PREFACE.
The present Lecture, embodying a variety of subjects, under the general title of Chimeras of Science, not only reviews them in succession, but expresses sentiments with regard to each which result from a long acquaintance with ancient and modern scientific authors; supported by an experimental, and, not unfrequently, by a practical acquaintance with several branches of natural philosophy. The consequence of this intimacy with various scientific studies, has been a thorough conviction of the necessity of possessing a knowledge of elementary principles, before professing a belief in new doctrines, whose only recommendation is their novelty, extravagance, and inutility. Without absolutely pretending to any golden road, or short path to learning, superficial but ambitious scholars are the first to seize on first impressions, build up some grand theory, lay down certain postulates, seek proselytes, and display a wonderful amount of enthusiasm in creating systems which, however beautiful in appearance, can boast of no solid foundation. Imperfectly educated, and shallow, but not unfrequently highly imaginative, men, if not themselves absolute charlatans, are the easily led dupes, who become the admirers and abettors of every "new wind of doctrine."
Every age has been sensational. Man delights in mystery, and mysticism is a certain sign of imperfect knowledge. A classic age was not proof against the tricks and deceitful practices of the oracles, soothsayers and jugglers. The dark ages only served to keep alive the human desire for sensation; and less than a century ago, poor, simple, half idiotic women, were burnt at the stake as witches. The Mahometans had their prophet, and so have the Mormons. Mesmer had his disciples, and so have many modern Spiritualists. The Astrologer of the 17th century, is presented to us in a modern dress by the seer Zadkiel. Jacob Behmen and Emanuel Swedenborg, but represent a class that is continually dying out, yet is as continually reproduced; the authors of pious romances, theological enigmas, scientific spiritualisms, and spiritualized transcendental philosophisms. Swedenborg introduces us to the inhabitants of the moon; they are short, the size of a youth of seven years of age; and they speak with a thunderous voice for want of an atmosphere, and not from the mouth, but from the abdomen! But many persons admire such wanderings of a pretended inward and prophetic light.
There are still living a few faithful believers in Alchemy, who earnestly look forward to the coming of the day when the grand, the glorious secret, shall be fully revealed; not, however, to the vulgar crowd, but to the noble, true, and virtuous adept,—to him, and him only.
A class of Mathematicians still continues to publish papers and pamphlets on squaring, cubing, and trisecting. On this subject, the reader might find some amusement in the critiques of Professor De Morgan, who wrote several papers in the Athenæum, 1865, under the title of A Budget of Paradoxes.
Mechanics are still living who firmly believe in the possibility of realizing a mechanical perpetual motion,—to spin, pump, or drive carriages or machinery, by means of a constantly descending weight. And, year by year, many such schemes, find their final resting place in the archives of the Patent Office.
It is melancholy to reflect on the waste of mental energy, inflicted on society by such vanities as Astrology, Alchemy, and their kindred empirical employments. Look at the centuries wasted, and worse than wasted, in studying such intellectual abortions, and in writing thousands of volumes of inanity to uphold falsehood and delude the unwary. What the sword has done physically, the pen and the wand of the sorcerer have done mentally, in prostrating the intellectuality of mankind.
It would tend to promote the progress of society at large, if education were so far general that the acquirements of the middle and lower classes should act on the upper classes as a stimulant to the pursuit of those higher branches of study, which mostly fall to the lot of the nobility and men of fortune: whose birth and ample means otherwise relieve them from all incitements other than such as are fostered by the necessities of public office. With title and fortune, and no ambition to hold public employment, any education is thought to be sufficient that serves to obtain the usual dignities, and to give that polish which completes the accomplished gentleman. To the spread of education alone, can we look with any reliance for the downfall, or at least the diminishing of the hold on the human mind which Chimeras of every order usurp in our own, in common with every other country.
Among other works that might be consulted by the curious in such matters, in the Libraries of the British Museum, the Patent Office, Chetham College Manchester, &c.; may be named, on Astrology,—B. Porta's Works, folio, 1616;—The Compost of Ptolomeus, Prince of Astronomie, 1645;—W. Ramsey's Vox Stellarum, 8vo., 1652;—The Geomancie of Maister Christopher Cattan, 4to., 1608;—Dr. John Dee's Work on Spirits, folio, 1659;—J. Goad's Astro-Meteorologica, folio, 1686;—Godfridus's Work on the Effects of the Planets, &c., 1649;—M. Manilius's System of the Ancient Astronomy and Astrology, &c., 8vo., 1697;—John Merrifield's Catastasis Mundi, 4to., 1684;—Jo. Holwells's Catastrophe Mundi, 4to., 1682;—with many others of modern date.
On Alchemy,—Ashmole's Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, 4to., 1652;—Dr. John French's Art of Distillation;—Four Books of J. S. Weidenfeld, 4to., 1685;—A Philosophicall Epitaph, in Hierogliphicall Figures, 1673;—George Ridley's Compound of Alchemy, 1591;—Roger Bacon's Art and Nature, (in French,) 1557; his Mirror of Alchemy, 1597; his Philosopher's Stone, or Grand Elixir, 8vo., 1739; Theatrum Chemicum, 6 vols., 8vo., 1659-61;—Sandivogius's New Light of Alchymie, 4to., 1650;—Opuscula quædam Chemica, 8vo., 1514;—The Works of Geber, 1678;—Hermes Trismegistus's Works, collected in Theatrum Chemicum, 4 vols.;—Raimond Lully's De Secretis Naturæ, 1541;—Crollius's Philosophy Reformed and Improved, in four profound Tractates, 1657;—Beguinus (J.) Trocinium Chymicum, or Chymical Essays, 8vo., 1669;—Artis Auriferae, Quam Chemiam Vocant (a collection of treatises), woodcuts, 2 vols. 8vo. 1593;—Balduinus's Aurum Superius et Inferius Hermeticum, plates, 1675; Beccheri's Physica Subterranea, Lipsiæ, 1738 (with supplement), 8vo., 1681-80; with many others, ancient and modern. Interesting compendious treatises will be found in Dr. Thomas Thomson's History of Chemistry, ("The National Library,") 2 vols., 12mo., 1830; Justus von Liebig's Familiar Letters on Chemistry, edited by Dr. Blyth, 8vo., 1859. And—
On Mathematical and Mechanical Chimeras, many popular notices may be found in Encyclopædias; and particularly in Dr. Hutton's Mathematical Dictionary, 2 vols., 4to.; and the Author's "Perpetuum Mobile; or, History of the Search for Self-Motive Power; with an Introductory Essay," post 8vo., 1861; to which work, a second series will shortly be added.