BEKTHELOT 159 



historical chemistry : Les Origines de VAlchimie (1885) ; 

 Collection des Alchimistes Grecs, in three volumes 

 (1887-88); Introduction a la Chimie des Anciens et du 

 Moyen Age (1889); and La Chimie au Moyen Age, in 

 three volumes (1893): the first is an " essai sur la 

 transmission de la science antique " ; the second on 

 " 1'alchimie syriaque " ; and the third volume is on 

 " 1'alchimie arabe." These historical works are of the 

 most learned kind, necessitating laborious researches in 

 the libraries of Leyden, London, and Paris. Manuscripts 

 in the Bibliotheque Nationale, that of St Mark at 

 Venice, the palseographs of the tenth century, the 

 alchemical papyri of Leyden of the third century, the 

 ancient philosophies of Syria, Arabia, Greece, and those 

 of the Middle Ages, were all utilized by Berth elot in 

 writing the works mentioned above. 



Concerning these books the Socie'te' Alchimique de 

 France addressed him, at his jubilee, in the following 

 words : 



La Socie'te' Alchimique de France adresse a 1'occasion de son glorieux 

 Jubile', a Monsieur Marcellin Berthelot, 1'hommage de sa respectueuse 

 et profonde admiration. 



Elle s'incline devant le ge"nie de Berthelot, qui a re'ellement constitu^ 

 la Chimie Synth^tique et qui e*crit ce volume immortal : " Les Origines 

 de 1'Alchimie." 



The Society was founded for the purpose of investigating 

 the researches, doings and sayings of the old alchemists. 



