Bernardresolvedtotry；and，transportinghislaboratorytoahouseonthecoastoftheBaltic，heworkeduponsaltformorethanayear，meltingit，sublimatingit，crystalizingit，andoccasionallydrinkingit，forthesakeofotherexperiments。Stillthestrangeenthusiastwasnotwhollydiscouraged，andhisfailureinonetrialonlymadehimthemoreanxioustoattemptanother。
Hewasnowapproachingtheageoffifty，andhadasyetseennothingoftheworld。He，therefore，determinedtotravelthroughGermany，Italy，France，andSpain。Whereverhestoppedhemadeinquirieswhethertherewereanyalchymistsintheneighbourhood。Heinvariablysoughtthemout；and，iftheywerepoor，relieved，and，ifaffluent，encouragedthem。AtCiteauxhebecameacquaintedwithoneGeoffreyLeuvier，amonkofthatplace，whopersuadedhimthattheessenceofegg-shellswasavaluableingredient。Hetried，therefore，whatcouldbedone；andwasonlypreventedfromwastingayearortwoontheexperimentbytheopinionsofanattorney，atBerghem，inFlanders，whosaidthatthegreatsecretresidedinvinegarandcopperas。Hewasnotconvincedoftheabsurdityofthisideauntilhehadnearlypoisonedhimself。HeresidedinFranceforaboutfiveyears，when，hearingaccidentallythatoneMasterHenry，confessortotheEmperorFredericIII，haddiscoveredthephilosopher’sstone，hesetoutforGermanytopayhimavisit。Hehad，asusual，surroundedhimselfwithasetofhungrydependants，severalofwhomdeterminedtoaccompanyhim。Hehadnothearttorefusethem，andhearrivedatViennawithfiveofthem。Bernardsentapoliteinvitationtotheconfessor，andgavehimasumptuousentertainment，atwhichwerepresentnearlyallthealchymistsofVienna。MasterHenryfranklyconfessedthathehadnotdiscoveredthephilosopher’sstone，butthathehadallhislifebeenemployedinsearchingforit，andwouldsocontinue，tillhefoundit；——ordied。ThiswasamanafterBernard’sownheart，andtheyvowedwitheachotheraneternalfriendship。Itwasresolved，atsupper，thateachalchymistpresentshouldcontributeacertainsumtowardsraisingforty-twomarksofgold，which，infivedays，itwasconfidentlyassertedbyMasterHenry，wouldincrease，inhisfurnace，fivefold。Bernard，beingtherichestman，contributedthelion’sshare，tenmarksofgold，MasterHenryfive，andtheothersoneortwoapiece，exceptthedependantsofBernard，whowereobligedtoborrowtheirquotafromtheirpatron。Thegrandexperimentwasdulymade；thegoldenmarkswereputintoacrucible，withaquantityofsalt，copperas，aquafortis，egg-shells，mercury，lead，anddung。Thealchymistswatchedthispreciousmesswithintenseinterest，expectingthatitwouldagglomerateintoonelumpofpuregold。Attheendofthreeweekstheygaveupthetrial，uponsomeexcusethatthecruciblewasnotstrongenough，orthatsomenecessaryingredientwaswanting。
Whetheranythiefhadputhishandsintothecrucibleisnotknown，butitiscertainthatthegoldfoundthereinatthecloseoftheexperimentwasworthonlysixteenmarks，insteadoftheforty-two，whichwereputthereatthebeginning。
Bernard，thoughhemadenogoldatVienna，madeawaywithaveryconsiderablequantity。Hefeltthelosssoacutely，thathevowedtothinknomoreofthephilosopher’sstone。Thiswiseresolutionhekeptfortwomonths；buthewasmiserable。Hewasintheconditionofthegambler，whocannotresistthefascinationofthegamewhilehehasacoinremaining，butplaysonwiththehopeofretrievingformerlosses，tillhopeforsakeshim，andhecanlivenolonger。Hereturnedoncemoretohisbelovedcrucibles，andresolvedtoprosecutehisjourneyinsearchofaphilosopherwhohaddiscoveredthesecret，andwouldcommunicateittosozealousandperseveringanadeptashimself。FromViennahetravelledtoRome，andfromRometoMadrid。
TakingshipatGibraltar，heproceededtoMessina；fromMessinatoCyprus；fromCyprustoGreece；fromGreecetoConstantinople；andthenceintoEgypt，Palestine，andPersia。Thesewanderingsoccupiedhimabouteightyears。FromPersiahemadehiswaybacktoMessina，andfromthenceintoFrance。HeafterwardspassedoverintoEngland，stillinsearchofhisgreatchimera；andthisoccupiedfouryearsmoreofhislife。Hewasnowgrowingbotholdandpoor；forhewassixty-twoyearsofage，andhadbeenobligedtosellagreatportionofhispatrimonytoprovideforhisexpenses。HisjourneytoPersiahadcostupwardsofthirteenthousandcrowns，aboutone-halfofwhichhadbeenfairlymeltedinhisall-devouringfurnaces:theotherhalfwaslavisheduponthesycophantsthathemadeithisbusinesstosearchoutineverytownhestoppedat。