OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 7 



or whether they arc actually beneficial to the 

 purpofcs of a ftatc, do ftill intitlc it to the fame 

 degree of cftimation. But, ncvc^hclcfs, there 

 arc not wanting many cultivators of fcicnce who, 

 nut content with this Inure of commendation, 

 feck in the dull of antiquity fcr traces of invert* 

 tjons they conceive to have been meritorious, 



dr to have been more amply difcufied. And 



I am forced to acknowledge, that many among 

 ihc earlier chcmifts cfpccially, have attended 

 too much to tins fludy, labouring to reduce to 

 their favourite iyftem the fublimcil arts almoft 

 coeval with our own globe. In this view anci- 

 ent monuments are ranfackcd, and diligent fearch 

 i' every where made for the vefligcsof their bc- 

 Joved a^e ; and if, in the tcilimonics they arc 

 able to produce, any thing fhould be deficient, 

 they are at no lofs to fupply the vacancy with 



reaibning and conjecture. Let us attend a 



little to thcfc patrons of fucli high nntiquity. 

 Surely they apprehend, that from this enquiry 

 into the character and hillory of mankind, it 

 \vill appear, that the firft intimations of arts and 

 fciences were received partly by divine, and 

 partly by diabolic infpiration. The lioly writ- 

 ings make mention of fevcrol interviews with 

 God and angels ; nay, even in cxprcfs words, it 

 i? faid, that Hezalcel, the fon of Uri, was endu- 

 ed with the fpirit of the Lord, and with /kill to 

 *-ork in gold, (ilver, brafs, marble, in precious 



A 4 ft ones, 



