UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 
 8306 8 *
 
 Let this Book, Intituled, The Hi- 
 JloryoftheROYAL SOCIETY 
 of LONDON, for the improving 
 of Natural Knowledge, be Prim- 
 ed. 
 
 WILLIAM MORRICE.
 
 THE 
 
 o F T H E 
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY 
 LONDON, 
 
 For the Improving of 
 
 NATURAL KNOWLEDGE. 
 
 STRJT, D.D. rate Lord 
 
 Bifliopof ROCHES TER. 
 
 The FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 L O N 2) O N; 
 
 Printed for J. KN A p TON, J. WAL.T HOE, D. M i D- 
 
 WINTER, J. TONSON, A. B E T T E S WO R T H and 
 
 C. HITCH, R.ROBINSON, F. CLAY, B. MOTTE, 
 A. W A R D, D. B ROW N, and T, LONGMAN. 
 
 M DCC XXXIV.
 
 YT 

 
 Q4! 
 
 KING. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 \F all the Kings of Europe, 
 Tour Majefty was the fir ft, 
 who confirm d this noble De- 
 Jtgn of Experiments, by 
 Tour own Example, and by a publick 
 Eftablifhment. An Enterprise equal 
 to the mo ft renown' dictions of the heft 
 
 Princes. 
 
 40370
 
 The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 Princes. For, to increase the Towers 
 of all Mankind, and to free them 
 from the Bondage of Errors, is greater 
 Glory than to enlarge Empire, or to 
 put Chains on the Necks of conquered 
 Nations. 
 
 What Reverence all Antiquity 
 had for the Authors of natural Dif- 
 coveries, is evident by the diviner 
 Sort of Honour they conferred on them. 
 Their Founders of philofophical Opi- 
 nions 'were only admifd by their own 
 Se6ts: Their valiant Men and Ge- 
 nerals did Jeldom rife higher than to 
 Demy-Gods and Heroes : But the 
 Gods they worjhipped with Temples 
 and Altars, were thofe who inftrufted 
 the World to plow, to fow, to plant, 
 to fpin, to build Houfes, and to find 
 out new Countries. This Zeal in- 
 deed, by which they exprejs'd their 
 
 Grati-
 
 The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 Gratitude to fuch Benefactors, dege- 
 nerated into Superftition \ yet has it 
 taught us, that a higher Degree of 
 Reputation is due to Difcoverers, than 
 to the Teachers of fpeculative Do- 
 brines, nay even to Conquerors them* 
 felves. 
 
 Nor has the true God himfelf 
 omitted to Jhew his Value of vulgar 
 Arts. In the whole Hiftory of the 
 firft Monarchs of the W^orld, from 
 Adam to Noah, there is no mention 
 of their Wars, or their Victories: 
 AH that is recorded is this, they litfd 
 fo many Tears, and taught their Pofte- 
 rity to keep Sheep, to till the Ground, 
 to plant Vineyards, to dwell in 
 Tents, to build Cities, to play on the 
 Harp and Organs, and to work in 
 Brafs and Iron. And if they dejervd 
 a facred Remembrance, for one na- 
 tural
 
 The Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 tural or mechanical Invention, Tour 
 Majefty will certainly obtain im- 
 mortal Fame, for laving eftablijh- 
 ed a perpetual Succeffon of Invert- 
 
 m 
 May it pleafe your Majefty, 
 
 Your Majefty 's moft humble, 
 and moft obedient 
 
 Subje6l and Servant, 
 
 TH o. SPRAT
 
 T O T H E 
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 I. 
 
 PHILOSOPHY the great and only Heir 
 Of all that human Knowledge 'which has bin 
 Unf or felted by Mans rebellious Sin, 
 
 Though fidl of Tears He do appear ', 
 (Philofophy, I fay, and call it, He, 
 For 'what joe er the Painter's Fancy be, 
 
 It a male Virtue feems to me) 
 Hasftill been kept in Non-age till of late, 
 Nor manag'd or enjoy d his <uaft EJlate : 
 Three or four thoufand Tears one would have thougbt t 
 To Ripenefs and Perfection might have brought 
 
 A Science fo 'well bred and nurft, 
 And offuch hopeful Parts too at the fir ft. 
 But, oh ! the Guardians and the Tutors then, 
 (Some negligent and fome ambitious Men) 
 
 Would ne'er confent tofet him free, 
 Or his own natural Powers to let him fee, 
 Left that foould put an end to their Author it ie. 
 
 II. 
 
 That his own Bufmefs he might quite forget, 
 They' amusd him with the Sports of wanton Wit, 
 With the Defer ts of Poetry they fed him, 
 Inftead offolid Meats fencreafe his Force-, 
 Inftead of vigorous Exercife, they led him 
 Into the pie af ant Labyrinths of ever-frejb Difcourfe: 
 
 Inftead of carrying him to fee 
 The Riches which do hoarded for him lye 
 
 a " In
 
 In Nature sendtefsfreafury^ 
 
 Theychofe his Eye to entertain 
 
 (His curious but noUovetous Eye) 
 
 With painted Scenes, and Pageants of the Brain. 
 Seme few exalted Spirits this latter Age has Jhown, 
 That labour d to a/ert the Liberty 
 (From Guardians who were now Ufurpers grwn) 
 Of this old Minor Jlill, captivd Philofophy ; 
 
 But 'twas Rebellion catt'd to fight 
 
 For fuch a long opprej'ed Right. 
 Bacon at lafl, a mighty Man, arofe y 
 
 Whom a wife King and Nature chofe 
 
 Lord Chancellor of both their Laws, 
 And boldly undertook the injurd Pupil's Caufe. 
 
 III. 
 
 Authority, which did a Body boajl, 
 
 Though 'twas but Air condensd, andftalk'd about, 
 Like fome old Giant's more gigantic Ghoji, 
 
 'To terrify the learned Rout 
 With the plain Magic of true Reaforis Light, 
 
 He chacd out of our Sight, 
 Norfufferd living Men to be mijled 
 
 By the 'vain Shadows of the 'Dead: 
 To Graves, from whence it rofe, the conquered Phantoms 
 
 He broke that monftrous God which Jlood 
 Inmidftofth' Orchard, and the whole did claim, 
 
 Which with a ufelefs Scythe of Wood, 
 
 Andfomething elfe not worth a Name, 
 
 (Both vaftfor Shew, yet neither Jit 
 
 Or to defend, or to beget ; 
 
 Ridiculous andfenfelejs Terrors !) made 
 Children and fuperjiitious Men afraid. 
 
 <The Orchard's open now, and free ; 
 Bacon has broke that Scare-crow 'Deify 
 
 2 Come,
 
 Comi, enter, all that wilt, 
 Behold the ripened Fruit, come gather now your Fill 
 
 Tet Jlill, methinks, we fain would be 
 
 Catching at the forbidden 'Tree, 
 
 We would be like the Deity. 
 When Truth and Falfiood, Good and Evil y we 
 Without theSenfes Aid within ourfehes would fee*, 
 
 For 'tis God only who can find 
 
 All Nature in his Mind. 
 IV. 
 
 From Words, which are but Pictures of the Thought, 
 (Though we our Thoughts from them perverjly drew) 
 To Things, the Mind's right Objeff, he it brought: 
 Like foolijh Birds to painted Grapes we few ; 
 He fought and gather d for our life the true j 
 And when on Heaps the chofen Bunches lay, 
 He prefs'd them wifely the mechanic Way, 
 Till all their Juice did in one VeJJel join, 
 Ferment into a Nourijhment Divine, 
 
 The thirfty Soul's refrefliing Wine. 
 Who to the Life an exatt Piece would make, 
 Muft not from others Work a Copy take -, 
 
 No, not from Rubens or Vandike ; 
 
 Much lefs content himfelf to make it like 
 Tfr Ideas and the Images which lye 
 In his own Fancy, or his Memory: 
 
 No, helefore his Sight muft place, 
 
 The natural and living Face -, 
 'The real Object muft command, 
 Each Judgment of his Eye, and Motion of his Hand. 
 
 V. 
 
