16 BLACK 



subject superficially may possibly be deceived in their 

 own judgment upon it, " the consequence of which has 

 been," he adds, "that owing to the prejudices enter- 

 tained against the nature and reach of the science, it 

 becomes a matter of no small difficulty or slight con- 

 troversy to say clearly and precisely what chemistry is. 

 Some make no distinction between the chemist and 

 the quack who seeks after the philosopher's stone 

 (souffleur) ; others think any one a chemist who has 

 a still for preparing perfumes or colours. Many con- 

 sider the compounding of drugs as containing the 

 whole of the art. Even men of science know scarcely 

 any thing about the chemists." " What natural phi- 

 losopher," he asks, " so much as ever names Becker or 

 Stahl ? Whereas those who, having other scientific 

 illustrations, as John Bernouilli and Boerhaave, have 

 written chemical works, or rather works on chemical 

 subjects, are very differently thought of; so that the for- 

 mer's work on ' Fermentation,' ana the latter's on ' Fire,' 

 are known, cited, and praised, while the far greater 

 views of Stahl on the same subjects only exist for a few 

 chemists." He then goes on to cite other proofs of the 

 low estimate formed of the science, and even the pre- 

 vailing impression of chemists being mere workmen ; 

 and concludes, that " the revolution which should raise 

 chemistry to the rank it merits, and place it on a 

 level with natural philosophy, can only be accom- 

 plished by a great, an enthusiastic, and a bold genius." 

 While waiting for the advent of this new Paracelsus, 

 he says, it must be his task to present chemistry 

 in a light which may show it worthy the notice of 

 philosophers, and capable of becoming something in 

 their hands. 



If we go back to an earlier period, we shall find 

 that Lord Bacon, although he quite clearly perceived 

 that chemistry might one day be advanced to the rank 

 of a science (De Dig. et Aug. iii.), yet always treats the 

 chemistry of his day as merely empirical (Nov. Org. 



