ORIGIN OF ALCHEMY. 347 



should have sought in the transmutations of chemistry 

 for those splendid products which were conceived to be 

 most conducive to human happiness. 



The disciple of Mammon grew pale over his crucible in 

 his ardour to convert the baser metals into gold : the 

 philosopher pined in secret for the universal solvent 

 which might develop the elements of the precious stones, 

 and yield to him the means of their production ; and the 

 philanthropist aspired after a universal medicine, which 

 might arrest disease in its course, and prolong indefinitely 

 the life of man. To us who live under the meridian of 

 knowledge, such expectations must appear as presumptuous 

 as they were delusive ; but when we consider that gold 

 and silver were actually produced by chemical processes 

 from the rude ores of lead and copper; that some of the 

 most refractory bodies had yielded to the disintegrating 

 and solvent powers of chemical agents; and that the 

 mercurial preparations of the Arabian physicians had 

 operated like charms in the cure of diseases that had 

 resisted the feeble medicines of the times, we may find 

 some apology for the extravagant expectations of the 

 alchemists. 



An object of lofty pursuit, even if it be one of impossible 

 attainment, is not unworthy of philosophical ambition. 

 Though we cannot scale the summit of the volcanic cone, 

 we may yet reach its heaving flanks, and though we can- 

 not decompose its loftiest fires, we may yet study the lava 

 which they have melted and the products which they have 

 sublimed. In like manner, though the philosopher's 

 stone has not been found, chemistry has derived rich 

 accessions from its search; though the general solvent 

 has not been obtained, yet the diamond and the gems 

 have surrendered to science their adamantine strength ; 

 and though the elixir of life has never been distilled, yet 

 other medicines have soothed " the ills which flesh is heir 