 From thefe and all long Errors of the Way, 
 In which ourwandring Predeceflbrs went, 
 And like th' old Hebrews many Tears didflray, 
 
 a 2 In
 
 In Defdrts but offmatl Extent, 
 Bacon, like Mofes, led us forth at laft, 
 
 The barren Wiidernefi be paft, 
 
 Did on the very Border ft and 
 
 Of the bkjl promts' d Land, 
 And from the Mountains fop of his exalted Wit., 
 
 Saw it himfelf, and flew d us it. 
 But Life did never to one Man allow 
 Time to difcover Words, and conquer too ; 
 Nw canfofoorta Line Jufficient be 
 'To fathom the *vajl Depth of Nature's Sea : 
 
 The Work he did we ought ? admire. 
 And were unjuft ifwefoould more require 
 From his few Years, divided 'twixt fb' Excefe 
 Of low Affiitfion and high Happinefs : 
 for who on Things remote can Jix his Sight, 
 That's always in a Triumph ', or a Fight ? 
 
 VI. 
 
 From you, great Champions ', we expett to get 
 Thefefpacious Countries but di fewer* d yet ; 
 Countries where yet injlead of Nature, we 
 Her Images and Idols worjlnp'd fee : 
 Theft large and wealthy Regions to fubdue^ 
 Though Learning has whole Armies at Command, 
 
 Quarter d about in every Land, 
 
 A better Troop fie neer together drew. 
 
 Metbinks, Me Gideon's little Band, 
 
 God with Dejign has pick* d out you y 
 To do thefe noble Wonders by a few : 
 When the whole Hofl hefaw, they are (faid he) 
 
 Too many to overcome for me -, 
 
 And new hechufes out his Men, 
 
 Much in the way that be did then: 
 
 Not thofe many whom he found 
 
 Idly extended on the Ground : 
 
 L To
 
 To drink with their dejetfed Head 
 'The Stream juft Jo as by their Mouths it fled: 
 
 No, but thofe few who took the Waters up. 
 And made of their laborious Hands the Cup, 
 
 VII. 
 
 Thus you prepar'dj and in the glorious Fight 
 
 'Their wondrous Pattern too you take : 
 Their old and empty Pitchers Jirft they brake, 
 And with their Hands then lifted up the Light. 
 
 16 ! Sound too the "Trumpets here ! 
 Already your victorious Lights appear -, 
 New Scenes of Heaven already we efpy, 
 
 And Crowds of golden Worlds on high j 
 Which from the fpacious Plains of Earth and Sea, 
 
 Could never yet difcoverd be 
 By Sailors or Chaldeans watchful Eye. 
 Nature's great Works no Diftance can obfcure, 
 No Smalnefs her near Objects can fecure. 
 
 Touve taught the curious Sight toprefe 
 
 Into the private/I Recefs 
 Of her imperceptible Littlenefs. 
 She with much ft ranger Art than his who put 
 
 AlltV Iliads in a Nut, 
 The numerous Work of Life does into Atoms jhut. 
 
 Tou've learn d to read the fmalleft Hand, 
 And 'well begun her deepeft Senfe to under/land. 
 
 vnr. 
 
 Mifchiefand true Dijhonour fall on thofe 
 Who would to Laughter or to Scorn expofe 
 So virtuous andfo noble a Dejign, 
 So human for its Ufe> for Knowledge fo Divine. 
 The Things which thefe proud Men dejpife, and call 
 Impertinent , and vain, andfmall, 
 
 7 T&oft
 
 fbofefmallejl things of Nature let me know, 
 Rather than all their greateft Actions do. 
 Whoever 'would depofed Truth advance 
 
 Into the throne itfurfd from it, 
 Mujlfeel atfirjl the Blows of Ignorance, 
 
 And the fiarf Points of envious Wit, 
 So when by various Turns of the celeftial Dance, 
 
 In many thoufand, Tears 
 
 A Star fo long unknown, appears, 
 Though Heaven itjelfmore beauteous by it grow ', 
 It troubles and alarms the World below, 
 Does to the Wife a Star to Fools a Meteorjhow. 
 
 IX. 
 
 With Courage and Succefs you the bold Work begin ', 
 
 Tour Cradle has not idle been : 
 None e'er but Hercules and you could be 
 At Jive Tears Age worthy a Hiftory. 
 
 And ne'er did Fortune better yet 
 
 Th* Hiftorian to the Story fit: 
 
 As you from all old Errors free 
 And purge the Body of Philojophy -, 
 
 So from all modern Follies He 
 Has vindicated Eloquence and Wit. 
 His candid Style like a clean Stream doesjlide, 
 
 And his bright Fancy all the way 
 
 Does like the Sun-Jhine in it play, 
 It does like Thames, the left of Riven, glide, 
 Where the God does not rudely overturn, 
 
 But gently pour the cryftalUrn, 
 And with judicious Hand does the whole Current guide, 
 H' as all the Beauties Nature-can impart , 
 And all the comely Drefs without the Paint of Art. 
 
 A. COWLEY.
 
 A N 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 READER. 
 
 THE Reader is entreated to take No- 
 tice^ "that much of this Difcourfe was 
 written and printed above two Tears 
 before the reft : For this Caufe^ in the fir ft 
 and fecond Books > he may chance to find fome 
 ExpreJfionSy that by reafon of the difference 
 of 'Time may feem not well to agree with 
 the laft : But thofe having pafsd the Prefs 
 fo long ago, were out of my Power of chang- 
 ing them ; and therefore I will refer it to 
 his Kindnefs to do it for me. 
 
 I muft alfo acquaint him^ that in the Title 
 of my Book I have taken a Liberty^ which 
 may be liable to Exception : I have called it 
 a Hiftory of the Royal Society ; whereas the 
 firjt Part wholly treats of the State of the 
 Ancient Philofophy ; and the third chiefly 
 contains a Defence and Recommendation of 
 experimental Knowledge in general : So 
 
 that
 
 that it is only thefecond Book that peculiar- 
 ly defer ibes their Undertaking. But for my 
 Excufe I may allcdge the Example of ma- 
 ny of the Ancients, who have often from the 
 principal Part of their Works given Title 
 to all the reft : In their Imitation^ though 
 this Book does treat of many Subje&s that are 
 not Hiftoricaly yet I have frefumd to name 
 the whole a Hiftory, becaufe that was the 
 main End of my Dejign. 
 
 The Style perhaps in which it is written^ 
 is larger and more contentious than becomes 
 that Purity and Shortnefs which are the chief 
 Beauties of hiftorical Writings : But the 
 Blame of this ought not Jo much to be, laid 
 upon me, as upon the Detractors of fo noble 
 an Inftitution : For their Obje&ions and Ca- 
 vils again/I it, did make it necejfary for me 
 to write of /'/, not altogether in the way of 
 a plain Hiftory, but fometimes of an Apo- 
 logy. 
 
 THE
 
 (') 
 
 r- 
 
 THE 
 
 H I S T R Y 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 lnftitution,DeJign, and Progrefs, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY 
 
 O F 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 For the Advancement of experimental Thilofophy; 
 
 The FIRST PART. 
 
 Shall here prefent to the World, an Se& T. 
 Account of the firft Inftitution of ^ Preface} 
 
 the Royal Society ; and of the 
 
 r i i i I 
 
 ^r^/j, which they have already made: 
 In hope, that this learned and iiv 
 quifitive Age, will either think their 
 Indeavours worthy of its AJfiftance > or elfe will 
 be thereby provok'd, to attempt Come greater En- 
 terprise (if any fuch can be found out) for the 
 
 A Bene-
 
 The HISfORT of 
 
 Benefit of human Life, by the Advancement of 
 Real Knowledge. 
 
 Perhaps this Task, which I have propo 
 felf, will incur the Cenfure of many judicious : en, 
 who may think it an over-hnfty and prefumptuous 
 Attempt; and may object to me, that ti&Hijiory 
 of an Aflembly which begins with ib great Expec- 
 tations, ought not to have been made publick 
 fo foonj till we could have produced very many 
 confiderable Experiments, which they had try'd, 
 and fo have given undeniable Troofs of the Ufe- 
 fulnefs of their Undertaking. 
 
