6i OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 



In this place may be remarked the invention 

 ulfo of CtiHinicus the architect, \vlio, when he 

 had fled from Heliopolis in Egypt toConflantino- 

 ple, difcovered the marine Jire, (*?***') whic !i 

 they call Greek like wife; and burnt during win- 

 ter tlie lleet of the Saracens at 'Cyzicus *. This 

 lire, when thrown into the water, acquires great- 

 er force, flies about violently in all directions, 

 confumirig every thing in its way that is the 

 lead combuftible. Conftantinus Pogonatus, 

 who was then on the throne, and his fuccelTbrs, 

 ufed it with advantage iri their wars with the 

 Saracens. It was reckoned one of their valua- 

 ble fccrets; and as fuch has been faithfully kept, 

 for we are not in the lealt acquainted with its 

 competition.' 



Among the writers on chemiftry I fliall not 

 reckon Orpheus f, Homer, or Pindar, and feverul 

 others of the fame kind; as no one has demon- 

 ftrated, that the fable of the golden apples of 

 Hcfperis, of the Hydra conquered by Hercules, 

 of the Phounix rifmg from its own allies, of the 



golden 



* Ccdrcnus. 



f Orpheus is the reputed author of the Argonautic hymns, 

 and a Hngular book, entitled /" *$*, which treats of the 

 fccrct nature of (lones, and explains their viitues in the offer- 

 ing of facrificcs, and rendering the gods propitious. The 

 Hones mentioned in this book are nearly the following: 



