CHIMERICAL SCIENCES. 399 



XVI. (5.) The panacea or univerfal remedy, 

 the potable gold, and the quintefiences, are alfo 

 chimeras that ufually accompany the philoib- 

 phers (lone, and of which the difcovery is e- 

 qually impoflible. It is a circumltance fufficient- 

 Jy mortifying to the human mind, to fee fo many 

 men (not confined in a mad houfc) employ 

 themfelves in fearch of thefc : to fee fo many 

 importers run about the world, afiuring man- 

 kind that they have difcovered them ^ and to 

 fee fo many weak mortals believe them on their 

 word. From whence can they derive any pre- 

 cepts or rules for fuch 'inquiries ? Who can 

 make the analyfis of arts like thefe ? Senfelefs 

 mortals ! you would cure thoufands of difeafes 

 by one remedy ! you pretend to change the 

 order of nature and the decrees of providence ! 

 you would perform a perpetual miracle by pro- 

 longing the natural duration of beings and the 

 life of man 1 And can you think that we will 

 countenance fuch a chimera ? 



XVII. Men perceiving that they could no 

 longer impol'e on the credulity of their brethren 

 by magic, ibrcery, necromancy, alchimy and 

 the like, have endeavoured to perfuade them 

 that they could, however, perform great mat- 

 ters byjympatky, and have therefore made of 

 it a myftcrious art. That appearance of the 

 marvellous which this pretended fcience contains, 

 has not failed to give it authority among man- 

 kind, and efpccially among the vulg:ir. le is 



true 



