Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2016 12:55:18 GMT
CHAP. XC.
Of Alchymy, or Chymistry.
ALchymy, or Chymistry, is an Art, if it may not be rather called a Fucus, or Persecution of Nature, however of very great Fame, and the same unpunish'd Imposture; whose vanity easily betrays it self in this, that it promises what Nature neither can suffer nor perform: seeing that all Art is but an Imitation of Na∣ture, coming short thereof by many degrees; and that the force of Nature is far short of the force of Art. But Chymistry's
An Art which good men hate, and most men blame,
Which her admirers practise to their shame,
Whose plain Impostures, easie to perceive,
Not onely others, but themselves deceive.
While they seek to change the natures of things, and presume to finde out the blessed Philosophers Stone, as they call it, which, like Midas, is to change whatever it touches into Gold: then they pretend to fetch down from the inaccessible heaven a Fifth Essence, whereby a man shall not onely gain the Riches of Croesus, but perpetual Youth and Immortality.
But among all the undertaking Crowd,
Not one appears, whose Miracles allow'd
The matter prove.—
However, they get a small Livelihood by some Physi∣cal Experiments, as also by some Paints and effeminate
Page 313
Fucusses, which the Scriptures call the Oyntments of har∣lots; whence the Proverb, Every Alchymist is a Physi∣cian or a Sope-boyler. They enrich the ears of men with vain words, but empty their Pockets of their Mo∣ney. Whence it appears to be no Art, but a Compo∣sition of Trifles, and inventions of mad brains. How∣ever, they finde out men so covetous of so much hap∣piness, whom they easily perswade that they shall finde greater Riches in Hydargyrie, than Nature affords in Gold. Such, whom although they have twice or thrice already been deluded, yet they have still a new Device wherewith to deceive um again; there being no grea∣ter Madness, than to believe the fixed Volatile, or that the fixed Volatile can be made. So that the smells of Coles, Sulphur, Dung, Poyson, and Piss, are to them a greater pleasure than the taste of Honey; till their Farms, Goods, and Patrimonies being wasted, and con∣verted into Ashes and Smoak, when they expect the re∣wards of their Labours, births of Gold, Youth, and Immortality, after all their Time and Expences; at length, old, ragged, famisht, with the continual use of Quicksilver paralytick, onely rich in misery, and so mi∣serable, that they will sell their souls for three farthings; so that the Metamorphosis which they would have made in the Metals, they experiment upon themselves: for in stead of Alchymists, Cacochymists; in stead of being Doctors, Beggers; in stead of Unguentaries, Vi∣ctuallers, a laughing-stock to the people: and they who in their youth hated to live meanly, at length grown old in Chymical Impostures, are compell'd to live in the lowest degree of poverty, and in so much calamity, that receiving nothing but Contempt and Laughter, in stead of Commendation and Pity, at length compell'd there∣to by Penury, they fall to Ill Courses, as Counterfeiting of Money. And therefore this Art was not onely ex∣pell'd out of the Romane Commonwealth, but also
Page 314
also prohibited by the Decreed of the sacred Canons of the Church. And if now there were a Law to forbid any of them to practise this Art without the special favour and license of the Prince, upon the forfeiture of their goods, and proscription of their persons, we should have less false Money made, wherewith many are now deceived, to the great damage of the Commonwealth. For which reason it is thought that Amasis King of Aegypt made a Law, whereby every Magistrate was compell'd to give an account what Art or Science he most favour'd; which he that did not, underwent a very severe punishment. Many things could I say of this Art, of which I am no great enemy, were I not sworn to silence, a custom impos'd upon persons newly initiated therein, which has been so solemnly and re∣ligiously observed by the ancient Writers and Philoso∣phers, that there is no Philosopher of approved autho∣rity, or Writer of known fidelity, who hath in any place made mention thereof: which hath caus'd many to believe that all the Books treating of