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the Errata at the end of the book are noted with [Errata:
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[Transcriber's Note: corrected text] where the meaning might
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preceding the Errata, which contains material omitted from the
text (the place where it should be inserted is marked in the
text with a Transcriber's Note).
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A table of contents has been provided for the reader's
convenience.
THE
SCEPTICAL CHYMIST:
OR
CHYMICO-PHYSICAL
Doubts & Paradoxes,
Touching the
SPAGYRIST'S PRINCIPLES
Commonly call'd
HYPOSTATICAL,
As they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of
ALCHYMISTS.
Whereunto is praemis'd Part of another Discourse relating to the same
Subject.
BY
The Honourable _ROBERT BOYLE_, Esq;
_LONDON,_
Printed by _J. Cadwell_ for _J. Crooke_, and are to be Sold at the
_Ship_ in St. _Paul's_ Church-Yard.
_MDCLXI._
CONTENTS
A Praeface Introductory
Physiological Considerations
The First Part
The Second Part
The Third Part
The Fourth Part
The Fifth Part
The Sixth Part
The Conclusion
Printer's Note
Errata
A
PRAEFACE
INTRODUCTORY
_To the following Treatise._
_To give the Reader an account, Why the following Treatise is suffer'd
to pass abroad so maim'd and imperfect, I must inform him that 'tis
now long since, that to gratify an ingenious Gentleman, I set down
some of the Reasons that kept me from fully acquiescing either in the
Peripatetical, or in the Chymical Doctrine, of the Material Principles
of mixt Bodies. This Discourse some years after falling into the hands
of some Learned men, had the good luck to be so favourably receiv'd,
and advantageously spoken of by them, that having had more then
ordinary Invitations given me to make it publick, I thought fit to
review it, that I might retrench some things that seem'd not so fit to
be shewn to every Reader, And substitute some of those other things
that occurr'd to me of the trials and observations I had since made.
What became of my papers, I elsewhere mention in a Preface where I
complain of it: But since I writ That, I found many sheets that
belong'd to the subjects I am now about to discourse of. Wherefore
seeing that I had then in my hands as much of the first Dialogue as
was requisite to state the Case, and serve for an Introduction as well
to the conference betwixt_ Carneades _and_ Eleutherius, _as to some
other Dialogues, which for certain reasons are not now herewith
publish'd, I resolv'd to supply, as well as I could, the Contents of a
Paper belonging to the second of the following Discourses, which I
could not possibly retrive, though it were the chief of them all. And
having once more try'd the Opinion of Friends, but not of the same,
about this imperfect work, I found it such, that I was content in
complyance with their Desires; that not only it should be publish'd,
but that it should be publish'd as soon as conveniently might be. I
had indeed all along the Dialogues spoken of my self, as of a third
Person; For, they containing Discourses which were among the first
Treatises that I ventur'd long ago to write of matters Philosophical,
I had reason to desire, with the Painter, to_ latere pone tabulam,
_and hear what men would say of them, before I own'd my self to be
their Author. But besides that now I find, 'tis not unknown to many
who it is that writ them, I am made to believe that 'tis not
inexpedient, they should be known to come from a Person not altogether
a stranger to Chymical Affairs. And I made the lesse scruple to let
them come abroad uncompleated, partly, because my affairs and
Prae-ingagements to publish divers other Treatises allow'd me small
hopes of being able in a great while to compleat these Dialogues. And
partly, because I am not unapt to think, that they may come abroad
seasonably enough, though not for the Authors reputation, yet for
other purposes. For I observe, that of late Chymistry begins, as
indeed it deserves, to be cultivated by Learned Men who before
despis'd it; and to be pretended to by many who never cultivated it,
that they may be thought not to ignore it: Whence it is come to passe,
that divers Chymical Notions about Matters Philosophical are taken for
granted and employ'd, and so adopted by very eminent Writers both
Naturalists and Physitians. Now this I fear may prove somewhat
prejudicial to the Advancement of solid Philosophy: For though I am a
great Lover of Chymical Experiments, and though I have no mean esteem
of divers Chymical Remedies, yet I distinguish these from their
Notions about the causes of things, and their manner of Generation.
