THE FUTURE OF ALCHEMY, 605 



with the attainment of his aim. But, though most of the arts do so, 

 all do not. For, among that vast group of human activities to which 

 the name of " arts " is applied, there are certain forms, the very essence 

 of which consists in the seemingly unattainable character of their ends. 

 And these activities, constantly striving for the absolute — for ideals 

 of the many forms of beauty and of strength — are those known as the 

 " Fine Arts." 



But all the forms of the ideal world are a part of the religious sys- 

 tem of a time, and for this reason all the fine arts have ever been in 

 such close relation with religious belief. And, consequently, when we 

 consider the essential and persistent characteristics of alchemy, such 

 as its intimate connection with religion, and its endeavors to realize 

 chemical ideals, we are compelled to regard alchemy as a primitive 

 fine art, which fell into decay on account of the extreme inadequacy 

 of its means, and the despondency of the artist. The true artist-hero, 

 when he perceives that the absolute perfection he aims at is unattain- 

 able, save by the moral, intellectual, and technical education of suc- 

 cessive generations, undismayed persists in creating, though not the 

 ideal, yet at least beauteous forms, adumbrations of its image. The 

 alchemist, when he saw that the prize was not to be attained in his 

 day, ignominiously abandoned the field of action. 



These facts point to a probability of the revival of alchemy in the 

 future. But the conception of the perfectibility of matter is closely 

 united to that of its tran smut ability. And when we inquire, " Has 

 the chemical science of our time, by the unceasing toil of the last two 

 centuries, not already developed the means which might enable us to 

 successfully resume the great work of alchemistic art ? " we receive 

 not a favorable answer. Chemistry has taught us to resolve com- 

 pounds into elements and to unite elements to compounds, but it 

 knows naught of transmutation ; all its inductions seem to disprove 

 the existence of any reality corresponding to the idea. Year by year 

 the belief that definite, specific forms of matter, such as water or iron, 

 though resolvable or combinable, are yet in themselves absolutely 

 fixed and invariable, has become more firmly rooted. And, if we 

 would therefore hope to see the transmutation of imperfect forms of 

 matter into others more perfect realized, it is not on the inductions 

 and theories of chemistry that our hopes may be founded. It is 

 among chemical conditions, and with the aid of chemical knowledge, 

 that the future alchemist must resume his pursuit; but, before he 

 may do so with any promise of success, these conditions and that 

 knowledge must undergo a change, and chemical science, unleavened 

 as yet by the thought which shall work it, must receive it from 

 without. 



The source whence this thought may be derived is the current of 

 organic science, now distributing far and wide the fertilizing influence 

 of the theory of evolution, a view of creation which, though not new, 



