They did not succeed in what they attempted, but they
brought into vogue the natural processes of sublimation, filtration,
distillation, and crystallization; they invented the alembic, the
retort, the sand-bath, the water-bath and other valuable instruments.
To them is due the discovery of antimony, sulphuric ether and
phosphorus, the cupellation of gold and silver, the determining of the
properties of saltpetre and its use in gunpowder, and the discovery of
the distillation of essential oils. This was the success of failure, a
wondrous process of Nature for the highest growth,--a mighty lesson of
comfort, strength, and encouragement if man would only realize and
accept it.
Many of our failures sweep us to greater heights of success, than we
ever hoped for in our wildest dreams. Life is a successive unfolding of
success from failure. In discovering America Columbus failed
absolutely. His ingenious reasoning and experiment led him to believe
that by sailing westward he would reach India. Every redman in America
carries in his name "Indian," the perpetuation of the memory of the
failure of Columbus. The Genoese navigator did not reach India; the
cargo of "souvenirs" he took back to Spain to show to Ferdinand and
Isabella as proofs of his success, really attested his failure.
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