OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 71 



yet, withrefpcd to the theory of the elements, 

 he nearly entertained the fame opinion. He ef- 

 tablilhed three principles, Form, Privation, and 

 Matter, and four fpccies of cauies: the Materi- 

 al, from which ; the Formal, according to which ; 

 the Efficient, by which, and the Final, /or which, 

 all things were made. He maintained two ele- 

 ments, fimple and contrary, as Fire and Earth; 

 between which Water and Air held a middle 

 place. Pie denied the exiflencc of a vacuum. 

 He imagined that animals were produced by 

 putrefaction and natural heat ; and advanced 

 many other opinions, which were revered as ora- 

 cles for feveral ages f . 



As the particular theories of the Greeks were 

 fcldorn founded upon observation and experi- 

 ment, but were rather the monftrous concepti- 

 ons of prejudice and frivolous imagination; it 

 may appear to the reader that we have dwelt 

 fuflicicntly upon the ftate of chcmiftry as it 

 ilourifhed among them. We (hall therefore 

 proceed to give fomc account of this fcience, 

 rather more general and mifccllancous. 



v. Traces of Chemijlry difcovcrablc in varfous 

 Parts of tbc IVorld. , 



THOUGH from the want of proper monuments 

 and records among other nations, we fhall not 



4 be 



f Bruckeri Hid. Phil. Crit. 