And for ought I can hitherto discern, there are a thousand_ Phaenomena
_in Nature, besides a Multitude of Accidents relating to the humane
Body, which will scarcely be clearly & satisfactorily made out by them
that confine themselves to deduce things from Salt, Sulphur and
Mercury, and the other Notions peculiar to the Chymists, without
taking much more Notice than they are wont to do, of the Motions and
Figures, of the small Parts of Matter, and the other more Catholick
and Fruitful affections of Bodies. Wherefore it will not perhaps be
now unseasonable to let our_ Carneades _warne Men, not to subscribe to
the grand Doctrine of the Chymists touching their three Hypostatical
Principles, till they have a little examin'd it, and consider'd, how
they can clear it from his Objections, divers of which 'tis like they
may never have thought on; since a Chymist scarce would, and none but
a Chymist could propose them. I hope also it will not be unacceptable
to several Ingenious Persons, who are unwilling to determine of any
important Controversie, without a previous consideration of what may
be said on both sides, and yet have greater desires to understand
Chymical Matters, than Opportunities of learning them, to find here
together, besides several Experiments of my own purposely made to
Illustrate the Doctrine of the Elements, divers others scarce to be
met with, otherwise then Scatter'd among many Chymical Books. And to
Find these Associated Experiments so Deliver'd as that an Ordinary
Reader, if he be but Acquainted with the usuall Chymical Termes, may
easily enough Understand Them; and even a wary One may safely rely on
Them. These Things I add, because a Person any Thing vers'd in the
Writings of Chymists cannot but Discern by their obscure, Ambiguous,
and almost AEnigmatical Way of expressing what they pretend to Teach,
that they have no Mind, to be understood at all, but by_ the Sons of
Art _(as they call them) nor to be Understood even by these without
Difficulty And Hazardous Tryalls. Insomuch that some of Them Scarce
ever speak so candidly, as when they make use of that known Chymical
Sentence;_ Ubi palam locuti fumus, ibi nihil diximus. _And as the
obscurity of what some Writers deliver makes it very difficult to be
understood; so the Unfaithfulness of too many others makes it unfit to
be reli'd on. For though unwillingly, Yet I must for the truths sake,
and the Readers, warne him not to be forward to believe Chymical
Experiments when they are set down only by way of Prescriptions, and
not of Relations; that is, unless he that delivers them mentions his
doing it upon his own particular knowledge, or upon the Relation of
some credible person, avowing it upon his own experience. For I am
troubled, I must complain, that even Eminent Writers, both Physitians
and Philosophers, whom I can easily name, if it be requir'd, have of
late suffer'd themselves to be so far impos'd upon, as to Publish and
Build upon Chymical Experiments, which questionless they never try'd;
for if they had, they would, as well as I, have found them not to be
true. And indeed it were to be wish'd, that now that those begin to
quote Chymical Experiments that are not themselves Acquainted with
Chymical Operations, men would Leave off that Indefinite Way of
Vouching the Chymists say this, or the Chymists affirme that, and
would rather for each Experiment they alledge name the Author or
Authors, upon whose credit they relate it; For, by this means they
would secure themselves from the suspition of falshood (to which the
other Practice Exposes them) and they would Leave the Reader to Judge
of what is fit for him to Believe of what is Deliver'd, whilst they
employ not their own great names to Countenance doubtfull Relations;
and they will also do Justice to the Inventors or Publishers of true
Experiments, as well as upon the Obtruders of false ones. Whereas by
that general Way of quoting the Chymists, the candid Writer is
Defrauded of the particular Praise, and the Impostor escapes the
Personal Disgrace that is due to him._
_The remaining Part of this Praeface must be imploy'd in saying
something for_ Carneades, _and something for my Self._
_And first_, Carneades _hopes that he will be thought to have disputed
civilly and Modestly enough for one that was to play the Antagonist
and the Sceptick. And if he any where seem to sleight his Adversaries
Tenents and Arguments, he is willing to have it look'd upon as what he
was induc'd to, not so much by his Opinion of them, as the Examples
of_ Themistius _and_ Philoponus, _and the custom of such kind of
Disputes._
_Next, In case that some of his Arguments shall not be thought of the
most Cogent sort that may be, he hopes it will be consider'd that it
ought not to be Expected, that they should be So. For, his Part being
chiefly but to propose Doubts and Scruples, he does enough, if he
shews that his Adversaries Arguments are not strongly Concluding,
though his own be not so neither. And if there should appear any
disagreement betwixt the things he delivers in divers passages, he
hopes it will be consider'd, that it is not necessary that all the
things a Sceptick Proposes, should be consonant; since it being his
work to Suggest doubts against the Opinion he questions, it is
allowable for him to propose two or more severall_ Hypotheses _about
the same thing: And to say that it may be accounted for this way, or
that way, or the other Way, though these wayes be perhaps inconsistent
among Themselves. Because it is enough for him, if either of the
proposed_ Hypotheses _be but as probable as that he calls a question.
