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Updated: May 25, 2025
And as for the reasonableness of it, that the Physician ought to support himself by all lawful ways and means, and to have præeminence above those ignorant persons that incroach upon his profession, 'tis confessed by all that have considered the great charge, study, and labour, before he can arrive at any benefit from it; for he must take the chargeable degrees of Batchellor, and Master of Arts, Batchellor of Physic, and after 14 years standing, the degree of Doctor; besides his bare expences for his maintenance in the University, Charges in Anatomies, knowledg of natural things; Travels abroad, Chymistry, and Experiments; his Library, Habit, his more free way of living in a suitable house, and Attendants, greater Taxes, &c. insomuch that a Doctor of Physic spends more before he comes to practise, then will set up perhaps a dozen Apothecaries in a way of livelihood; and besides, great sums of money before he can put himself in a fitting Equipage: whereas on the contrary, many young men before their time of Apprenticeship is out, provide well for themselves by Quacking; and certainly the Study of Physic, and consequently the knowledge of Nature, must bid farewel to the Universities, if Shops be permitted to make practisers, for such the people will soon create Doctors, which title the Apothecary takes upon him, though he understand not the reason of the name, to the great shame of the Universities, and Faculty, when ignorant people shall give, and they challenge the same title for nothing, attained by the Physician at a great rate and long study, the vulgar taking Practiser and Doctor to signifie the same thing.
He tells "Dr Allen," with whom he had "some good discourse about physick and chymistry, what Dribble, the German Doctor, do offer of an instrument to sink ships he tells me that which is more strange, that something made of gold, which they call in chymistry aurum fulminans, a grain, I think he said, of it, put into a silver spoon and fired, will give a blow like a musquett, and strike a hole through the silver spoon downward, without the least force upward."
His education indeed had been so grossly neglected that he could hardly read a plain Latin book; but his natural quickness and intelligence showed itself in his pursuit of chymistry and anatomy, and in the interest he showed in the scientific inquiries of the Royal Society.
'Chymistry was always an interesting pursuit with Dr. Johnson. Whilst he was in Wiltshire, he attended some experiments that were made by a physician at Salisbury, on the new kinds of air. In the course of the experiments frequent mention being made of Dr. Priestley, Dr. Johnson knit his brows, and in a stern manner inquired, "Why do we hear so much of Dr. Priestley?"
And among other things, I telling him what Dribble the German Doctor do offer of an instrument to sink ships; he tells me that which is more strange, that something made of gold, which they call in chymistry Aurum fulminans, a grain, I think he said, of it put into a silver spoon and fired, will give a blow like a musquett, and strike a hole through the spoon downward, without the least force upward; and this he can make a cheaper experiment of, he says, with iron prepared.
In that age, more than in our own perhaps, the influence of the individual was widely and intensely felt. Historical chymistry is only rendered possible by a detection of the subtle emanations, which it was supposed would for ever elude analysis, but which survive in those secret, frequently ciphered intercommunications.
He sometimes employed himself in chymistry, sometimes in watering and pruning a vine, sometimes in small experiments, at which those who may smile, should recollect that there are moments which admit of being soothed only by trifles.* * In one of his manuscript Diaries, there is the following entry, which marks his curious minute attention: 'July 26, 1768.
"Their proceedings," we are told, "were rather by action than discourse, chiefly attending some particular Trials in Chymistry or Mechanicks: they had no Rules nor Method fixed: their intention was more to communicate to each other their discoveries which they could make in so narrow a compass, than an united, constant, or regular inquisition."
Four of Natural History, Physics, and Chymistry. One of Transcendent Mathematics. Two of Technology. One of Public Economy, enlightened by Geography and History. One of the Arts dependent on design, and, lastly, A new Military School.
So set out, Sir J. Minnes and I in his coach together, talking all the way of chymistry, wherein he do know something, at least, seems so to me, that cannot correct him, Mr. Batten's man riding my horse, and so home and to my office a while to read my vows, then home to prayers and to bed. 6th.
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