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AlchemyItsScienceandRomance 10000108
AlchemyItsScienceandRomance 10000108
AlchemyItsScienceandRomance 10000108
IT S SC IENC E A ND R O M A NC E
BY THE
R IG HT R EV .
J
. E . M ER C E R ,
D D
. .
WI TH F0 U R
'
ILL US TR A TIOA S
LO N DO N
SO C IE TY FO R P R O M O T IN G
C H R IS T IA N K N O WL E D G E
N O R THU M BE R LA N D A V E NU E W C
, . .
NEW YO R K : THE M AC M I LL AN C O .
192 1
PR EFA CE
9 0 18 5
iv PRE FACE
J EDWARD MERCER
. .
February 8 , 19 20 .
CONTENTS
PR E FAC E
INTR O D U CTION
Wh a t —
Alc hem y a im ed a t Alc hemy co m pa red wit h m ag ic an d
a st ro l
og y— c l —
Psy o og ica laspec ts Ro man
h c e —D ivisio n o f t he
sub jec t
P A RT I
GE NE RAL HI STOR Y
C H APTE R I
M YT H AND E AR L Y H IS TOR Y
M yt hic al —Herm es
acco un t s Trism eg ist us— The idea o f t ran s
m u t a t ion — E a rly re eren ce s —The Papyri o f L e yden —The
f
f —
m ystical acto r Spread o f t he a r t
CH AP TER II
The test im o n y o f wo ds
r— — —
D ocum en t s Geber Spread of Ara b ian
Alc hem y
vi C ONTE NTS
C H AP TE R III
M E D IE V AL AL CHE MY
PAOR
Gerb ert —Al e rt us M a g n us—Aq uin as— R o g er Bacon —R aym on d
b
Lully—U n ive rsaldifiusion —M ediaevalcrit icism —Persecut ion 31
C H AP TE R IV
C
D E ADE NC E
Medical —
Alc hem y Pa rac elsus— Successors of Parac elsus—The
R o sic ruc ian s —Ch ief cause o f deca den ce
C H AP TE R V
— —
R ober t Bo yle Alc hem y at Ox fo rd Crit cs
i — D r —
P r ice Sem le r .
Th e en d o f Alc hem y
PAR T II
THE I DEA OF TR ANSM U TATI ON
C H APTE R I
m en t s— I f
m pe r ec t a n a lysis — Two r eceipt s f o r m a kin g g o ld
—Prec ip1t a t e s—Appealt o histo ry
C H APTE R II
C H AP TER III
AL CH E M Y AND N S A IM I M
PAGE
M et als g ro w— M et als a n d a n ima l bir t h —D yin g an d revivin g of
ea ls— M et als ha ve bo dy an d so ul — In t roduc t ion of m o ra l
!s eas
C HAPTE R IV
M AGI C AND A TR O L OG Y
S
E a rly m e ta llurg y a n d m ag ic— At t it ude o f t he C hurc h— Alc hem ist
m ag ic a n d philo so phy— Ast ro lo g y a n d a lc h e m y— Th e m e tals
a n d t he pl an e t s— Sig n s a n d sym o l b
s— M ag ic o rm ul as— a ry f V
in g st r en g t h o f m ag ic al elem en t An a n im a t ed st a t ue
— Pa llia t io n
PAR T III
THE OBJE CTS OF THE QU E ST
C H APTER I
C H APTE R II
CHAPTE R III
PAR T IV
ALCHE MY AND SCI E NC E
C H APTE R I
C
D IFFI U L TIE S N P
O F I TE R R E TATION
C H APTE R II
Map pm avicul
cl a —
G ld— Sil
o ver — E lec t rum
Copper Bron z e ,
B r a ss, Aurich alcum —M erc ury—M ercury an d sulph ur — Ti n
—
L e ad— Iro n an d m ag n esia Ot h er materials
CH APTE R III
THE S
LA B ORATOR IE
In t rusion o f feelin g -
Apparat us —Processes—Ben Jo n son s list ’
C HAPTE R IV
C H APTER V
CH AP TER VI
THE O U TL O OK
The e m en t s
el a re n ot —Iso merism an d allotropism
ult ima t es
— Na t ura l fam ili s o f elem en t s— Radioac t ivit y—The elixi o f
e r
—
fe Co n clusion
li
A LC HE M Y — IT S SC IE N C E
A ND RO M A NC E
I N TRO D U CTI ON
p h il o sopher an
, d f o r the scie nt ist hi m sel f I t n u m
. be r ed
WHA T AL C HE M Y AIM E D AT .
1
ii KEC
5 E H
EES
Y é ITSSC I E N CE AND ROMAN CE
r
-
—
b a SeT £5 51?A ch e m
- ' '
? B fi al iS
RISE Tz t s a im e d a t f a r
f
' ' '
iE
'
.
Ii O -
M T he la tte r
'
tOn é a nd ,
O f a m a st e r po w
— —
by a n a tur a l
d v
ThEF iVOn df dh s
'
A dva ncemen t f
o L earn in g , B k . I
.
