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177
The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
·
M. M. Pattison Muir
106
The
alchemical
explanation
was
superficial,
theoretical,
in
the
wrong
meaning
of
that
word,
and
unworkable.
It
was
superficial
because
it
overlooked
the
fact
that
the
primary
calcination,
the
mortification,
of
the
metals,
and
the
other
substances,
was
effected
in
the
air,
that
is
to
say,
in
contact
with
something
different
from
the
thing
which
was
calcined;
the
explanation
was
of
the
kind
which
people
call
theoretical,
when
they
wish
to
condemn
an
explanation
and
put
it
out
of
court,
because
it
was
merely
a
re-statement
of
the
facts
in
the
language
of
a
theory
which
had
not
been
deduced
from
the
facts
themselves,
or
from
facts
like
those
to
be
explained,
but
from
what
were
supposed
to
be
facts
without
proper
investigation,
and,
if
facts,
were
of
a
totally
different
kind
from
those
to
which
the
explanation
applied;
and
lastly,
the
explanation
was
unworkable,
because
it
suggested
no
method
whereby
its
accuracy
could
be
tested,
no
definite
line
of
investigation
which
might
be
pursued.
That
great
naturalist,
the
Honourable
Robert
Boyle
(born
in
1626,
died
in
1691),
very
perseveringly
besought
those
who
examined
processes
of
calcination
to
pay
heed
to
the
action
of
everything
which
might
take
part
in
the
processes.
He
was
especially
desirous
they
should
consider
what
part
the
air
might
play
in
calcinations;
he
spoke
of
the
air
as
a
"menstruum
or
additament,"
and
said
that,
in
such
operations
as
calcination,
"We
may
well
take
the
freedom
to
examine
...
whether
there
intervene
not
a
coalition
of
the
parts
of
the
body
wrought
upon
with
those
of
the
menstruum,
whereby
the
produced
concrete
may
be
judged
to
result
from
the
union
of
both."
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