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[Illustration:

  _Raeburn. pinx^t._      _Dean, sculp^t._

JOSEPH BLACK, M.D. F.R.S.E.

_London. Published by Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley. 1830._]




  THE

  HISTORY

  OF

  CHEMISTRY.

  BY
  THOMAS THOMSON, M.D. F.R.S.E.
  PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW.


  IN TWO VOLUMES.

  VOL. I.


  LONDON:
  HENRY COLBURN, AND RICHARD BENTLEY,
  NEW BURLINGTON STREET.

  1830.




  C. WHITING, BEAUFORT HOUSE, STRAND.




PREFACE.


It may be proper, perhaps, to state here, in a very few words, the
objects which the author had in view in drawing up the following
History of Chemistry. Alchymy, or the art of making gold, with which
the science originated, furnishes too curious a portion of the
aberrations of the human intellect to be passed over in silence.
The writings of the alchymists are so voluminous and so mystical,
that it would have afforded materials for a very long work. But
I was prevented from extending this part of the subject to any
greater length than I have done, by considering the small quantity of
information which could have been gleaned from the reveries of these
fanatics or impostors; I thought it sufficient to give a general view
of the nature of their pursuits: but in order to put it in the power of
those who feel inclined to prosecute such investigations, I have given
a catalogue of the most eminent of the alchymists and a list of their
works, so far as I am acquainted with them. This catalogue might have
been greatly extended. Indeed it would have been possible to have added
several hundred names. But I think the works which I have quoted are
more than almost any reasonable man would think it worth his while to
peruse; and I can state, from experience, that the information gained
by such a perusal will very seldom repay the trouble.

       *       *       *       *       *

The account of the chemical arts, with which the ancients were
acquainted, is necessarily imperfect; because all arts and trades were
held in so much contempt by them that they did not think it worth their
while to make themselves acquainted with the processes. My chief
guide has been Pliny, but many of his descriptions are unintelligible,
obviously from his ignorance of the arts which he attempts to describe.
Thus circumstanced, I thought it better to be short than to waste a
great deal of paper, as some have done, on hypothesis and conjecture.

       *       *       *       *       *

The account of the Chemistry of the Arabians is almost entirely limited
to the works of Geber, which I consider to be the first book on
Chemistry that ever was published, and to constitute, in every point
of view, an exceedingly curious performance. I was much struck with
the vast number of facts with which he was acquainted, and which have
generally been supposed to have been discovered long after his time.
I have, therefore, been at some pains in endeavouring to convey a
notion of Geber’s opinions to the readers of this history; but am not
sure that I have succeeded. I have generally given his own words, as
literally as possible, and, wherever it would answer the purpose, have
employed the English translation of 1678.

Paracelsus gave origin to so great a revolution in medicine and the
sciences connected with it, that it would have been unpardonable not
to have attempted to lay his opinions and views before the reader;
but, after perusing several of his most important treatises, I found
it almost impossible to form accurate notions on the subject. I
have, therefore, endeavoured to make use of his own words as much
as possible, that the want of consistency and the mysticism of his
opinions may fall upon his own head. Should the reader find any
difficulty in understanding the philosophy of Paracelsus, he will be
in no worse a situation than every one has been who has attempted to
delineate the principles of this prince of quacks and impostors. Van
Helmont’s merits were of a much higher kind, and I have endeavoured to
do him justice; though his weaknesses are so visible that it requires
much candour and patience to discriminate accurately between his
excellencies and his foibles.

       *       *       *       *       *

The history of Iatro-chemistry forms a branch of our subject scarcely
less extraordinary than Alchymy itself. It might have been extended
to a much greater length than I have done. The reason why I did not
enter into longer details was, that I thought the subject more
intimately connected with the history of medicine than of chemistry:
it undoubtedly contributed to the improvement of chemistry; not,
however, by the opinions or the physiology of the iatro-chemists, but
by inducing their contemporaries and successors to apply themselves to
the discovery of chemical medicines.

       *       *       *       *       *

The History of Chemistry, after a theory of combustion had been
introduced by Beccher and Stahl, becomes much more important. It now
shook off the trammels of alchymy, and ventured to claim its station
among the physical sciences. I have found it necessary to treat of its
progress during the eighteenth century rather succinctly, but I hope
so as to be easily intelligible. This made it necessary to omit the
names of many meritorious individuals, who supplied a share of the
contributions which the science was continually receiving from all
quarters. I have confined myself to those who made the most prominent
figure as chemical discoverers. I had no other choice but to follow
this plan, unless I had doubled the size of this little work, which
would have rendered it less agreeable and less valuable to the general
reader.

