DURING THE MIDDLE AGE. ipt 



ever, at this rage for writing is greatly increaf- 

 cd, when they tell us, that the art of making 

 gold is beyond the reach of human capacity, and 

 that it is made known by God to thofc only 

 whom he favours, and whom they call Adepts. 

 They aflert alfo, that dire misfortunes will a- 

 light upon his head, who, poflcfling this know- 

 ledge, ihall in any way communicate it to o- 

 thcrs. 



During almoft the whole of this dark period, 

 the art of printing was unknown ; and hence we 

 may imagine the labour bellowed upon tranf- 

 cribing all their books. Great, however, as it 

 was, the number brought forth was not affected 

 by it: For which we cannot othcrwifc account, 

 than by fuppofmg them to have produced an a- 

 dequate gain to the authors. They feldom put 

 their own names to their writings, but ufcd o- 

 thcrs, anticnt or feigned, to obtain perhaps a 

 credit they Could not of themfelves have ac- 

 quired. 



In the mean time the number of cbryfipoci 

 incrcafed almoft every where ; but the favour 

 of the public did not keep pace with them. 

 This divine art had been fo propitious to the in- 

 habitants of Africa, that it could not be retrain- 

 ed at Fez. Some of them were in qucft of a 

 certain elixir that fliould convert all common 

 metals into gold. Many, who .were a mailing 

 wealth by adulterating the coin, paid the penal- 

 f- 3 */ 