 In anfwer to this, I can plead for my felf, that 
 what I am here to fay, will be far from preventing 
 the Labours of others in adorning fo worthy a Sub- 
 ject 5 and is premis'd upon no other account, than 
 as the nobleft Buildings are firft wont to be repre- 
 fented in a few Shadows or fmall Models ; which 
 are not intended to be equal to the chief Stru- 
 cture it felf, but only to (hew in little, by what 
 Materials, with what Charge* and by how many 
 Hands, that is afterwards to be rais'd. Although, 
 therefore, I come to the Performance of this Work, 
 with much lefs 'Deliberation* and Ability, than the 
 Weightinefs of it requires 5 yet I truft, that the 
 Greatnefs ofthc'De/ign it felf, on which I am to fpcak, 
 and thcJZIfrf/ which I have for the Honour of our 
 Nation* which have been the chief Reafons that 
 havemov'd me to this Confidence of Writing, will 
 ferve to make fomething for my Excufe. For what 
 greater matter can any Man deftre, about which to 
 employ his Thoughts, than the Beginnings of an II- 
 luftrions Company, which has already laid fuch ex- 
 cellent Foundations of fo much Good to Mankind? 
 7 Or,
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Or, what can be more delightful for an Englifo Man { 
 to confider, than that notwithftanding all the late 
 Miferies of his Country, it has been able in a Ihort 
 Time fo well to recover it felf, as not only to at- 
 tain to the Perfc&ion of its former Civility, and 
 Learning, but alfo to fet on foot a new Way of 
 Improvement of Arts, as great and as beneficial (to 
 fay no more) as any the wittieft or the happieft 
 Age has ever invented ? 
 
 But befides this, I can alfo add, in my Defence, 
 that though the Society ', of which I am to write, is 
 not yet four Years old, and has been of necefllty 
 hitherto chiefly taken up, about preparatory Affairs'-, 
 yet even in this Time, they have not wholly ne- 
 glefted their principal End, but have had Succefs, 
 in the Trial of many remarkable Things j of which 
 I doubt not, but I fhall be able, as 1 pafs along, to 
 give Inftances enough to fatisfy the Curiofity of all 
 fober Inquirers into Truth. And in mort, if for no 
 other End, yet certainly for this, a Relation of 
 their firft Original ought to be expos'd to the View 
 of Men: That by laying down, on what courfe of 
 Difcovery they intend to proceed, the Gentlemen 
 of the Society may be more folemnly engag'd, to 
 profecute the fame. For now they will not be able, 
 handfomely to draw back, and to forfake fuch ho- 
 nourable Intentions 5 when the World fhall have 
 taken notice, that fo many prudent Men have gone 
 fo far, in a Bufinefs of this univerfal Importance, 
 and have given fuch undoubted Pledges of many 
 admirable Inventions to follow. 
 
 I fhall therefore divide my Difcourfe into thefe 
 three general Heads. 
 
 A z
 
 The HI STORT of 
 
 The firfl fhall give a fhort View of the Ancient 
 and Modern Philofophy ; and of the moft famous 
 Attempts, that have been made for its Advance- 
 ment : That by obfcrving wherein others have ex- 
 cell' d, and wherein they have been thought to fail, 
 we may the better fhew, what is to be expected 
 from thefe new Undertakers; and what mov'd 
 them, to enter upon a Way of Inquiry, different 
 from that, on which the former have proceeded. 
 
 1\\zfecond mall confift of the Narrative it felf : 
 And out of their Regifters, and Journals, which I 
 have been permitted to perufe, fhall relate the firft 
 Occafions of their Meetings, the Incouragcment, 
 and Patronage, which they have rccciv'd ; their *Pa- 
 tenty their Statutes, the whole Order and Scheme 
 of their c Dejlgn> and the Manner of their Pro- 
 ceedings. 
 
 The third mall try, to aflcrt the Advantage and 
 
 Innocence of this Work, in Refped of all 'Profef- 
 
 fons, and efpecially of Religion ; and how proper, 
 
 above others, it is, for the prefent Temper of the 
 
 Age wherein we live. 
 
 On the firfl and lafl of thefe Particulars, it is 
 not needful that I fhould Ion? infift : Bccaufe fc- 
 
 C7 
 
 veral great Men have already fo much prevented 
 me about them ; that there is hardly any thing can 
 be fpoken, in which I fhall not almoft tread in their 
 very Footfteps. But yet it is requifite, that fome- 
 thing be here faid to that purpoie, though it be 
 only in Repetition : Becaufe I perceive, that there 
 is ftill much prejudice remaining on many Men's 
 Minds, towards any new Difcoveries in natural 
 Things. This I fhall try to remove, not that I 
 imagine, that thofe Reafons can have any great cf- 
 
 fcft
 
 the R o v A L S o c i E T Y. 
 
 fe& in my weak Hands y which were not able fully to 
 prevail, when they were inforc'd by the Eloquence 
 of thofc excellent Men who have gone before me 
 in this Argument : But I rather truft to the inclina- 
 tion of the Age it felf, wherein I write 5 which (if 
 I miftake not) is far more prepar'd to be perfuaded 
 to promote fuch Studies, than any other Time that 
 has gone before us. 
 
 And nrft, let us obfetve the Practice of the beft, Sea III. 
 and the civileft Nations, amongft the Ancient s ; and 
 a little trace out the Courfe which they followed, 
 enrich their Countries, by the introducing of Fo- 
 reign Arts, or a fearching into New. 
 
 It is evident, from the univerfal Teftimony of 
 Hiftory, that all Learning and Civility were deriv'd 
 down to us from the Eaftern Parts of the World. 
 There it was, that Mankind arofe : and there they 
 firft difcover'd the Ways of Living, with Safety, 
 Convenience and Delight. It is but juft, that we 
 fhould attribute the original oiAflronomy^ Geometry ', 
 Government - ,and many Sorts of Manufactures, which 
 we now enjoy, to fazAjfyrians, the Chaldeans, and 
 Egyptians. And as to them we owe the Invention ; 
 ib from them proceeded the firft Corrupt ion of Know- 
 ledge Jt was the Cuftom of their wile Men, to 
 wrap up their Obfervations on Nature, and the 
 Manners of Men, in the dark Shadows of Hierogly- 
 fhicks'-) and to conceal them, as facred^k^/?^r/Vj,from 
 the Apprehenfions of the Vulgar. This was a fure 
 Way to beget a Reverence in the People's Hearts to- 
 wards themfel-ves : But not to advance the true Phi- 
 lofophy of Nature. That ftands not in need of fuch 
 Artifices to uphold its credit : But i then moil likely 
 
 to
 
 6 Tie HISrORT of 
 
 to thrive, when the Minds, and Labours of Men of 
 all Conditions, are join'd to promote it, and when 
 it becomes the Care of united Nations. 
 
 Into the Baft, the firft inquifitive Men amongft 
 the Grecians travelled : By what they obferyed there, 
 they ripened their own imperfed: Conceptions, and 
 fo returned to teach them at Home. And that they 
 might the better insinuate their Opinions into their 
 Hearers Minds, they fet them off with the Mixture 
 of Fables and the Ornaments of Fancy. Hence it 
 came to pafs, that the firft Matters of Knowledge 
 amongft them, were as well Toets, teThilofophers, 
 for Orpheus, Linus, Mufieus, and Homer, firft foft- 
 ned Men's natural Rudenefs 5 and by the Charms of 
 their Numbers, allur'd them to be inftrufted by the 
 feverer Doftrines of Solon, Thales, and Pythagoras. 
 This was a Courfe, that was ufeful at firft, when Men 
 were to be delightfully deceiv'd to their own Good: 
 But perhaps it left fome ill Influence on the whole 
 Philofophy of their Succeffors ; and gave the Gre- 
 cians occafion ever after of exercifmg their Wit, 
 and their Imagination, about the Works of Nature, 
 more than was confiftent with a fincere Inquiry 
 into them. 
 
 Sea. IV. When the fabulous Age was paft, ^Philofophy took 
 
 The Philofo- a little more Courage ; and ventured more to rely 
 
 Pfyf Greece. u ^ on its own Strength, without the Afliftance of 
 
 'Poetry. Now they began to gather into AiTemblies, 
 
 and to increafe their Intereft : and according to 
 
 the different Temper of the Grecians, from the Eaft- 
 
 ern Nations, fo were their Arts propagated in a 
 
 different Way from theirs. The Greeks, being of a 
 
 vigorous, and aftivc Humour, eftablifli'd their Philo- 
 
 fophy 

 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 fophy in the Walks, and Torches, and Gardens, and 
 fuch publick places about their Cities ; whereas the 
 graver and more referv'd s^/Egyptians> had confin'd 
 it to their Temples. 
 