       *       *       *       *       *

With respect to the History of Chemistry during that portion of the
nineteenth century which is already past, it was beset with several
difficulties. Many of the individuals, of whose labours I had occasion
to speak, are still actively engaged in the prosecution of their
useful works. Others have but just left the arena, and their friends
and relations still remain to appreciate their merits. In treating of
this branch of the science (by far the most important of all) I have
followed the same plan as in the history of the preceding century. I
have found it necessary to omit many names that would undoubtedly have
found a place in a larger work, but which the limited extent to which I
was obliged to confine myself, necessarily compelled me to pass over. I
have been anxious not to injure the character of any one, while I have
rigidly adhered to truth, so far as I was acquainted with it. Should I
have been so unfortunate as to hurt the feelings of any individual by
any remarks of mine in the following pages, it will give me great pain;
and the only alleviation will be the consciousness of the total absence
on my part of any malignant intention. To gratify the wishes of every
individual may, perhaps, be impossible; but I can say, with truth,
that my uniform object has been to do justice to the merits of all, so
far as my own limited knowledge put it in my power to do.




CONTENTS

OF

THE FIRST VOLUME.


                                                                   Page

  Introduction                                                        1


  CHAPTER I.

  Of Alchymy                                                          3


  CHAPTER II.

  Of the chemical knowledge possessed by the Ancients                49


  CHAPTER III.

  Chemistry of the Arabians                                         110


  CHAPTER IV.

  Of the progress of Chemistry under Paracelsus and his disciples   140


  CHAPTER V.

  Of Van Helmont and the Iatro-Chemists                             179


  CHAPTER VI.

  Of Agricola and metallurgy                                        219


  CHAPTER VII.

  Of Glauber, Lemery, and some other chemists of the end of the
  seventeenth century                                               226


  CHAPTER VIII.

  Of the attempts to establish a theory in chemistry                246


  CHAPTER IX.

  Of the foundation and progress of scientific chemistry in Great
  Britain                                                           303





HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY.




INTRODUCTION.


Chemistry, unlike the other sciences, sprang originally from delusion
and superstition, and was at its commencement exactly on a level
with magic and astrology. Even after it began to be useful to man,
by furnishing him with better and more powerful medicines than the
ancient physicians were acquainted with, it was long before it could
shake off the trammels of alchymy, which hung upon it like a nightmare,
cramping and blunting all its energies, and exposing it to the scorn
and contempt of the enlightened part of mankind. It was not till about
the middle of the eighteenth century that it was able to free itself
from these delusions, and to venture abroad in all the native dignity
of a useful science. It was then that its utility and its importance
began to attract the attention of the world; that it drew within its
vortex some of the greatest and most active men in every country; and
that it advanced towards perfection with an accelerated pace. The field
which it now presents to our view is vast and imposing. Its paramount
utility is universally acknowledged. It has become a necessary part of
education. It has contributed as much to the progress of society, and
has done as much to augment the comforts and conveniences of life, and
to increase the power and the resources of mankind, as all the other
sciences put together.

It is natural to feel a desire to be acquainted with the origin and the
progress of such a science; and to know something of the history and
character of those numerous votaries to whom it is indebted for its
progress and improvement. The object of this little work is to gratify
these laudable wishes, by taking a rapid view of the progress of
Chemistry, from its first rude and disgraceful beginnings till it has
reached its present state of importance and dignity. I shall divide the
subject into fifteen chapters. In the first I shall treat of Alchymy,
which may be considered as the inauspicious commencement of the
science, and which, in fact, consists of little else than an account of
dupes and impostors; every where so full of fiction and obscurity, that
it is a hopeless and almost impossible task to reach the truth. In the
second chapter I shall endeavour to point out the few small chemical
rills, which were known to the ancients. These I shall follow in their
progress, in the succeeding chapters, till at last, augmented by an
infinite number of streams flowing at once from a thousand different
quarters, they have swelled to the mighty river, which now flows on
majestically, wafting wealth and information to the civilized world.




CHAPTER I.

OF ALCHYMY.


The word _chemistry_ (χημεια, _chemeia_) first occurs in Suidas,
a Greek writer, who is supposed to have lived in the eleventh
century, and to have written his lexicon during the reign of Alexius
Comnenus.[1] Under the word χημεια in his dictionary we find the
following passage:

“CHEMISTRY, the preparation of silver and gold. The books
on it were sought out by Dioclesian and burnt, on account of the new
attempts made by the Egyptians against him. He treated them with
cruelty and harshness, as he sought out the books written by the
ancients on the chemistry (Περι χημειας) of gold and silver, and burnt
them. His object was to prevent the Egyptians from becoming rich by the
knowledge of this art, lest, emboldened by abundance of wealth, they
might be induced afterwards to resist the Romans.”[2]

[1] The word χημεια is said to occur in several Greek manuscripts of
a much earlier date. But of this, as I have never had an opportunity
of seeing them, I cannot pretend to judge. So much fiction has been
introduced into the history of Alchymy, and so many ancient names have
been treacherously dragged into the service, that we may be allowed
to hesitate when no evidence is presented sufficient to satisfy a
reasonable man.

[2] Χημεια, ἡ του αργυρου και χρυσου κατασκευη· ἡς τα βιβλια
διερευνησαμενος ὁ Διοκλητιανος εκαυσε, δια τα νεωτερισθεντα αιγυπτιοις
Διοκλητιανω· τουτοις ανημερως και φονικως εχρησατο ὁτεδη και τα
περι χημειας χρυσου και αργυρου τοις παλαιοις γεγραμμενα βιβλια
διερευνησαμενος εκαυσε, προς το μηκετι πλουτον αι