Basil Valentine his triumphant Chariot of Antimony, with annotations of Theodore Kirkringius, M.D. With the true book of the learned Synesius, a Greek abbot, taken out of the Emperour's library, concerning the Philosopher's Stone. London, 1678, 8vo.[[251]]
There are said to be three Hamburg editions of the collected works of Valentine, who discovered the common antimony, and is said to have given the name antimoine, in a curious way. Finding that the pigs of his convent throve upon it, he gave it to his brethren, who died of it.[[252]] The impulse given to chemistry by R. Boyle[[253]] seems to have brought out a vast number of translations, as in the following tract:
ON ALCHEMY.
Collectanea Chymica: A collection of ten several treatises in chymistry, concerning the liquor Alkehest, the Mercury of Philosophers, and other curiosities worthy the perusal. Written by Eir. Philaletha,[[254]] Anonymus, J. B. Van-Helmont,[[255]] Dr. Fr. Antonie,[[256]] Bernhard Earl of Trevisan,[[257]] Sir Geo. Ripley,[[258]] Rog. Bacon,[[259]] Geo. Starkie,[[260]] Sir Hugh Platt,[[261]] and the Tomb of Semiramis. See more in the contents. London, 1684, 8vo.
In the advertisements at the ends of these tracts there are upwards of a hundred English tracts, nearly all of the period, and most of them translations. Alchemy looks up since the chemists have found perfectly different substances composed of the same elements and proportions. It is true the chemists cannot yet transmute; but they may in time: they poke about most assiduously. It seems, then, that the conviction that alchemy must be impossible was a delusion: but we do not mention it.
The astrologers and the alchemists caught it in company in the following, of which I have an unreferenced note.
"Mendacem et futilem hominem nominare qui volunt, calendariographum dicunt; at qui sceleratum simul ac impostorem, chimicum.[[262]]
"Crede ratem ventis corpus ne crede chimistis;
Est quævis chimica tutior aura fide."[[263]]