4 —
AL CHE MY ITS S C IE N CE AND RO MA NC E
of t he Philo s o phe r s Sto n e an d it thus ga in ed an
’
,
R O M A N CE .
—
it s p ic t ur esq ue accesso ie s it s presi din g sag es a n d
r
i n exha ustible .
a s f ollows .
g e n e r a l cour se W
. e wil l begi n the n with
, a sketch ,
n
8 —
AL C HE MY ITS SC I ENCE AND R OMANC E
s a ges Of a bygon e da y .
PA R T I
GE N E R A L HI STO R Y
CHA PTE R I
M YTH A N D E A R L Y HISTO R Y
11
12 —
AL C HE MY ITS S C IE N CE AND ROMANCE
Lo n g let du F sn ey bo rn 16 74 re , .
14 —
AL CHEMY ITS S C IEN CE A ND ROMAN CE
“
this ancient met allurg y ga ve a starting po int f o r -
p an im , espe c ia l
ly pp 3 1 f
. f .
16 —
AL C HE MY ITS S C IE N CE A ND RO MA NCE
E A R LY RE FE R E NCE S .
o f f a ct a llusion s t o an a ccepted be l
-
ie f in the possibility
o f tr a n smuta tio n .
—
century ) Ma n ilius He w ro te a p o em e ntitled
.
1
'
I v it e v i t S C a iu m i i m idi im u m u i u m
n e r
pec p r n c p e a v ss a r , q a o
b rem j ussit exc oq uI m ag n um a uripig m en t i n dus, e t pl an e f ec it
a urum e x ce l lens, sed it a pa rv i po n deris, ut et rim en t um sen t ire t
( B k. xx iii , c h iv ) . .
MYTH A ND EARLY HI S TORY 19
THE PA PY R I OF LE Y D E N .
o f pl a nts
. Here is a he a din g which di spla ys a singula r
c o mbina tion o f m a gic a n d gold c ra f t -
Ho w t o .
y ,
THE TE STIM O NY or WO R D S .
23 o
24 AL C HE MY ITS
— S CIE N CE A ND RO MAN CE
me a n ing to grind .
a no the r son Ha m , o r Ch a m t he c a se is by n o me a n s
, ,
still some a utho rities who thin k tha t Pluta rch was
o n the right t ra ck An d strongly in his f a vou r is t he
.
”
na me but wa s known a s the s a cred a rt
,
t he,
”
Hermetic a rt , the divine science , an d othe r
designa tions o f a like kind ma ny o f which were
,
c ame t o the f ro nt .
20 —
AL CHE MY ITS SC I ENC E AND RO MANC E
D OC UME NTS .
circle.
GE B E R .
n o t ma ke it l A n eedless w a rn ing l
THE S PR E AD or A R A B I A N AL CHE M Y .
They believe tha t the Philo so pher s Stone was rea lly ’
c at ed — go ld wo uld b e ma de a s ea sily a s gl a ss is
m a de f o r thei r u n c ha nging b a z a a rs .
C HA PTER III
M E D IE V A L A L C HE M Y
, ,
—
it p ra ctised it a n d wro te a bout it such na mes a s
R a ymon d Lully Roger B a con Albe rtus Ma gnus
, , ,
GE R B E R T A ND M ICHAE L S CO TT .
trea ti se D e S ecre
,tis He did much to b r in g t
. he a r t
into no tice but a pp a re ntly in do ubt f ul g uise Fo r
,. .
”
p o we rs There t o o he expe r imente d in a lc he my
.
, , .
AL B E R TUS MA GN US .
a n d b e ca me Bisho p o f R a ti sb o n Af ter th re e ye a rs .
,
AQ UINAS .
is t o sa y he kn ows there is f ra ud b ut he a ls o
, ,
( Pt. ii 2 q
, u lxxvii a rt, He he.re ha s i n mi n
, d .
Micha el Scott .
v R O GE R BA C O N ( 1 2 1 4
te rm ge nera tion
, which brings in the a nimistic
element so cha ra cte ristic o f a lc hemica l doctrine f rom
fi r st to la st The considera tion O f it is postpo ned t o
.
RA YM O ND L UL L Y ( 1235
Less p rominent on the science ro ll O f h o no ur but ,
See p 208 . .
36 AL CHE MY ITS
— S C IE N CE AND R O MAN CE
I: u
c o n ve rt i un a vice in aurum ad L m ll
lia pon do urg en t i V iv i,
38 —
ALCHEMY ITS SC IENCE AND RO MAN CE
Anyt hing less like t he description o f a n experiment
in a modern ma nua l o f chemistry it would be ha rd to
conceive l Figuie r rema rks tha t Arno ld himself seem
to ha ve n o high estima te o f t he va lue o f this expo si
tion Fo r when the pupil excla ims
. Ma ster I do , ,
”
not un dersta nd t he ma ster p rom ises to be more
,
U NIVERSA L DIFFUSIO N .
—
him 25 million fiorin s a thing quite possible th o ugh ,
-
b y a specia l inspira tion One a dept thus a ddre sses
.
