Sketches of imposture, deception, and credulityDavenport, R. A. (Richard Alfred)
History
Sketches of imposture, deception, and credulity
Davenport, R. A. (Richard Alfred)
Common fallacies; Impostors and imposture
In later times there have been a few believers in transmutation. In
the year 1782, Dr. Price, of Guildford, by means of a white and red
powder, professed to convert mercury into silver and gold; and he is
said to have convinced many disbelievers of the possibility of such
a change. His experiments were repeated seven times before learned
and intelligent persons, who themselves furnished all the materials
except the powders, which were to operate the transmutation. These
powders were in very small quantity. By whatever means it may have been
accomplished, it is certain that gold and silver were produced. But,
admitting that, with respect to its production, Price was an impostor,
it is indubitable that he must have been in possession of one valuable
secret, that of fixing mercury, so as not to evaporate in a red heat.
Price published an account of these experiments, but stated that he had
expended the whole of his powder, and that he could not obtain more,
except by a tedious process, which had already injured his health, and
which, therefore, he would not repeat. He died in the following year,
and his death was attributed to his having swallowed laurel-water, in
order to evade further scrutiny and the detection of his imposture. The
fact of his having poisoned himself is at least doubtful.
Another true believer in the mysteries of this art, says Mr. Brande,
was Peter Woulfe. He occupied chambers in Barnard’s Inn, when he
resided in London. His rooms, which were extensive, were so filled with
furnaces and apparatus, that it was difficult to reach his fireside. A
gentleman once put down his hat, and never could find it again, such
was the confusion of boxes, packages, and parcels, that lay about the
chamber. Woulfe had long vainly searched for the elixir, and attributed
his repeated failures to the want of due preparation by pious and
charitable acts. Some of his apparatus is said to have been extant
since his death, upon which are supplications for success, and for the
welfare of the adepts. He had an heroic remedy for illness: when he
felt himself seriously indisposed, he took a place in the Edinburgh
mail, and, having reached that city, immediately came back in the
returning coach to London. He died in 1805.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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