LIFE, CARBON S OUTSTANDING PROPERTY 



55 



Fig. 27. Roger-Bacon, Alchemist-Monk 



Roger-Bacon, 1214-1292, a scholar and alchemist stands almost alone in 

 the 13th century as a prophet of the Renaissance not to come until two 

 centuries later. We see him in this picture working and meditating in a 

 primitive ancient laboratory. The patient labor of such men paved the 

 way for the magnificent development of modern chemistry. 



(From an etching by Howard Pyle.) 



In order to find out that the Philosopher's Stone did not exist everything 

 accessible to investigation had to be observed and studied. But herein 

 lies the influence of this idea bordering on magic : its power was broken only 

 after science had developed to a certain degree of perfection. Through 

 centuries, whenever doubts arose, whenever the workers wearied of their 

 labors, at the right time a mysterious stranger appeared who convinced 



