The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-14
JEIBNTIZ AND THE
 PHILOSOPHERS STONE

Of all the subjects that have ex- hausted mems minds, none is more rnysteriously interesting than the Philosophers Stone. Today, Nov. 14, commentaries the death in 1716 of the great mathematician and moral philosopher, Gottfried Wilhelm Leib- nitz, who himself was absorbed in the tremendous problem: Find the Philosophers Stone!
 Leibnitz is one of the illustrious names of literature. He was the son of a professor of jurisprudence, and was born in Leipsic in 1646. In his youth he was precoc!ous, and from his early years exhibited a keen love of learning and investigation. His talents at the University and his pub lications early brought him into mo- tice. After leaving the university he travelled extensively, making the ac- uuaintance of men of learning, among these being the great Sir Isaac New ton. George L of England called Leibnitz the walking encyclopedia. For his versatile powers plunged him into every problem of human knowl- edge-Mataphysics, physics, mathe- matics, law, theology, history, phil o1ogy, medicine, the classics. The ancient languages were at his fingers ends and more than half a dozen of the modern ones. Leibnitz was a bachelor, and no family cares, nor lure of woman disturbed his path of cut-and- dried and sheer learning. Learning for the passion of it! If Leibnitz I concentrated on one work, we a.lould have had a master piece. Gray is remembered by one poem. ''The Elegy in a Country Churchyard'; Poe by The Raven" But Leibnitz was a universal genius an encyclopedia. It is amusing to relate that the Queen Sophia Char lotte, wife of Frederick, King of Prussia, who called Leibnitz 'le grand IIeibnitz," and used to ;mplore him to tell her the why Of the WHY, ,'' on her deathbed said quite gaily, ''I am now going where I shall be able to satisfy my curiosity about a great many things which even Leibnitz can tell me nothing about
 The intellectual Leibnitz believed. confidently, in the ultimate finding of the Philosophers Stone.
 Now, what was this secret that con- vulsed the Middle Ages, and whose allure drew men away from ordinary pursuits drew them with retorts, and bIow-pii les, and queer instruments and hand-furnaces, into cavernsi men who faced persecution for cen- turies for the sake of the PhilOsO- pher's Stone. The greatest minds, the most admirably poised intellects were after the Philosophers Stone Goethe was interested. And the great Para celsus. And Sir Isaac Newton The alchemists called 1t the Elixir It was said to be a. soluab1e, solid substance which was believed to have the power and property of turning (transmutfng) baser metals into gold The Elixir Vitae was fluid which, il found, would proIong life indefinitely and would give happiness and health
 Gold being the perfect metal, ii mixed with the imperfect metals, ii could not perfect them. But, could 9 substance be found many times more perfect than gold, 1t might perfect the imperfect metals. Such q sub- stance would be composed of purest mercury and sulphur commingled into a solid mass. and matdred by wisdom and artificial fire, into possi- ~ly a thousand, thousand ties the e<perfection of simple gold This was the "Philosopher's Stone" which grea1 brains bruised themselves over, ant which never was found.
 Leibnitz learned that the aIchernists of old Nuremberg were frantically d work searching for the Philosopher: Stone. He could not at that time break away and go to Nuremberg, bu he wrote to them a letter, presenting his views on the immense subject.
 To the end of his life this mos learned man of his time believed tha the Philosophers Stone would b. found.