xo OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY, 



dioufly dcfcribcs the Helen embraces of Mars anc| 

 Venus, thcfe fkilful profelTors of the art arc 

 furc to dil cover fume chemical fccrct, fome com- 

 bination of copper and iron, painted in glowing 

 colours. When they menu to fignify the mule, 

 ing of gold, which they call the great work, 

 they fpeak of broken conjugal iakh: They had 

 perhaps erred leis, liad they thus inierpretcvl 

 conjugal fidelity unbroken. 



But we have dwelt fulliciently on thefe 

 things. It is however truly to be lamented, 

 ihat thofe who cultivate the ingenious arts, as 

 well as the ignorant vulgar, fhould plcafc them- 

 ielves with ridiculous opinions, which they af- 

 terwards venerate and defend, with us. much 

 'zeal as they would the interell of their country 

 and religion; fee-king cut arguments every 

 where, by which they may be fuppoited. For, 

 fuch is the force and obtlinacy of prejudices, 

 that whoever fuller themfelves to be led away 

 by them always maintain thofe very errors of 

 which they an* confdous, a practice moil un-t 

 worthy of, and prejudicial to ai; iiivefligator of 

 truth. He who delires truth tranu'llly, will a! , 

 ways feck it, with Horace : 4 ^ 



Si quid nwljli reflius ijllf^ 

 Candulus imperti. 



All that can be faul \vith certainty of the 

 origin of chemhlry, is refolved limply into 

 this, that the various arts depending upon it are 

 of the liif'lieit j;:.Ju|irity. Tlie ilriptuves call 



Tvibafcain, 



