Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/224

 Art, which is older than the Flood, is in Holy Scripture ascribed to Tubal-Cain, as its first Inventor (g). The early Use of Gold and Silver, as Instruments of Exchange in Trade, in the Eastern Parts, shews, that Men very anciently knew how to separate Metals from their Dross, to a great Degree. And as frequent Purifications are necessary for that Work, so we find that the Necessity of them was long ago commonly known, since David compared a Righteous Man to Silver Seven Times purified in the Fire (h). Yet that their Art was comparatively rude, is certain, because they did not know how to separate Gold from Silver; besides a very great many other Secrets relating to that Art, which could not be known before the Way of Making Aquæ Fortes: And their particular Qualities in corroding several sorts of Metals were discovered, and applied to these Purposes.

I have spoken already of Alchemy, or the Art of Making Gold; and so I shall pass on to the Chymist's Art, which consists in making such Analyses of Bodies by Fire, or other Agents, Chymically prepared, as may reduce them into more simple Substances, than those out of which they were before compounded. The Discoveries which have been hereby