appointments, owing to the ambiguity with which
they described their processes, he had, at length, happily succeeded; had
made gold, and could make as much more as he pleased, even to the extent
of paying off the national debt in the coin of the realm.

I yielded to the declaration, expressed my satisfaction at so
extraordinary a discovery, and asked him, to oblige me so far, as to show
me some of the precious metal which he had made.

"Not so," said he; "I will show it to no one. I made Lord Liverpool the
offer, that if he would introduce me to the king, I would show it to his
majesty; but Lord Liverpool insolently declined, on the ground that there
was no precedent; and I am therefore determined, that the secret shall
die with me. It is true that, in order to avenge myself of such contempt,
I made a communication to the French ambassador, Prince Polignac, and
offered to go to France, and transfer to the French government, the
entire advantages of the discovery; but after deluding me, and shuffling
for some time, I found it necessary to treat him with the same contempt
as the others."

I expressed my convictions in regard to the double dealing of men in
office.

"O," said he, "as to that, every court in Europe well knows that I have
made the discovery, and they are all in confederacy against me; lest by
giving it to any one, I should make that country master of all the
rest--the world, Sir," he exclaimed with great emotion, "is in my hands
and my power."

Satisfied with this announcement of the discovery of the philosopher's
stone, I now inquired about the sublime alkahest or universal solvent,
and whether he had succeeded in deciphering the enigmatical descriptions
of the ancient writers on that most curious topic.

"Certainly," he replied, "I succeeded in that several years ago."

"Then," I proceeded, "have you effected the other great desideratum, the
fixing of mercury?"

"Than that process," said he, "there is nothing more easy; at the same
time it is proper I should inform you, that there are a class of
impostors, who mistaking the ancient writers, pretend it can be done by
heat; but I can assure you, it can only be effected by water."

I then besought him to do me the favour, to show me some of his fixed
mercury, having once seen some which had been fixed by cold.

This proposition, however, he declined, because he said he had refused
others. "That you may, however, be satisfied that I have made great