THE DISCOVERY OF ALCOHOL. 103 
thenceforward perceived that distilled wine was not 
identical with water, contrary to the old opinion of 
ARISTOTLE, but our authors nowhere speak of alcohol, ~ 
though the knowledge of this substance must have almost 
at once resulted from the study of distilled liquids ob- 
tained from wine. 
The oldest MS. which contains a clear indication in 
_ this direétion, is that of the ‘ Key to painting’ written in 
the 12th century. I have already spoken of this work— 
it isa compilation of technical receipts from different 
sources, especially Greek and Latin, with some Arabic 
additions. We cannot say to which of these sources the 
indication of alcohol has been traced. It is in faét, con- 
tained in one enigmatical phrase which I have suc- 
ceeded in deciphering. The use of enigmatical words 
or cryptograms exists in many manuscripts of the period. 
We know that the formula of gun powder has been thus 
pointed out by ROGER BACON in a phrase which 
gave rise to much discussion. A similar method of 
transmitting scientific traditions under a precise form, 
however unintelligible to those not initiated, and con- 
trary in some degree as it may be, to our modern 
scientific practice, constitutes by comparison real pro- 
gress from the vagueness of the old symbolical formula, 
I ask leave to reproduce here the phraseology of the 
old text so as to give the reader a more complete idea 
of the historical problem relating to alcohol and its 
solution. ‘‘ Itis de commixtione puri et fortissimi xknk 
Cum III qbsuf tbmkt cocta in ejus negocii vasis fit aqua 
que accensa flammami incombustam servat materiam.” 
_ This receipt at first sight is without sense, but these 
cryptographic words can be interpreted after a mode of 
