acquainted with, because I must not yet disclose them; but however, I
think I may presume that what I have hitherto Discoursed will induce
you to think, that Chymists have been much more happy in finding
Experiments than the Causes of them; or in assigning the Principles by
which they may best be explain'd. And indeed, when in the writings of
_Paracelsus_ I meet with such Phantastick and Un-intelligible
Discourses as that Writer often puzzels and tyres his Reader with,
father'd upon such excellent Experiments, as though he seldom clearly
teaches, I often find he knew; me thinks the Chymists, in their
searches after truth, are not unlike the Navigators of _Solomons
Tarshish_ Fleet, who brought home from their long and tedious Voyages,
not only Gold, and Silver, and Ivory, but Apes and Peacocks too; For
so the Writings of several (for I say not, all) of your Hermetick
Philosophers present us, together with divers Substantial and noble
Experiments, Theories, which either like Peacocks feathers make a
great shew, but are neither solid nor useful; or else like Apes, if
they have some appearance of being rational, are blemish'd with some
absurdity or other, that when they are _Attentively_ consider'd, makes
them appear Ridiculous.
_Carneades_ having thus finish'd his Discourse against the received
Doctrines of the _Elements_; _Eleutherius_ judging he should not have
time to say much to him before their separation, made some haste to
tell him; I confess, _Carneades_, that you have said more in favour of
your Paradoxes then I expected. For though divers of the Experiments
you have mention'd are no secrets, and were not unknown to me, yet
besides that you have added many of your own unto them, you have laid
them together in such a way, and apply'd them to such purposes, and
made such Deductions From them, as I have not Hitherto met with.
But though I be therefore inclin'd to think, that _Philoponus_, had he
heard you, would scarce have been able in all points to defend the
Chymical _Hypothesis_ against the arguments wherewith you have oppos'd
it; yet me thinks that however your Objections seem to evince a great
part of what they pretend to, yet they evince it not all; and the
numerous tryals of those you call the vulgar Chymists, may be allow'd
to prove something too.
Wherefore, if it be granted you that you have made it probable,
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