DURING THE MIDDLE AGE. 



ii. Of the Great Work. 



BEFORE we take into conficlcration the mak~ 

 ing of gold, a fubjecl on which the alchcmifts 

 laboured with the great eft y.cal and induftry, 

 two qucflions naturally prcfcnt thcmfelvcs, and 

 demand our immediate attention. The firft is, 

 Whether the problem is capable of a folution ? 

 The next, Whether any one has really ever made 

 gold ? Let us examine them fepuratcly. 



Firft of all, it is neccflliry to determine the 

 precife meaning of the "making of gold/* be- 

 fore we can venture to hazard an opinion, or 

 purfuc the enquiry. Cold, as well as all other 

 metals, is com poled of a proper metallic earthy 

 and the principle of inflammability. There- 

 fore, if we do but find the former, and cxpofc 

 it to a fuflicient degree of heat, we arc prefently 

 in pollcflion of pcrfcft gold. If then this ope- 

 ration is called making of gold, by the fame pa- 

 rity of reafoning, we may beftow that appella- 

 tion on the daily proccflcs of reducing metal- 

 lic calces; which is repugnant to the ufual 

 mode of cxprcffion. Let us then trace the mat- 

 ter from its fource. There can be no doubt, 

 that the Almighty only is equal to the taik of 

 creating the original elements and principles of 

 bodies; but, it is fo far from being iuconiift- 



I ent 



