434 Symbola Aiirea Mensa, 6^c. [Dec. 



In the former, it is asserted, that there are for certain in Bohe- 

 mia some nobles of Hungarian origin who derive great riches 

 from the practice of alchemy. The mines of Chemnitz are 

 mentioned, and a tolerably accurate account given of the various 

 substances with which the gold of that district is naturally inter- 

 mixed, and of the method of extracting it. Maier notices the 

 care requisite in the roasting those ores which contain zinc, if 

 united to arsenic, or other volatile matters, lest a portion should 

 be lost in the operation. For his account of these matter, he is, 

 1 suspect, chiefly indebted to Ercker and Agricola. His philo- 

 sophical rationale of the processes is sufficiently confused and 

 incorrect. He subjoins some account of the revenues of the 

 Turkish Empire, which he allows to result more from the art of 

 using steel than that of making gold. The Sarmatian article is 

 made up by an allegorical description of his travels (chiefly 

 travels by the fireside) through the four quarters of the globe in 

 search of his Fhanix, His first reason for engaging in this 

 pursuit appears to have been the wish of ascertaining the re- 

 puted medical virtues of the Elixir. He ends with a prayer, some 

 indifferent Latin poetry, and two of the hymns ascribed to 

 Hermes Trismegistus. 



The rank which Maier held in his own profession, the learn- 

 ing which he unquestionably possessed, and the tenour of the 

 religious and moral sentiments which are occasionally inter- 

 spersed throughout his works, forbid us, I think, to stigmatize 

 him at once as a mere imposter, like the Cagliostros and Dou- 

 sterswivels of modern history or fiction. He makes no boast of 

 his own alchemical qualifications, nor does he (any where in 

 this work) assert himself to have made gold, or seen it made by 

 others. He firmly believed (I think), that the cause of alchemy 

 was defensible both by sound argument and direct evidence ; 

 and it would be unfair to censure him too severely for not 

 exacting, two centuries ago, the species of proof which we are 

 accustomed to demand in matters of criticism and of natural 

 philosophy. It is well known that hundreds both in his own 

 day, and for the whole at least of the 17th century, participated 

 in the same delusion. That delusion doubtless arose out of the 

 imperfect state of chemical knowledge, and was as doubtless 

 occasionally fostered by the arts of interested pretenders ; but it 

 is not difficult to perceive some at least of the causes which 

 obtained for it the credence of persons destitute neither of talent 

 nor good intentions. The powerful and singular effects of mer- 

 curial and antimonial medicines were well calculated to suggest 

 or countenance the possible existence of a Panacea. The 

 altered characters which metals assume in the state of alloys, 

 and the obscure forms in which they exist naturally, as ores, 

 rendered their transmutation less incredible. The cause too 

 which contributed largely to the deception may be collected 

 from what has been more than once noticed in the present 



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