Of a degradation of gold made by an anti-elixir : a strange chymical narrative / [Anon].

  • Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691
Date:
1678
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Of a degradation of gold made by an anti-elixir : a strange chymical narrative / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [8] Neverthelefs, that I might comply with the curiofity he himfelf had excited in me, and know how much I was h\s Debtor, I refolved to fee what it was he had given me, and try whether I could make it do what I thought he Intima¬ ted, by the help of thofe few hints rather than directions how to ufeit, which the parting hafte he was in (or per¬ haps fome other reafon beft known to himfelf) confin’d him to give me. But in regard that I could not but think the Experiment would one way or other prove Extraordinary, I thought fit to take a Witnefs or two and an Affiftant in the trying of it 5 and for that purpofe made choice of an experi¬ enced Do&or of Phyfick, very well vers’d in the fepara- ting and copelling of Metals. Though the Company (fays Heliodorus') be fo confident of your fincerity and warinefs, that they would give cre¬ dit even to unlikely Experiments , upon your fingle tefti- mony $ yet we cannot but approve your difcretion in taking an Affiftant and a Witnefs, becaufe in nice and uncommon Experiments we can fcarce ufe too much circumfpe&ion, efpecially when we have not the means of reiterating the tryal: for in fuch new, as well as difficult cafes, *tis eafie even for a clear- lighted Experimenter to over-look fome important circumftance, that a far lefs skilful by-ftander may take notice of. As I have ever judged, (faith Pyrophilus) that cautiouf- nefs is a very requifite qualification for him that would fa- tisfafrorily make curious Experiments 5 fo I thought fk to imploy a more than ordinary meafure of it,in making a tryal, whofe event 1 imagined might prove odd enough. And therefore having feveral times obferved that fome men are prepoflefled , by having a particular Expedition rais’d in them, and are inclined to think that they do fee that hap¬ pen which they think theyJlsould fee happen 5 I refolved to obviate this prejudication as much as innocently I could, and