54 OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 



conjecture, and given to others a falfe interpre- 

 tation. 



iv. The State ofCbcmiflry wnwg the Greeks. ' 



THE Greeks, after they were inftrufted in the 

 ufe of letters by Cadmus, cultivated various fci- 

 ences; but, for a long time they paid no atten- 

 tion to Natural Philofophy, being more occupied 

 in fpeculation and debate, than in obfervation 

 and experiments. From hence fprung that va- 

 riety of fedls and philofophers, fome of \vhom 

 wandering about, difplayed their wifdom thro* 

 feveral cities, with a view to profit; others, how- 

 ever, influenced by nobler motives, had a fixed 

 abode, opened public academies, and taught 

 their doctrines freely and without reward. But 

 they were both led into a fubtlety of difquifi- 

 rion and argumentation, highly inimical to the 

 defign of difcovering phyfical truths. There- 

 fore, the priefl of the Egyptians of Sais fays : 

 " Oh Solon, Solon, ye Greeks will be always 

 " children: There is not one grey head among 

 " you, nor any ferious kind of inilitution *. 

 " They refemble boys in their loquacity and in- 

 ability to propagate: And, although wifdom 

 " falls from their tongue, their aclicns arc weak 

 "and puerile f." The words ofDiodorus are 

 remarkable : He fays, That " Orpheus, MuHeus, 



14 Melampus, 

 Plato in Timco. . 

 | Bacon. * 