D
40 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMA NCE
s uf ficient ly deta ched t o become critics o f the a rt .
—
One lin e Of c ritici sm was theo logical alluded t o as ,
Y eoma n s Ta l
’
e We find it in Dante From the
.
”
science . Aga in , Na tu ra l gold and silver a re not
”
the sa me as a rtificia l gold a n d silve r Theref ore etc .
, .
PERSE C UTI O N .
b y Fig c himic, p 8 7
L Al
’
Q uo t ed uie r , . .
42 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANCE
seve re pun ishme nts o r perished by untow a r d f a tes
, .
f
f
'
‘
f I o n ce kn ew ho w t o fix m ercury and n o w I a m
,
”
myself fixed . Some were invited t o c o urts a n d ,
—
W one H and m e n Of c a re f ul s ob er th oug ht
'
T ,
sif ted out the true f rom the f a lse m ade it the sta rtin g ,
i -
,
~
f urt h e r a nd f urt h e r a wa y f ro m t he wo rld O f f a cts
'
it s cla ims .
43
44 ALCHEMY— ITS SC IENC E A ND ROMANC E
scie nce Ste a dy lights we re coming into view which
.
ME D I C A L AL C HEM Y .
e n d o f t wo ye a rs he wa s e je c te d o n a cha rge o f q ua ck
ery . He led a lif e o f unbridled intempera nce beca me ,
pove rty .
”
a p ro digio us ge n ius The En cyclopaedia B ritan n ica
.
—
A z o th wa s simply la uda n um m um o n e O f his most
n o ta ble disco verie s It is possible n a y p roba ble
.
, , ,
”
h im their no bl e a n d bel o ved mona rch the German
,
”
Arts . And his epita ph records o f him tha t he wa s
g ene r o us t o the p o o
. r F r om a nother source we find
t ha t he Of ten dispensed medicines a n d ga ve pe rsona l
a tte n d a n ce f re e o f cha rge t o tho se who could n o t a ff o r d
t o pa y him .
—
unspa ring in his dia tribes his l a ngua ge is unrestra ined
i n its vigo ur And a ltho ugh we m a y be repelled
.
lif e
. Perha ps in this c ase a lso Pa racelsus was a
p rophet !
At a n y ra te Paracelsus c ho se t he nobler Side Of
a lchemy — medicine It was also t he more dif fic ult
. .
gen ius How tra gica lly his powers were wa sted l
.
1
'
N ovum Org a non , 2u d o o k B Of A pho rism , viii.
xl
DECADE NCE 51
—
m en digests e a ts drinks a ssimila tes rejects
, , , Or , .
r e f orms
. Nevertheless they were brea king up the
c a ke o f custo m a n d tra dition In this stra ngely .
THE R O SI CR UC IANS .
o f t he Middle Ages
— in cubi succubi demons a n d
, , ,
s hort , s a ys he
’
its p resence na tu ra lly cha nges
,
’
every pla ce in to a kind o f hea ven Af ter he ha d .
t Iie j nib l
u é Of na tu a
r la n d m o r a l ide a s — Or in m or e
’
NO 5 7 4 , Ju ly 3ot h , 17 14
. .
56 —
AL CHEMY ITS SC IENCE AND ROMANCE
—
men a s Ashm ole a n d Newton but only by wa y o f
s o ber experiment Indeed it is even yet to b e
.
,
c hil —
d a li ving bond but an independent existence
, .
57
58 AL CHEMY— ITS SC IENCE A ND ROMANCE
The essen tia l dif f erence between the Old a n d the new
m a y b e c onveniently p a rallele d by tha t between
Pa ra celsus the repre senta tive o f the mystical develop
,
R OBERT B O YL E ( 16 26
Pa ra celsus died a bout 1 5 40 Robert Bo yle was .
p a rent an d child .
TRANSITION TO SCIE NCE 59
AL C HE M Y Ar
'
OXFORD .
wa s do o med .
DR . PR I CE .
”
S cientifica lly a lchemy c a me t o a n e n d with t he
,
—
These p retexts were o f no a va il the Society wa s
i n sistent gra nted him time but dem an ded a te st
, , .
p resence .
S EM LE R .
—
ha ve f o ste red wa s discredited l a ughe d o ut o f cour t .
THE E ND OF AL C HEM Y .
d e ca y .
to .
w
’
Q —uite other a s the
“
a lch emist s a ssumptio n
'
.
He held that all the dif ie ren t kin ds o f sub sta nces ar e
- '
”
fluid so_ t o say and_p_a ss n a tura lly f rom o n e f orm
, ,
A WO RLD OF CHANGE .
’
THE ALCR EMIST S AIM .
e nf orce it g athe red as they were f rom str iking cha nges
,
am
"
hi fl d h h u if
'
n t
'
pe t e t a t l s C a n g e t é a t re o f e
an d a le
In g __ it re a lly become that to which it
wa s ma de l ike According to this school o f o pera to rs
.
,
c o lours o o —
f the t w precious meta l s Xa nthosis o r ,
a n d inevita ble .
