Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/178

 BOYLE. 1671 appeared "Tracts about the Cosmical Qualities of Things Cosmical Suspicions; the Teimperature of the Subterra- nean Regions; the Bottom of the Sea; to which is pre-l fixed an Introduction to the History of particular Qua- lities. This work exeited considerable speculation, as it contained an immense number of facts, which were alto- gether new, and was, besides, founded upon actual expe- riments, from whieh legitimate conclusions were drawn; a method which completely and justly exploded the phi- losophy then popularly received, which consisted entirely of a confused tissue of mere hy potheses and groundless conjectüres. To enumerate even a portion of the numerous papers, which Mr. Boyle was continually con municating to the Royal Society, would extend these memoirs far beyond the limits which can be allowed them; yet we cannot refrain from mentioning "An Experimental Discourse of Quicksilver growing hot with Gold," to which was added, another ou the same subject; as it was regarded at the time as a discovery of the utmost importance. So great has in all ages been the avidity with which men have pursued every thing which appeared likely to open a way to the transmutation of the baser metals into gold, that these papers excited a very general attention, and: were regarded even by men of seience as a prelude to that immense discovery, as is evident from a letter addressed by Mr. afterwards Sir Isaac Newton to Mr. Oldenburgh, seeretary to the Royal Society. Indeed, it is evident, from several passages in his writings, that Mr. Boyle entertained a belief of the possibility of this transmutation; and he was afterwards (in 1689) at some trouble in procuring an act for repealing the statute then in force against multi- plying gold and silver. In 1671 he published " Considerations on the Usefulness of Experimental and Natural Philosophy. The seeond Part;" and also "A Collection of Tracts upon several aseful and important Points of practical Philosophy."