OEIG1N OF ALCHEMY. 299 



the philosopher's stone has not been found, 

 chemistry has derived rich accessions from its 

 search ; though ftie general solvent has not been 

 obtained, yet the diamond and the gems have 

 surrendered to science their adamantine strength ; 

 and though the elixir of life has never been 

 distilled, yet other medicines have soothed the 

 " ills which flesh is heir to," and prolonged in no 

 slight degree the average term of our existence. 



Thus far the pursuits of the alchemist were 

 honourable and useful ; but when his calling was 

 followed, as it soon was, by men prodigal of for- 

 tune and of character, science became an instru- 

 ment of crime ; secrets unattained were bartered 

 for the gold of the credulous and the ignorant, 

 and books innumerable were composed to teach 

 these pretented secrets to the world. An intel- 

 lectual reaction, however, soon took place ; and 

 those very princes who had sought to fill their 

 exhausted treasuries at the furnace of the chemist, 

 were the first to enact laws against the frauds 

 which they had encouraged, and to dispel the 

 illusions which had so long deceived their subjects. 



But even when the moral atmosphere of Europe 

 was thus disinfected, chemistry supplied the magi- 

 cian with his most lucrative wonders, and those 

 who could no longer delude the public with 

 dreams of wealth and longevity, now sought to 

 amuse and astonish them by the exhibition of 

 their skill. The narrow limits of this volume 

 will not permit me to give even a general view of 

 those extraordinary effects which this popular 

 science can display. I must therefore select from 

 its inexhaustible stores those topics which are 



