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177
The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
·
M. M. Pattison Muir
172
The
results
which
have
been
obtained
in
the
examination
of
radio-activity,
of
kathode
rays,
of
spectra
at
different
temperatures,
and
of
phenomena
allied
to
these,
bring
again
into
prominence
the
ancient
problem
of
the
structure
of
what
we
call
matter.
Is
matter
fundamentally
homogeneous
or
heterogeneous?
Chemistry
studies
the
relations
between
the
changes
of
composition
and
the
changes
of
properties
which
happen
simultaneously
in
material
systems.
The
burning
fire
of
wood,
coal,
or
gas;
the
preparation
of
food
to
excite
and
to
satisfy
the
appetite;
the
change
of
minerals
into
the
iron,
steel,
copper,
brass,
lead,
tin,
lighting
burning
and
lubricating
oils,
dye-stuffs
and
drugs
of
commerce;
the
change
of
the
skins,
wool,
and
hair
of
animals,
and
of
the
seeds
and
fibres
of
plants,
into
clothing
for
human
beings;
the
manufacture
from
rags,
grass,
or
wood
of
a
material
fitted
to
receive
and
to
preserve
the
symbols
of
human
hopes,
fears,
aspirations,
love
and
hate,
pity
and
aversion;
the
strange
and
most
delicate
processes
which,
happening
without
cessation,
in
plants
and
animals
and
men,
maintain
that
balanced
equilibrium
which
we
call
life;
and,
when
the
silver
cord
is
being
loosed
and
the
bowl
broken
at
the
cistern,
the
awful
changes
which
herald
the
approach
of
death;
not
only
the
growing
grass
in
midsummer
meadows,
not
only
the
coming
of
autumn
"in
dyed
garments,
travelling
in
the
glory
of
his
apparel,"
but
also
the
opening
buds,
the
pleasant
scents,
the
tender
colours
which
stir
our
hearts
in
"the
spring
time,
the
only
pretty
ring
time,
when
birds
do
sing,
ding-a--dong-ding":
these,
and
a
thousand
other
changes
have
all
their
aspects
which
it
is
the
business
of
the
chemist
to
investigate.
Confronted
with
so
vast
a
multitude
of
never-ceasing
changes,
and
bidden
to
find
order
there,
if
he
can--bidden,
rather
compelled
by
that
imperious
command
which
forces
the
human
mind
to
seek
unity
in
variety,
and,
if
need
be,
to
create
a
cosmos
from
a
chaos;
no
wonder
that
the
early
chemists
jumped
at
the
notion
that
there
must
be,
that
there
is,
some
One
Thing,
some
Universal
Essence,
which
binds
into
an
orderly
whole
the
perplexing
phenomena
of
nature,
some
Water
of
Paradise
which
is
for
the
healing
of
all
disorder,
some
"Well
at
the
World's
End,"
a
draught
whereof
shall
bring
peace
and
calm
security.
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