"
f
L et us look into the ma tter a little more closely .
perf ect the dye the sma ller the a moun t o f tra nsmuta
,
—
the a ction o f chemica l a gents or o f fire t he tra ns
mutation s were only pa rtia l Whereas in the c a se o f
.
per m e a ch ch a nge
—
must be a re a l t ran sm u
FIXE D E L E M E NTS .
—
thro ughout fixit y o f con dition s n o t growth , .
— —
He nce a dist in c t ion they drew b etween na tura l
-
c e f t aiI
' '
imita ted but did not a ttain t o perf ect likeness And .
s imil a r
. A n d the a pplica tion is c l o ser tha n might a t
first sight a ppe a r ; f o r the a lchem ists be lie ved tha t
go ld and s ilve r themselves were a lloys a n d could , .
IM PERFE CT ANALYSI S .
"
-
o f their ma t e ria ls .
Given in f ull, p 18 . .
S U GGESTIO NS FR OM NATU RAL PROCESSES 81
Two RE C EI PTS FO R MA K I N G G O LD .
—
this context t wo rece ipts f o r ma kin g gold one brie f ,
PRE C I PITATE S .
W 5 tha t the a t o ms
" “
li
t é m a s a t ra n sm u t a t iO Ii E E .
?
of c
g pp er I
II the s a lt a re dis p l a ced b y atoms o f
i ron they sa id tha t s o mething wa s chang ed int o
c oppe r .
”
Q u o t e d b y B ert he lo t L es O rig i
,n a s d c lA l
c him i
le p 7 5
’
, . .
84 —
AL CHEM Y ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANCE
‘
un dersta nd them I Wh a t re a lly ha ppens in such a
f am iliar ca se as t wo a toms O f hydrogen un itin g with
o n e o f oxygen t o f orm a molecule o f wa te r 5? A re
‘
c onj unction o f t wo diff erent substances I We a re
stil l groping .
A PPEAL To HI STO R Y .
ba ses .
A P A SSAGE FR M O PSE LL U S
.
86
PH ILOSOPHY OF TRANSMU TATIO N 87
G
88 ALCHEMY— ITS SCIE NCE A ND ROMANCE
moreove r to get down
, to —
the caus es o f things its
philosophica l temper And there is the ref erence
.
—
m a tter is the mak ing o f gold t ransmuta tion .
s pe c ific bodily o r ma te r i a l
, p a rt f rom the ,
specula tion .
Tn E ME RC URY O F THE Pn IL o so r n E R s .
”
o f the Philosophers It wa s reached in this wa y
. .
is
— '
S ULPHUR .
r —
fi e is a substan ce e xcessive ly a tte nu a te d in deed , ,
i t nt
s s e It ma de it s la st ap pe a ra n ce In the f a mo us
.
p rin c ip l e I t i
.s so in tim a tely combi n ed with them
tha t it ca nn ot be seen u ntil it is esca ping That which .
m in us its phlogiston .
—
litha rge a yellow substa n ce ; if hea ted f ur t her it ,
f
a te r — o o d Or ch ar c Oar t iI Ta
‘
ine in a s c ie ntific
dress Sub stit ut e sfl plmP f o r phl o gisto n a n d the
.
..
-
,
“
a y su cm
” u h -
T HE O R Y A ND P RA CTICE .
he is TO b bing t he Orig in al s ub st an ce Of a n y
.
’
'
a t when he
n
f roz e the wa ter he ha d ro bbed it o f a q ua lit y t ha t
fl
—
ma de it a liquid Tw
,
O f f t hefl sg f r o m o f diria ry me r c u ry
,
r eason .
CHAPTER III
A LC HE M Y A ND A N M SMI I
NO THER r ange o f ideas , ki n t o but less strictly
a ,
tha t i norga nic substa nces more part icul a rly the
,
wa ys they woul d b y
'
p er f ect _In
_
et a l g o
, ld,whe ce ome metals
The ex planat ioh advanced was singul ar The f o rma .
"
p ariso n is a t lea st as o l
d a s the time o f Geber This .
in cTud es t h e m ErTiag
'
of
'
an d c On é ept s
’
e, Co n c ept lo n ,
“ “
f ollowed upTIInt il
it lost itself in the mystical a b sur
dit ies o f the latest phases o f the art Some did n ot .
be initiat ed .
”
This occurs only by putr e f a ction .
METALS HA VE B OD Y A ND SOUL .
—
i ncumbra nc e a cl o g o n the a ctivities o f his tru e
na tur e It had ther ef o r e t o be subdued a n d mo r t ified
.
”
matter o f its qualities i n o rder to dra w o ut its soul .
—
distinctio n body s o ul a n d spirit Spirit was con
, , .
”
the a ction o f some spiritua l f orce i nta ng ible , ,
p oison O
. r i n the ca se o f such a d rug as alcohol it ,
—
gases terms o f distinctly moral connota tion though , ,
it was here a ls o Con sider the eff ect o n the a lchem ist
.
a n d a t t rlB
'
light By a n
. i nevita ble a ssocia tio n o f ideas
the experiment is i nterpr eted as a Chan g Ff t I b ad
' '
f a nta stic .
da y .
