TRANSMUTATION OF THE METALS 91 



that production were increased ten-fold, the value of gold 

 would decline and prices would go up astonishingly. 



One of the objects which the better class of alchemists 

 had in view was the making of gold to such an extent that 

 it might become quite common and cease to be sought after 

 by mankind. One alchemical writer says : " Would to 

 God that all men might become adepts in our art, for then 

 gold, the common idol of mankind, would lose its value and 

 we should prize it only for its scientific teaching." 