this Art were made of late days; to which the names of the Au∣thors, Giber, Morienus, Gigildis, and the rest of the whole Croud, give no small confirmation; the obscure words which they use, and the unaptness of their lan∣guage, and their ill Method of Philosophizing. Some have thought the Golden Fleece to be a certain Chy∣mical Book written after the ancient manner in Parchment, wherein was contained the way of making Gold. Of which sort when Diocletian had got toge∣ther a great many among the Aegyptians, (who were said to be very skilful in this Art) he is said to have burnt them all, left the Aegyptians, confiding in their Riches, and easie means of obtaining Treasure, should at one time or other revolt from the Romans. And therefore was this Art by a publike Edict of the same Emperour rendered infamous. It would be too long to
Page 315
relate all the foolish Mysteries of this Art, and empty Riddles, of the Green Lion, the Fugitive Hart, the Vo∣lant Eagle, the Dancing Fool, the Dragon devouring his Tayl, the Swell'd Toad, the Crows Head; of that which is Blacker than Black, of Mercury's Seal, of the Dirt of Foolishess, (of wisdom, I ought to have said) and a thousand other Trifles. Lastly, of that one thing besides which there is nothing else, though as common as may be, the blessed subject of the most holy Philoso∣phers Storie, not to be spoken of without incurring Per∣jury; yet I will say somewhat of it obscurely, and in such manner, as none but the sons of Art shall understand me. It is a thing which hath a substance, neither too firy, nor altogether earthy; nor is it a watry, nor sharp nor ob∣tuse quality, but indifferent light and soft, or at least not hard; not rough, but sweet in taste, sweet in smell, grateful to the sight, pleasant to the ear, and delightful to think on. More I must not say, nor greater things can I. For I think this Art, by reason of my familiarity with it, worthy the same Honour as Thucydides gives to a good Woman, when he says, That she is the best woman, of whom there is least discourse. I will onely adde this, That Chymists are of all men the most per∣verse: for when God says, In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread; and the Prophet in another place, Because thou eatest the labours of thy hands, there∣fore art thou blessed, and it shall be well with thee: they contemning the divine Command, and promise of hap∣piness, endeavour to raise Golden mountains by Wo∣mens labour, and Childrens play. I deny not but from this Art many excellent Inventions have deriv'd them∣selves: hence Cinaber, Minimum, Purple, that which they call Musical gold, and the temperatures of other Co∣lours, had their beginning. To this Art Aurichalcum, the changing of Metals, Soders and Tryals, owe their first finding out. Guns are the terrible Invention of
Page 316
this Art. Hence sprung the Art of making all sorts of Glasses; a most noble Invention, of which Theophilus hath writ a most excellent Treatise. But Pliny relates that the temperament of Glass was found out in the time of Tiberius; but the Work-house was by Tiberius pull'd down, and the Artificer, if we may believe Iso∣dorius, was put to death, left the Glass should detract from Gold, and Silver and Brass lose their value.
Of Alchymy, or Chymistry.
ALchymy, or Chymistry, is an Art, if it may not be rather called a Fucus, or Persecution of Nature, however of very great Fame, and the same unpunish'd Imposture; whose vanity easily betrays it self in this, that it promises what Nature neither can suffer nor perform: seeing that all Art is but an Imitation of Na∣ture, coming short thereof by many degrees; and that the force of Nature is far short of the force of Art. But Chymistry's
An Art which good men hate, and most men blame,
Which her admirers practise to their shame,
Whose plain Impostures, easie to perceive,
Not onely others, but themselves deceive.
While they seek to change the natures of things, and presume to finde out the blessed Philosophers Stone, as they call it, which, like Midas, is to change whatever it touches into Gold: then they pretend to fetch down from the inaccessible heaven a Fifth Essence, whereby a man shall not onely gain the Riches of Croesus, but perpetual Youth and Immortality.
