Note 24 — HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION.

In later times these heathen symbols were dropped, and others were adopted to propitiate the favour and assistance of heaven; for this purpose the Alchemists stamped the figure of the cross upon the vessel in which they were to obtain their long sought for prize; a superstitious practice, from which the term crucible derived its origin. I am well aware that another explanation has been given, and that the word has been derived from Crucio, since in the language of the Alchemists, the crucible was the vessel in which the metals were tortured to force them to assume the form of gold.