An

several

it is

raised

point

fitting
should

AdvancemerU

its

knowledge
the

With

233

will
and

p.

75.

that
a

be

the
of

few

other

or

is

the

to

among

future,

triumph

of Learning,

and

in

therefore,

problem

rest,

than

should

has

of

the

quicksilver

alchemy

solving

apparatus.

of

he

Colour,

nature

rehearsed,

Bacon,

that

of

belongeth

projected
sea

that

hammer,

the
as

the

puts

fire, and

the

afore

of

the

of

mechanique

Weight,

metal

some

medicine

growth

of

of

time,

probable,

respect

natures

his

more

regard

turn

of

of

nature

in

in

gold."

chances
the

the

conceive

who
the

the

time

into

those

preceded

such

the

of

production

material

there

defensible

has

upon

gold by

moments

is

Fixed

and

may

some

of

hope

has

Fragile

and

Volatile

the

standpoint

the

from

Pliant

Are

of

course

study.

case

of

dead.

question

consideration

our

Bacon,

by

this

what

in

matter

more

some

to

answer

fuller

in

revived

suggested

that

is
that

anticipating

affirmative
times

perfecting

development

for

grounds

of

idea

and

increased

ment
improvethe

atomic

ALCHEMY"

284

ITS

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

AND

came
a
theory of matter
period of eclipse. Scientists
decided
the
enthusiasticallyconcluded
they had
question in the negative. Further
discoveiy and
been
reflection proved them
to have
too
hasty ; and
find no less an authority than Faraday writing as
we
"

follows

There

doctrine

of the

number

of atoms

was

time

this fundamental

when

alchemists

(that of transmutation) was

no
longer so
analogies. It is now
opposed to known
opposed to them, only some
stages beyond their
brilliant
of
most
This
present development." *
modem
discoverers
deliberatelyranges himself on the
transmutationists.
side of the
Has
anything since
the belief ?
would
to light that
come
again weaken
Rather
is the contrary to be emphatically asserted.
The
in its favour.
The trend of discovery is distinctly
of the
atomic
theory is
rigidityof the older form
rapidly disappearing,if it has not quite disappeared ;
and
scientists are
feelingtheir way out into worlds
existence
of which
the very
not
was
suspected by
had
those who
to a system
comfortably settled down
the unalterable
of physics which
was
going to coimt

The
At

so

are

the present time

far

as

elements

hold

be

to

There

would
is the
"

are,

on

some

different
of

eighty elements
kinds

of matter,

distinguishingthem

however,

last word

Lectures

are

maintain

now

Ultimates.

not

there

existingmeans

determine.
who

universe.

Elements

chemists

which

in the

few, if any,

that

of science

Non-Metallic

the
on

can

ties
authori-

recognition of
the

Elements, p. lOG.

tdtimatc

OUTLOOK

THE
nature

of

against

such

Tilden, for

matter.

"

conclusion.

235

example^

The

us

warns

molecular

(atomic)

theory has been adopted in a somewhat

rigid form,
not
of any
of my
by reason
own
specialconviction
scientific truth, but
as
a
regarding its permanence
because
I am
satisfied by long experience that, whatever
form
it may
it is even
a
now
ultimately assume,
almost
most
important and
indispensable aid to
More
teaching chemistry." *
recently Soddy, who
strongly emphasises the persistenceof the elements,
the atoms
without
have
Ireason
not
affirming that
"

been

termed

the

nevertheless
to

foundation

looks

time

when

forward,

science

"

has

forms

"

place ;
fact

been

imagined

and

contents

"

that

far,

so

available

rendered

of

indications

no

the constancy

then
the

able

He

to

at
use

be

the

out

and

sun

to

that,
the

at

hot

into

simpler
be taking
and
may
with
recording the
highest temperature

of the

electric furnace,

of the
writes

of the chemical

directly,

pull them

to

elements

transmutation
Whetham

see

points

the

in

universe,"

"

elements
Some

elements

was,

is

years
in the

knowledge, a law of Nature.

Latterly,
phenomena of radioactivityhave forced us to
of

state

that

believe

occur."

