The decline of European alchemy was brought about by the rise of modern science with its emphasis on rigorous quantitative experimentation and its disdain for "ancient wisdom".
ðə dᵻklˈaɪn ʌv jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən ˈælkəmi wʌz bɹˈɔːt ɐbˌaʊt baɪ ðə ɹˈaɪz ʌv mˈɑːdɚn sˈaɪəns wɪð ɪts ˈɛmfəsɪs ˌɔn ɹˈɪɡɚɹəs kwˈɔntᵻtˌeɪɾɪv ɛkspˌɛɹɪməntˈeɪʃən ænd ɪts dɪsdˈeɪn fɔːɹ "ˈeɪntʃənt wˈɪzdəm".