and astrology. Neither of these can with full propriety be called
a science, yet both were pursued by many of the greatest
scientific workers of the period. Moreover, the studies of the
alchemist may with some propriety be said to have laid the
foundation for the latter-day science of chemistry; while
astrology was closely allied to astronomy, though its relations
to that science are not as intimate as has sometimes been
supposed.

Just when the study of alchemy began is undetermined. It was
certainly of very ancient origin, perhaps Egyptian, but its most
flourishing time was from about the eighth century A.D. to the
eighteenth century. The stories of the Old Testament formed a
basis for some of the strange beliefs regarding the properties of
the magic "elixir," or "philosopher's stone." Alchemists believed
that most of the antediluvians, perhaps all of them, possessed a
knowledge of this stone. How, otherwise, could they have
prolonged their lives to nine and a half centuries? And Moses was
surely a first-rate alchemist, as is proved by the story of the
Golden Calf.[1] After Aaron had made the calf of gold, Moses
performed the much more difficult task of grinding it to powder
and "strewing it upon the waters," thus showing that he had
transmuted it into some lighter substance.

But antediluvians and Biblical characters were not the only
persons who were thought to have discovered the coveted.
"elixir." Hundreds of aged mediaeval chemists were credited with
having made the discovery, and were thought to be living on
through the centuries by its means. Alaies de Lisle, for example,
who died in 1298, at the age of 110, was alleged to have been at