 In Greece, the moft confiderable (and indeed 
 almoft the only fuccefsful) Trials, that were made 
 in this way, were at Athens ; the Wit of whofe Inha- 
 bitants, was, 'tis true, admirably fit for the redu- 
 cing of Philofophy iato Method, and for the adorn- 
 ing of it with the nobleft Words, when once it had 
 been before compleated in its Subftance : But yet 
 their Genius was not fo well made, for the under- 
 going the firft 'Drudgery and Burden of Obfervation 
 which is needful for the Beginning of fo difficult a 
 Work. This will appear, if we remember, that they 
 were the Matters of the Arts of Speaking to all their 
 Neighbours ; and fo might well be inclin'd, rather 
 to chufe fuch Opinions of Nature, which they might 
 moft elegantly exprefs, than fuch, which were more 
 ufeful, but could not fo well be illuftrated by the 
 Ornaments of Speech. Befides this, their City was 
 the general School, and Seat of Education-, and 
 therefore the Epitomes of Knowledge beft ferved 
 their turn, to make their Scholars, in a fhort time, 
 finifh the courfe of their Studies, and go home fa- 
 tisfied with a Belief of their own Proficience, and 
 their Teacher's Wifdom. They were alib common- 
 ly (as moft of the other Grecians] Men of hot, ear- 
 ncft, and hafty Minds; and folov'd rather to make 
 fudden Conctufions, and to convince their Hearers 
 by Argument, than to delay long, before they fixt 
 their Judgments ; or to attend with fufficient Pati- 
 ence me Labour of Experiments. But to fay no more, 
 they had but a narrow Territory j and the conditi- 
 on
 
 8 
 
 on of thofe times, would not allow a very large 
 Commerce with foreign Nations : they were much 
 excrcis'd in the civil Affairs of their Country : they 
 had almoft a perpetual War at home, or abroad: 
 which Kinds of bufie and aaivc Life breed Men up 
 indeed for great Employments : but not fo well for 
 the diligent, private, and fevere Examination of 
 thofe litrle and almoft infinite Curiofitics, on which 
 the true Philofophy muft be founded. 
 
 Sea. V. In that City therefore, the Knowledge of Nature 
 The Original h ac j j ts Original, before either that of 'Dzfcourfe, or 
 of human Attions 5 but it was quickly forc'd to 
 give way to them both : For it was not yet come 
 to a fufficient Ripenefs, in the time of Socrates-, and 
 he, by the Authority of his admirable Wit, made all 
 parts of Philofophy to be taken off from a Conditi- 
 on of cncreafing much farther, that they might be 
 immediately ferviceable to the Affairs of Men, and 
 theUfes of Life. He was one of the firft Men, that 
 began to draw into fome Order, the confus'd and 
 obfcurc Imaginations of thofe that went before him : 
 and to make way for the compofing of Arts, out of 
 their fcattcrcd Obfervations. All thcfe various Stib- 
 jcds, the Vaftnefs of his Soul comprehended in his 
 cafual'Difptitations : but after his Death they were 
 divided amongft his Followers, according to their 
 fevcral Inclinations. From him moft of the fuc- 
 cecding Seffs defcendcd : and though every one 
 of them had its different Principles and Rendez- 
 voufes ; yet they all laid claim to this one common 
 Title of being his Tlifciples. By this means, there 
 was a moft fpecious Appearance of the Increafe of 
 Learning : all places were fill'd with Philofophical 
 
 Dif-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 9 
 
 Disputes : Controverfies were rais'd : Fafhions were 
 made : Many Subtilitics of confuting, and defending, 
 were invented : But fo inftcad of joining all their 
 Strength to overcome the Secrets of Nature (all 
 which would have been little enough, though ever 
 fo wifely manag'd) they only did that, which has 
 undone many fuch great Attempts ; before they had 
 yet fully conquer'd her, they fell into an open Dif- 
 fenfion, to which of them her Spoils did belong. 
 'Tis true, at the fame time, fome few Men did con- 
 tinue an earneft, and laborious Purfuit, after natural 
 Caufes, andEjfeffsi and took that Courfe, which, 
 if it had met with as much Encouragement, as the 
 others had, would without queftion have produced 
 extraordinary Things. But thefe Philofophers dig- 
 ging deep out of the fight of Men ; and ftudying 
 more, how to conceive Things aright, than how to 
 fet off, and perfuade their Conceptions, to others ; 
 were quickly almoft quite overwhelm'd, by the more 
 plauilble and talkative Seds. 
 
 This was the fuccefs of that famous Age of the Sea. VI 
 Grecian Learning, in refpedl: of natural Knowledge. 
 They ftay'd not for an Information fufficient for uich 
 a noble Enterprize : They would not fuflfer their Pof- 
 terity to have any Share with them, in the Honour 
 of performing it : But too fuddenly, for prefent Ufe, 
 they clap'd up an entire Building of Sciences : And 
 therefore it is not to be wonder'd, if the hafty Fa- 
 brick, which they rais'd, did not confift of the beft 
 Materials. 
 
 But at laft with their Empire, their Arts alfo were 
 tranfported to Rome : The great Spirit of their Law- 
 givers, and Philofophers, in Courfe of Time, dege- 
 
 B
 
 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 nerating into Rhetoricians, and wandring Teachers 
 of the Opinions of their private Setts. Amongft 
 the Romans, the Studies of Nature met with little, 
 or no Entertainment. They fcarce ever dream'd of 
 any other Way of Philofophy, than only juft redu- 
 cing into new Method, and eloquently tranflating 
 into their own Language, theDodrines, which they 
 had received from the Greeks. And it was a long 
 time too, before even that could obtain any Counte- 
 nance amongft them. For, in the firft warlike and 
 bufy Ages of that State, they only apply 'd them- 
 ielves to a Severity of moral Virtue ; cndeavour'd af- 
 .ter no other Skill, than that of the Cuftoms, and 
 Laws of their Country, the Ceremonies of their Re- 
 ligion, and the Arts of Government : Efteeming 
 every Thing that came out of Greece, as an out-landifh 
 Fafhion, which \vould corrupt the Manners of their 
 Youth 5 and allure them, from that Striclnefs of Dif- 
 cipline, and Integrity of Life, by which they had in- 
 larg'd the Bounds of their Common-wealth : 'Till 
 at length their Power being increas'd, and their Minds 
 a little foftned by the Greatnefs of their Commands, 
 and having tafted of the Pleafures of the Eaft ; they 
 were content too, by degrees, to admit their Philo- 
 fqphy. And yet all the Ufe, that they made of it at 
 law, was only, either that they might thereby make 
 their Speech more plentiful 5 or elfe, that when 
 they were at leifure from civil Affairs, they might 
 have that as a Companion, and Comfort of their 
 Retirements. 
 
 VII. This was the Condition of Philofophy, when the 
 Chnftian Religion came into the World. Thatmain- 
 ain'd it felf in its firft Age, by the Innocence, and 
 Church* Miracles, 
 
 pby
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. it 
 
 Miracles, and Sufferings ofits Founder, and his Apo- 
 itles. But after their Deaths, when Chriftianity be- 
 gan to fpread into the fartheft Nations, and when ~) 
 the Power of working Wonders had ceas'd : It was 
 thought neceflary for its Increafe, that its ProfeiTors 
 ihould be able to defend it, againft the Subtilities of 
 the Heathens 5 by thofe fame ways of Arguing, which 
 were then in ufc, among the Heathen Philofophers. 
 It was therefore on this Account, that the Fathers, 
 and chief Doctors of our Church, apply 'd them- 
 felves to the Peripatetick, and Platonick Sefts ; but 
 chiefly to the Platonick : Becaufe that feem'd to 
 fpeak plainer about the Divine Nature ; and alfo, 
 becaufe the Sweetnefs, and Powerfulnefs of Tlato's 
 Writings, did ferve as well to make them popular 
 Speakers, as Difputers. Having thus provided them- 
 felves againft their Adverfaries, they eafily got the 
 Victory over them : And though the idolatrous Gen- 
 tiles had kept the Inftruments of difputing, in their 
 own Hands, Ib many hundred Years 5 yet they foon 
 convinced them of the Ridiculoufnefs of their Wor- 
 fhip, and the Purity, and the Reafonablenefs of 
 ours. 
 
