78 OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 



repel the hand of any pcrfou applied to his 

 head. Theie uncommon circumflances were 

 confidcred as prefages of future \vifdom *. Be- 

 fides, we are told, that he lived twenty years 

 in defarts upon checfe, and was of fuch a con- 

 ftitution as not to be feniible of old age f ; and 

 that he had compofcd two millions of vcrfes. 

 He is the reputed author of many writings on 

 aftrology, pbylics, magic, chcmiilry, and po- 

 litics J. 



It was an ancient cuftom among the PerHans, 

 to diilinguifli metals by the names of the planets. 

 AndCelfus, in his writings againft Origen, men- 

 tions fomc Pcriian ceremonies which eftablifli 

 this account. In the following words he defcribcs 

 the heathen wor/hip of Mithni under thofe figns: 

 " Eft in eo duarum cceli revolutionum fignifica- 

 44 tio, turn ejus, qua Itellcu fixae fcruntur, turn 

 " ejus, qua planets, et animne per cas tranfitus 

 <l tale Symbolum: fcala eft in altum aliis fuper 

 '* alias portis furrecla ufque ad fummum oclava^ 

 44 portrc forniccm; prima portarum plumbea eft, 

 44 fccunda ftanea, tcrtia ahcnca, ferrea quarta, 

 44 quinta mixti nomifmatis, fexta argentea, iep- 

 44 tima aurea. Primam faciunt Suturni, plum- 

 14 bo notantes tarditatcm ejus fideri?, fccundam 

 * 4 Jovis, comparantcs ei ftanni fplendorem et 



44 mollitiem, 



* L. vii. c. 1 6: 



j- L ii. c. 42. 



J Htilbronnrr, HJf 1 , M,rK. ^ 



