THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.
How was the world ever brought to believe that students, in rags,
possessed the power of producing gold, when the misery of their personal
condition was so apparent? How could individuals, in the enjoyment of
competence, ever be tempted to own themselves in the pursuit of chimerical
opulence? How could an enlightened century give birth to so monstrous a
delusion?
The alchemists, though not comprised among sorcerers, and requiring a
separate notice, rivalled them in the pretence to magic; for their volumes
abound in recipes for raising the dead, universal elixirs, the
regeneration of old people, the transformation of the ugly into the
beautiful, and even the creation of men and animals, without other aid
than that of a few cinders and herbs!
Such miracles, however, were insignificant compared with the science of
producing gold; which, according to some was known to Job. The
philosopher's stone is said, by certain legends, to have been the origin
of his fortune; and his poverty to have been occasioned by its loss. These
alchemists do not explain how he came to forfeit the scientific powers
which had originally produced the stone; such details being beneath the
notice of the grand science.
The philosopher's stone was, on the contrary, a creation of the fourteenth
century, and much accredited among the scientific men of that day. Raymond
Lully, Nicholas Flamel, Arnaud de Villeneuve, Paracelsus, and several
others, were initiated into the secret. Nicholas Flamel was a celebrated
alchemist, and having acquired an immense fortune, it was attributed to
the philosopher's stone, which of course stimulated the cupidity of the
proselytes of alchemy. Eager was their pursuit of a study which was to
endow them with boundless wealth; and these lunatics found coadjutors in
persons of weak and credulous mind, while wiser men diverted themselves by
sustaining their hopes, and affecting conviction of their success. Such
was Van Helmont, who published his belief in the existence of the
philosopher's stone, protesting that he had seen it, and tasted it; that
with a grain, he had produced several marks of pure gold.
The ardour with which conjectural sciences are adopted, proves a serious
injury to positive science. Many learned men asserted the possibility of
the transmutation of metals; among others, the famous Pica of Mirandola.
Alchemists, however, were not unanimous concerning the principles of the
art. Some placed its origin in Heaven, and looked upon the rays of the sun
as its primitive source; the quintessence of which was called, in their
gibberish, the powder of projection. Others maintained that its elements
existed throughout every department of nature, constituting the active
principle of the universe. Some ascribed the principle to the metals
themselves. Mercury presented itself to them as the agent for producing
silver, according to the properties we have already described with
reference to miraculous showers. According to them, mercury had only to be
condensed, its mobility fixed, and its different parts coagulated, to
create silver. But by far the greater number indulged in still wider
speculations. Most of those who attempted the pursuit were brought to want
and wretchedness; and one of them observed, in his last moments, that he
could not imagine a bitterer curse to bequeath than the love of alchemy!
All, however, were not martyrs to the art. Many of its advocates
perambulated the world, finding dupes in Princes, Kings and Emperors, who
paid dearly for their imaginary discoveries. These mountebanks were the
only real possessors of the philosopher's stone. After the treaty of
Westphalia, in 1648, the Emperor Ferdinand was convinced that he had
converted half a pound of mercury into gold by means of a philosophical
tincture; and in commemoration of the event, had a medal struck, bearing
the effigy of a youth with a face like a sun, shooting forth rays. On the
reverse was inscribed, "Glory to God for deigning to impart to his humble
creatures a portion of his infinite power."
The mountebank to whom this transmutation was attributed, by name
Richthausen, was created a Baron; and repeated his experiments before the
Elector of Mayence and many other Sovereigns. His name was long celebrated
in Germany; but his end is unknown. It is well known that Cardinal de
Richelieu witnessed several experiments in pursuit of the philosopher's
stone, generously rewarding the operator. This may have been an expedient
of his Eminence in order to secure the services of these adroit
individuals; who, admitted into the bosom of illustrious families, became
a source of useful information. Voltaire relates that he saw one, Damusi,
Marquis of Conventiglio, handsomely remunerated by certain rich noblemen,
after producing, in their presence, two or three crowns of gold.
No one has written more to the purpose on the subject of alchemists, than
Fontenelle. "Nothing but the blindness induced by avidity," says he,
"could induce the belief that a man, possessing the power of making gold,
must receive gold from another, before he can exhibit his art. How can
such a person stand in need of money? Nevertheless, these mountebanks, by
their fanatical conduct, mysterious language, and exorbitant promises, far
from rendering themselves objects of suspicion, acquire the utmost
influence. Without deciding upon the impractibility of making gold,
experience teaches us that the extreme difficulty of the operation must
render it unavailable in practice, if not in theory. But supposing that by
the means of a sulphur of gold, completely separated from other
principles, the point were gained by applying it to silver, so as to
produce a mass of gold of the same weight and volume, what would be the
result beyond a curious experiment effected at an enormous cost?"
In this appreciation of alchemy, Fontenelle expresses himself with the
scrupulousness worthy the philosopher who said that he would not have
opened his hand had it been full of truth. In this instance he opens it
partially, admitting an experimental possibility which he knew did not
exist.
Not only Kings and Emperors, but even the populace, delighting in the
marvellous, believed in the existence of the philosopher's stone; choosing
to attribute several sudden accumulations of wealth to this mysterious
source. Raymond Lullé had become rich by farming the duty imposed by
Edward III. upon the exportation of wool from England to Flanders. Arnaud
de Villeneuve, an eminent physician and chemist, effected cures by
specifics only known to himself, which were highly requited. Nicholas
Flamel enriched himself by seizing the ledgers of the Jews when expelled
from France; their creditors preferring a settlement with him, to paying
their liabilities into the exchequer; in return for which, he effaced
their names from the registers.
These mountebanks are now known to have made use of a hollow cane, the
extremity being plugged with wax, by introducing which into the crucible,
on pretext of stirring up the different matters, as the wax melted the
gold fell out, and the miracle appeared to be accomplished.
Others had their crucibles lined with a substance which yielded to the
action of the fire, when the gold concealed behind it appeared. These
clumsy tricks of legerdemain succeeded for several centuries; but
credulity flits round error, as the moth is attracted by the flame of the
taper, and is at length annihilated.
In the beginning of the last century, a well-known Princess was the victim
of an absurd fraud. Being famed for her humanity, a wounded soldier
knocked at the door of her palace, and solicited hospitality. Having been
nobly received, on recovering from his wounds, he desired to offer some
acknowledgment of gratitude previous to his departure. This man pretended
to be possessed of three reeds, which, being placed in a crucible,
converted mercury into gold. These reeds he pretended to have discovered
in a ruined Abbey in Wurzbourg; a fact which he disinterestedly
communicated to the Princess; who, in return, loaded him with marks of
munificence. When, however, her Highness proceeded to apprize the Bishop
of Wurzbourg of the treasure concealed in his diocese, no such Abbey as
the one described by the crafty soldier was found to be in existence. This
kind of philosophers' stone is not a new invention, and there is little
chance of the secret being lost.
There are still many persons engaged in the decomposition and
transmutation of metals;--viz: the coiners of base money. Even the Academy
of Sciences of Paris has still one member devoted to the miracles of the
crucible--Baron Cagnard de la Tour; who has made many wonderful
experiments on the nature and reproduction of diamonds.