44? On Phyfiognomy. 



concerning the philofopher's Hone, or powder of projeftion 

 which was to turn all bafe metals into the noble ones, and 

 concerning the grand elixir, or univerfal medicine* which 

 was to procure a perpetuity of life, did not fucceed. The 

 more likely theory which mult account for the fafts related 

 is, that in many inftances they deceived themfelves, and 

 that fome of them wilfully deceived others. Of all the 

 branches of natural philofophy there is none fo engaging 

 as chemiftry. The vaft extent of the fcience, the variety of 

 unexpected phenomena it produces and explains, the 

 number of ufes it poffefTes, and the fuperior llock of real 

 knowledge it affords to thofe who cultivate it, are circum- 

 llances that would operate ftill more firongly in the infancy 

 of the fcience, than even at the prefent day. Nor is it at 

 all furprizing that appearances fo wonderful approximating 

 fo nearly to an abfolute creation of one fubftance out of 

 another, as the revivification of an ore, a calx, or a folu- 

 tion, into the brilliancy of a perfect metal, fhould induce 

 the votaries of the fcience to extend their hopes very far 

 beyond the fcanty limits of their adtual knowledge. As 

 Kepler remarked of allrologyf that it was the foolirti 

 daughter of a wife mother, fo alfo may it be faid of 

 alchemy. To the vain fciences, however, of aftrology and 

 alchemy, are we indebted for the prefent advanced ftate of 

 aftronomy and chemiltry. 



Roufiea-u fomewhere remarks that a true philofopher has 

 frequent occalion to fay J'ignore, but very feldom ventures 

 to pronounce c''ejl ImpoJfibU. This remark in my opinion will 



• The grand elixir or univerfal medicine, among the earlier alchemifts 

 fecms to have been no more tTian a figurative expretTion for the philofo- 

 phei's ftone, becaufe this latter cured all the (metallic) difeafes of the 

 imperfeft metals, and purified them into the perfeft and indeftruflible 

 metal gold. About the time of the origin of the RoCcrufian fraternity, 

 and after the writings of Van Helmont, it appears to have been confidered 

 literjtlly as a mediiiine, 



t Prifat. ad Tabul, Rudolphin, p. 4. 



apply 