Th is an d se v e ra l o t he r e x a m pl
es an d q uo t a t io n s in t h is
c h a pt e r a re t a k en f ro m Muir
’
s Sto ry f
o A lchem y .
1 14 AL CHEMY— ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANCE
their Telchi nes reputed the first wo rkers in metals
, .
’
Ge nesis with its tree o f knowledge it s d emoniac
, ,
to such unf avo ura ble judg ments was increased by the
a ttitude an d beha viou r o f ma ny o f the a depts them
AL C HE MIST MA G IC A ND PH IL O SO PH Y .
ASTROL OG Y AND AL C HE M Y .
, , ,
—
ma in purpo rt is pla in a p o ndero us a ttempt to give
f ull er deta il to the Ara bi a n doctri n e .
a ccept ed
120 —
ALCHEMY ITS SC IENCE AND ROMANCE
The b odies lo ! hem heer m oo n ;
seven eke ,
d is,
801 g o l ve r we t hripe ,
an d Lun a sil
Ma rs yre n , Mercury q uik silve r we clips ,-
,
”
bro nz e A co ndensed a cco unt f ro m a tre a tise e ntitl ed
.
,
Ist hm ia nO des , IV , 1 3 -
.
1
'
E lec t rum was o rig in a l
ly an lo y
al of g ol
d an d silver . See
p.18 2.
’
o n a potter s wheel t he mysterious oval f r om which
The liquid parts o f the Egg are the rust o f copper the ,
”
Attic ochre Cilician saf ra n , Thus did ima gina .
—
neither beginning n o r end imita ting as they ma i n ,
-
the sta rry sky which surrounds the pla nets t he ,
See p 17 8
. .
124 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANCE
In a Gr eek ma nuscript which is very a ncient we
fi nd the f ormul a of the Scorpion the La byrin th o f ,
d e cr ea se i n number as t he a rt devel o ps Mi c ha l .
Se e p 8 6 . .
1 26 ALCHEMY— ITS SCIENCE AND R OMANC E
n o mor e hea r d o f
.
l belief in ma gic a s
n o t a ble to thr o w o v e rb o a rd a l ,
PA LL IA TIO N .
‘
on this co unt in def en ce “o f the a lchemists 1 I n
a n sweri ng the question we must confine o urselves
,
r ema i n s
.
—
thing the me a n s used by conjurers to a muse a n d
mystif y And yet ev en i n o ur enlighten ed Western
.
,
128 —
AL CHEMY ITS SCIENCE A ND ROMANCE
—
tion o f the unca nny a n d the occult reta i n s an d tha t ,
—
WA NTED A T RA NSM UTIN G AGE NT .
131
13 2 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANCE
vivif y them and cha nge them into the perf ect meta l
, ,
g o ld .
”
t he philosophica l egg used o f the f urna ce in which
,
the o pin ion that there were rea lly two diff erent ki nds
of —
the a ge nt the Gra nd Ma g ist ry a n d the Little
Ma g ist ry the f o rmer being n eeded f o r the productio n
o f g o ld the l a tte r only c a p a ble o f e nn o bli ng a meta l
,
THE S TO NE .
_ w qw - m
—
was a pplied to a n y substa nc e p o wder liquid s o lid , ,
D E SC R IPTIO NS OF THE S TO NE .
Helvetius - “
gives it the c o l o ur o f sulphur I n sho rt the descrip .
,
1
'
L a p is ist e h a e tbin se o m n e s co l
o res E st e n im al us, ru e n s,
”
. b b
ru b ic un d issim us , c it r mus , c it r issim us , c el est in us , viridi s Q uo t e d .
f
b y Fig uie r , r o m who m m ost o f t he a o v e re eren ces are de rived b f .
138 ALCHEMY ITS SC IENC E AND R OMANCE
—
a re n e r .
THE PHILOSOPHER S STO NE ’
—
the world t he spirit constituting t he ultima te reality
o f al l substa nces a n d existen ces in na ture includin g ,
—
scr ibed as o f sovereign effica cy ta ken interior!y the ,
mea n s the man will live a lwa ys in perf ect hea lth t o
the end o f the da ys that Go d Sha ll ha ve gran ted him ,
”
a s the philosopher s ha ve written .
, ,
p o m orp h is in g emoti o n a
, l a n d mystic a l S pi r,it i n which
the a lchemist pr osecuted his res ea rches Na tur e f o r .
,
o ur b a lm o ur hon ey o ur o il m a y d ew mo ther -
, , , ,
y T rin ity
Stone
’
an d osop her
the P hil s
a ble t o un d ergo a l
ltests ; but it dies f or its imperf ect
a n d sick brethren ; a n d soon rising glorious it , ,
THE G RA ND S E C RET .
giving it a na me o r a t a n y ra te ha ve given it a na me
,
! v lled
S U M M A RY O P THE C HIEF C HA RA CTERS O F THE STO N E u
—
in strument f o r eff ecting tra nsmuta tio n the Sto n e
le d to a n exte n sion o f its a re a o f a ction I t ca me to .
could bring men into to uch with the soul o f the world ,
THE S E C RE T E LIXI R .
