122 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [aPR. 18, 



(II King? ix, 30), a custom still prevailing in the East. The art 

 of dyeing fabrics in brilliant hues is among the most ancient of 

 the chemical arts (II Chron. ii, 7). The luxury of the Israelitish 

 women is well described by Isaiah in chapter iii, 18-23. 



The ancients were acquainted with alum, salts of iron, and cop- 

 per and alkaline carbonates, and used them in mordanting. They 

 also knew brilliant pigments whose durability is unsurpassed. 

 Besides these chemical bodies, the ancients used sulphur, borax, sal- 

 ammoniac, and saltpetre; but the word "niter" in the English 

 Bible is not saltpetre ; it is a translation of natron, which is carbon- 

 ate of soda. 



Lve is mentioned by Jeremiah (ii, 22), and soap by Malachi 

 (iii/2). 



Gases as such were hardly recognized by the ancients ; the Bible, 

 however, contains one peculiar reference to carbonic acid gas. 

 Solomon wrote : " As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, 

 and as vinegar upon niter, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy 

 heart." (Proverbs xxv, 20.) This refers to the effervescence of 

 carbonate of soda when acted upon b}^ the acid of vinegar. 



In the apocryphal work of an Alexandrine Jew, called the Wisdom 

 of Solomon, a remarkable passage occurs which seems to fore- 

 shadow the fundamental laws of chemistry: — 



" TtdvTo. /tffp9 xai aptOn^ xai araOfi^ 6tiTo|as." (Chapter xi, 20.) 



"Thou hast ordered all things in measure and number and 

 weight." 



Two centuries succeeding the birth of Christ saw man}" illustrious 

 men, Pliny, Dioscorides, Plutarch, Ptolemy, Galen ; but the suc- 

 ceeding six centuries were unfruitful in scientific research, owing 

 to the intellectual degradation accompanying the anarchy which pre- 

 vailed in the political world. Chemistry became the " sacred art" 

 or occult science, and was largely devoted to attempts at the arti- 

 ficial manufacture of precious metals, and the futile search for the 

 Philosopher's Stone. 



At the close of the paper the meeting adjourned. 



April 18th, 1892. 

 Stated Meeting. 



Prof. D. S. Martin in the chair. One hundred and fifty per- 

 sons present. 



The minutes of April 11th were read and approved. 



Dr. a. a. Julien, of Columbia College, delivered the seventh 

 lecture of the Public Course on — 