Recent

inimical
to

be

the

the

shall

we

himself

even

by

yet forthcoming."
ago

of

dissociation

as

may

them.
pieces and construct
the
dazzling temperatures

stars,

of the

stones

true

transmutations

of

science, then, is far

from

matter

being

hope that the elements may be reduced

And
simpler kind, or kinds, of substance.

to

some

the

Introd.
Matter

J Recent

to

Chemical

Philosophy (1876),p. vii

and

Energy, p. 143.
Development of Physical Science

(1904), p. 36.

ITS

ALCHEMY"

286

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

of transmutation
possibility
?
Lord
Kelvin, indeed, in 1907, challenged the
inferences then being drawn
from
radioactivity; but
his objectionswere
countered
in the course
effectively
of the proceedings at which
his pronouncement
was
made
subsequent discoveries have overthrown
; and

what

is this but

to allow

the

them.

Isomerism
The

idea

the

of

separable things,to
was

truth.

two

united, there
a

substance

until

element.
was

Now

what

into

action

But

atoms

into

recent

one

from

taken

different

so

quite

character

be

comes

that

alchemists

erroneous.

When

Allotbopism.

and

times
The
of the

quaUties
added

or

it has

its

of

chemically

hydrogen are
being a molecule
it

of water

held

to

be

"

that

its constituents

was

stances,
sub-

measure

of

from

to

are

mental
funda-

discovery of its compound

science.
triumphs of the new

combination
the chemical
happens when
takes
atoms
place ? Do the hydrogen and oxygen
gain or lose certain qualitieswhich are separablefrom
them?
certain
Not
at all. They
merely manifest
qualitieswhich
they all along possessed, but could
exercise
until they were
not
brought into this particular
relation.
So a man
all the qualities
have
may
of a good general ; but they cannot,
such, be put
as
unless

fact leads

This

he

is in relation

us

to

to

realise that,

an
even

themselves

army.

absolutely unchangeable, their

be altered
qualitiesmay
by bringing them
relations

"

say, there

:new

is

substances
kind

may

of transmutation

appear.

atoms

were

apparent
into

That

new

is to

possibleby giving

OUTLOOK

THE
forms

new

set

to what

bomids

shall

how

say

elements
of

These
Chemists
demonstrate

not

the

who

accomplished
substances

shall

Who
called

now

be, in reality,
exceptionallystable

?
simpler constituents
not
merely academic.
questions are
do
of cases
which
actually know
clearly
of grouping alters properties,
that form
the

when

even

of

And

atoms.

be thus

may

many

may

groups

groupings of

to the

287

substances

contain

the

atoms

same

qualities. They have concluded

of a molecule
that the atoms
are
so
arranged
definitely
that
of them
two
no
can
change places without
When
two
alteringthe propertiesof the substance.
or
more
compounds are identical in their percentage
composition but differ in their properties,they are
isomeric
said to be
(" composed of equal parts ").
Mellor
Ammonium
gives the following example :
nitrate
and
hydroxylamine nitrite are two different
substances
with
the same
ultimate
composition, the
furnish
nitrous
molecular
both
same
weight, and
oxide
and
heated.
the similarity
There
when
water
almost
ends.
salts
The general propertiesof the two
in the

relative

same

"

are

so

that

very
the

different

that

constitution

there

of the

is little room

molecules

for doubt

must

be

quite

different."
But
alone

this

principledoes

it is foimd
Certain

forms

with

of

to

be

them

not

refer

true

of the

may

exist

to.

compounds

elements
in

two

selves.
themor

more

distinctly different
properties. Such
forms
said to be aUotropic. Carbon
furnishes
are
a
notable
example. There is the amorphous form such
is obtained
from
there
and
as
are
burning wood;
two
crystallineforms, graphite or black lead, and

ALCHEMY"

238
the

ITS

diamond.

different

than

diamond
And

Could

and

yet their ultimate

And

the

diamond

mass."
and

and

that

the

and

electric

swells up

well-known

same.

into

instances

are

of

out

arc,

like
coke-

oxygen

differingforms of phosphorus and

of sulphur, it would
case
seem
even

number

of

allotropicforms
the

in the

two

the

the

In

sulphur.

of the other

absolutelythe

are

heated

Other

ozone,

atoms

air, blackens

with

contact

blackness

opaque

"

