Greek Fire of the Middle Ages. 5 



nicated it or not, appears to me as capable of proof as can be 

 expected under similar circumstances. When Gibbon says 

 that the Mahometans borrowed the invention from the Chris- 

 tians during the wars of the crusades, he forgets that the 

 Arabians learned their chemistry from the Egyptians, by whom 

 that art was practised three hundred years at least before the 

 time of Mahomet. That they also borrowed from a still more 

 distant oriental source, appears equally certain. 



But to return to the supposed invention of Callinicus: naphtha 

 is said to have been one of the chief ingredients in this compo- 

 sition. This substance is well known to be very common in 

 many parts of the ancient Persian kingdom and in India ; near 

 the Caspian sea it occurs over an extensive tract of country. 

 It arises out of the ground in the form of vapour or otherwise, 

 in such abundance as to be commonly used for domestic 

 purposes ; it was also an object of religious attention to 

 the worshippers of fire. It is noticed, among other au- 

 thors, by Judas Maccabseus, or rather by the compiler of 

 that history. 



Now it is much more probable, that a burning compound in 

 which this was an ingredient, should have been invented where 

 the substance abounded, than where it was unknown. The 

 latter is barely possible, but far from likely; and if it can be 

 proved, that the use of inflammable compositions in war or 

 otherwise, was known to the eastern nations before the time 

 of Callinicus, his claim to this invention falls to the ground. 



The Arabian claims of a more modern date are already ex- 

 cluded; nor can these people, at any former period, have a 

 title to the discovery, if it can be shewn that its source lies 

 further to the eastward. There seems little reason to doubt 

 that all the Arabian learning, as well as their algebra, had its 

 origin in India ; the parent it is probable of Egypt itself, and 

 the great ancient source of all art and science. 



The true nature of this composition, or rather of these inven- 

 tions, (for it will be seen that there are more than one,) will be 

 examined hereafter. In the mean time it is necessary to remark, 

 that the same effects have been attributed to different contri- 