And if he proposes many that are Each of them probable, he does the
more satisfie his doubts, by making it appear the more difficult to be
sure, that that which they alwayes differ from is the true. And our_
Carneades _by holding the Negative, he has this Advantage, that if
among all the Instances he brings to invalidate all the Vulgar
Doctrine of those he Disputes with, any one be Irrefragable, that
alone is sufficient to overthrow a Doctrine which Universally asserts
what he opposes. For, it cannot be true, that all Bodies whatsoever
that are reckon'd among the Perfectly mixt Ones, are Compounded of
such a Determinate Number of such or such Ingredients, in case any one
such Body can be produc'd, that is not so compounded; and he hopes
too, that Accurateness will be the less expected from him, because his
undertaking obliges him to maintain such Opinions in Chymistry, and
that chiefly by Chymical Arguments, as are Contrary to the very
Principles of the Chymists; From whose writings it is not Therefore
like he should receive any intentionall Assistance, except from some
Passages of the Bold and Ingenious_ Helmont, _with whom he yet
disagrees in many things (which reduce him to explicate Divers
Chymical_ Phaenomena, _according to other Notions;) And of whose
Ratiocinations, not only some seem very Extravagant, but even the Rest
are not wont to be as considerable as his Experiments. And though it
be True indeed, that some_ Aristotelians _have occasionally written
against the Chymical Doctrine he Oppugnes, yet since they have done it
according to their Principles, And since our_ Carneades _must as well
oppose their_ Hypothesis _as that of the Spagyrist, he was fain to
fight his Adversaries with their own Weapons, Those of the
Peripatetick being Improper, if not hurtfull for a Person of his
Tenents; besides that those_ Aristotelians, _(at Least, those he met
with,) that have written against the Chymists, seem to have had so
little Experimental Knowledge in Chymical Matters, that by their
frequent Mistakes and unskilfull Way of Oppugning, they have too often
expos'd Themselves to the Derision of their Adversaries, for writing
so Confidently against what they appear so little to understand._
_And Lastly_, Carneades _hopes, he shall doe the Ingenious this Piece
of service, that by having Thus drawn the Chymists Doctrine out of
their Dark and Smoakie Laboratories, and both brought it into the open
light, and shewn the weakness of their Proofs, that have hitherto
been wont to be brought for it, either Judicious Men shall henceforth
be allowed calmly and after due information to disbelieve it, or those
abler Chymists, that are zealous for the reputation of it, will be
oblig'd to speak plainer then hitherto has been done, and maintain it
by better Experiments and Arguments then Those_ Carneades _hath
examin'd: so That he hopes, the Curious will one Way or other Derive
either satisfaction or instruction from his endeavours. And as he is
ready to make good the profession he makes in the close of his
Discourse, he being ready to be better inform'd, so he expects either
to be indeed inform'd, or to be let alone. For Though if any Truly
knowing Chymists shall Think fit in a civil and rational way to shew
him any truth touching the matter in Dispute That he yet discernes
not,_ Carneades _will not refuse either to admit, or to own a
Conviction: yet if any impertinent Person shall, either to get Himself
a Name, or for what other end soever, wilfully or carelesly mistake
the State of the Controversie, or the sence of his Arguments, or shall
rail instead of arguing, as hath been done of Late in Print by divers
Chymists;_[1] _or lastly, shall write against them in a canting way; I
mean, shall express himself in ambiguous or obscure termes, or argue
from experiments not intelligibly enough Deliver'd_, Carneades
_professes, That he values his time so much, as not to think the
answering such Trifles worth the loss of it._
[Footnote 1: G. and F. and H. and others, in their books against one
another.]
