Two magicians, or philosophers, at last
detected the error of ages ; and Albertos
Magnus and Paracelsus, probably both dis
covered that line was as indestructible and
as free from foreign substances as gold. It
seemed a pure element. Paracelsus, who
was fond of penetrating to the source of
things admit thai he could not tell how
the bright metal grew ; nor in the height of
their magic renown was it ever foreseen that
the rare substance the sorcerer's had dis
covered would one day shed knowledge, in
tongues of fire, from Loudon to Japan.
Two centuries followed, during which no
metallic substance was discovered. Para
celsus found no successor; Albertus, almost
the first man of science in Europe, was re
membered enly aa a sorcerer. It was not
nntil 17&, that the vast field of metallic dis
covery began to open upon man. Two
valuable and well-known metals platinum
and nickel among several others, first ap
peared about the middle of the eighteenth
century. Tbe number of the metals now
rapidly enlarged ; galvanism lent its aid to
dissolve tbe hardest earths, and at length, in
the opening of tbe nineteenth century, a
cluster of brilliant discoveries aroused the
curiosity of science.
Each eminent philosopher seemed to pro
duce new metals. Benehus discovered three;
Davy, the ParaceUns of his age, is the
scientific parent of five potassium, sodium,
barium, strontium, calcium. The numbers
advanced, until already more than fifty
etals, of various importance, have been
given to tbe arts. Tbe new experiments in
light have added caesium and rubidium ; and
limit can now be fixed for the metallic
family, which tor so many ages embraced
ea!y seven members, the emblems of the
rating gods.
THe l'a 4f Pie tares.
