OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. S 3 



niccolum and iron, they compofc what is cal- 

 led white copper. 



It was not until long after the Romans had 

 iubjcclcd the Greeks and Egyptians to their 

 yoke, that they became acquainted with the 

 fcicncc of chcmidry, as we learn from the tefli- 

 inony of Jofeph Scaiiger. They made war their 

 <hief uudy, and cultivated thofe virtues only 

 that could fupport and improve it ; as fortitude 

 and courage. The other arts they Jcfpifed, 

 until Marccllus,' Scipio, Paulus /Emilius, Mum- 

 mius, and others, brought to Rome the mod 

 exquilitc pieces of workmanlhip from the con- 

 quered countries. But they remained Hill in- 

 tent upon arms, and the means of extending 

 their dominion; for, whenever they were in 

 want of excellent ftatucs, noble edifices, or fine 

 paintings, they always had rccourfc to the ta- 

 lents of the Greeks. 



Anllotlc, however mentions, that the Urn- 

 brians were in the practice of extracting a fait 

 from the a flics of reeds and bulrufhcs *. About 

 I he beginning of the Chriftian icra we can dif- 

 cover feme traces of chemical knowledge; which, 

 though fbmetimcs not cafily defined, may be a- 

 fcribcd to the Romans. Vitruvius clearly de- 

 fcribcs the reduction of gold into an amalgam: 

 He fays, " Cum in vcftc intcxturn efl aurum, 

 " caquc vcftis contiita proptcr vctuftatcrn ufum 

 F i M non 



* Mct.l.n. 0.3. 



