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177
The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
·
M. M. Pattison Muir
36
Then
the
Alchemist
was
full
of
joy,
because
he
remembered
that
the
first
substance
of
the
Stone
is
described
by
the
Sages
as
volatile;
and
he
thought
that
now
at
last
he
must
be
on
the
right
track.
He
now
began
to
subject
the
Mercury
to
all
sorts
of
chemical
processes,
to
sublime
it,
and
to
calcine
it
with
all
manner
of
things,
with
salts,
sulphur,
metals,
minerals,
blood,
hair,
aqua
fortis,
herbs,
urine,
and
vinegar....
Everything
he
could
think
of
was
tried;
but
without
producing
the
desired
effect."
The
Alchemist
then
despaired;
after
a
dream,
wherein
an
old
man
came
and
talked
with
him
about
the
"Mercury
of
the
Sages,"
the
Alchemist
thought
he
would
charm
the
Mercury,
and
so
he
used
a
form
of
incantation.
The
Mercury
suddenly
began
to
speak,
and
asked
the
Alchemist
why
he
had
troubled
him
so
much,
and
so
on.
The
Alchemist
replied,
and
questioned
the
Mercury.
The
Mercury
makes
fun
of
the
philosopher.
Then
the
Alchemist
again
torments
the
Mercury
by
heating
him
with
all
manner
of
horrible
things.
At
last
Mercury
calls
in
the
aid
of
Nature,
who
soundly
rates
the
philosopher,
tells
him
he
is
grossly
ignorant,
and
ends
by
saying:
"The
best
thing
you
can
do
is
to
give
yourself
up
to
the
king's
officers,
who
will
quickly
put
an
end
to
you
and
your
philosophy."
As
long
as
men
were
fully
persuaded
that
they
knew
the
plan
whereon
the
world
was
framed,
that
it
was
possible
for
them
to
follow
exactly
"the
road
which
was
followed
by
the
Great
Architect
of
the
Universe
in
the
creation
of
the
world,"
a
real
knowledge
of
natural
events
was
impossible;
for
every
attempt
to
penetrate
nature's
secrets
presupposed
a
knowledge
of
the
essential
characteristics
of
that
which
was
to
be
investigated.
But
genuine
knowledge
begins
when
the
investigator
admits
that
he
must
learn
of
nature,
not
nature
of
him.
It
might
be
truly
said
of
one
who
held
the
alchemical
conception
of
nature
that
"his
foible
was
omniscience";
and
omniscience
negatives
the
attainment
of
knowledge.
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