ROMANCE

AND

anything be more
startlingly
liquid, glancing, transparent

the
the

SCIENCE

"

atoms

in

the

molecules

of

the

amorphous, plastic,crystalline
"

is

same

Now

these

facts

suggest wider

applications. May
it not
be possibleto modify simple bodies
which
are
physicallyalien (so to speak) in such fashion that one
Oxygen and sulphur might
may
pass into the other ?
fall into

such

mutual

have

the

same

atomic

alike

in

most

of

their

relations.

nickel

and

weights (within a fraction),are

properties, and

produce two
So, also, gold, platinum

of

parallelseries

Cobalt

compounds.
and
iridium
are
remarkably alike, and suggest that
fimdamental
matter
by the same
they are constituted
different

with
would

arrangements
be

of atoms.

outlook

The

altogetherhopeless. It must
be
granted, however, that such reciprocal genesis
have to be accomplished by some
would
operation of
order
than
in our
to
now
quite another
any
power
to

seem

not

execute.

Natural

The

Families

considerations

question on

grander

last
scale.

of

Elements.

adduced
All the

raise

known

larger

elements

OUTLOOK

THE
have
which

fitted

been

now

themselves

are

symmetrical
anomalies

series

of

by

close

miited

relations.

what

with

The

the

groups

and

almost

interference

of

outstanding

fact

is in accordance

Periodic

exceptions, which

the

family

classification

called

is

and

evidence

into

289

The

Law.

serious,

not

are

secondary perturbation
the general plan
not
yet discovered
; but
is clear, and
profoundly suggestive. It is even
of
definite enough to allow of predictingthe existence
unknown
elements, and
describing their chief properties.
Now

the

some

all this

in

is that

of

united
into
find atoms
gradated relationship. We
substances
of compound
with closelyrelated
groups
that the result is due to the
properties,and we know
in definite proportions.
building up of these atoms
And

when

that

see

we

the

fall into

themselves

atoms

possessing likewise closely related

pulsory,
properties,it is eminently reasonable, if not comthat
to
assume
they are built up of subThat
is to say, they are
decompo
not
atoms.
ultimate, innot
things, but composite ; they were
have
into
but
come
always what
they now
are,
The
inference
is
being by a constructive
process.
In the
obvious.
they
great laboratory of Nature
similar

groups,

be

made

discover

the

can

and

unmade

and

conditions

and
tmmake
they too can make
as
Soddy says,
difficultymay,
And
the
possibilityis there.
thrown
is
and

upon

second

the

old alchemist

nature,

compendiously

and

and
the

scientists

means

be
thus

The

prodigious; but
a
new
light is

dictum

nature

can

necessary,

elements.

the

imitateth

which

if

that

that

"

Vulcan

dexterously
worketh

by

240

ALCHEMY"

ambages
for

and

length
alchemy.

new

ROMANCE

AND

SCIENCE

ITS

of time."

is

There

goal

Radioactivity.

Even
the

at

were

close of last century,

claimingthat
in

opening

century in consequence

of the

The

by what

radium

is familiar to most

retold.

Nor

radical

need

modifications

doctrines

of matter

the

present
bodies.

radioactive

the

of us,

the

enormously

of

discovered

Curie
need

and
in

detail

the

scientific

into

the

which

conclusions

be

here

not

any

introduced

by

be

astoimding phenomena

consider

we

could

term,

years

Madame

and

tion,
transmuta-

was

case

called

are

M.

story of how

the

But

in
justified

be

of that

sense

known

was

of
possibility

rationallydefended.
strengthened in the
manifested

should

we

belief in the

modernised

to what

to limit ourselves

we

fact

of

radioactivity
compels. Let us simply try to grasp the
main
facts in so far as they bear on
our
specialsubject.
In the first place,let it be clear that chemists
have
not
given up their eighty elements ; they still rightly
hold to them
But
their working ultimates.
they
as
mental.
no
can
longer point to their science as being fundaFor
the

from
Certain
eyes,

The

of

atoms

cannot

in the process

of slow

familiar

most

"

element

pour
"

considered,

has

no

forth

is

no

is that

true

under

of

Its

Bacon, Advancement

atoms

into

of Learning, p.

very

radium, which

simpler
never-ceasing stream

down

our

disintegration.

element, then

meaning.

even

unchangeable.

spontaneous

instance

breaking
They

be

practicalstandpoint, to be
them
be actuallyseen,
can

(as Soddy says) if it

"

now

69.

the
are

word
tinuously
con-

substances.
of

energy

OUTLOOK

THE

241

and
its pace,
relaxes
quickens nor
able to
unaffected
are
by any agents we
is
And
since the composition of these atoms

which

neither

which

is

employ.
the
Between
is in process.
changing, transmutation
the last of the products there
and
originalradium
some
are
thirty transitional forms, each with its own
dejftnite characteristics
But

last for
to

us

this is not

all.

