Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
1
177
The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
·
M. M. Pattison Muir
26
Convinced
of
the
simplicity
of
nature,
certain
that
all
natural
events
follow
one
course,
sure
that
this
course
was
known
to
them
and
was
represented
by
the
growth
of
plants
and
animals,
the
alchemists
set
themselves
the
task,
firstly,
of
proving
by
observations
and
experiments
that
their
view
of
natural
occurrences
was
correct;
and,
secondly,
of
discovering
and
gaining
possession
of
the
instrument
whereby
nature
effects
her
transmutations
and
perfects
her
operations.
The
mastery
of
this
instrument
would
give
them
power
to
change
any
metal
into
gold,
the
cure
of
all
diseases,
and
the
happiness
which
must
come
from
the
practical
knowledge
of
the
supreme
secret
of
nature.
The
central
quest
of
alchemy
was
the
quest
of
an
undefined
and
undefinable
something
wherein
was
supposed
to
be
contained
all
the
powers
and
potencies
of
life,
and
whatever
makes
life
worth
living.
The
names
given
to
this
mystical
something
were
as
many
as
the
properties
which
were
assigned
to
it.
It
was
called
the
one
thing,
the
essence,
the
philosopher's
stone,
the
stone
of
wisdom,
the
heavenly
balm,
the
divine
water,
the
virgin
water,
the
carbuncle
of
the
sun,
the
old
dragon,
the
lion,
the
basilisk,
the
phoenix;
and
many
other
names
were
given
to
it.
We
may
come
near
to
expressing
the
alchemist's
view
of
the
essential
character
of
the
object
of
their
search
by
naming
it
the
soul
of
all
things.
"Alchemy,"
a
modern
writer
says,
"is
the
science
of
the
soul
of
all
things."
The
essence
was
supposed
to
have
a
material
form,
an
ethereal
or
middle
nature,
and
an
immaterial
or
spiritual
life.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
