132 THE HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY, 



the fame prccifion as they are at prefent, the e- 

 vent of many experiments fometimes alTumed 

 fuch appearances of change; but thefe illuflons 

 no longer exift. For fubllances which are not 

 fuppofcd to contain any gold, may ilill conceal 

 a very fmall portion of it in their compofition; 

 as we know that, except iron, no metal is more 

 frequently to be found, though, from its ex- 

 treme minutcncfs, it often efcapes our obferva- 

 tion. Let then fuch a fubilance be expofed to 

 a. continued and violent fire, which nothing will 

 refill, except the grain of gold. At the light of 

 it, the operator, believing it to be created by his 

 (kill, not extracted (as it really is) from the fub- 

 jlance he employed, is traniported with joy. 

 Difcouraging, however, as this may appear, no 

 one, who has at all explored the fecret paths of 

 nature with induitry and penetration, will deem 

 that impoflible, which docs not militate againft 

 u known and eilabliihed truth. In the queftion 

 now before us, no fuch dilliculty has been dif- 

 covered. Daily experience furnilhes eflcch a- 

 nulogous to thofc, of correcting and purifying 

 bodies mentioned by the alchcmiils. For, do 

 we not fee, that a fin all quantity of leaven is 

 fuflicient to ferment a large quantity of new 

 wine; fo that the vinous fpirit, which was before, 

 contained in the grain, or entirely concealed, is 

 evolved and liberated from tliofe particles with 

 which ic was in intimate union, or compound,- 