152
154 —
AL CHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANC E
con demn a tion s we must make gen erous a llowance
,
REJUV ENA TI O N .
f r om the A l
chem ists M e rcu ry l
, o quitu r Th e y will
c a lcin e yo u a grave ma tron a s it might be the mother
,
e lusion or
, how f a r he e ncoura ged it we do n o t ,
m a y ta ke the f o rm o f a n a rborescence We m a y .
m
f
I ha v e t a k en t he t wo st o ries ro m M ac k a y s E xtraordina ry
’
a r D el
P o pu l us ion s, in w ich t he l h
ives o f t he c ie alchemist s a re h f
rac il
y ’t o l
d .
'
1 L A l
chim ie, p 6 6 . .
15 8 —
ALCHEMY ITS SC IENCE AND ROMANC E
c rucible in which la rge iron na ils had been f used b ut
t he n a il s ha d be e n p a rtly ma d e o f gold a n d the com ,
—
t he c re dulity on which they impos e pe culia rly so
whe n the lure o f ga in puts a n edge o n the cunn ing o f
the o ne a n d blunts wha t little o f ca lme r judgme n t
,
this rega rd .
D YER A ND KE LL EY .
t he A rc hbi shop sa id
, I do assure your g race tha t that ,
e a n d afl er it was set a l
crucibl , e up on the fire a n d
ittl ,
a very sma l
lquant ity o f t he m ed ic ine p ut in a n d stirr ed
with a stick of wood, it ca me f orth in g reat p rop ortion
p f
er ect g old , t o the tou c h , to th e ha m m er , t o t he tes t .
Gr ace s ta b l
’
eWhat say you D r B rowne s a ith t he
.
, .
f or me Why (
. s a ith the Bishop ) wha t hat h he sa id ,
ieved it ew
b el cep t he ha d seen it ; a n d n o more wil
lI
a d ep ts
.
16 2 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMANCE
—
Bern d was the son o f a wea lthy m an a f a ct ,
ar
—
c rown s o n his resea rches All in va in t he secret .
eluded him .
he to iled f o r t wo ye a rs mo re an d ca lled in t he a id o f,
m a rks 1
The fia sco proved t oo much even f o r Berna rd s ’
f air t o t he alchemists .
17 0 —
AL CHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMA NCE
—
they ha d no thing to tell the y neve r possessed it ;
it did n o t e xi st Their position was truly a dif ficult
.
‘
one ! How did they meet it P It wa s not t o b e
expected tha t they would a vow their ignorance an d
the ir f a ilure An d so they invented a ll mann e r o f
.
the honest a lchemists were rea lly convin ced tha t even ,
E XA M PL ES OF O BSC URITY .
p a b l
e . Ag a in let t ha t w hich is below become th a t which
is a bove ; let t he invisible b e come visible a n d t he ,
p a rtia l .
t hin g s t ak e 2, 3, an d 3, 1 ; 1 t o 3 is 4 ; 3, 2 an d 1 .
Between 4 an d
there is 1 ; 3 f rom 4 is 1 ; then
3
1 a n d 1 3 an d 4 ; 1 f r om 3 is 2
, Betwee n 2 a n d 3 .
2 2 a n d 1 1 an d 1 to 2
, , Then 1 is 1 I ha ve told
, . .
”
No t so long ag o we should ha ve c a lled it phl o giston .
”
If we sa y The house is o n fire we mean it is in
, ,
ho t
, they did n ot simply mea n the sta tes o f sof tne ss ,
o ut o f a clot h .
”
This has been tried and is true
, Suf fic ien t ly c o m
.
dif f erent opera tion s bef ore the fina l p roduct is Obtain ed
-
some o f them ta king da ys t o comple te an d one o f ,
”
them to be ca rried out in the sha de not in su nlig ht , .
17s
THE MATERIAL S 17 9
See p 8 1 . .
1 80 —
ALC HE MY ITS SC I ENCE AND ROM ANCE
specia l note is t he hydro static ba la nc e f o r an a lysing
—
alloys o f gold an d silver the problem which Hiero
solved There a re dir ection s f o r soldering met a ls by
.
ha s a plac e !
It is imp o s sible owing t o the excessively mixed
,
G OLD .
—
it is only the moon a f ter all n ot the glorious sun
,
tha t as Shakespea re ha s it
, ,
Pla ys t he alchymist
r to go ld which on ly yiel d s t o
, the r oya l
wa ter . In a lchemic la ngua ge it ha s progresse d ,
E LE CTRUM .
a re of this
lloy o f gold a n d silve r It is p ro b a bl e
a .
Jupiter being the pla net a sso cia ted with it —a ff o rding
See p. 120.