_And now having said thus much for_ Carneades, _I hope the Reader will
give me leave to say something too for my self._
_And first, if some morose Readers shall find fault with my having
made the Interlocutors upon occasion complement with one another, and
that I have almost all along written these Dialogues in a stile more
Fashionable then That of meer scholars is wont to be, I hope I shall
be excus'd by them that shall consider, that to keep a due_ decorum
_in the Discourses, it was fit that in a book written by a Gentleman,
and wherein only Gentlemen are introduc'd as speakers, the Language
should be more smooth, and the Expressions more civil than is usual in
the more Scholastick way of writing. And indeed, I am not sorry to
have this Opportunity of giving an example how to manage even Disputes
with Civility; whence perhaps some Readers will be assisted to discern
a Difference betwixt Bluntness of speech and Strength of reason, and
find that a man may be a Champion for Truth, without being an Enemy to
Civility; and may confute an Opinion without railing at Them that hold
it; To whom he that desires to convince and not to provoke them, must
make some amends by his Civility to their Persons, for his severity
to their mistakes; and must say as little else as he can, to displease
them, when he says that they are in an error._
_But perhaps other Readers will be less apt to find fault with the
Civility of my Disputants, than the Chymists will be, upon the reading
of some Passages of the following Dialogue, to accuse_ Carneades _of
Asperity. But if I have made my Sceptick sometimes speak sleightingly
of the Opinions he opposes, I hope it will not be found that I have
done any more, than became the Part he was to act of an Opponent:
Especially, if what I have made him say be compar'd with what the
Prince of the Romane Orators himself makes both great Persons and
Friends say of one anothers Opinions, in his excellent Dialogues,_ De
Natura Deorum: _And I shall scarce be suspected of Partiality, in the
case, by them that take Notice that there is full as much (if not far
more) liberty of sleighting their Adversaries Tenents to be met with
in the Discourses of those with whom_ Carneades _disputes. Nor needed
I make the Interlocutors speak otherwise then freely in a Dialogue,
wherein it was sufficiently intimated, that I meant not to declare my
own Opinion of the Arguments propos'd, much lesse of the whole
Controversy it self otherwise than as it may by an attentive Reader be
guess'd at by some Passages of_ Carneades: _(I say, some Passages,
because I make not all that he says, especially in the heat of
Disputation, mine,) partly in this Discourse, and partly in some other
Dialogues betwixt the same speakers (though they treat not immediately
of the Elements) which have long layn by me, and expect the
Entertainment that these present Discourses will meet with. And indeed
they will much mistake me, that shall conclude from what I now
publish, that I am at Defyance with Chymistry, or would make my
Readers so. I hope the_ Specimina _I have lately publish'd of an
attempt to shew the usefulness of Chymical Experiments to
Contemplative Philosophers, will give those that shall read them other
thoughts of me: & I had a design (but wanted opportunity) to publish
with these Papers an Essay I have lying by me, the greater part of
which is Apologetical for one sort of Chymists. And at least, as for
those that know me, I hope the pain I have taken in the fire will both
convince them, that I am far from being an Enemy to the Chymists Art,
(though I am no friend to many that disgrace it by professing it,) and
perswade them to believe me when I declare that I distinguish betwixt
those Chymists that are either Cheats, or but Laborants, and the true_
Adepti; _By whom, could I enjoy their Conversation, I would both
willingly and thankfully be instructed; especially concerning the
Nature and Generation of Metals: And possibly, those that know how
little I have remitted of my former addictedness to make Chymical
Experiments, will easily believe, that one of the chief Designes of
this Sceptical Discourse was, not so much to discredit Chymistry, as
to give an occasion and a kind of necessity to the more knowing
Artists to lay aside a little of their over-great Reservedness, &
either explicate or prove the Chymical Theory better than ordinary
Chymists have done, or by enriching us with some of their nobler
secrets to evince that Their art is able to make amends even for the
deficiencies of their Theory: And thus much I shall here make bold to
add, that we shall much undervalue Chymistry, if we imagine, that it
cannot teach us things farr more useful, not only to Physick but to
Philosophy, than those that are hitherto known to vulgar Chymists. And
yet as for inferiour Spagyrists themselves, they have by their labours
deserv'd so well of the Common-wealth of Learning, that methinks 'tis
Pity they should ever misse the Truth which they have so industriously
sought. And though I be no Admirer of the Theorical Part of their Art,
yet my conjectures will much deceive me, if the Practical Part be not
much more cultivated than hitherto it has been, and do not both employ
