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 præmis'd Part of another Discourse relating to the same Subject.Boyle, Robert
Philosophy
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 præmis'd Part of another Discourse relating to the same Subject.
Boyle, Robert
Chemistry -- Early works to 1800
But after all this is said (continues _Eleutherius_) it may be
represented in favour of the Chymists, that, in one regard the Liberty
they take in using names, if it be excusable at any time, may be more
so when they speak of the substances whereinto their _Analysis_
resolves mixt Bodies: Since as Parents have the Right to name their
own Children, it has ever been allow'd to the Authors of new
Inventions, to Impose Names upon them. And therefore the subjects we
speak of being so the Productions of the Chymist's Art, as not to be
otherwise, but by it, obtainable; it seems but equitable to give the
Artists leave to name them as they please: considering also that none
are so fit and likely to teach us what those Bodies are, as they to
whom we ow'd them.
I told You already (sayes _Carneades_) that there is great Difference
betwixt the being able to make Experiments, and the being able to give
a Philosophical Account of them. And I will not now add, that many a
Mine-digger may meet, whilst he follows his work, with a Gemm or a
Mineral which he knowes not what to make of, till he shews it a
Jeweller or a Mineralist to be inform'd what it is. But that which I
would rather have here observ'd, is, That the Chymists I am now in
debate with have given up the Liberty You challeng'd for them, of
using Names at Pleasure, and confin'd Themselves by their
Descriptions, though but such as they are, of their Principles; so
that although they might freely have call'd any thing their _Analysis_
presents them with, either Sulphur, or Mercury, or Gas, or Blas, or
what they pleas'd; yet when they have told me that Sulphur (for
instance) is a Primogeneal and simple Body, Inflamable, Odorous, &c.
they must give me leave to dis-believe them, if they tell me that a
Body that is either compounded or uninflamable is such a Sulphur; and
to think they play with words, when they teach that Gold and some
other Minerals abound with an Incombustible Sulphur, which is as
proper an Expression, as a Sun-shine Night, or Fluid Ice.
But before I descend to the Mention of Particulars belonging to my
Fourth Consideration, I think it convenient to premise a few Generals;
some of which I shall the less need to insist on at present, because I
have Touched on them already.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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