308 Dr. Cutbush on the Greek Fire. 



tus Magnus; that Bacon employed this writing, which was 

 mentioned by Jebbin the preface to his edition, from a copy 

 preserved in the library of Dr. Mead; that of this Marcus 

 Graecus nothing at present is known, except that according 

 to some he lived in the ninth, and according to others in 

 the thirteenth century ; and that Cardan in giving directions 

 for making a fire which can be kindled hy zvater, mentions 

 Marcus Gracchus, but not Gracecus. It may be sufficient 

 here to remark, that professor Beckman, after examining 

 attentively all authors on the subject, is inclined to accede to 

 the opinion, that gun powder was invented in India, and 

 brought by the Saracens from Africa to the Europeans. A 

 knowledge of gun powder may have been brought into Eu- 

 rope at the time of the crusades. It was employed in 690 

 at the battle near Mecca. In 1798 M. Langles read a pa- 

 per in the French National Institute, in which he endeavour- 

 ed to prove that the Arabians obtained a knowledge of gun 

 powder from the Indians, who had been acquainted with it 

 in the earliest periods. The use of it was forbidden in their 

 sacied books. 



Whatever notice has been taken of the Greek fire, in the 

 manuscript alluded to, whether it really gave rise to our 

 present gun-power, or whether a knowledge of gun-powder 

 came indirectly from India to Europe; it is very probable 

 that it mftif have lead to enquiries, which finally eventuated 

 in the knowledge and use of gun-powder. Besides the 

 opinions already given respecting the composition of the 

 Greek fire, we might enumerate many other authorities. 

 Porta, for instance, in his Magie Naturale, remarks that it 

 was composed of the charcoal of willow, salt, burnt brandy, 

 sulphur, pitch, frankincense, flax and camphor, and that 

 camphor alone has the effect of burning in zoater. He re- 

 marks also, that when Constantinople was attacked, the em- 

 peror Ijco burnt the vessels or boats, to the number of one 

 thousand eight hundred, by means of the Greek fire. The 

 Journal des Sava7is, 1G76, p. 148, speaks of the origin and 

 use of the same fire. In 1249, at the siege of Damietta, 

 the French experienced the destructive effects of it. The 

 Journal des Savans for 166G, mentions a machine which, 

 when applied against a vessel, communicates fire to it imme- 

 diately, without injuring the person who uses it. In the French 

 Gazettes for 1797, M. Chevalier announced that he had 