Philosophy and Philosophers, and help to make men such. Nor would I
that have been diverted by other Studies as well as affairs, be
thought to pretend being a profound Spagyrist, by finding so many
faults in the Doctrine wherein the Generality of Chymists scruples not
to Acquiesce: For besides that 'tis most commonly far easier to frame
Objections against any propos'd_ Hypothesis, _than to propose an_
Hypothesis _not lyable to Objections (besides this I say) 'tis no such
great matter, if whereas Beginners in Chymistry are commonly at once
imbu'd with the Theory and Operations of their profession, I who had
the good Fortune to Learn the Operations from illiterate Persons,
upon whose credit I was not Tempted to take up any opinion about them,
should consider things with lesse prejudice, and consequently with
other Eyes than the Generality of Learners; And should be more
dispos'd to accommodate the_ Phaenomena _that occur'd to me to other
Notions than to those of the Spagyrists. And having at first
entertain'd a suspition That the Vulgar Principles were lesse General
and comprehensive, or lesse considerately Deduc'd from Chymical
Operations, than was believ'd; it was not uneasie for me both to Take
notice of divers_ Phaenomena, _overlook'd by prepossest Persons, that
seem'd not to suite so well with the_ Hermetical _Doctrine; and, to
devise some Experiments likely to furnish me with Objections against
it, not known to many, that having practis'd Chymistry longer
perchance then I have yet liv'd, may have far more Experience, Than I,
of particular processes._
_To conclude, whether the Notions I have propos'd, and the Experiments
I have communicated, be considerable, or not, I willingly leave others
to Judge; and This only I shall say for my Self, That I have
endeavour'd to deliver matters of Fact, so faithfully, that I may as
well assist the lesse skilful Readers to examine the Chymical_
Hypothesis, _as provoke the Spagyrical Philosophers to illustrate it:
which if they do, and that either the Chymical opinion, or the
Peripatetick, or any other Theory of the Elements differing from that
I am most inclin'd to, shall be intelligibly explicated, and duly
prov'd to me; what I have hitherto discours'd will not hinder it from
making a Proselyte of a Person that Loves Fluctuation of Judgment
little enough to be willing to be eas'd of it by any thing but
Error._
PHYSIOLOGICAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Touching
_The experiments wont to be employed to evince either the IV
Peripatetick Elements, or the III Chymical Principles of Mixt Bodies._
Part of the First Dialogue.
I Perceive that divers of my Friends have thought it very strange to
hear me speak so irresolvedly, as I have been wont to do, concerning
those things which some take to be the Elements, and others to be the
Principles of all mixt Bodies. But I blush not to acknowledge that I
much lesse scruple to confess that I Doubt, when I do so, then to
profess that I Know what I do not: And I should have much stronger
Expectations then I dare yet entertain, to see Philosophy solidly
establish't, if men would more carefully distinguish those things that
they know, from those that they ignore or do but think, and then
explicate clearly the things they conceive they understand,
acknowledge ingenuously what it is they ignore, and profess so
candidly their Doubts, that the industry of intelligent persons might
be set on work to make further enquiries, and the easiness of less
discerning Men might not be impos'd on. But because a more particular
accompt will probably be expected of my unsatisfyedness not only with
the Peripatetick, but with the Chymical Doctrine of the Primitive
Ingredients of Bodies: It may possibly serve to satisfy others of the
excusableness of my disatisfaction to peruse the ensuing Relation of
what passed a while since at a meeting of persons of several opinions,
in a place that need not here be named; where the subject whereof we
have been speaking, was amply and variously discours'd of.
It was on one of the fairest dayes of this Summer that the inquisitive
_Eleutherius_ came to invite me to make a visit with him to his friend
_Carneades_. I readily consented to this motion, telling him that if
he would but permit me to go first and make an excuse at a place not
far off, where I had at that hour appointed to meet, but not about a
business either of moment, or that could not well admit of a delay, I
would presently wait on him, because of my knowing _Carneades_ to be
so conversant with nature and with Furnaces, and so unconfin'd to
vulgar Opinions, that he would probably by some ingenious Paradox or
other, give our mindes at least a pleasing Exercise, and perhaps
enrich them with some solid instruction. _Eleutherius_ then first
going with me to the place where my Apology was to be made, I
accompanied him to the lodging of _Carneades_, where when we were
come, we were told by the Servants, that he was retired with a couple
of Friends (whose names they also told us) to one of the Arbours in
his Garden, to enjoy under its coole shades a delightful protection
from the yet troublesome heat of the Sun.
