513 The Book of the Balance of Wisdom. [October, 
In this conception of al-Khazini we find, moreover, the 
germs of the doCtrine of the transmutation of metals, the 
basis of that alchemical pseudo-science which subsequently 
acquired such a wonderful influence over the human race. 
For if metals have mercury for a mother and sulphur for a 
father, they are not simple substances, and if compounds, 
they are capable of artificial preparation and mutual trans- 
formation. This is, however, not the only passage contain- 
ing allusions to a belief in transmutation, though no mention 
occurs of any practical attempts to effeCt it ; the following 
extradt clearly refers to the compound nature of metals. 
“ When the common people hear from natural philo- 
sophers that gold is the most equal of bodies, and the one 
which has attained to perfection of maturity, at the goal of 
competition in respect to equilibrium, they firmly believe 
that it is something which has gradually come to that per- 
fection by passing through the forms of all [other metallic] 
bodies, so that its gold nature was originally lead, after- 
wards became tin, then brass, then silver, and finally reached 
the perfection of gold.” 
Writing of the precious metals, al-Khazini discourses in a 
philosophical spirit on their universal appreciation, in the 
following language : — 
“ ‘ Men prize these metals,’ says Abu-r-Raihan, ‘ only 
because under the action of fire they admit of being made 
into conveniences for them, such as vessels more durable 
than others, instruments of agriculture, weapons of war, and 
other things which no one can dispense with who is set to 
possess himself of the good things of life and is desirous of 
the adornments of wealth.’ But if besides the rarity of the 
occurrence of gold, its durability, and the little appearance 
of moisture upon it, whether moisture of water or humidity 
of the earth, or of its being cracked or calcined by any fire, 
and consumed together ; with its ready yielding to the 
stamp, which prevents counterfeiters from passing off some- 
thing else for it, and lastly the beauty of its aspeCt — if there 
is not [besides all these characteristics] some inexplicable 
peculiarity pertaining to gold, why is the little infant de- 
lighted with it, and why does he stretch himself out from 
his bed in order to seize upon it ? And why is the young 
child lured thereby to cease from weeping, although he 
knows no value that it has, nor by it supplies any want ? 
And why do all people in the world make it the ground of 
being at peace one with another, not drawing their swords 
to fight, though at the sacrifice of the powers of body and 
soul, of family connections, children, ground possessions, 
