16 



sorts of Glass Crystal and Enamel. . . . A work containing nunn/ 

 Secrets and Curiosities never before discovered." * 



Another special technical treatise was that of Pietro Maria 

 Canepario — " De Atramentis," which, though dealing professedly 

 with ink and black colours, is much more comprehensive than its 

 name denotes, as it includes the technology of pyrites, of vitriol, 

 of the oil of vitriol, and of different colours. I have here two 

 editions, the first published at Venice in 1619, and the second 

 at London in ICGO. 



It must not be forgotten, however, that pai'allel with these 

 em])irical books, progress was making, though slowly, in those 

 sciences on which the successful and sound development of their 

 applications to the arts depends. In chemistry, and especially in 

 pharmaceutical chemistry, that is in the pre})aration of natural 

 substances for use in medicine, which occupies so large a place in 

 some of these receipt books, there was considerable advance ; and, 

 in addition, a very great impulse to technical and apj)lied chemis- 

 try was given towards the end of the seventeenth century by 

 Glauber and by Becher. 



But, notwithstanding, the books of secrets in the eighteenth 

 century in many cases showed a retrogression towards credulity 

 and absixrdity, for this century has a broad shadow of ignorance 

 and superstition athwart its vaunted enlightenment. It was this 

 ultra-rational age which encouraged such books as the " Secrets 

 Merveilleux de la Mai/ie Natni'elle et Cahalistique du Petit Albert," 

 and a host of similar would-be magical and cabalistical books. 

 They ai-e of interest only as studies in the aberration of the 

 human mind. But even in the works of men who ought to have 

 known better we encounter the most ridiculous and gross ideas. 

 The French chemist Lemery made a collection of receipts which 

 was translated into English and published at London in 1711. 

 Its title is " New Curiosities in Art and Nature : or a Collection 

 of the most valuable secrets in all Arts and. Sciences." If any one 

 is desirous of seeing the puerile credulity which, in the same age 

 and country, may run parallel with an equally contemptible 



* The most recent book on the subject which I have seen is by the 

 French chemist Peligot. " Le Verre. Son Histoire, sa Fabr'icatlon." 

 Paris, 1877. 8vo. A popular work, also from the French, was published 

 at London in 1870, " Mai'vels of Glass-making in all ays," by A. Sanzay. 

 Svo. 