 But now the ChrifUans having had fb good Suc- 
 cefs, againft the Religions of the Heathens, by their 
 own Weapons; inftead of laying them down when 
 they had done, unfortunately fell to manage them 
 one againft another. So many fubtle Brains having 
 been fet on work, and warm'd againft a foreign 
 Enemy : When that was over, and they had nothing 
 elfe to do (like an Army that returns victorious, and 
 is not prefently disbanded) they began to fpoil, and 
 quarrel amongft themfelves. Hence that Religion, 
 which at full appeared jfo innocent, and peaceable, 
 
 B 2 an*
 
 , 72* HISTORY of 
 
 and fitted for the Benefit of human Society ? which 
 confifkd in the plain, and direft Rules, of good Life, 
 and Charity, and the Belief in a Redemption by one 
 Saviour, was miferably divided into a thoufand intri- 
 cate Queftions, which neither advance true Piety, nor 
 good Manners. Hence arofe all the Herefies of thofc 
 times. Againft thefe, befides the force of Difputa- 
 tion, the Church obtain'd the Arm of the Civil Magi- 
 ftrate : and fo at laft by the help of many General 
 Councils, got them extinguifh'd ; if I may fay they 
 were extinguifli'd, feeing in this Age wherein we live, 
 we have feen moft of them unhappily revived. But 
 ftili by this means,there was no Knowledge in Requcft, 
 but the Difputative Philofophy . For while things were 
 in this pofture, and fo many great Wits ingag'd in the 
 heats of Controverfy: it was not to be expe&ed, that 
 they fhould look out for farther afiiftance, than the 
 Arts, which were already prepar'd 5 or that they fhould 
 make any confiderable Indeavours, about new Inven- 
 tions, and the tedious Trial of Experiments. Nor can 
 we much blame them for it : feeing in a time of War, 
 every Man will rather match up that Armour which 
 he finds ready made, than ftay till Men go to the 
 Mine, and dig out new Ore, and refine, and harden 
 it a better way ; in hope to have his Weapons of a 
 ftronger, and nobler Metal at laft. 
 
 Nor was that Age unfit for fuch an Enterprize, on- 
 ly on the Account of thefe Wars of the Tongue : 
 But alfo by Reafon of the miferableDiftempers of the 
 civil Affairs of the World, about that time : which 
 were chiefly occafion'd by the Roman Army's ufur- 
 ping the Right of chufing Emperors, and by the 
 Invafions of Barbarous Nations, which overwhelm'd 
 the greateft Part of Europe, Amidft thefe Diffractions, 
 
 it
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 13 
 
 it was impoflible for any thing of this Nature to have 
 profper'd : And in fo vaft an Inundation of Igno- 
 rance, which carry'd away with it the very grown 
 and aged Trees themfelves (thofe Parts of Learning 
 which had taken Root, fo many Generations pad) it 
 would have been in vain, to have committed any 
 new Plants to the Ground. Such Studies as thefe, as 
 they muft receive Encouragement from the Sove- 
 reign Authority, fo they muft come up in a peace- 
 ful Time, when Men's Minds are at Eafe, and their 
 Imaginations not difturb'd, with the Cares of pre- 
 ferving their Lives, and Fortunes. 
 
 To go on therefore with the Matter of Fad : Hav- Sea, VIII. 
 ing left that difmal bloody Age we come into a 
 Courfe of Time, which was indeed far quieter '^c 
 But it was like the Quiet of the Night, which is dark Rome, 
 withal. The Biihops of Rome taking the Opportu- 
 nity of the Decay of the Roman Empire, had wreft- 
 ed from it fo many Privileges, as did at laft wholly 
 deftroy it : And while it was gafping for Life, forc'd 
 it to make what Will and Teftament they pleas'd. 
 Being thus eftabliuYd,and making Rome> whofeName 
 was ftill venerable, the Seat of their Dominion, 
 they foon obtained a Supremacy over the Weftern 
 World. Under them for a long Space together Men 
 lay in a profound Sleep. Of the univerfal Igno- 
 rance of thofe Times, let it fuffice to take theTefti- 
 mony of William of Malmsbury-> one of our ancient 
 Englifh Hiftorians, who fays, that even amongft the 
 Priefts themfelves, he was a Miracle that could un- 
 derftand Latin. Thus they continued ^ till at laft, 
 that Church adopted, and cherifh'd fome of the Pe- 
 ripatetic Opinions, which the molt ingenious of the 
 
 Monks,
 
 j 4 the HISTORY of 
 
 Monks, in their folitary and idle Courfc of Life, 
 had lighted upon. This Seel was excellently well 
 made for their Turn. For by hovering fo much, in 
 general Terms, and Notions, it amus'd Men's Minds, 
 m Things that had not much Difficulty : And fo the 
 Laity being kept blind, were forc'd in all Things to 
 depend on the Lips of the Roman Clergy. From that 
 time even down to the Reformation, the Gentlemen 
 of all the fe Countries, imploy ing them felves, chiefly 
 in Arms and Adventures abroad : And the Books of 
 the Ancients, being either dcftroy'd by the Goths, 
 m& Vandals > or thofe which efcaped their Fury, ly- 
 ing cover'd with Duft in the Libraries of Monafte- 
 fies ; few or none regarded any of the Arts of Wit, 
 and Reafon, befides the Church-men. 
 
 This, I will take the Boldnefs to fay, muft needs 
 be very injurious to the Increafc of general Learning. 
 For though 1 mall juftly affirm to the Honour of 
 that fac red Trofeffion, that all Knowledge has been 
 more fearch'd into, and promoted by them, than by 
 any other Order of Men, even from the Egyptians 
 Times, (whofe Triefts in good part invented, or at 
 leaft preferv'd, the Learning of the Eafl] down to our 
 prefent Age: Yet I muft alfo add, that whenever all 
 the ftudious Spirits of a Nation, have been reduced 
 within the Temple's Walls, that Time is naturally li- 
 able to this Danger, of having its Genius more in- 
 tent, on the different Opinions in Religion, and the 
 Rites of Worfhip, than on the Increafe of any other 
 Science. Of this 1 fhall give two Inftances : one, 
 from the Ancients, the other, from our felves. 
 
 It is manifeft, that amongft the Jews, all the Men 
 of Letters (till apply'd themfelves to the under- 
 ftanding of their Law : that being the publick Way 
 7 of
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 15 
 
 of Preferment, to the higheft Places of Judicature 
 and Authority in the State. For that many Fraterni- 
 ties were ereded, and (as I may call them) Judaical 
 Monafteries conftituted. Hence came all the Inter- 
 pretations on the Writings of their great Law-giver : 
 Which at laft grew fo numerous, and various amongft 
 themfelves, that Chrift, when he came, could hard- 
 ly find any thing of Mofes his Mind, in all they had 
 writ : But performed more himfelf towards the Ex- 
 planation of the Law in two Chapters, than they 
 had done in all their infinite Volumes. But while 
 they were fo exceilively buly,about fuch forts of Con- 
 templations, the other Parts of Learning were neg- 
 leded : Little or no Footfteps of Philofophy remain- 
 ing amongft them, except only the Memory of that 
 Utftory of Plants, which was not written by any 
 of Aaron's Family, but by their wifeft King. 
 
 But my other Inftance conies nearer home, and it Se&. IX. 
 is of the School-men. Whofe Works when I confider, 
 it puts into my Thoughts, how far more ' l ^ 
 tantly a good Method of Thinking, and a right 
 Courfe of apprehending Things, does contribute to- 
 wards the attaining of Perfedion in true Knowledge, 
 than the ftrongeft, and moft vigorous Wit in the 
 World, can do without them. It cannot without 
 Injuftice be deny'd, that they were Men of extraordi- 
 nary Strength of Mind : They had a great Quick- 
 nefs of Imagination, and Subtility of diftinguifhing : 
 They very well underftood theConfequence of Propo- 
 fitions : Their natural Endowments were excellent : 
 Their Induftry commendable : But they lighted on a 
 wrong Path at firft, and wanted Matter to contrive : 
 And fo, like the Indians, only exprcfs'd a wonderful 
 
 Artifice,
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 Artifice, in the ordering of the fame Feathers into a 
 thoufand Varieties of Figures. I will not infift long 
 on theBarbaroufnefs of their Stile } though that too 
 muft juftly be cenfur'd: For all the ancient Thilo- 
 fophers, though they labour'd not to be full and 
 adorn'd in their Speech, yet they always drove to be 
 eafy, natural, and unaffected. Tlato was allow'd 
 by all to be the chief Matter of Speaking, as well 
 as of Thinking. And even Ariflotle himfelf, whom 
 alone thefe Men ador'd, however he has been fince 
 us'd by his Commentators, was fo careful about his 
 Words, that he was efteem'd one of the pureft, and 
 moft polite Writers of his Time. But the want of 
 good Language, not being the School-men* word 
 defect, I fliall pafs it over, and rather flop a little, 
 to examine the Matter it felf, and Order in which 
 they proceeded. 
 
