THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 541 



sieur Roupel of " a small phial of Aurum potabile, with a letter 

 showing the way of administering it and the stupendous cures it 

 had done at Paris." But the bottle was empty when Evelyn re- 

 ceived it, the potable gold having by some accident all run out. 

 A drop of liquid gold was regarded as a sovereign remedy for 

 every disease in France in the seventeenth century, as we may 

 learn from Moliere's Physician in Spite of Himself, and was called 

 the universal heal-all. 



In June, 1705, Evelyn speaks of going to see Dr. Dickinson, 

 the famous chemist, and having a conversation with him about 

 the philosopher's elixir, which the doctor believed attainable, 

 having seen projection himself by "one Mundanus, who some- 

 times came among the adepts, but was unknown as to his country 

 and abode." 



Ashmole, of museum fame, though rather a theoretical than 

 practical alchemist, also had faith in potable gold as well as in 

 other superstitions. He writes in his diary, April 11, 1668: "I 

 took early in the morning a good dose of the elixir, and hung 

 three spiders about my neck, and they drove my ague away." 

 He says that the alchemist, if he would succeed, must carry on 

 his labors in secret, and not let any one know of his undertak- 

 ings but his good angel and himself. Sir W. Petty told Pepys 

 that he had left in his will sums of money to be given as prizes to 

 persons who should make certain inventions, among others " to 

 him that could invent proper characters to express to another 

 the mixture of relishes and tastes. And says that to him that 

 invents gold he gives nothing for the philosopher's stone; for 

 (says he) they that find out that will be able to pay themselves ! " 



The Fellows of the Royal Society were much interested in 

 anatomy, and sometimes witnessed dissections of men or animals. 

 Pepys writes, July 3, 1668 : " To an alehouse ; met Mr. Pierce, the 

 surgeon, and Dr. Clerke, Waldron, Turberville, my physician for 

 the eyes, and Lowre to dissect severall eyes of sheep and oxen, 

 with greate pleasure and to my greate information. But strange 

 that this Turberville should be so greate a man, and yet to this 

 day had seen no eyes dissected, or but once, but desired Dr. Lowre 

 to give him the opportunity to see him dissect some." Turber- 

 ville was a celebrated oculist, and was recommended to Pepys by 

 that illustrious philosopher, Mr. Boyle. 



The Royal Society were in the habit of inviting distinguished 

 foreigners who visited London to attend their meetings. Evelyn 

 writes, August 30, 1680 : " I went to visite a French gentleman, 

 one Monsieur Chardine, who, having ben thrice in the East In- 

 dies, Persia, and other remote countries, came hither in our re- 

 turne ships from those parts, and it being reported that he was a 

 very curious and knowing man, I was desir'd by the R. Society 



