CHAPTER V 



THE ASTRONOMICAL WRITINGS OF SCOT 



THE alchemy of the thirteenth century, to the pro- 

 gress of which Michael Scot contributed not a little, 

 bore a close relation to the opinions then entertained 

 in another branch of science : that of astronomy. We 

 have already noticed how chemistry, as practised in 

 Egypt, was largely influenced by Eastern theories 

 regarding the stars and their power over earthly 

 elements. That this connection and sympathy was 

 still a matter of common belief at the time Scot 

 wrote is not only probable but can readily be 

 established by direct evidence. The treatise ' Cum 

 studii solertis indagine/ already referred to, 1 has a 

 curious passage which bears directly on the point in 

 question. We find in the preface the following 

 remarkable statement : ' For the art of alchemy 

 belongs to the deeper and more hidden physics, and 

 in particular to that division thereof which ... is 

 called the lower astronomy.' It is plain then that 

 no chemist could in those days be considered fully 

 competent for the task he undertook unless to a 

 knowledge of the customary theories and processes 

 of his art he added some acquaintance with the 

 mysteries of the heavenly spheres as well. 



To Michael Scot, even before he came to 



1 BibL Naz. Flor. MS. xvi. 142, see supra, p. 79. 



