ON 



THE PHOSPHOEESCENCE 



OF NATURAL OBJECTS. 



P t 



INTRODUCTION. 



ABOUT the latter end of the sixteenth century 

 there lived in a narrow, winding street of the old 

 town of Bologna, a certain cobbler, Vincenzo Cas- 

 cariolo,* who devoted much of his time to al- 

 chemy. Some say that he even quitted his trade, 

 and applied himself exclusively to chemical la- 

 bours, but I am inclined to doubt the fact. How- 

 ever cheap living might then have been in Italy, 

 alchemy would indeed have formed a bad substi- 

 tute for the last in many respects. In spite of 

 this, Signer Vincenzo was so bent upon making 

 gold, that his little workshop contained nearly all 

 the mysterious chemical apparatus of the day. 

 Phials, retorts, and crucibles found room among 

 awls, lasts, and leather ; and Vincenzo Cascariolo, 

 * Some write his name Casciarolo. 





