OF THE ORIGIN OF CHEMISTRY. 91- 



pied with the means of avoiding perfonal dif- 

 trefs and torture, than anxious for the improve- 

 ment of the fcicnccs. 



Before the time, therefore, of Conftantine, 

 fcarcc any Chriftian had' bellowed a thought 

 upon chemiilry ; and after him, indeed, we find 

 very few, and thofe chiefly inclined to alche- 

 mirtry ; in the fingular fludy of which fo many 

 have fmcc loll both their time and labour. Some 

 general idea may be formed of the (late of che- 

 miftry in thofe days, from the confideration of 

 the fcvcral fubjecls of the art with which they 

 fecm to have had no acquaintance.' Except the 

 acetous, no trace can be difcovered of any other 

 acid. The mineral alkali was known to them 

 by the name of nitre : But of the vegetable al- 

 kali they knew little; and of the volatile they 

 were altogether ignorant. Of neutral falts they 

 had the marine and the ammoniac. Of earthy 

 falts they had native alum only : And of metal- 

 lic falts, copperas and native g reen vitriol. Cer- 

 tainly a very limited halurgy. 



Of earths they feem to have diflinguiflicd the 

 calcareous and argillaceous ; and of flcncs, a 

 very conilderable number. 



Of inflammable iimple fubflanccs, they were 

 acquainted with fulphur, cxpreflcd oils, and oils 

 ifa\\z& per defcenfum. But they knew no other 

 method of extracting ciFential oils than by the 

 means of the unduous. V/c find no account 

 whatever ot'fpirit of wine aud ether. 



Of 



