Antoine Lavoisier, celebrated as the father of modern chemistry, made a seminal contribution in 1789 with a fourfold classification of simple substances . He divided substances into gases, nonmetals, metals, and earths (infusible oxides), departing from alchemical traditions and marking a significant stride towards systematic and rational chemical understanding. He further mentioned a distinction between metals of differing fusibility . Combined with a general awareness at that time of a distinction between noble metals and base metals, Lavoisier's work would prove to be backwards compatible with ensuing developments.