10 ESSAYS BIOGRAPHICAL AND CHEMICAL 



black scales. These principles were later increased to 

 five, by the addition of ' phlegm ' and of ' earth.' Fanci- 

 ful analogies were drawn between the Divine Trinity of 

 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the human Body, Soul, 

 and Spirit, and the three principles above-named. At- 

 tempts were incessantly made to draw inspiration from 

 such impossible fancies. Thus the volatilisation of mer- 

 cury, or ' Spirit ' as it was sometimes called, was deemed 

 analogous to the ascension of Christ! In fact, there is 

 no limit to the absurdity and folly of the endeavours of 

 the alchemists. Let us hear a list of their processes, as 

 told by Sir George Ripley, who lived and wrote in 1471. 



c The fyrst Chapter shalbe of naturall Calcination ; 

 The second of Dyssolution secret and phylosophycall ; 

 The third of our Elemental Separation ; 

 The fourth of Conjunction matrymonyall ; 

 The fifth of Putrefaction then folio we shall ; 

 Of Congelatyon, albyfycative shall be the Syxt, 

 Then of Cybation the seaventh shall follow next. 

 The secret of our Sublymation the eyght shall show ; 

 The nynth shall be of Fermentation ; 

 The tenth of our Exaltation I trow ; 

 The eleventh of our mervelose Multyplycatyon ; 

 The twelfth of Projectyon, then Recapytulatyon ; 

 And so thys treatise shall take an end, 

 By the help of God, as I entend.' 



These chapters are wearisome and rambling ; and it is 

 impossible to gain a single clear idea from their perusal. 

 Indeed it was part of the creed of the alchemists that 

 their secrets were too precious to be revealed to the baser 

 sort of men. 



1 The Philosophers were y-sworne eche one 

 That they shulde discover it unto none, 

 He in no boke it write in no manere 

 For unto Christ it is so lefe and deare : 



