These lucky consequences of their mistaken labours raised the courage of the Chymists, or rather Alchymists, who looked upon every such instance of success as a new step towards the Grand Work, and greatly increased the fond opinion they entertained of themselves, and of their Art, which, on that account, they set up very high above all other Sciences. Nay, they carried this notion of superiority so far, as to hold the rest of mankind unworthy, or incapable, of rising to such sublime knowledge. In consequence thereof Chymistry became an occult and mysterious Science; its expressions were all tropes and figures, its phrases metaphorical, and its axioms so many enigmas: in short, an obscure unintelligible jargon is the justest character of the Alchymistic Language. Thus, by endeavouring to conceal their secrets, those gentlemen rendered their Art useless to mankind, and brought it into deserved contempt. But at length the genius of true philosophy prevailed in Chymistry, as well as in the other Sciences. Some great men arose, who had generosity enough to think their knowledge no otherways valuable than as it proved of service to Society. They did their utmost to introduce both the knowledge and the practice of many important secrets, till then of no use; they drew aside the veil which hid the charms of Chymistry; and that Science emerging from the profound obscurity, in which it had for many ages lain concealed, gained the admiration of the world as soon as it appeared in open day. Several societies of ingenious men were formed in the most learned countries of Europe, who vied with one another in their labours to execute the noble scheme, and assisted each other by mutually communicating their discoveries. Chymistry made the most rapid progress, enriching and perfecting the Arts derived from, or depending on it. In a word, it put on a new face, and became truly worthy of the title of Science; founding its principles and its processes on solid experiments, and on just consequences deduced from them.