teward in a gold box。 In particularly dangerous places； he is said to have exchanged clothes with his coachman； making the servant take his place in the carriage while he mounted the box。
About the middle of the seventeenth century alchemy took such firm root in the religious field that it became the basis of the sect known as the Rosicrucians。 The name was derived from the teaching of a German philosopher； Rosenkreutz； who； having been healed of a dangerous illness by an Arabian supposed to possess the philosopher's stone； returned home and gathered about him a chosen band of friends； to whom he imparted the secret。 This sect came rapidly into prominence； and for a short time at least created a sensation in Europe； and at the time were credited with having 〃refined and spiritualized〃 alchemy。 But by the end of the seventeenth century their number had dwindled to a mere handful； and henceforth they exerted little influence。 Another and earlier religious sect was the Aureacrucians； founded by Jacob Bohme； a shoemaker； born in Prussia in 1575。 According to his teachings the philosopher's stone could be discovered by a diligent search of the Old and the New Testaments； and more particularly the Apocalypse； which contained all the secrets of alchemy。 This sect found quite a number of followers during the life of Bohme； but gradually died out after his death； not； however； until many of its members had been tortured for heresy； and one at least； Kuhlmann； of Moscow； burned as a sorcerer。 The names of the different substances that at various times were thought to contain the large quantities of the 〃essence〃 during the many centuries of searching for it； form a list of practically all substances that were known； discovered； or invented during the period。 Some believed that acids contained the substance； others sought it in minerals or in animal or vegetable products； while still others looked to find it among the distilled 〃spirits〃the alcoholic liquors and distilled products。 On the introduction of alcohol by the Arabs that substance became of all…absorbing interest； and for a long time allured the alchemist into believing that through it they were soon to be rewarded。 They rectified and refined it until 〃sometimes it was so strong that it broke the vessels containing it；〃 but still it failed in its magic power。 Later； brandy was substituted for it； and this in turn discarded for more recent discoveries。 There were always； of course； two classes of alchemists： serious investigators whose honesty could not be questioned； and clever impostors whose legerdemain was probably largely responsible for the extended belief in the existence of the philosopher's stone。 Sometimes an alchemist practised both； using the profits of his sleight…of…hand to procure the means of carrying on his serious alchemical researches。 The impostures of some of these jugglers deceived even the most intelligent and learned men of the time； and so kept the flame of hope constantly burning。 The age of cold investigation had not arrived； and it is easy to understand how an unscrupulous mediaeval Hermann or Kellar might completely deceive even the most intelligent and thoughtful scholars。 In scoffing at the credulity of such an age； it should not be forgotten that the 〃Keely motor〃 was a late nineteenth…century illusion。 But long before the belief in the philosopher's stone had died out； the methods of the legerdemain alchemist had been investigated and reported upon officially by bodies of men appointed to make such investigations； although it took several generations completely to overthrow a superstition that had been handed down through several thousand years。 In April of 1772 Monsieur Geoffroy made a report to the Royal Academy of Sciences； at Paris； on the alchemic cheats principally of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries。 In this report he explains many of the seemingly marvellous feats of the unscrupulous alchemists。 A very common form of deception was the use of a double…bottomed crucible。 A copper or brass crucible was covered on the inside with a layer of wax； cleverly painted so as to resemble the ordinary metal。 Between this layer of wax and the bottom of the crucible； however； was a layer of gold dust or silver。 When the alchemist wished to demonstrate his power； he had but to place some mercury or whatever substance he chose in the crucible； heat it； throw in a grain or two of some mysterious powder； pronounce a few equally mysterious phrases to impress his audience； and； behold； a lump of precious metal would be found in the bottom of his pot。 This was the favorite method of mediocre performers； but was； of course； easily detected。 An equally successful but more difficult way was to insert surreptitiously a lump of metal into the mixture； using an ordinary crucible。 This required great dexterity； but was facilitated by the use of many mysterious ceremonies on the part of the operator while performing； just as the modern vaudeville performer diverts the attention of the audience to his right hand while his left is engaged in the trick。 Such ceremonies were not questioned； for it was the common belief that the whole process 〃lay in the spirit as much as in the substance；〃 many； as we have seen； regarding the whole process as a divine manifestation。 Sometimes a hollow rod was used for stirring the mixture in the crucible； this rod containing gold dust； and having the end plugged either with wax or soft metal that was easily melted。 Again； pieces of lead were used which had been plugged with lumps of gold carefully covered over； and a very simple and impressive demonstration was making use of a nugget of gold that had been coated over with quicksilver and tarnished so as to resemble lead or some base metal。 When this was thrown into acid the coating was removed by chemical action； leaving the shining metal in the bottom of the vessel。 In order to perform some of these tricks； it is obvious that the alchemist must have been well supplied with gold； as some of them； when performing before a royal audience； gave the products to their visitors。 But it was always a paying investment； for once his reputation was established the gold…maker found an endless variety of ways of turning his alleged knowledge to account； frequently amassing great wealth。 Some of the cleverest of the charlatans often invited royal or other distinguished guests to bring with them iron nails to be turned into gold ones。 They were transmuted in the alchemist's crucible before the eyes of the visitors； the juggler adroitly extracting the iron nail and inserting a gold one without detection。 It mattered little if the converted gold nail differed in size and shape from the original； for this change in shape could be laid to the process of transmutation； and even the very critical were hardly likely to find fault with the exchange thus made。 Furthermore； it was believed that gold possessed the property of changing its bulk under certain conditions； some of the more conservative alchemists maintaining that gold was only increased in bulk； not necessarily created； by certain forms of the magic stone。 Thus a very proficient operator was thought to be able to increase a grain of gold into a pound of pure metal； while one less expert could only double； or possibly treble； its original weight。 The actual number of useful discoveries resulting from the efforts of the alchemists is considerable； some of them of incalculable value。 Roger Bacon； who lived in the thirteenth century； while devoting much of his time to alchemy； made such valuable discoveries as the theory； at least； of the telescope； and probably gunpowder。 Of this latter we cannot be sure that the discovery was his own and that he had not learned of it through the source of old manuscripts。 But it is not impossible nor improbable that he may have hit upon the mixture that makes the explosives while searching for the philosopher's stone in his laboratory。 〃Von Helmont； in the same pursuit； discoverd the properties of gas；〃 says Mackay； 〃Geber made discoveries in chemistry； which were equally important； and Paracelsus； amid his perpetual visions of the transmutation of metals； found that mercury was a remedy for one of the most odious and excruciating of all the diseases that afflict humanity。〃' As we shall see a little farther on； alchemy finally evolved into modern chemistry； but not until it had passed through several important transitional stages。
ASTROLOGY In a general way modern astronomy may be considered as the outgrowth of astrology； just as modern chemistry is the result of alchemy。 It is quite possible； however； that astronomy is the older of the two； but astrology must have developed very shortly after。 The primitive astronomer； having acquired enough knowledge from his observations of the heavenly bodies to make correct predictions； such as the time of the coming of the new moon； would be led； naturally； to believe that certain predictions other than purely astronomical ones could be made by studying the heavens。 Even if the astronomer himself did not believe this； some of his superstitious admirers would； for to the unscientific mind predictions of earthly events would surely seem no more miraculous than correct predictions a