Radium

than

2000

years.

more

with

the

there

are

long time,
of

age
any

be

of

is

the

mere

earth.

these

atoms

atoms,

the average,

on

This, though relatively

nothing

comparison

is it, then,

How
in

in

existence

that
There

Scientists
is it ?
supply-source. What
in another
are
practicallyagreed that this is found
radioactive
Radium
itself is a
body, uranium.
! Other
product of transmutation
products of the
serial disintegrationare
inert gas,
and
helium, an
Without
further
(almost certainly)lead.
explication,
have
here
four recognised elements
therefore, we
not
uranium, radium, helium, lead" which
are
only
of groups
members
periodically related to each
connected
of
other, but
are
by a known
process
All this is strangely in agreement
transmutation.
must

"

"

the alchemists

what

with

prophesy what
not
physics may
to

after

us

This
the

mind

"

aimed

at.

Who

triumphs of structural
be won
by those who

shall venture

chemistry
are

to

or

come

question
of

is not

rhetorical

one,

occurring to

simply reflects on what others

have accomplished, and gives rein to his imagination.
he is a man
Professor
is
who
Soddy puts it. And
activity
distinguishedfor first-hand practicalstudy of radioand
for solid discovery. He
writes
thus:
one

who

ALCHEMY"

242
"

Let

the

consider

us

of

problem
of the

attempt
of

oimce

element

in the

and

energy

the

the

involved.

element

of the

On

light of persent knowledge

alchemist

heavy

oimce

other

ROMANCE

AND

transmutation,

that

coal, so

bought.

SCIENCE

like silver would

expenditure
of

ITS

like

gold

requirein
of

all

hand,

from

gold
if

an

lighter
probabilitythe

would
it

up

hundreds

some

of

build

To

the

what

see

of tons
be

were

dearly
possible

element
to disintegratean
with a heavier
artificially
than gold and produce gold from
atom
it, so great an
of energy
amoimt
would
probably be evolved that the
The
be of little account.
gold in comparison would
would
be far more
valuable than gold. Although
energy
of how
mutation,
transto set about
we
are
as
ignorant as ever
it cannot
that
the knowledge
be denied
recentlygained constitutes a very great help towards
its
a
understanding of the problem and
proper
ultimate
tude
accomplishment. We see clearlythe magnithe most
of the task and the unsufficiency
of even
at our
powerful of the means
disposal in a way not
before appreciated, and we
have npw
a clear perception
of the tremendous
issues at stake.
wards
Looking backhas already accomat the great things science
plished,
and at the steady growth in power
and fruitf ulof scientific method,
it can
ness
scarcelybe doubted
that one
and build
to break
down
day we shall come
in the laboratory as we
break
down
now
up elements
and build up compounds, and the pulses of the world
throb
of strength as
will then
with
source
a
new
from
at
we
immeasurably removed
present
any
control as they in turn
the natural
from
resources
are
of the human
savage." *
"

The

Interpretation of Radium,

pp.

237, 238.

OUTLOOK

THE

Elixir

The

an

not
.an

the

the

of

what

But

which

Elixir

in

outlook

in the

of

hope

give health

and

discoverincr

longevity,if

That

be dismissed
as
surely must
be acknowledged that
Well, it must
this regard is not
nearly so hopeful as

for

case

Life.

of

alchemist's

should

immortality
idle dream.

243

The

transmutation.

advances

made

healing art are wonderful, and have secured for

life. But there is little expectation
a longer average
like the
wholly new
discovering some
panacea

in the
us

of

^then

they

of

results

is not

disease.

the

causes

old

inherent

processes

in

If

they

of

that

the

forth

so

general

death

and

age

an

are

organism,

the
and

inevitable.

therefore

point of view
together the

another

But

linked

alchemists

and

Stone

give

authorities

death

to

trace

can

is that

opinion, however,

one

it is due

few

atrophy, sclerosis of the arteries,and

be forthcoming. The
the remedy may

disease"
"

if

right, and

not

that

contend

that

fate, but

inevitable

indeed,

are,

physicians who

among

are

There

Elixir.

famed

be

would
the

power

to
to

of the

ideas

other.

transmute,

of

The

and

taken.

