Volume 1

A treatise on chemistry / by H.E. Roscoe and C. Schorlemmer.

  • Roscoe, Henry E. (Henry Enfield), 1833-1915.
Date:
1877-1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on chemistry / by H.E. Roscoe and C. Schorlemmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/792 (page 3)
    HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION. In looking back at the history of our Science, we find that although the ancient world possessed a certain empirical know- ledge of chemical facts derived chiefly from an acquaintance with pharmaceutical and manufacturing art, the power of con- necting or systematizing these facts was altogether wanting. The idea of experimental investigation was scarcely under- stood, and those amongst the ancients who desired to promote a knowledge of Nature attempted to do so rather by pursuing the treacherous paths of speculation, than the safe though tedious route of observation and experiment. They had no idea of the essential differences which we now perceive between elements and compound substances, nor did they understand the meaning of chemical combination. The so-called Aristotelian doctrine of the four elements, Earth, Water, Air or Steam, and Fire, bore no analogy to our present views as to the nature and pro- perties of the chemical elements, for with Aristotle these names rather implied certain characteristic and fundamental properties of matter than the ideas which we now express by the term chemical composition. Thus “ Earth ” implied the properties of dryness and coldness ; “ Water,” those of coldness and wet- ness ; “ Air or Steam,” wetness and heat; “ Eire,” dryness and heat. All matter was supposed to be of one kind, the variety which we observe being accounted for by the greater or less abundance of these four conditions which were supposed to be essential to every substance, that which was present in the greatest degree giving to the substance its characteristic pro-