 The Subjects about which they were moft con- 
 verfant, were either fome ofthofe^rtt,which^r//?0- 
 tle had drawn into Method, or the more fpccula- 
 tive Parts of our 'Divinity. Thefe they commonly 
 handled after this Fafhion. They began with fome 
 general Definitions of the Things themfelves, ac- 
 cording to their univerfal Natures, then divided 
 them into their Parts, and drew them out into feve- 
 ral Propofitions, which they laid down as Problems : 
 Thefe they controverted on both fides ; and by many 
 Niceties of Arguments, and Citations of Authori- 
 ties, confuted their Adverfaries, and ftrengthned their 
 own Di&ates. But though this notional War had 
 been carry'd on with far more Care, and Calmnefs 
 amongft them, than it was : Yet it was never able 
 to do any great Good towards the Enlargement of 
 Knowledge; becaufe it rely'd on general Terms, 
 
 7 which
 
 .the ROYAL SOCIETY. 17 
 
 which had not much Foundation in Nature, and alfo 
 becaufe they took no other Courfe, but that ofDif- 
 futing. 
 
 That this infifting altogether on eftabliftid Axioms, 
 is not the nioft ufeful Way, is not only clear in fuch 
 airy Conceptions, which they managed ; but alfo in 
 thofe Things, which lye before every Man's obferva- 
 tion, which belong to the Life and Pailions, and 
 Manners of Men 5 which, one would think, might be 
 fooner reduc'd into {landing Rules. As for example; 
 to make a prudent Man in the Affairs of State, it is 
 not enough to be well vers'd in all the Conclufions, 
 which all the 'Politicians in the World have devis'd, 
 or to be expert in the Nature of Government and 
 Laws, Obedience and Rebellion, Peace and War : 
 Nay rather a Man that relies altogether on fuch univer- . 
 fal Precepts, is almoft certain to mifcarry. But there 
 muft be a Sagacity of Judgment in particular Things ; 
 a Dexterity in difcerning the Advantages of Occafi- 
 ons ; a Study of the Humour, and Intereft of the Peo- 
 ple he is to govern : The fame is to be found mfhilo- 
 fophy 5 a thoufand fine Argumentations, and Fabricks 
 in the Mind, concerning the Nature tfBody^Qitan- 
 tity, Motion, and the like, if they only hover a-loof, 
 and are not fquar'd to particular Matters, they may 
 give an empty Satisfaction, but no Benefit, and ra- 
 ther ferve to Jwell, than fill the Soul. 
 
 But befides this, the very way of ^Difputing itfelf, 
 and inferring one Thing from another alone, is not at 
 all proper for the fpreading of Knowledge. It ferves 
 admirably well indeed, in thofe Aits, where the Con- 
 ncdion between the Propofitions is necefifary, as in 
 the Mathematick s, in which a long Train ofDemon- 
 ftrations, may be truly collected, from the certainty of 
 
 C the
 
 I8 The HTSrORr of 
 
 the firftFoundation : Bat in things of probability only, 
 it fcldom or never happens, that after fome little Pro- 
 grefs,the main Subjeft is not left, and the Contend- 
 ers fall not into other Matters, that are nothing to 
 the Purpofe : For if but one Link in the whole Chain 
 be loofe, they wander far away, and feldom, or never 
 recover their firft Ground again. In brief, T> font ing 
 is a very good Inftrument to fharpcn Men's Wit?, 
 and to make them verfatile, and wary Defenders of 
 the Principles, which they already know : but it can 
 never much augment the (olid Subftance of Science 
 itfelf : And methinks compared to Experimenting, 
 it is like Exercife to the Body in Companion of 
 Meat: For Running, Walking, Wreftling, Shoot- 
 ing, and other fuch active Sports, will keep Men in 
 Health, and Breath, and a vigorous Temper: but it 
 muft be a fupply of new Food that mult make them 
 grow : fo it is in this Cafe ; much Contention, and 
 Strife of Argument, will ferve well to explain obfcurc 
 I things, and ftrengthen the weak, and give a good, 
 / found, mafculine Colour, to the whole Mafs of 
 Knowledge: But it muft be a continued addition of 
 Obfervations, which muft nourilh, and increafe and 
 give new Blood, and Flefh, to the Arts themfelves. 
 But this has been only hitherto fpoken, againft 
 the Method of the School-men in general ; on mp- 
 pofition, that they took the beft Courfe, that could 
 be in that Kind. I fhall now come to weigh that 
 too. For it may eafily be prov'd, that thofe very 
 Theories, on which they built all their fubtilc Webs, 
 were not at all collected, by a fufficient Information 
 from the things themfelves ; which if it can be made 
 out, I hope it will be granted, that the Force and 
 Vigour of their Wit did more hurt, than good : and 
 
 only
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 19 
 
 only ferv'd to carry them the fafter out of the right 
 Way, when they were once going. The Teripate- 
 ticks themfclves do all grant, that the firft Rife of 
 Knowledge muft be from the Senfesj and from an In- 
 duction of their Reports : Well then ; how could 
 the Schoolmen be proper for fuch a Bufinefs, who 
 were ty'd by their Cloyftral Life to fuch a Strid- 
 nefs of Hours, and had feldom any larger Profpeds 
 of Nature, than the Gardens of their Monafleries ? 
 It is a common Observation, that Men's Studies are 
 various according to the different Courfes of Life, 
 to which they apply themfelvcs j or the Tempers of 
 the Places, wherein they live. They who are bred 
 up in Commonwealths, where the greateft Affairs are 
 nianag'd by the Violence of popular Aflemblies, and 
 thofe govern'd by the moft plaufible Speakers, bufy 
 themfelves chiefly about Eloquence 5 they who fol- 
 low a Court, efpecially intend .the Ornament of 
 Language, and 'Poetry, and fuch more delicate Arts, 
 which are ufually there in moft Requeft : they who 
 retire from human things, and fhut themfelves up 
 in a narrow Compafs, keeping Company with a very 
 few, and that too in a fol'emn way, addid them- 
 felves, for the moft part, to fome melancholy Con- 
 templations, or to 'Devotion, and the Thoughts of 
 another World. That therefore which was fitteft for 
 the School-men's way of life, we will allow them : 
 But what forry Kinds of Phiiofophy muft they needs 
 produce, when it was a part of their Religion, to 
 feparatc themfelves, as much as they could, from the 
 Converfe of Mankind > when they were fo far from 
 being able to difcover the Secrets of Nature, that 
 they had fcarce Opportunity, to behold enough of 
 its common Works. If any lhall be inclinable to fol- 
 
 C 2 low
 
 20 The HI STORY of 
 
 low the Directions of fiich Men in natural Things, 
 rather than of thofe, who make it their Employ- 
 ment 5 I fhall believe they will be irrational enough, 
 to think, that a Man may draw an exader Defcrip- 
 tion of England, who has never been here, than the 
 moil induftrious Mr. Camden, who had travell'd 
 over every Part of this Country, for that very Pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 Whoever fliall foberly profefs, to be willing to 
 put their Shoulders under the Burthen of fo great 
 an Enterprize, as to reprefent to Mankind the whole 
 Fabrick, the Parts, the Caufes, the Effefts of Na- 
 ture , ought to have their Eyes in all Parts, and to 
 receive Information from every Quarter of the Earth ; 
 they ought to have a conftant univerfal Intelligence 5 
 all Difcoveries fhould be brought to them ; the Trca- 
 furies of all former Times fhould be laid open before 
 them 5 the AlTiftance of the prefent fhould be allow'd 
 them : So far are the narrow Conceptions of a few 
 private Writers, in a dark Age, from being equal 
 to fo vaft a Defign. There are indeed fomc Opera- 
 tions of the Mind, which may be bcft performed by 
 the fimpleStrength of Men's own particularThoughts; 
 fuch are Invention, and judgment, and Difpofuion : 
 For in them a Security from Noife, leaves the Soul 
 at more Liberty, to bring forth Order, and falhion 
 the Heap of Matter, which had been before fupply'd 
 to its Ufe. But there are other Works alfo, which 
 require as much Aid, and as many Hands, as can be 
 found : And fuch is this of Obfervation > which 
 is the great Foundation of Knowledge ; ibme 
 muft gather, fome muft bring, ibme feparatc, fomc 
 examine 5 and to ufe a Similitude, (which the prc- 
 ient Time of the Year, and the ripe Fields, that iyc 
 
