the Nature of those Concretes whence they were forc'd.
I am glad (sayes _Eleutherius_) to see the Vanity or Envy of the
canting Chymists thus discover'd and chastis'd; and I could wish, that
Learned Men would conspire together to make these deluding Writers
sensible, that they must no longe [Transcriber's Note: longer] hope
with Impunity to abuse the World. For whilst such Men are quietly
permitted to publish Books with promising Titles, and therein to
Assert what they please, and contradict others, and ev'n themselves as
they please, with as little danger of being confuted as of being
understood, they are encourag'd to get themselves a name, at the cost
of the Readers, by finding that intelligent Men are wont for the
reason newly mention'd, to let their Books and Them alone: And the
ignorant and credulous (of which the number is still much greater then
that of the other) are forward to admire most what they least
understand. But if Judicious men skill'd in Chymical affaires shall
once agree to write clearly and plainly of them, and thereby keep men
from being stunn'd, as it were, or imposd upon by dark or empty Words;
'tis to be hop'd that these men finding that they can no longer write
impertinently and absurdly, without being laugh'd at for doing so,
will be reduc'd either to write nothing, or Books that may teach us
something, and not rob men, as formerly, of invaluable Time; and so
ceasing to trouble the World with Riddles or Impertinencies, we shall
either by their Books receive an Advantage, or by their silence escape
an Inconvenience.
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
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