The

the

sopher's
Philo-

held that to find

Elixir, and

the

find

be

may

so

Stone

would

would

put

men

possessionof virtues and influences exceeding those

this into
of normal
modem
experience. Translate
find a key to unlock
terminology. If scientists can
of the atom, they will be in possession of
the structure

in

supplies

boimdless
knows
found

that

but
"

the whole

the

in

of

of these

some

life-force

forms

new

"

which

upward impulse

of

of
forms

has

Who

energy.
there

rendered

organic evolution

may

be

possible
?

The

ALCHEMY"

244

ITS

speculationis
than

more

in it that

SCIENCE

ROMANCE

It must

daring one.
speculation.
a

is contrary

AND

And

claim

not

yet there

is

to

be

nothing

^nothing,even, that
of harmony
is out
with positive science.
And
thus
once
again we
acknowledge that Hermetic
may
which
philosophers had glimpses of possibilities
may
For
if the primal mysterious lifeyet be realised.
force can
be brought under
fail to be
control, it cannot
exploited for the healing of disease and the warding
off of decay.
to

reason

"

Conclusion.

The

long story
has

future

the
final

verdict

seize

on

its

to mercy,

of

not

he will temper

on

of

false

The

its

be

by

an

devotion
useless

The

simplicityin subject matter

of
the phenomena
studied
this fact be kept in mind,

Would

in the
issued

of

with

have
he

If not,

alchemist

rested

expression

should

art.

advantage

inclined

man

astrology?
astrologerissued

chemistry.

our

its follies and

his sentence

lore of the

be

into

will

If he

and

shall

of

case

lore of the

of astronomy.
science

glance

superficialjudge

errors,

What

fanatical

so

in the

thus
The

ventured.

will condenm.

wasted

decide

unfolded.

alchemy?
superstitionsand

regret that

been

been

been

on

He

frauds.

has

why

science
in the

comparative
the

men

who

the

Let
spangled heavens.
and a justerverdict will be
quences
errors
were
mostly the consepronoimced. The
of the extraordinarycomplexity and
subtlety
of chemical
a

actions, and

of adherence

to the

misleading philosophy.
and large-minded judge
A generous

the

follies,will thrust

aside

will

tenets

of

disregard

the. charlatans, to fix his

OUTLOOK

THE

attention

dijBScult times
thus

These

They

science;

with

catches

realised
and

devices

ingenious
which

basis

host

of

to

modest

work

who

have

of human

human

of

It is

be

must

that

by

assessed.

conjoining
of

insight

of

which

genuine

discoveries

and

Nature

into

of the

alchemists

aright

the

in

the

on

fail

blazed

the

apply

to the

words

of its most

in

more

meed

our

trail

through

Hermetic

that

of

the

ft

dose
Will

for

puts

also most

to my

tiemendous
a

time

breast

debt

sea

the

into

set
so

them.

to

those

who
Let

mouth

of
"

stoop

of oloud.

piercethe gloom."

END

lamp
soon

or

us

reference,

erring,professors

; I press God's
; its splendour,

THE

to

broader

itself,with

Browning

dark

It is but

to

us

low-lyii^jungle.

"HI
Into

our

gratitude

of

art

gifted,but

structive
con-

passed through and beyond

preconceived opinions, and have
mountain
slopes. But let
open

narrow

emerged

will enable

of

large perspective,and

amount

the

valleys of

and

sympathy

imagination

ourselves, indeed, have

the

who

possibilitiesonly to be
gained fuller knowledge

of

glimpses

dower

estimate

not

art

valuable
that

We

us

stock

development

with

historical
the

and

adequate equipment.

more

the

by workers

and

laboratory practice

for

dark

alchemists.

with

and

speculative thought
furnished

of the

value
credited

be

to

are

true

in

observed,
the

to

the

were

the

that

work

and

added

and

on

knowledge.

inquirers who

experimented

handed

their

nobler

those

on

245

late.

one

BY

PBINTBD

WILLIAM

CLOWXS

BONDOH

AND

AND

LIMfnCD,

SOUS*
BSCCLBS*

V
.