 before
 
 the R o y A L S o c r E t v. 21 
 
 before my Eyes, fuggeft to me) it is in Thilofophjy as 
 irt Husbandry $ wherein we fee, that a few Hands 
 will ferve to meafure out, and fill into Sacks, that 
 Corn, which requires very many more Labourers, to 
 fow, and reap, and bind, and bring it into the Barn. 
 But now it is time for me to difmifs this fubtileGe- 
 neration of Writers ; whom I would not have pro- 
 fecuted fo far, but that they are ftill efteenVd by fomer \ 
 Men, the only Matters of Reafon. If they would 
 be content with any thing lefs thari an Empire in 
 Learning, we would grant them very much. We 
 would permit them to be great and profound Wits, 
 as Angelical, and Seraphical, as they pleas'd : we 
 would commend them, as we are wont to do Chau- 
 cer ; we would confefs, that they are admirable in 
 Gomparifon of the Ignorance of their own Age: And, 
 isSitThilipStdney faid ofhim,we would fay of them; 
 that it is to be wonder'd, how they could fee fo clear- 
 ly then, and we can fee no clearer now : But that 
 they fhould ftill be fet before us, as the great Ora- 
 cles of ail Wit, we can never allow. Suppofe, that 
 I fhould grant, that they are moft ufefiii in the Con- 
 troverfies of our Church? to defend us againft the He- 
 rc'fies, and : Schifms of our Times 5 what will thence 
 follow, but that they ought to be confm'd within 
 their own Bounds', and not to be fuffer'd to hinder the 
 Enlargement of the Territories of other Sciences ?Lct 
 them ftill prevail m the Schools, and let them govern 
 in Dilputations: But let them not over-fpread all 
 Sdfts of Knowledge. 'That would be as ridiculdus, 
 as if, bccaufe we fee, that Thcirns, and Brier s', by 
 Reafon of their Sharpnefs, are fit to ftop a Gap', a'nd 
 keep out wild Beafts 5 we fhould therefore think, 
 they dcfeiVd to be plaritcd all dvCE every Field. 
 
 Ahdi
 
 S2 ft* HISrORT of 
 
 And yet I fhould not doubt, jf it were not fome- 
 what 'improper to the prefent Difcourfe) to prove, 
 that even in'Divinitr it felt, they are not fonecefla- 
 rv, as they are reputed to be: and that all, or moll 
 of our Religious Controverfies, may be as well c E 
 ded, by plain Reafon, and by Confiderations, which 
 may be fetch'd from the Religion of Mankind? the 
 Nature of Government, and human Society, and 
 Scripture it felf, as by the Multitudes of Authorities, 
 and Subtleties of Difputes, which have been hereto- 
 fore in Ufc. 
 
 Sea. X. And now I am come to the Time within our View 
 The Refttra- and to the third great Age of the four ifbing ofLearn- 
 ! ** Whether this Recovery of Knowledge did hap- 
 
 pen by the benent otTrinting, invented about that 
 Time, which fhe w'd a very ealy Way of communica- 
 ting Men's Thoughts one to another ; ox whether it 
 came from the Hatred, which was then generally 
 conceiv'd againft the Blindncfs, and Stupidity, of the 
 Roman Frjars ; or from the Reformation? which 
 put Men upon a ftriter Inquiry into the Truth of 
 things j whatever the Caufe was, I will not take much 
 Pains to determine : but I will rather obfervc, what 
 Kinds of Knowledge have moft flourifh'd upon it. If 
 we compare this J^ of Learning, with the f^o for- 
 mer ; we fhall find, that this does far exceed both 
 the other in its Extent : there being a much larger 
 Plat of Ground, fown with Arts and Civility at this 
 time, than either when the Grecian or Roman Em- 
 pires prevailed. Por then (efpecially under the Ro- 
 mans) fo many Nations being united under one <Do~ 
 minion, and reduc'd into the Form of 'Provinces : 
 -that Knowledge which they had was chiefly contin'd 
 
 to
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 23 
 
 to the Walls of the Imperial Cities themfelvcs. But 
 now (not to infift on the Learning of far remote 
 Countries, of which we have only imperfeft Rela- 
 tions ; but to contrad our Obfervation to Chriften- 
 4am aione) there being fo many different States, and 
 Governments in E*rope y evciy Country fets up for it- 
 felf : almoft in every place, the liberal Arts (as they 
 are call'd) are cherifti'd, and publick Allowance is 
 mu.ic for their Support. And in this Compals, the in- 
 finite Numbers of Wits, which have appear'd fo thick 
 for thefe many Years, have been chiefly taken up a- 
 bout fome of thefe three Studies ; either the Writ- 
 ings of the Antients, or Contrrverfas of Religion^ 
 or Affatn of Stdte- 
 
 The firft Thing that was undertaken, was to re Sea. XI. 
 cue the excellent Works of former Writers from Ob- ^ 
 fcurity. To the better performing of this, 
 things contributed about that time. Amongft which, 
 as to us in England, I may reckon (and that too, it 
 may be, not the ieatt, whatever the Action was in it- 
 
 J the Diflolution of Aobies : whereby their Li- 
 braries came forth into the Light, and fell into indu- 
 ftrious Men's Hands, who underftood how to make 
 more Ule of them, than their flothful Pofleflbrs had 
 done. So that now the Greek and Latin Tongues 
 began to be in Requeft ; and ail the ancient Authors, 
 the Heatben'PbdofopberS) Mathematicians, Orators, 
 HiftorianSy Torts, the various Copies, and Tranflati* 
 ons of the Bible* and the 'Primjtive Fathers were 
 produc'd. All thefe, by the feverai Tranfcriptions, 
 and the Ignorance of the Tranfcribers, had very many 
 different Readings, and many Parts wholly loft ; and 
 by rhc Diftancc of Times, and Change of Cuftoms r 
 
 wetc.
 
 24 M* HISTORY of 
 
 were grown obfcure. About the interpreting, ex- 
 plaining, (applying, commenting on thcfc, almott 
 all the VirftWtrs; were employed. .A Wojrk of great 
 Ufe, and -for which we -ought to etc: cm our ieives 
 much beholden to them. Tor indeed, it" they had 
 not complcated that Bufmefs, to our Hands, we of 
 this Age, had not been fo much at Lcifurc, as now I 
 hope we are, to profecute new Inventions. If they 
 had not done it, we mould j of which we ought not 
 to doubt, feeing we behold, that even now, when 
 the Soil of Criticiiin is almoft quite barren, and hard- 
 ly another Crop will come, yet many learned Men 
 cannot forbear fpending their whole Labour in toyl- 
 ing about it 5 what then mould we have done, if all 
 thofe Books had come down untouch'd to our 
 Hands ? 
 
 We cannot then, with any Sobriety, detract from 
 the Criticks, and Thilologifts* whole Labours we en- 
 joy. But we ought rather to give them thisTefti- 
 mony, that they were Men of admirable Diligence: 
 and that the Collections, which they have made, out 
 of the Monuments of the Antients, will be wonder- 
 fully advantageous to us, if the right Ufe be made of 
 them - 3 if they be not fet before us, only that we may 
 fpcnd our whole Lives in their Confidcration, 
 and to make the Courfe of Learning more difficult: 
 But if they be imploy'd, to direct us in the Ways 
 that we ought to proceed in Knowledge for the fu- 
 ture j if by mewing us what has been already finiflYd, 
 they point out to us, the moft probable Means, to 
 accomplifti what is behind. For mcthinks, that Wif- 
 dom, which they fetch'd from the Ames of the Dead, 
 is fomething of the fame Nature with Ames them- 
 fclves ; which, if they arc kept up in Heaps together, 
 y will
 
 ROVAL SOCIETY. 25 
 
 will be ufelcfs : But if they arc fcattered upon living 
 Ground, they will makcit more fertile, in the bring- 
 ing forth of various Sorts of Fruits. To thefc Men 
 then we are beholden, that we have a fairer Pro- 
 fpeft about us : to them we owe, that we arc not ig- 
 norant of the times that arc gone before us ; which 
 to be ; is (as7//y lays) to be always Children. All this, 
 and much more, is to be acknowledged : But then we 
 (hall alfo defirc of them, that they would content 
 themfelves with what is their Due : that by what 
 they have difcover'd, amongft the Rubbifli of the 
 Antients* they would not contemn the Trealures, 
 either lately found out, or ftill unknown j and that 
 they would not prefer the Gold of Ophir, of which 
 now there is no mention but in Books, before the 
 prefent Mountains of the Weft Indies. 
 
