Page 27 - Scottish Alchemists

John Napier of Merchiston.

Among the cultivators of the hermetic art in Scotland is to be included no
less a person than the celebrated John Napier, the inventor of logarithms,
who was born at Merchiston, near Edinburgh, in the year 1550. It is at first a
little surprising that a man so distinguished in the exact sciences should have
given himself to such a pursuit, but the attractions which an art like alchemy
would have for an active and excursive mind like his must be kept in view. It
is also now admitted that the great Sir Isaac Newton was a believer in
alchemy, and devoted much time to the study and practice of its processes.
Napier had, in addition, what might be called a hereditary predisposition to
such a study, as he belonged to a family which had long been famous for
their connection with the gold mines of Scotland, and had become imbued
with all the enthusiastic fancies then current upon the subject of discovering
the occult relations and properties of the precious metals.

The father of John Napier was Sir Archibald Napier of Edinbellie, who
was master of the mint to King James the Sixth. What is very remarkable in
their history is that both father and son were so nearly of an age that the
difference could scarcely represent a generation. Sir Archibald was only
about 16 when he was married, and he and his son, born in 1550, dwelt and
studied together like brothers through life, and all their practical researches
were in common.

Sir Archibald was in 1562 appointed to the office of Justice Depute of
Scotland, and was made a knight in 1565. In 1582 he was made “General of
his Majesty’s Cunzie House,” or master of the mint. In this office, which he
enjoyed for the rest of his life, he had the control of all the mines for the
precious metals in Scotland, some of which were on his own estates. “He
was practically versed in the craft of metals, could work with his own hands,
and became the most expert man in Scotland at detecting gold amid the
grosser elements of creation - refining it for human purposes, besides
regulating as a statesman the whole preparations and conditions of its legal
circulation in the realm. His younger son, Francis, was assay master under
him.

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