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The observations in each line of the table apply to a period of twenty-four hours, beginning at 9 A. M. on the day indicated in the first column. A dash denotes that the result is included in the next following observation.

REMARKS.

Seventh Month.-1. Showery. 2. Cloudy, and fine. 3. Fine. 4. Showery. 5. Cloudy. 6. Fine: occasional clouds. 7. Showery. 8. A very heavy shower of rain about half-past three, p. m. attended with thunder. 9, 10. Fine. 11. Fine: cloudy at intervals. 12. Cloudy and fine. 13. Rainy. 14. Cloudy: slight showers. 15. Fine morning: showery afternoon. 16. Rainy. 17. Fine. 18, 19. Showery. 20. Fine. 21. Showers. 22. Cloudy. 23. Showery day: heavy rain with thunder about six, p. m.: some thunder showers afterwards, with lightning. 24. Cloudy. 25. Showery. 26. Rainy. 27. Cloudy and fine. 28. Cloudy. 29. Overcast. 30, 31. Fine.

RESULTS.

Winds: N, 1; E, 1; SE, 1; S, 1; SW, 12; W, 6; NW, 8; Var. 1.

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... 29.910

For the lunar period, ending the 30th.......

For 13 days, ending the 12th (moon north) ......... 29.980

For 14 days, ending the 26th (moon south).....

Thermometer: Mean height

29.847

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ANNALS

OF

PHILOSOPHY.

OCTOBER, 1823.

ARTICLE I.

Some Account of a scarce and curious Alchemical Work, by Michael Maier. By the Rev. J. J. Conybeare, MGS.

(To the Editor of the Annals of Philosophy.)

DEAR SIR,

As you did not think the account of Biringuccio's Pirotechnia unworthy of admission into your journal, you may, perhaps, be disposed, on the same principle, to spare a few pages to the analysis of another early work, in its own line not less curious and interesting. For there is always, unless I am much mistaken, an interest, and that a strong one, in tracing the history of arts and science even where it exhibits most strikingly the aberration and misuse of human intellect and industry. Believe me, dear Sir, most sincerely yours,

J.J. CONYBEARE.

Symbola Aurea Mensa Duodecim Nationum.
Maiero Com. Imp. Cons. Nob. MD. &c.
Small 4to. pp. 621.

Authore Michaele
Francofurti, 1617.

MAIER is termed by Beckman (unless my recollection be incorrect), the most learned alchemist of his age; and of all the alchemical works into which I have been occasionally led to search, this appears the best calculated to afford the curious reader an insight into the history of that art, and of the arguments by which it was usually attacked and defended. It has New Series, VOL. VI.

the additional merit of being more intelligible and more entertaining than most books of the same class.

According to the taste of his day, Maier has thrown his defence of alchemy into the form of an allegorical narrative. The virgin Chemia having been grossly and falsely slandered by some adversary whom he names Pyrgopolynices, summons to her defence twelve worthies of as many countries, who assemble in solemn council round the Golden or Philosophic Table. In agreement with the number of these sages, the work is divided into twelve books or parts, each constructed pretty much upon the same plan. In each, an account is first given of the hero who acts as its Coryphæus; this is followed by brief notices of such among his countrymen as have been eminent in the same mysterious art; and usually by some desultory remarks as to the natural and other peculiarities of the country which produced them. Lastly, Pyrgopolynices is introduced making a syllogistic attack upon some one or more leading points of alchemical doctrine, which is readily answered by the aforesaid Coryphæus with all due etiquette of major, minor, &c.

The first character thus brought upon the stage is Hermes Trismegistus, whose pretensions to this eminence can hardly be unknown to any of your chemical readers. Maier determines seriously that Hermes lived 2000 years before the Christian era, appears to acquiesce in the spuriousness of such decidedly alchemical works as passed under his name, and rests his claim to the title of Prorex Chemiæ on a forced interpretation of some passages in the Pimander and Asclepius, theosophical tracts fathered upon Hermes by the forgers of the Alexandrian school, and in two short tracts, the Smaragdine Table, and the Tractatus 7 Capitulorum, of more dubious origin and signification. Under this view, he of course regards the mythology and hieroglyphics of Egypt as concealing the arcana of the Hermetic art. This opinion, however, is reasonable in comparison with one which he states to have been entertained by some of his contemporaries," that the whole Scripture, both of the Old and New Testament, is nothing more than a body of chemical allegories." This Maier, who does not appear to have been deficient in piety, deservedly reprobates. The earliest authority which, with all his research and erudition, he can produce for the chemical learning of the Egyptians, is the assertion of Paulus Diaconus (a writer of the eighth century), that Diocletian burnt the library of Alexandria in order to prevent the Egyptians from becoming learned in the art of producing at will those precious metals which might be employed as the sinews of war against himself. He misquotes Orosius as an evidence to the same purpose. It is needless to say, that as far as chemistry is concerned, the story is evidently a fiction. He attempts to press Tacitus into the same service, on the presumption that the

Phonix mentioned Ann. 1. 6, is an allegorical representation of the Philosopher's Stone.

To Hermes, Maier gives for assessors nearly all the early Egyptian kings, Adfar, the Alexandrian, and Calid, the Saracen. Of these, he affirms that the immensity of their works, and the hieroglyphic remains of Egypt, prove more plainly than the sun at mid-day that they were great alchemists. Among those who received immediately from Egypt the doctrine of the adepts, were the Phoenicians (Cadmus was an alchemist, and the Hydra the dragon of his art), the Colchians (witness the golden fleece), the Phrygians (he seems to insinuate that the war of Troy is a chemical allegory), and the Eumolpida of Eleusis. But, he proceeds, it is asked, "If chemistry be of such antiquity, and if its secrets have been in the possession of so many persons from the earliest ages, whence is it that they yet remain secrets." For this natural question, he has no better answer than that of all his brethren," that they who had the gift were under a moral obligation to perpetuate their knowledge only under the veil of symbols and allegories, penetrable by those alone whom heaven should see worthy of such a privilege." In the train of the Egyptians follow the Gymnosophists of Ethiophia, the Magi of Persia, and the Bramins of India. He quotes from the life of Apollonius, a passage, which renders it not altogether improbable that in the age of Philostratus, somewhat of alchemical quackery had already begun to mix itself with the speculations of the mystic and Theurgic philosophy. Jarchas, the Bramin, conversed, he says, with Apollonius, among other things, concerning the water of gold.

Pyrgopolynices now begins his attack. "No species," he asserts," is changeable into another species. But gold, copper, lead, &c. are species per se, ergo, they are not commutable inter se. The answer which one would anticipate at the present day is, that the determination of the species must be matter of experiment, and that if copper, e. g. be an impure or adulterated gold, it is not a species per se. The answer of Hermes, however, is, that one species does actually pass into another, e. g. a specific egg into a specific chicken, a seed into a plant, &c. But his strong proof (or battering ram, as he terms it), is the evidence of all persons concerned in metallurgy in favour of the natural transmutation of metallic species.

Chap. II. Hebrews.-This class is led by Miriam, or Maria, whom Maier believes to have been the same with the sister of Moses, chiefly because Moses himself was skilled in the arts of the Egyptians, and because operations requiring a certain degree of chemical knowledge are mentioned in the books of Exodus and Leviticus. The writings ascribed to this Miriam are next quoted as alluding to the Vas Hermetis (the same, according to Maier, with the fiery cup of the Bramins mentioned by Philostratus.) "Vas," says Miriam, "quod Stoici occultaverunt."

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