18 4 —
AL CHEMY ITS SCIE NCE AN D ROMAN CE
C O PPER .
o f a lloys .
e liest na m es was
a r livin g silver — o ur quick
”
silve r . It wa s n o t ca lled mercury until the Middle
Ag es when it ha d beco me the Hermetic sub sta nce
,
p a r excellence It s liquidity
. an d t he,e xtre me mobilit y
which makes it seem a live alwa ys produced a pro
,
n o r a ( meta llic
) s ubst a nce It c a nnot be ta med
. f o r ,
wetting things vol a tile yet n ega tiving the vola tility
,
“
a n d not a substa nce but an inta ngible Essence a
,
MERCU R Y AN D S ULPHUR .
r ed hot i ron
-
pene tra te the meta l like a spir it a n d
, ,
a bility ,
—
ductility f usibility in sho rt the meta llic
, ,
TIN .
See p 9 4
. .
190 —
ALCHEMY ITS SC IE NC E AND ROMANC E
OTHE R MA TERIA L S .
If n o t met a ls wh a t n e xt
, The sa lts were give n
a ch a n ce e sp e cia lly se a sa lt We re me mber ho w
,
-
.
—
wa s i n gre a t r equisitio n th e n vitrio l Still the grea t .
See p 16 3. .
THE MATERIALS 19 1
wa s f o und wanting .
r elia nce on —
their colour rhuba rb honesty an d , ,
r e o o f —
Ston e in a lity the s ul the world sp iritus mun di 9 .
so
, tho se substa nces which a re most exposed t o the
a cti o n o f the air would be likely to a bsorb m o st o f
the mystic
Sol vunt ur ta bul
a: risu Well m a y Surley in Be n
. ,
h
Y o ur b ro t s, yo ur m e nst r ues, a n d m at eria ls,
Of l e
y ’ an d egg s e-
l
ls,hwo m e n 8 t e rm s, m
’
an s b l
oo d ,
’
sugge sts a pra yer which will keep the ad ept in a p rope r
f ra me o f mind Our Fa ther which a rt in hea ven ,
wit h a h a tchet .
THE LABORATORIES 19 5
o r velvet
g arment s O f ten sh o w ing
, thei r ring s on their
fing ers o r wea rin g swords a t their sides with silve r
,
and nig hts a t their f urna ces They d o not sp end their .
APPA RA TUS .
F is co m e o ve r t he helm t oo ,
I t hank my Ma ker, in S Ma ry s b at h ,
’
.
An d shows l
a c virg in is Blessed b e hea ven
.
—
PRO CE SSE S BE N JO N SO N ’
S LIST .
( t o F A CE ) A n d w he
. n co m es v ivifica t io n f
Face Af t e r m o rt ificat ion
. .
( to FA CE ) An d w ha t s y.o ur m e rcury 1
’
An d n ot a st o n e a spirit , a so ul, a n d a b o dy
h h
W ic if yo u do dissolve , it is disso lved
g
If yo u coa ulat e , it is coa ula t e d ; g
If yo u ma ke it t o fl y , it fl
iet h.
‘‘
cm
”
T in f
, o r exa mple w as thus r obbed o f its
,
le a d
of its f usibility The r es ul t o f the
. p r ocess was in ,
, ,
p r oce ss
al
leysr c onl _
b“e r r oduced a n d multiplie d b
d ep h
‘ y dev elo
a
p m “
in g
Fem me which we l
ia Ve n ot t hea rd t he la st
'
ye .
—
the p ring ip les o“r virtues de si red In t he finial p ro duct
“ h M
.
'
The word is p rob a bly o f Arab ic o rig iiI ; an d T he
I l l- l. .
'
S o lut ve
term with a n equa lly specia lised mea nin g is Pro jection ,
—
”
h o wever t the f e T
- '
o ,
p r ing U II R h a t ’ Y
p o wde r of _p j
ro e ct.
io n T )? hhé T h fl OSO p he r s,
’
See p 18 1,
THE LAB ORATOR IES 201
p re
-
a lchemist t ra ditio n .
—
p o rtion necessa ry this me rcury I sa y dissolves the , ,
”
g old with o ut viole n ce a
, n d reduce s it t o a t o ms At .
it into gold .
”
lif e
. L e t us n o w r eview the m o r e imp o rt a nt o f
the se g oo d and f ruitf ul inventions a n d experim en
A dva n cemen t f
o L ea rn in g , B k i
. .
ADVANCES AN D D I SCOVERI ES 205
A pa ssa ge f rom the Ara bia n tre a tise The L ittle B ook ,
, ,
There is .
p arallels .
weight which the ma gnetic stone bef ore lif ted But .
f o re gone
c o nclusion Fo r the scie ntist a n experime nt
.
,
R OGER BA C O N .
rea lise the importa nce o f the distin ction just dra wn .
—
t hink o f the time s in which he live d a record which ,
‘
And ho w was it attained l By the defin it e a doptio n
o f the expe r imental method The suc cess it is true
.
, ,
A RI STO TL E .
c a n be tra ced d own i nto the eightee nth cen tury But.
‘
wa s the a ppea l t o the rea l Aristotle l So f a r wa s this
f rom being the c ase tha t it wa s more of ten than not
t o teachin gs q uite Opposed to those which he ha d
promulga ted Dia lecticia ns ha d robbed his a rguments
.
