4^° Dr. crawford on the Power that 
fire was contemplated, for a long fucceflion of ages, by a great 
pait of mankind, appears to be one of the moll curious cir- 
cumftances in the hiftory of antient opinions. To account for 
this we may obferve, that there is no principle in nature, ob- 
vious to the fenfes, which produces fuch important effeds in 
material fyftem, and which, at the fame time, in the mode 
of its operation, is fo obfcure and incomprehenfible. 
It appears to be accumulated in an immenfe quantity in the 
fun and fixed flars, from whence its beneficial influence feems 
to be continually diffufed over the Univerfe : it is the great 
inftrument by means of which the changes of the feafons are 
effeded ; the diverfity of climates is chiefly owing to the 
various proportions in which it is diftributed throughout the 
earth. If we add to this the mighty alterations which have 
been produced in human affairs by the introdudion of artificial 
fire, by its employment in the reparation of metals from their 
ores, and in the various arts which are fubfervient to the 
comfort, the ornament, and the prefervation, of the fpecies.. 
it will not appear furprizing, that in a rude and ignorant, age!’ 
this wonderful principle fhould have been confidered as endued 
with life and intelligence, and that it fhould have become the 
objed of religious veneration. 
In the dark ages the alchymifls regarded pure fire as the 
refidence of the Deity : they conceived it to be uncreated and 
immenfe, and attributed to its influence moll of the pheno- 
mena of nature. Indeed, it is not wonderful that they fhould 
have affigned it a high rank in the fcale of being, as it was the 
great agent which they employed in the chymical analyfis of 
bodies, and was the inftrument of thofe difcoveries that attraded 
fuch univerfal admiration, and that enabled them fo fucceff- 
fully to impofe upon the ignorance and credulity of the times. 
Upon 
