A sketch of the revolutions in chemistry / by Thomas P. Smith.

  • Smith, Thomas P. (Thomas Peters), 1777 or 1778-1802.
Date:
MDCCXCVIII [1798]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A sketch of the revolutions in chemistry / by Thomas P. Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    18/46
    they condejcended to ftudy chemiftry. After the de^ feat of this immenfe army, many, who had fet off with a defign of converting the infidels to Chrijlianity by means of the fword, returned to endeavour to convert all the metals into gold by means of their newly ac- quired chemical agents. Europe foon fwarmed with people in fearch of tlia agent, by means of which the bafer metals were to be converted into gold and filver, and to which they had given the name of the Philofopher's-ftone. All clafies of people were feized with the mania. The indigent man, who was mitigated to ftudy by the hopes of ac- quiring wealth, but who for want of money to com- mence his operations was unable to proceed, was fure to find a patron among the wealthy, who upon the condition of fharing in the difcovery, advanced large fums of money for carrying on the operations. Pre- cedes of the raoft extenfive and expenfive nature were inftituted in fearch of this chimerical fubftance, and the moft important difcoveries, though different from that mofc hoped for, were made. No expence of la- bour or time was fpared, and immenfe fortunes were diflipated by men who would not have advanced the fmallelt fum for the difcovery of any truth whatever from which they could not hope to derive fome pecu- niary advantage. Thus was avarice eniifled in the caufe of fcience, and thus that worll paffion of the human breaft, which has ever, but at this (ingle period, re- tarded the progrefs of fcience, now tended in the moft aitonifh.ng manner to its promotion.