The birth of chemistry / by G.F. Rodwell.

  • George Farrer Rodwell
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The birth of chemistry / by G.F. Rodwell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    its ordinary alchemical names, is called Okamar, Syrades, Malochim, and others. The designation of substances as “ the green lion,” “ the flying eagle,” “ the serpent,” “ the black crow,” and so on, also led to considerable confusion. Both names and symbols were used in a somewhat arbitrary fashion. ^.3^ j.y. Fig, 17.—Symbols of lead from Italian MS. of the seventeenth century. It is somewhat strange to think that alchemy should have once received the serious attention of the legis- lature in this country. In 1404 the making of gold and silver was forbidden by Act of Parliament. It was imagined that an alchemist might succeed in his pursuit, and would then become too powerful for the State. Fifty years later Henry VI. granted several patents to people who thought they had discovered the Philosopher’s Stone; and ultimately a commission of ten learned men was appointed by the King to determine if the transmutation of metals into gold were a possibility. We must now leave the subject of alchemy. Those who desire to study it more deeply will find a great mass of matter in the “ Bib- liotheca Chemica Curiosa ” of Mangetus; but if they will take our advice, they will not waste much time
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