RAYMOND LULLY, or Raymon Lull, comes the next in order.
He was born in the island of Majorca, in the year 1225, of a family of
the first distinction, though he did not assume his chymical character
till towards the latter part of his life.
Upon his applying himself to chymistry, he soon began to preach another
sort of doctrine; insomuch that, speaking of that art, he says it is only
to be acquired by dint of experiment and practice, and cannot be conveyed
to the understanding by idle words and sounds. He is the first author I
can find, who considers alchymy expressly with a view to the universal
medicine: but after him it became a popular pursuit, and the libraries
were full of writings in that vein.
Lully, himself, beside what he wrote in the scholastic way, has a
good many volumes wrote after his conversion: 'tis difficult to say how
many; for it was a common practice with his disciples and followers to
usher in their performances under their master's name. "I have perused
(says Boerhaave) the best part of his works, and find them, beyond expectation,
excellent: insomuch, that I have been almost tempted to doubt whether they
could be the work of that age, so full are they of the experiments and
observations which occur in our later writers, that either the books must
be supposititious, or else
185
the ancient chymists must have been acquainted with a world of things
which pass for the discoveries of modern practice. He gives very plain
intimations of phosphorus, which he calls the Vestal Fire, the Offa Helmontii,
&c. and yet it is certain he wrote 200 years before either Helmont,
or my Lord Bacon."
He travelled into Mauritania, where he is supposed to have first
met with chymistry, and to have imbibed the principles of his art from
the writings of Geber: which opinion is countenanced by the conformity
observable between the two. The Spanish authors ascribe the occasion of
his journey to an amour: he had fallen in love, it seems, with a maiden
of that country, who obstinately refused his addresses. Upon enquiring
into the reason, she shewed him a cancered breast. Lully, like a generous
gallant, immediately resolved on a voyage to Mauritania, where Geber had
lived, to seek some relief for his mistress. He ended his days in Africa;
where, after having taken up the quality of missionary, and preaching the
gospel among the infidels, he was stoned to death 1.
Footnotes
185:1
The history of this eminent adept is very confused. Mutius , an author,
is express, that that good man, being wholly intent upon religion, never
applied himself either to chymistry or the philosopher's-stone: and yet
we have various accounts of his making gold. Among a variety of authors,
Gregory of Thoulouse asserts that "Lully offered EDWARD III, king of England,
a supply of six millions to make war against the Infidels." Besides manuscripts,
the following printed pieces bear Lully's name, viz. The Theory of the
Philosopher's Stone: The Practise: The Transmutation of Metals: The Codicil:
The Vade-Mecum: The Book of Experiments: The Explanation of his Testament:
The Abridgements, or Accusations: and The Power of Riches. 
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