396 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION." 



merits as great a punifhment from the prince, 

 and as much contempt from the philofopher. 

 If alchymy were nothing more than the art of 

 diflblving natural bodies, and of reducing them 

 to their original principles ; of feparating the 

 ufeful parts of each mixture from the ufelefs, 

 ib far from deferving to be decryed, it would 

 be an admirable art j but this is the bufmefs of 

 the moft exalted chymiftry, and we mould care- 

 fully avoid confounding the arts and fciences. 

 Men have perceived in all ages that by the aid 

 of gold the moft difficult matters were to be 

 achieved ; that if they pofiefied the art by which 

 Jupiter rained gold, they mould be able to 

 accomplifh the greateft emerprifes, and that 

 they fhould not even find any difficulty in ob- 

 taining a Danae. A modern Prometheus, how- 

 ever, in order to create gold, does not attempt 

 to fleal that celeftial fire which is fo necei- 

 fary in the creating of all beings, but contents 

 himfelf with a fire of coals, which he ftirs and 

 blows till all the gold, which the inheritance or 

 induftry of his anceftors have given him, paf- 

 fes with the fmoak up the chimney. The expe- 

 rience of four or five thouiand years has not 

 been fufficient to cure mankind of this frenzy; 

 and what is more furprifing, is that thofe, who 

 are reputed philofophers, countenance this prac- 

 tice, by roundly aflerting the pofiibility of ma- 

 king gold. Now, if the matter were really 

 pra&icable, a good citizen ought not to afiert 

 it, becaufe of the fmall degree of probability 



there 