2 10 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMA NC E
of their living f o rce o r twisted them to a lien is sues
, .
susta ined the flick erin g s o f the scie ntific spirit which
,
A RAB IA N D I SC O VERIE S .
h d
’
seeke r s f o r the Philosophe r s Stone a mo r e o r less
a ccidenta lly ha pped wo uld be tedious But an .
”
It was a dministered a s po ta ble gold In thi s view .
conside ra ble .
MED IE VA L DI SC O VERIE S .
,
—
was ste a dy if slow a dvance simil a r we ma y f a irly
, ,
mor e a bunda nt .
—
Ro ger B a con we ha ve considered a bove his pre
p a ring the wa y f o r the discovery o f gunp o wder a n d ,
”
His pupil Aquina s employed the term a ma lga m
, , ,
”
spir it o f wine , the art o f distilling which would
seem to ha ve the n been but rece ntly lea rnt He .
Elixir o f Lif e .
”
c o mplete trea tise o n sa lts with pa rticula r trea t
,
a cid ( a s n o w) f r o m se a s a lt o r o il o f
-
vit rio l He .
CLA SSIFI CA TI O N .
”
na tura l system Wha t ca n a lchemy sa y f o r its e lf
.
i n this r egard
It ha s b e en f reely gra nted th a t the He rme tic a rt
AD VANCES A ND DISCOVER IES 217
I, o l
d m a n th a t I a m who h a ve bee n occupied
, with
c hemistry f o r sixty ye a rs ha ve never yet been a ble
,
”
substa nces The groun d o f distinctio n is evidently
.
—
to t he a ction of hea t fire is ta ken to be the p rinc iple
218 —
ALCHEMY ITS S CIENCE AND ROMANCE
of lif e The re sult is c rud e but f ull o f promise The
. , .
—
but the inten tion is pl a in t o group un der c ompre
hen siv e hea ds a va riety o f substances which ha d
a ttra cted a ttention by sp ecia l qualities o r a ctivities .
R O
T A N SITI N TO M O D ERN C HEM ISTRY
ERE is a pa s sage f ro m Zosimus the oldest o f
,
”
congra tula ted myse lf o n ha ving divined rightly .
220
TRANS ITION TO MODERN CHEMISTRY 2 21
the bir th .
the change s .
histo rica l ima gina tion sh o uld ena ble the p roud o r
cy n ica l modern to re a lise that t o be a n a lchem ist
wa s n o t necessa rily t o be a f ool .
See p 58 . .
224 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE AND ROMAN CE
of atoms which he regard ed as sma ll par t icle s o f
,
direction .
, ,
2 26 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE A ND ROMA NCE
his ccurate observa tion s o n this sa me g a s an d a lso
a ,
J O SE PH PRIESTL EY ( 17 33
A still more revolutio na ry success wa s sc o re d by
the f a mo u s Jo seph Prie stle y The title o f his chie f
.
'
a sse rts tha t he was the first t o esta blish tha t the a ir
”
was utterly at a loss how t o account f o r it .
TRAN SITION TO MOD ERN CHEMISTR Y 227
L A V O ISIER ( —
17 4 3 1 7
g a s
, an d thereby inc r e a ses it s weight by the a mou n t
it ta kes up .
distille d wa ter in herme tica lly sea led gla ss ves sels
230 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIENCE A ND ROMANCE
nature . Thus if iro n b e melted we speak o f it a s
molte n iron ; if it be hea ted un til it is in t he
gaseous f orm we should ca ll it va porised iron o r
, ,
ir on throug hout .
a n d la stin g victory .
”
p re sent de vel o pment . This most brillia nt o f
m odern disc o ve rers delibera tely ran ges himself o n the
side o f t he tra n smuta tio n ists Ha s a n ything since
.
e ver f o rm it m a
y ultim a t e ly a ssum e it is e v e n n o w , a
y e t f o rth c omi n g Wh
. e th a m w r it e s Som e y e a r s
a g o the c o n st a n cy o f the ch e mic a l el e me nts wa s in t he ,
t he ph en ome na o f ra di o a ctivity ha ve f o rc e d us t o
be lieve tha t true tra nsmuta tion s o f ma tter
”
o ccu r .
1: Rec e n t scie n ce the n is f,ar f r om bei
, n g
in imica l to the hope tha t the elements m a y be re duced
to some simple r kind o r kinds o f substa n ce An d
, , .
T M att er a n d E n erg y p
, 14 3. .
“ c m
1 R e en t D e veZOp en t of P hy s ica l Scien ce p.3 6 .
2 36 —
ALCHEMY ITS SCIE NCE AND ROMAN CE
t he s a me
No w the se f a cts suggest wide r a pplica tio n s Ma y .
p e r t ie s.
ul t um th t th y a re built up o f sub
p so ry o
, a ss e a e
RA D I O A CT IVITY .
THE m m OF LIFE .
—
in it tha t is contra ry t o rea son nothing even tha t , ,
C O NCL USI O N .
a misleadin g philosophy .