History of Chemistry. 353 



wunclten Chemie," of Licbig, PoggeudoriF and Wohler, 

 Braunschweig, 1857. 



If undue consideration appears to be given to the history 

 of alchemy as distinguished from chemistry proper, our 

 readers will bear in mind that the early literature of chem- 

 istry is almost wholly devoted to the hermetic art. Alchemy 

 is sometimes regarded as the dishonorable parent of a noble 

 offspring, and has been sarcastically defined as : "Ars sine 

 arte, cujus principium est mentiri, medium laborare, finis 

 mendicare ;"* an art without art, originating in falsehood 

 and proceeding through labor to beggary. We agree, rather, 

 with the British historian of chemistry, who remarks that 

 "Alchemy, or the art of making gold, furnishes too curious 

 a portion of the al)errations of the human intellect to be 

 passed over in silence," and Ave confess to a partialit}' for 

 the study of the vagaries of the gold-makers, and to finding 

 a fascination in tracking their mysterious footsteps. 



Finally, a word of apology with regard to the annotations. 

 In order to make the bibliography instructive and somewhat 

 more readable than such compilations usually are, we have 

 ventured to add brief remarks in connection with the less 

 known publications, giving some account of the author and 

 the nature of his work. In expressing an opinion with re- 

 gard to the merits of a work we disclaim any intention of 

 assuming the position of a standard in criticism, but we 

 believe that the opinion of an individual may be of some 

 value, even though the views taken are diametrically opposed 

 to the judgment of others. We have an honorable prec- 

 edent, moreover, in the " Bibliotheca Bibliograpliica " of 

 that learned bibliographer, Julius Petzholdt. 



The works which follow are arranged in chronolo2:ical 

 order. 



HoGHKLANDE, THEOBALD VAN. Historice aliquot transmutationis metallicoe 



2)ro defensione alchymice contra hortium rabiem. 8vo. Colonise, 1604. 



Schraieder remarks that Hoghelande was an important personage in the 



*HaiTi», iu Rees' Cyclopedia. 



