it OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 



he would fearch for thefe properties in other 

 bodies, anddifcovered them in iron and copper, 

 h alfo very probable. 



The 



and Its property of heating and deflroying bodies, from volca- 

 nic eruption*, and from ll;c effects of lightning. Jt will be 

 cafily f.ppofcd, that, on iu fir/I difcovery, fire would be at- 

 tentively and anxioufly prticrvtd, and that cure would be b-! 

 Jlov.'td to nourifh it, in proportion as its great utility became 

 known. Hence, it ii beyond all doubt, that the office of fup 

 porting it a. given, a* an honourable re.vard, ty thole, illul- 

 trious men who Iu4 ckfcivcd well of the Hale. The authority 

 of religion loo became attached to it, and the fuperilitious 

 vcnvration of perpetual firCicithcrwoifliipped in the name of ihr 

 Deity, or coniVcratcd to the godj ; ui.lil, by degrees, it was 

 ciilcovcrcc 1 , that firfc could be excited at will j with which, 

 howvver, few only wcic l fiift *c<jaaii)tcd, and which fceir.y 

 to have been confidcred by them as a fccret. We read of 

 Abel's ofTcrin^ to God, winch niufl nrcci&rily h:ive been con- 

 funicd bynrc,unlcf) he made his facriHccs in Ionic other manner. 



I am ckurly of opinion that the fcparation of metals by 

 lire was difcovcrcd by acciiK nt. But t'lis powerful clcmcut 

 vas fa fjr from being known to the whole human race, that, 

 we are told by Pliny, the Egyptians in Africa, before the 

 rrign of Ftulcmy JLathuvu.,, wcic entirely ignorant of its uf*. 

 Nay, we are certain, that, three hundred years ago, the in- 

 liabitants of the ifiands between AHa and America were c- 

 oually unacquainted with it. 



I do not appn.heml thue would !>e any dlfliculty in okfcrv. 

 jfg, that Hones rubbed ngninil rach other produced fparki of 

 f.ro. Theattil.cc ol Pninictiieiif, fo celebrated in the fongj of 

 poets, appear.** to have been nothing tl/e than tire produced in 

 tlr!s rniuncr fiuro ftoiJK**, rxct-pt that lie fall flu- wed how it 

 iJiovjld he nouriflicd. To this* applies tie account of Pliny : 

 ' : i'yrodis the- fon of Cilex fn ft obtained fire from ^lints 



