6 THE SEVEN FOLLIES OF SCIENCE 



"Elixir of Life" has not been entirely abandoned. In- 

 deed certain professors who occupy prominent official po- 

 sitions, assert that they have made great progress towards 

 its attainment. In view of such facts one is almost driven 

 to accept the humorous explanation which De Morgan has 

 offered and which he bases on an old legend relating to the 

 famous wizard, Michael Scott. The generally accepted 

 tradition, as related by Sir Walter Scott in his notes to 

 the " Lay of the Last Minstrel," is as follows : 



" Michael Scott was, once upon a time, much embar- 

 rassed by a spirit for whom he was under the necessity of 

 finding constant employment. He commanded him to 

 build a 'cauld,' or dam head across the Tweed at Kelso ; 

 it was accomplished in one night, and still does honor to 

 the infernal architect. Michael next ordered that Eildon 

 Hill, which was then a uniform cone, should be divided 

 into three. Another night was sufficient to part its summit 

 into the three picturesque peaks which it now bears. At 

 length the enchanter conquered this indefatigable demon, 

 by employing him in the hopeless task of making ropes out 

 of sea-sand." 



Whereupon De Morgan offers the following exceedingly 

 interesting continuation of the legend : 



" The recorded story is that Michael Scott, being bound 

 by contract to procure perpetual employment for a num- 

 ber of young demons, was worried out of his life in invent- 

 ing jobs for them, until at last he set them to make ropes 

 out of sea-sand, which they never could do. We have 

 obtained a very curious correspondence between the wizard 

 Michael and his demon slaves ; but we do not feel at liberty 

 to say how it came into our hands. We much regret that 

 we did not receive it in time for the British Association. 

 It appears that the story, true as far as it goes, was never 

 finished. The demons easily conquered the rope difficulty, 

 by the simple process of making the sand into glass, and 



