Parts of Bodies which the Chymists Obtain by the Fire, are the
Elements whose names they bear, but Compound Bodies, upon which, for
their resemblance to them in consistence, or some other obvious
Quality, Chymists have been pleas'd to bestow such Appellations.
THE CONCLUSION.
These last Words of _Carneades_ being soon after follow'd by a noise
which seem'd to come from the place where the rest of the Company was,
he took it for a warning, that it was time for him to conclude or
break off his Discourse; and told his Friend; By this time I hope you
see, _Eleutherius_, that if _Helmonts_ Experiments be true, it is no
absurdity to question whether that Doctrine be one, that doth not
assert Any Elements in the sence before explain'd. But because that,
as divers of my Arguments suppose the marvellous power of the
_Alkahest_ in the Analyzing of Bodies, so the Effects ascrib'd to that
power are so unparallell'd and stupendious, that though I am not sure
but that there _may be_ such an Agent, yet little less than [Greek:
autopsia] seems requisite to make a man sure there _is_. And
consequently I leave it to you to judge, how farre those of my
Arguments that are built upon _Alkahestical_ Operations are weakned by
that Liquors being Matchless; and shall therefore desire you not to
think that I propose this Paradox that rejects all Elements, as an
Opinion equally probable with the former part of my discourse. For by
that, I hope, you are satisfied, that the Arguments wont to be brought
by Chymists, to prove That all Bodies consist of either Three
Principles, or Five, are far from being so strong as those that I have
employ'd to prove, that there is not any certain and Determinate
number of such Principles or Elements to be met with Universally in
all mixt Bodies. And I suppose I need not tell you, that these
_Anti-Chymical_ Paradoxes might have been manag'd more to their
Advantage; but that having not confin'd my Curiosity to Chymical
Experiments, I who am but a young Man, and younger Chymist, can yet be
but slenderly furnished with them, in reference to so great and
difficult a Task as you impos'd upon me; Besides that, to tell you the
Truth, I durst not employ some even of the best Experiments I am
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