I would liken you to “Ananias,” the deacon, in Ben Jonson’s play of the “Alchymist”; I would expatiate to you on the “Ars Sacra,” and name to you the “vexations and martyrisations” of the metals; I would ask you, Can you sublime and dulcifie? calcine? Do you comprehend putrefaction, solution, ablution, sublimation, cahabation, calcination, ceration, fixation? Are you aware that cahabation is the “pouring on your Aqua regis” and “then drawing him off to the Trine circle of the seven Spheres”? Know you that Mercury is known by his Viscosity, Oleosity, and Suscitability? that “he is a very fugitive Sir,” “he will be gone!” and that you may sublime him with the calce of egg-shells, white marble, or chalk?
You look perplexed at my simple questions, and reply with Ananias the Deacon,—That this is all “Heathen Greek” to you. Believe me, my dear unsentimental, sceptical friend, “there are more things in heaven
