OF CHEMISTRY". 11 



first introduced into Cornwall, the method of fluxing tin by means 

 of the Same of pit. coal, instead of wood or charcoal *. 



L*TII ry's yry accurate course of practical chemis'ry, appeared 

 in 1675. Glauber's works had been published at different times, 

 from 1651 to 1661, when his tract, entitled Philosophical Furnaces, 

 came out \t \msterdam, Kunckel died in Sweden, in 1702 ; he 

 had prrtv-tis d chemistry for abore 50 years, under the auspices of 

 the elector of Saxony, and of Charles XI. of Sweden. He wrote 

 his chemical observations in the German Lan uage, but had them 

 translated i:ao Litin, in the year 1677: the translation is dedicated 

 by its author, o our Royal Socu ty. They *ere aft. r wards trans- 

 lated ,nt i Kn^h-ii, in 17<;}. Having bad the supenntendency of 

 several glass-nouses. h- had a fine opportunity of making a great 

 variety of experiments in that way ; and I have been informed by 

 our enamellers, and makers of artificial gems, that they can depend 

 more upon the processes and observations i Kunckel, than of any 

 Other author upon the same subject. The chemical labours of 

 these and many other emin< nt men, too numerous to mention, 

 were greatly forwarded by the establishment of several societies, 

 for the encouragement of natural philosophy, which took place in 

 various parts of Europe ahout that period. 



The Philosophical Transactions, at London; the Histoire de 

 1' Academic Royale des Sciences, a< Paris; the Saggi d'Ksp'-rienze 

 di Academia del Cimento, at Florence ; the Journal des S<;avans, 

 in Holland; the Ephemerides Academiae Naturae Curiosorum, in 

 Germany ; the Acts of the Academy of Copenhagen ; and the Acta 

 Eruditorum, at Leipsic ; all theee works b -gan to be published 

 within the space of twenty years from 1665, when our Royal So. 

 ciety first set the example, by publishing the Philosophical Trans, 

 actions. To these may be added, the works of the Academies 



* Beccher wrote his Alphabethum Mineral?, at Truro, in Coinwall. In 168?, 

 not long before his death. In his dedication of this tract to Mr. Boyle, he has 

 the following words : *' ignis usus, ope flammanitn lithaiitruru u stannum et 

 mineralia fundendi, Cornuhiae hactenus incognitos, sed a me introductus." 

 This accouot which Beccher piveg of himself, is not quite agreeable to what 

 is advanced by an author every way qualified to come at the truth of this mat- 

 ter. " Necessity at last suggested the introduction of pit-coal for the smHting 

 of tin ore; and, among others, 10 Sir B vil Cr.inville, of Stow, in I'M- r;m \ , 

 temp. Car. I. who made sevrml experiments, though without su c ; neither 

 did the effectual smelting of tin ore uith pit-con), take place till the second 

 year of Queen Anne." Pryce's Miner. Cornob. p. 28?. 