_Eleutherius_ being perfectly acquainted with that Garden immediately
led me to the Arbour, and relying on the intimate familiarity that had
been long cherish'd betwixt him and _Carneades_; in spight of my
Reluctancy to what might look like an intrusion upon his privacy,
drawing me by the hand, he abruptly entered the Arbour, where we found
_Carneades_, _Philoponus_, and _Themistius_, sitting close about a
little round Table, on which besides paper, pen, and inke, there lay
two or three open Books; _Carneades_ appeared not at all troubled at
this surprise, but rising from the Table, received his Friend with
open looks and armes, and welcoming me also with his wonted freedom
and civility, invited us to rest our selves by him, which, as soon as
we had exchanged with his two Friends (who were ours also) the
civilities accustomed on such occasions, we did. And he presently
after we had seated our selves, shutting the Books that lay open, and
turning to us with a smiling countenance seemed ready to begin some
such unconcerning discourse as is wont to pass or rather waste the
time in promiscuous companies.
But _Eleutherius_ guessing at what he meant to do, prevented him by
telling him, I perceive _Carneades_ by the books that you have been
now shutting, and much more by the posture wherein I found Persons
qualifi'd [Errata: so qualify'd] to discourse of serious matters; and
so accustom'd to do it, that you three were before our coming, engag'd
in some Philosophical conference, which I hope you will either
prosecute, and allow us to be partakers of, in recompence of the
freedome we have us'd in presuming to surprise you, or else give us
leave to repair the injury we should otherwise do you, by leaving you
to the freedom we have interrupted, and punishing our selves for our
boldness by depriving our selves of the happiness of your company.
With these last words he and I rose up, as if we meant to be gone, But
_Carneades_ suddenly laying hold on his arme, and stopping him by it,
smileingly told him, We are not so forward to lose good company as you
seem to imagine; especially since you are pleas'd to desire to be
present at what we shall say, about such a Subject as that You found
us considering. For that, being the number of the Elements,
Principles, or Materiall Ingredients of Bodies, is an enquiry whose
truth is of that Importance, and of that Difficulty, that it may as
well deserve as require to be searched into by such skilfull
Indagators of Nature as your selves. And therefore we sent to invite
the bold and acute _Leucippus_ to lend us some light by his Atomical
Paradox, upon which we expected such pregnant hints, that 'twas not
without a great deal of trouble that we had lately word brought us
that he was not to be found; and we had likewise begg'd the Assistance
of your presence and thoughts, had not the messenger we employ'd to
_Leucippus_ inform'd us, that as he was going, he saw you both pass by
towards another part of the Town; And this frustrated expectation of
_Leucippus_ his company, who told me but last night that he would be
ready to give me a meeting where I pleas'd to day, having very long
suspended our conference about the freshly mention'd Subject, it was
so newly begun when you came in, that we shall scarce need to repeat
any thing to acquaint you with what has pass'd betwixt us before your
arrival, so that I cannot but look upon it as a fortunate Accident
that you should come so seasonably, to be not hearers alone, but we
hope Interlocutors at our conference. For we shall not only allow of
your presence at it, but desire your Assistance in it; which I adde
both for other reasons, and because though these learned Gentlemen
(sayes he, turning to his two friends) need not fear to discourse
before any Auditory, provided it be intelligent enough to understand
them, yet for my part (continues he with a new smile,) I shall not
dare to vent my unpremeditated thoughts before two such Criticks,
unless by promising to take your turnes of speaking, You will allow me
mine of quarrelling, with what has been said. He and his friends added
divers things to convince us that they were both desirous that we
should hear them, and resolved against our doing so, unless we allowed
them sometimes to hear us. _Elutherius_ [Transcriber's Note:
Eleutherius] after having a while fruitlesly endeavoured to obtain
leave to be silent promis'd he would not be so alwayes, provided that
he were permitted according to the freedom of his Genious and
Principles to side with one of them in the managing of one Argument,
and, if he saw cause, with his Antagonist, in the Prosecution of
another, without being confin'd to stick to any one party or Opinion,
which was after some debate accorded him. But I conscious to my own
Disability's told them resolutely that _I_ was as much more willing as
more fit to be a hearer then a speaker, among such knowing Persons,
and on so abstruse a Subject. And that therefore I beseeched them
without necessitating me to proclaim my weaknesses, to allow me to
lessen them by being a silent Auditor of their Discourses: to suffer
me to be at which I could present them no motive, save that their
instructions would make them in me a more intelligent Admirer. I
added, that I desir'd not to be idle whilst they were imploy'd, but
would if they pleas'd, by writing down in short hand what should be
delivered, preserve Discourses that I knew would merit to be lasting.
