The sceptical chymist / by the Hon. Robert Boyle.

  • Robert Boyle
Date:
[between 1900 and 1999]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The sceptical chymist / by the Hon. Robert Boyle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    But Eleutherius guessing at what he meant to do, pre- vented him by telling him, I perceive, Carneades, by the books that you have been now shutting, and much more by the posture wherein I found persons so qualified to discourse of serious matters, and so accustomed to do it, that you three were, before our coming, engaged in some philosophical conference, which I hope you will either prosecute, and allow us to be partakers of, in recompense of the freedome we have used in presuming to surprise you, or else give us leave to repair the injury we should other- wise do you, by leaving you to the freedom we have inter- rupted, and punishing ourselves for our boldness by depriving ourselves of the happiness of your company. With these last words he and I rose up, as if we meant to be gone: but Carneades suddenly laying hold on his arme, and stopping him by it, smilingly told him, We are not so forward to lose good company as you seem to imagine; especially since you are pleased to desire to be present at what we shall say about such a subject as that you found us considering. For that, being the number of the elements, principles, or material ingredients of bodies, is an enquiry whose truth is of that importance, and of that difficulty, that it may as well deserve, as require, to be searched into by such skilful indagators of nature as your- selves. And therefore we sent to invite the bold and acute Leucippus to lend us some light by his atomical paradox, upon which we expected such pregnant hints, that ’twas not without a great deal of trouble that we had lately word brought us that he was not to be found; and we had likewise begged the assistance of your presence and thoughts, had not the messenger we employed to Leucippus informed us that as he was going he saw you both pass by towards another part of the town; and this frustrated expectation of Leucippus his company, who told me but last night that he would be ready to give me a meeting where I pleased to-day, having very long sus- pended our conference about the freshly mentioned sub- ject, it was so newly begun when you came in, that we shall scarce need to repeat anything to acquaint you with what had passed betwixt us before your arrival, so that I cannot
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