Richard told me of three 16th-century folio volumes on alchemy.
理查德告诉过我16世纪的三卷关于炼金术的对开本书籍的事。
What spurred them on was alchemy, the'science " of changing ordinary metals into gold.
激励他们的是炼金术, 即把普通金属变为金子的 “ 科学 ”.
Religion had an intimate association with alchemy during the Middle Ages.
在中世纪,宗教和炼金术密切相联.
Alchemists searched in vain for this substance for several hundred years.
炼金术士探寻这种物质达数百年之久而终无所获.
One of the supreme quests of alchemy is to transmute lead into gold.
炼金术的终极目的之一是将铅转化为金。
Alchemy paved the way for the modern science of chemistry.
炼金术为现代化学铺了路.
The alchemists were the forerunners of the scientists of today.
炼金术士是今日科学家的先驱.
At first glance, it all seems an alchemist's illusion.
乍看上去, 它完全象是一位炼金术士的幻术.
This statement is the fundamental axiom that distinguished chemistry from alchemy.
这个论述是化学区别于炼金术的基本定律.
With caustic wit , he made a fierce assault on the alchemists.
他施展讽刺挖苦的本领,猛烈挞伐了炼金术士.
Alchemists found that a number of materials were especially useful in their work.
炼金术士们发现在炼制黄金过程中,有几种原料对他们特别有用.
By insensible gradations the last of the alchemists became the first of the experimental philosophers.
经过极其缓慢的阶段性变化,最后一批炼金术士成了最早的实验哲学家.
For hundreds of years alchemists worked in vain , never discovering any of the things they sought.
尽管炼金术土们白白花了成百上千年也没能发现他们寻找的东西.
The chief aim of the alchemists was to find a way of doing this.
炼金术土的主要目标就是要找到某种实现此事的方法.
Besides gold, there were two other things that alchemists tried to make in their laboratories.
除了炼制金子之外, 炼金术士们还试图获得另外的两样东西.