• History of Akhyniy. 229 



SciiWAUTz, a German monk, and the date of 1320 annexed to 

 it, a date posterior to that which may be justly claimed for Friar 

 Bacon. Upon the authority, however, of an Arabic writer in 

 the Escurial collection referred to by Mr. Hallam, there seems 

 little reason to doubt that gunpowder was introduced through 

 the means of the Saracens, into Europe, before the middle of 

 the fifteenth century, though its use in engines of war was pro- 

 bably more like that of fireworks than artillery. Many autho- 

 rities might be adduced to prove the common use of gunpowder 

 early in the fourteenth century. Edwarb III. employed artil- 

 lery with memorable effect, at the battle of Cressy, and in the 

 fifteenth century hand-cannons and muskets came into use, 

 and gun -powder was in common employ. 



Albert of Cologne, surnamed the Great, was aeon- 

 temporary of Roger Bacon ; he is celebrated as the inventor 

 of the brazen head which was demolished by the pious zeal of 

 his pupil, the angelical Dr. Aquinas, in consequence of his 

 suspecting it to be an agent of the devil. 



Albertus Magnus was what in our days is termed an univer- 

 sal genius. He is chiefly celebrated as the commentator of Aris- 

 totle ; but, if we give credit to contemporary writers, he was 

 deeply skilled in all the higher departments of alchymical phi- 

 losophy. 



The names of Raymond Lully of Majorca, and Arnold 

 OF Villanova, occur in this page of the history of chemical 

 science. Their merit, like that of many modern writers, con- 

 sists rather in quantity than quality. Lully died on his pas- 

 sage from Africa in 1315, whither he had been to preach the 

 truths of the Gospel ; his body was carried to Majorca, where 

 he was honoured as a martyr. Brucker says, " he was more 

 ingenious than honest." I have not thought his chemical opi- 

 nions worth quotation or abstract. A specimen given in the 

 Biorjraphical Dictionary is ridiculous, from the transcriber having 

 turned over two leaves instead of one, and curious from the 

 narrative being quite as intelligible as if its thread had not been 

 thus interrupted. This I presume will suffice for Raymond 

 Lully. 



