Exactly, back then we didn't even know that gold and lead were two single elements. We had the concepts of atoms yes but not of different elements that were "st

Exactly, back then we didn't even know that gold and lead were two single elements. We had the concepts of atoms yes but not of different elements that were "stable" on their own or that one atom could be different from another atom. If everything is comprised of atoms the belief that you can rearange somehow the atoms of lead to create gold was not so farfetched as we know it to be today. Robert Boyle, who is considered the father of chemistry came to most of his chemical work because of his "Alchemist" research.