At first _Carneades_ and his two friends utterly rejected this motion;
and all that my Resoluteness to make use of my ears, not tongue, at
their debates, could do, was to make them acquiesce in the Proposition
of _Eleutherius_, who thinking himself concern'd, because he brought
me thither, to afford me some faint assistance, was content that I
should register their Arguments, that I might be the better able after
the conclusion of their conference to give them my sence upon the
Subject of it, (The number of Elements or Principles:) which he
promis'd I should do at the end of the present Debates, if time would
permit, or else at our next meeting. And this being by him undertaken
in my name, though without my consent, the company would by no means
receive my Protestation against it, but casting, all at once, their
eyes on _Carneades_, they did by that and their unanimous silence,
invite him to begin; which (after a short pause, during which he
turn'd himself to _Eleutherius_ and me) he did in this manner.
Notwithstanding the subtile reasonings I have met with in the books of
the Peripateticks, and the pretty experiments that have been shew'd me
in the Laboratories of Chymists, I am of so diffident, or dull a
Nature, as to think that if neither of them can bring more cogent
arguments to evince the truth of their assertion then are wont to be
brought; a Man may rationally enough retain some doubts concerning the
very number of those materiall Ingredients of mixt bodies, which some
would have us call Elements, and others principles. Indeed when I
considered that the Tenents concerning the Elements are as
considerable amongst the Doctrines of natural Philosophy as the
Elements themselves are among the bodies of the Universe, I expected
to find those Opinions solidly establish'd, upon which so many others
are superstructed. But when I took the pains impartially to examine
the bodies themselves that are said to result from the blended
Elements, and to torture them into a confession of their constituent
Principles, I was quickly induc'd to think that the number of the
Elements has been contended about by Philosophers with more
earnestness then success. This unsatisfiedness of mine has been much
wonder'd at, by these two Gentlemen (at which words he pointed at
_Themistius_ and _Philoponus_) who though they differ almost as much
betwixt themselves about the question we are to consider, as I do from
either of them, yet they both agree very well in this, that there is a
determinate number of such ingredients as I was just now speaking of,
and that what that number is, I say not, may be, (for what may not
such as they perswade?) but is wont to be clearly enough demonstrated
both by Reason and Experience. This has occasion'd our present
Conference. For our Discourse this afternoon, having fallen from one
subject to another, and at length setl'd on this, they proffer'd to
demonstrate to me, each of them the truth of his opinion, out of both
the Topicks that I have freshly nam'd. But on the former (that of
Reason strictly so taken) we declin'd insisting at the present, lest
we should not have time enough before supper to go thorough the
Reasons and Experiments too. The latter of which we unanimously
thought the most requisite to be seriously examin'd. I must desire you
then to take notice Gentlemen (continued _Carneades_) that my present
business doth not oblige me so to declare my own opinion on the
Subject in question, as to assert or deny the truth either of the
Peripatetick, or the Chymical Doctrine concerning the number of the
Elements, but only to shew you that neither of these Doctrines hath
been satisfactorily proved by the arguments commonly alledged on its
behalfe. So that if I really discern (as perhaps I think I do) that
there may be a more rational account then ordinary, given of one of
these opinions, I am left free to declare my self of it,
notwithstanding my present engagement, it being obvious to all your
observation, that a solid truth may be generally maintained by no
other, then incompetent Arguments. And to this Declaration I hope it
will be needless to add, that my task obliges me not to answer the
Arguments that may be drawn either for _Themistius_ or _Philoponus's_
Opinion from the Topick of reason, as opposed to experiments; since
'tis these only that I am to examine and not all these neither, but
such of them alone as either of them shall think fit to insist on, and
as have hitherto been wont to be brought either to prove that 'tis
the four Peripatetick Elements, or that 'tis the three Chymical
Principles that all compounded bodies consist of. These things (adds
_Carneades_) I thought my self obliged to premise, partly lest you
should do these Gentlemen (pointing at _Themistius_ and _Philoponus_,
and smiling on them) the injury of measuring their parts by the
arguments they are ready to propose, the lawes of our Conference
confining them to make use of those that the vulgar of Philosophers
(for even of them there is a vulgar) has drawn up to their hands; and
partly, that you should not condemn me of presumption for disputing
against persons over whom I can hope for no advantage, that _I_ must
not derive from the nature, or rules of our controversy, wherein I
have but a negative to defend, and wherein too I am like on several
occasions to have the Assistance of one of my disagreeing adversaries
against the other.
