WIEGLEB, JOHANN CHRISTIAN. - THE SHOWDOWN WITH ALCHEMISTRY.

Historisch=kritische Untersuchung der Alchemie, oder der eingebildeten Goldmacherkunst; von ihrem Ursprunge sowohl als Fortgange, und was nun von ihr zu halten sey.

Weimar, Carl Ludolf Hoffmann, 1777.

Small 8vo. A bit later marbled boards. Spine gone. (22),437,(3) pp. Light toning to text and some scattered brownspots.

Scarce first edition of Wiegleb's most importent work and one of the most importent historical criticism of the alchymistic theories of transmutations.
"Wiegleb’s critical attitude in assessing scientific questions earned him high esteem in learned circles. After several years of work he published Historisch-kritische Untersuchung der Alchemie (1777), which went through a second edition. In this work he stated: "The best accounts from the period when the name alchemy is encountered, . . . are examined, and it is thereby demonstrated that they are, taken together, incapable of confirming the reality of alchemy. Then, the strongest proof is adduced to show that the entire imaginary art of alchemy is impossible according to all known, certain natural laws of human art: thus [it is shown] that it has never truly been practiced by anyone." Wiegleb carefully examined famous reports of the transformation of metals and pointed out their deficiencies: in a short time his work became widely known. His motto was "To doubt is the beginning of knowledge," so it is all the more as tonishing that Wiegleb was a convinced proponent of Stal’s phlogiston theory throughout his life." (DSB).
Ferguson II, 546. - Duveen, 620.

Order-nr.: 52761