Mr. G. F. Rodwell on the Theory of Phlogiston. 9 



If we translate sal, sulphur, mercurius respectively as principle 

 of solidity, principle of combustibility, and principle of volatility 

 (excepting of course those instances in which the substance is 

 directly specified, as mercurius in the account of the preparation 

 of " mercurius prsecipitatus per se," or sulphur in the preparation 

 of " oleum sulphuris per campanum "), a good deal of the ob- 

 scurity will be found to disappear from old chemical treatises. 

 Let me, however, say at once that much of their obscurity never 

 can disappear ; it is inherent in them ; the chemists purposely 

 adopted it and delighted in it; a profound secret they said 

 should not be revealed in the vulgar tongue, the true adept could 

 sufficiently comprehend the mystical language, and it would not 

 be right that it should be understood by the common people. 



The works of the old chemists are for the most part charac- 

 terized by an uncouth jargon, a studiedly fantastic phraseology, 

 and a barbarous Latinity quite without precedent, except in the 

 case of coexistent works on astrology. They abound in literal 

 gibberish, and Geber was not unfrequently out-Gebered by his 

 successors. The principal cause of the occult nature of old che- 

 mical works is to be traced to the fact that the authors of them 

 frequently practised astrology ; hence the obscurity which had 

 been introduced into the one class of writings soon found its way 

 into the other. Alchemy, astrology, divination, indeed Kab- 

 balism generally may be classed under the same head; the same 

 tone of thought is essential for the nurture of each. They were 

 children of one parent ; and although astrology had the start of 

 her sisters, they long dwelt under the same roof, and were sub- 

 ject to the same influences ; together they prevailed ; together 

 they were persecuted ; together they fell. Of both may be said 

 with equal justice, "ars sine arte, cujus principium mentiri, 

 medium laborare, et finis mendicare." The astrologer and the 

 alchemist pursued their callings under very similar conditions. 

 Compare them as depicted by some of the old painters, we have 

 but to replace the astrolabe by the alembic, and the change is 

 effected — the same dull dingy cell, the same grey-headed wiz- 

 ened old man, the same great clasped volumes full of hierogly- 

 phics, and the ever consumption of the midnight oil. Paracelsus, 

 in comparing the chemist with the physician of his day, has given 

 us the following account of the former : — " For they are not given 

 to idleness, nor go in a proud habit, or plush and velvet gar- 

 ments, often showing their rings upon their fingers, or wearing 

 swords with silver hilts by their sides, or fine and gay gloves upon 

 their hands, but diligently follow their labours, sweating whole 

 days and nights by their furnaces. They do not spend their 

 time abroad for recreation, but take delight in their laboratory. 

 They wear leather garments with a pouch, and an apron where- 



