Despis'd by epicures and fools.
REX.
Alchemy and Printing.—Antimony, once celebrated in the laboratories of the alchemists, who hoped to discover in it the philosopher's stone, is now employed in the casting of types for printing.—There is much food for reflection in this curious fact in the history of science. How has this simple substance originated dreams of spell-bound ignorance, and realities of godlike intelligence. Nay, we are almost persuaded that the hopes of the alchemists were not altogether unfounded—that antimony is indeed what they hoped to find it—that the invention of printing was the finding of the philosopher's stone; and that we are at this moment enjoying ten-fold the advantages which the alchemists anticipated from their secret.—J.T.
Footnote 1: [(return)]
Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia. H. Colburn, 4to., 1829.
Footnote 2: [(return)]
See Memoir, and specimens of her Poetry, Mirror, vol. xiv. p. 340.
Footnote 3: [(return)]
Arnott's Elements of Physics.
Footnote 4: [(return)]
Objects, Advantages, and Pleasures of Science. In the first edition, the inventer is erroneously stated to be Edward Howard.
Footnote 5: [(return)]
Lady Dacre visited her dear lord's tomb daily for several years; at the foot of the grave she was accustomed to kneel, and utter a fervent prayer. We can just remember seeing this devout lady on one of these pilgrimages. She usually rode from her mansion in the neighbourhood to the churchyard, on a favourite poney, and wore a large, flapping, drab beaver hat, and a woollen habit, nearly trailing on the ground. At home she evinced an eccentric affection for her deceased lord: his chair was placed, as during his lifetime, at the dinner-table; and its vacancy seemed to feed his lady's melancholy.
Footnote 6: [(return)]
Surrey's accomplishments and political talents, and his bravery in the battle-field, cast additional splendour over the house of Howard; and his violent death, another stain on the tyranny of Henry VIII.