But among all the undertaking Crowd,
Not one appears, whose Miracles allow'd
The matter prove.—
However, they get a small Livelihood by some Physi∣cal Experiments, as also by some Paints and effeminate
Page 313
Fucusses, which the Scriptures call the Oyntments of har∣lots; whence the Proverb, Every Alchymist is a Physi∣cian or a Sope-boyler. They enrich the ears of men with vain words, but empty their Pockets of their Mo∣ney. Whence it appears to be no Art, but a Compo∣sition of Trifles, and inventions of mad brains. How∣ever, they finde out men so covetous of so much hap∣piness, whom they easily perswade that they shall finde greater Riches in Hydargyrie, than Nature affords in Gold. Such, whom although they have twice or thrice already been deluded, yet they have still a new Device wherewith to deceive um again; there being no grea∣ter Madness, than to believe the fixed Volatile, or that the fixed Volatile can be made. So that the smells of Coles, Sulphur, Dung, Poyson, and Piss, are to them a greater pleasure than the taste of Honey; till their Farms, Goods, and Patrimonies being wasted, and con∣verted into Ashes and Smoak, when they expect the re∣wards of their Labours, births of Gold, Youth, and Immortality, after all their Time and Expences; at length, old, ragged, famisht, with the continual use of Quicksilver paralytick, onely rich in misery, and so mi∣serable, that they will sell their souls for three farthings; so that the Metamorphosis which they would have made in the Metals, they experiment upon themselves: for in stead of Alchymists, Cacochymists; in stead of being Doctors, Beggers; in stead of Unguentaries, Vi∣ctuallers, a laughing-stock to the people: and they who in their youth hated to live meanly, at length grown old in Chymical Impostures, are compell'd to live in the lowest degree of poverty, and in so much calamity, that receiving nothing but Contempt and Laughter, in stead of Commendation and Pity, at length compell'd there∣to by Penury, they fall to Ill Courses, as Counterfeiting of Money. And therefore this Art was not onely ex∣pell'd out of the Romane Commonwealth, but also
Page 314
also prohibited by the Decreed of the sacred Canons of the Church. And if now there were a Law to forbid any of them to practise this Art without the special favour and license of the Prince, upon the forfeiture of their goods, and proscription of their persons, we should have less false Money made, wherewith many are now deceived, to the great damage of the Commonwealth. For which reason it is thought that Amasis King of Aegypt made a Law, whereby every Magistrate was compell'd to give an account what Art or Science he most favour'd; which he that did not, underwent a very severe punishment. Many things could I say of this Art, of which I am no great enemy, were I not sworn to silence, a custom impos'd upon persons newly initiated therein, which has been so solemnly and re∣ligiously observed by the ancient Writers and Philoso∣phers, that there is no Philosopher of approved autho∣rity, or Writer of known fidelity, who hath in any place made mention thereof: which hath caus'd many to believe that all the Books treating of this Art were made of late days; to which the names of the Au∣thors, Giber, Morienus, Gigildis, and the rest of the whole Croud, give no small confirmation; the obscure words which they use, and the unaptness of their lan∣guage, and their ill Method of Philosophizing. Some have thought the Golden Fleece to be a certain Chy∣mical Book written after the ancient manner in Parchment, wherein was contained the way of making Gold. Of which sort when Diocletian had got toge∣ther a great many among the Aegyptians, (who were said to be very skilful in this Art) he is said to have burnt them all, left the Aegyptians, confiding in their Riches, and easie means of obtaining Treasure, should at one time or other revolt from the Romans. And therefore was this Art by a publike Edict of the same Emperour rendered infamous. It would be too long to
Page 315
relate all the foolish Mysteries of this Art, and empty Riddles, of the Green Lion, the Fugitive Hart, the Vo∣lant Eagle, the Dancing Fool, the Dragon devouring his Tayl, the Swell'd Toad, the Crows Head; of that which is Blacker than Black, of Mercury's Seal, of the Dirt of Foolishess, (of wisdom, I ought to have said) and a thousand other Trifles. Lastly, of that one thing besides which there is nothing else, though as common as may be, the blessed subject of the most holy Philoso∣phers Storie, not to be spoken of without incurring Per∣jury; yet I will say somewhat of it obscurely, and in such manner, as none but the sons of Art shall understand me. It is a thing which hath a substance, neither too firy, nor altogether earthy; nor is it a watry, nor sharp nor ob∣tuse quality, but indifferent light and soft, or at least not hard; not rough, but sweet in taste, sweet in smell, grateful to the sight, pleasant to the ear, and delightful to think on. More I must not say, nor greater things can I. For I think this Art, by reason of my familiarity with it, worthy the same Honour as Thucydides gives to a good Woman, when he says, That she is the best woman, of whom there is least discourse. I will onely adde this, That Chymists are of all men the most per∣verse: for when God says, In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread; and the Prophet in another place, Because thou eatest the labours of thy hands, there∣fore art thou blessed, and it shall be well with thee: they contemning the divine Command, and promise of hap∣piness, endeavour to raise Golden mountains by Wo∣mens labour, and Childrens play. I deny not but from this Art many excellent Inventions have deriv'd them∣selves: hence Cinaber, Minimum, Purple, that which they call Musical gold, and the temperatures of other Co∣lours, had their beginning. To this Art Aurichalcum, the changing of Metals, Soders and Tryals, owe their first finding out. Guns are the terrible Invention of
Page 316
this Art. Hence sprung the Art of making all sorts of Glasses; a most noble Invention, of which Theophilus hath writ a most excellent Treatise. But Pliny relates that the temperament of Glass was found out in the time of Tiberius; but the Work-house was by Tiberius pull'd down, and the Artificer, if we may believe Iso∣dorius, was put to death, left the Glass should detract from Gold, and Silver and Brass lose their value.