[Dr. Thomson, the writer of the article "Chemistry" in the
_Encyclopaedia Britannica_, thus notices this derivation: "The generally
received opinion among alchymistical writers was, that chemistry
originated in Egypt; and the honour of the invention has been
unanimously conferred on Hermes Trismegistus. He is by some supposed to
be the same person with Chanaan, the son of Ham, whose son Mizraim
first occupied and peopled Egypt. Plutarch informs us that Egypt was
sometimes called _Chemia_: this name is supposed to be derived from
Chanaan. Hence it was inferred that Chanaan was the inventor of
_chemistry_, to which he affixed his own name. Whether the Hermes of
the Greeks was Chanaan, or his son Mizraim, it is impossible to decide;
but to Hermes is assigned the invention of _chemistry_, or _the art of
making gold_, by almost the unanimous consent of the adepts." Dr.
Webster says, "The orthography of this word has undergone changes
through a mere ignorance of its origin, than which nothing can be more
obvious. It is the Arabic _kimia_, the occult art or science, from
_kamai_, to conceal. This was originally the art or science now called
alchemy; the art of converting baser metals into gold." Webster says
the correct orthography is _chimistry_.]
_Burning for Witchcraft._--When and where was the last person burned to
death for witchcraft in England?