356 Outlines of a Bibliography of the 



troduction to a very remarkable work of one of the most distinguished 

 men of the time. (Boerhaave, boru 1668, died 1738.) 



Du Fresnoy, Lenglet. Histoire dc la Philosophie Hermetique. Accom- 

 pagne cVun Catalogue raisonne des Ecrivains de cette Science. Avec le 

 veritable Philalethe, revu sur les originaux. 3 vols. 12mo. Paris, 1742. 



The author of this exceedingly curious work was an Abbe of some dis- 

 tinction as a literateur. He was born in 1674, and died in 1755. While 

 apparently accepting the truth of the legends relating to the great an- 

 tiquity of alchemy, and narrating accounts of veritable transmutations 

 at considerable length, he at the same time exposes the frauds practised 

 by the adepts, and quotes entire the celebrated essay of Geoffroy: "Des 

 Supercheries concernant la Pierre Philosophale," which rang the death 

 knell of the Hermetic Art. 



The first volume of Du Fresnoy's work contains only historical matter, 

 concluding with a " Chronologic des plus celebres auteurs de la philoso- 

 phie hermetique." In this chronology, which begins with " Hermes, 

 1996 B. C," he includes Moses, Cleopatra and Caligula, adepts being 

 marked by an asterisk. The second volume continues the history, and 

 includes the "Introitus apertus ad occlusum regis palatium" of Philale- 

 thes, entire, both in French and in Latin. The third volume consists of 

 a compendious Bibliography of Chemistry embracing the works of a 

 thousand authors. 



Schroder, Fr. Jos. Wilh. Geschichte der dltesten Chemie und Philoso- 

 phie. 8vo. Marburg, 1775. 

 Schroder was Professor of Chemistry and Medioiue at the University 

 of Marburg. This work is written in defence of the " Higher Chemistry," 

 a term applied to alchemy by Wenzel, shortly before. 



WiEGLEB, J. C. Historisch-liritische Untersuchung der Alchemie oder der 

 eingebildeten Goldmacherlamst. 8vo. Weimar, 1777. 

 A severe criticism on the claims of hermetical philosophy. 



Bergman, Torbern. De primordiis Chemice. Upsala, 1779. 



Bergman, Torbern. Historiai chemioi medium seu obscurum cevum. Up- 

 sala, 1782. 

 Bergman, born 1735, died 1784, was Professor of Chemistry at the 

 University of Upsala. The above essays were presented to the Academy 

 of Sciences in Stockholm. 



Baumer, J. W. Bibliotheca Chemica. Giesseu. 8vo. 1782. 



Wiegleb, J. C. Geschichte des Wachsthums und der Erfindungen in der 

 neuern Zeit. 2 vols. 8vo. Berlin, 1790. 

 This covers the period from 1650 to 1790; the matter is chronologically 

 arranged. 