_Philoponus_ and _Themistius_ soon returned this complement with
civilities of the like nature, in which _Eleutherius_ perceiving them
engaged, to prevent the further loss of that time of which they were
not like to have very much to spare, he minded them that their
present businesse was not to exchange complements, but Arguments: and
then addressing his speech to _Carneades_, I esteem it no small
happinesse (saies he) that I am come here so luckily this Evening. For
I have been long disquieted with Doubts concerning this very subject
which you are now ready to debate. And since a Question of this
importance is to be now discussed by persons that maintain such
variety of opinions concerning it, and are both so able to enquire
after truth, and so ready to embrace it by whomsoever and on what
occasion soever it is presented them; I cannot but promise my self
that I shall before we part either lose my Doubts or the hopes of ever
finding them resolved; _Eleutherius_ paused not here; but to prevent
their answer, added almost in the same breath; and I am not a little
pleased to find that you are resolved on this occasion to insist
rather on Experiments then Syllogismes. For I, and no doubt You, have
long observed, that those Dialectical subtleties, that the Schoolmen
too often employ about Physiological Mysteries, are wont much more to
declare the wit of him that uses them, then increase the knowledge or
remove the doubts of sober lovers of truth. And such captious
subtleties do indeed often puzzle and sometimes silence men, but
rarely satisfy them. Being like the tricks of Jugglers, whereby men
doubt not but they are cheated, though oftentimes they cannot declare
by what slights they are imposed on. And therefore I think you have
done very wisely to make it your businesse to consider the _Phaenomena_
relating to the present Question, which have been afforded by
experiments, especially since it might seem injurious to our senses,
by whose mediation we acquire so much of the knowledge we have of
things corporal, to have recourse to far-fetched and abstracted
Ratiocination [Errata: Ratiocinations], to know what are the sensible
ingredients of those sensible things that we daily see and handle, and
are supposed to have the liberty to untwist (if I may so speak) into
the primitive bodies they consist of. He annexed that he wished
therefore they would no longer delay his expected satisfaction, if
they had not, as he feared they had, forgotten something preparatory
to their debate; and that was to lay down what should be all along
understood by the word Principle or Element. _Carneades_ thank'd him
for his admonition, but told him that they had not been unmindful of
so requisite a thing. But that being Gentlemen and very far from the
litigious humour of loving to wrangle about words or terms or notions
as empty; they had before his coming in, readily agreed promiscuously
to use when they pleased, Elements and Principles as terms equivalent:
and to understand both by the one and the other, those primitive and
simple Bodies of which the mixt ones are said to be composed, and into
which they are ultimately resolved. And upon the same account (he
added) we agreed to discourse of the opinions to be debated, as we
have found them maintained by the Generality of the assertors of the
four Elements of the one party, and of those that receive the three
Principles on the other, without tying our selves to enquire
scrupulously what notion either _Aristotle_ or _Paracelsus_, or this
or that Interpreter, or follower of either of those great persons,
framed of Elements or Principles; our design being to examine, not
what these or those writers thought or taught, but what we find to be
the obvious and most general opinion of those, who are willing to be
accounted Favourers of the Peripatetick or Chymical Doctrine,
concerning this subject.
I see not (saies _Eleutherius_) why you might not immediately begin to
argue, if you were but agreed which of your two friendly Adversaries
shall be first heard. And it being quickly resolv'd on that
_Themistius_ should first propose the Proofs for his Opinion, because
it was the antienter, and the more general, he made not the company
expect long before he thus addressed himself to _Eleutherius_, as to
the Person least interessed in the dispute.