 Thus I pafs over this Sort ofreviv'd learning. And ^a. XII. 
 now there comes into our View another remarkable clnfrT^ r 
 Occafion of the Hindrance of the Growth of expe- and A'ttof 
 i rimental'T hi lo fop hyjx tftim theCompafs of this bright fa Moderns. 
 Age; and that is the great a-do which has been 
 made, in raifing, and confirming, and refuting fo 
 many different Seds, and Opinions of thz.Chrifttan 
 Faith. For whatever other Hurt or Good comes by 
 fuch holy ipcculativc Wars (of which whether the 
 Benefit or Mifchicf over- weighs, I will not now exa- 
 mine) yet certainly by this means, the Knowledge 
 of Nature has been very much retarded. And (to 
 ufe that Metaphor, which an excellent 'Poet of our 
 Nation turns to another purpoiej that Shower has 
 done .very much Injury by failing on .the Sea, for 
 which the Shepherd and the Plough-man call'd in 
 .yain : The Wjtpf Men has been profufcl.y pour'd out 
 
 cm
 
 2 6 Tie HI STORT of 
 
 on Religion, which needed not its help, and which 
 was only thereby made moretempeftuousj while it 
 might have been more fruitfully fpent, on fome Parts 
 of Philolophy, which have been hitherto barren, and 
 might foon have been made fertile. 
 
 But bcfides this, there have been alfo fevcral o- 
 thcrTrofeffions, which have drawn away the Inclina- 
 tions of Men, from profecuting the naked and unin- 
 terefled Truth. And of thefc I mail chiefly name 
 the Affairs of State, the Adminiftration of civil Go- 
 vernment, and the Execution of Laws. Thefc by 
 their fair Dowry of Gain and Honour, have always 
 allur'd the greateft Part of the Men of Art, and Rca- 
 fon, to addlft themfelves to them : while the Search 
 into feverer Knowledge has been look'don,as a Study 
 out of the Way, fitter for a melancholy Humor ift, or 
 a retir'd weak Spirit, than to make Men equal to Bu- 
 fmefs, or ferviceable to their Country. And in this, 
 methinks, the experiment alThilofophy has met with 
 very hard Ufage . For it has commonly, in Men's Cen- 
 fures, undergone the Imputation of thofe very Faults, 
 which it endeavours to corred in the verbal. That 
 indeed may be juftly condemned for filling Men's 
 Thoughts with imaginary Ideas of Conceptions, that 
 are no way anfwerable to the practical ends of Life : 
 But this,on the other fide, (as I fhall fhortly make out) 
 is the furcft Guide, againft iuch notional Wandrings ; 
 opens our Eyes to perceive all the Realities of Things ; 
 and clears the Brain, not only from Darknefs, -but 
 falfe or ufelefs Light. This is certainly fo in the 
 Thing it fclf : But the greateft Part of Men have 
 ftill apprehended the contrary. If they can bring 
 fuch Inquirers under the fcornful Titles ofThilofo- 
 phers } <x Scholars, or Virtnofi, it is enough >They pre- 
 
 fcntly
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 fently conclude them to be Men of another World, 
 only fit Companions for the Shadow, and their own 
 melancholy Whimfies ; looking on thofe who dig in 
 the Mine of Nature, to be in as bad a Condition, as 
 the King of Spain's Slaves in %*eru t condemn'd for 
 ever to that Drudgery, and never to be redeem'd to 
 any other Imployment. And is not this a very une- 
 qual Proceeding ? While fome over-zealous 'Divines 
 do reprobate natural Philofophy as a carnal Know- 
 ledge, and a too much minding worldly Things i the 
 Men of the World, and Buflnefs, on the other fide, 
 efteem it merely as an idle Matter of Fancy, and as 
 that which difablcs us from taking right Meafures 
 in human Affairs. Thus, by the one Party, it is cen- 
 fur'd for (looping too low 5 by the other, for foar- 
 ing too high : fo that, methinks, it is a good Ground 
 to conclude, that it is guilty of neither of thefc 
 Faults, feeing it is alike condemn'd by both the Ex- 
 tremes. But I fhall have a fitter Occafion to examine 
 this hereafter. However it be, it is not to be won- 
 der'd, if Men have not been very zealous about 
 thofe Studies, which have been fo far removed 
 from prefent Benefit, and from the Applaufe of Men. 
 For what fhould incite them to beftow their Time, 
 and Art, in revealing to Mankind thofe Myfteries, 
 for which, it may be, they would be only dcfpis*d 
 at laft ? How few muft there needs be, who will be. 
 willing to be impoverifh'd for the common Good, 
 while they faall fee all the Rewards, which might 
 give Life to their Induftry palling by them, and be- 
 itow'd on the Deferts of eafier Studies ? and while 
 they, for all their Pains, andpublick Spirit, ihall on- 
 ly perhaps be ferved.as the poorMan was in thcFabfe ; 
 who, while he went down into the Wei l,inA(Turancc, 
 
 D z that
 
 28 The HISTORY of 
 
 that he fhould find a mighty Treafure there, was m 
 the mean time robb'd by his Companions, that 
 ftay'd above, of his Cloak, and all the Booty that he 
 had before gotten ? 
 
 The Phihfo- And yet, notwithftanding all thefe unfortunate 
 ph y of the Hmdnjnces, there have been many commendable At- 
 Moderns. tem p ts in ^ s \v a y, in the Compafs of our Memo- 
 ries, and the Age before us. And though they have 
 been for the moft part carry 'd on, by the private Di- 
 licence of fome few Men, in the midft of a thou- 
 fand Difficulties, yet it will not be unprofitable to 
 recount fome of them ; if it were only to give a fail- 
 Ground of Hope, how much Progrefs may be made 
 by a form'd and regular Affembly, feeing fome (in- 
 gle Hands, with fo fmall Encouragement, could 
 difpatchfo much of the Work. 
 
 There are five new Ways tfThilofophy, that conic 
 into my Obfervation. 
 
 Sea. XIII. Thefirft is, ofthofe, who, out of a juftDifdain 
 Modern tnat tne Ant tent s mould ftill poflefs a Tyranny over 
 ogmatifts. our j uc ig ment:Sj began firft to put off the Reverence 
 that Men had born to their Memories 5 and handling 
 them more familiarly, made an exaft Survey of their 
 Imperfections : But then, having rejected them, they 
 purfuc their Succefs too far, and ftrait fell to form 
 and impofe new Theories on Men's Reafon, with an 
 Ufurpation as great as that of the others : An Acti- 
 on, which we that live in this Age, may refemble to 
 fome things that we have feen aded on the Stage of 
 the World : For we alfo have beheld the Pretenders 
 to publick Liberty, turn the greateft Tyrants them- 
 felves. The firft part of thefe Men's Performance 
 is very much to be prais'd : They have made the 
 4 Ground
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Ground open and clear for us 5 they have remov'd 
 the Rubbifh; which, when one great Fabrick is to 
 be pull'd down, and another to be creeled in its 
 ftead, is always efteem'd well nigh half the whole 
 Work : Their Adventure was bold,, and hazardous : 
 They touch'd Men's Minds in their tendered Part, 
 when they drove to pluck off thofe Opinions, 
 which had, by long Cuftom, been fo clofely twin'd 
 about them : They freed our Underftandings from 
 the Charms of vain Apparitions, and a Slavery to 
 dead Men's Names. And we may well guefs, that the 
 abfolutc Perfection of the true 'Philofophy is not now 
 far off, feeing this rlrft great and neceflary Prepara- 
 tion for its coming, is already taken off our Hands. 
 For methinks there is an Agreement, between the 
 Growth of Learning, and of Civil Government. The 
 ^Method of the Rife andlncreafe of. that* was this : 
 At firft in every country there prevailed nothing 
 but Barbarifm and Rudenefs : All places were ter- 
 rible with Giants j and Enchantments, and infolent 
 Ufurpers : Againft thefe there firft aroie fomc mighty 
 Heroes,asHercules, The feus &&Jafon: Thefe fcowr- 
 ed the World, redrefs'd Injuries, deftroy'd Monfters.; 
 and for this they were made ^Demi-gods. But then . 
 they gave over, and it was left to the great Men, 
 who fucceeded them, as Solon* and Lycurgus, to ac- 
 complifh the Work,, to found Common- wealths,, to 
 give Laws, to put Juftice in. its Courfe : And why 
 may I not now prcfume, (as many others have done 
 before me) to reduce thefe Stories to a philofophical 
 Senfe? Firft then, the Phantafms,. and .-Fairies, and 
 venerable Images of Antiquity, did long haunt the 
 World 5 againft thefe we have had our Champions 5 
 and without all queftion, they had the better ; of the 

 
 go BISTORT of 
 
 Caufe ; and now we have good Ground to truft, that 
 ; thefe Illufions being well over, the laft finiihing of 
 > this great Work is nigh at Hand, and is rcferv'd 
 , for -this Undertaking. 
 
 So then, thus far they did well. But in the fe- 
 cond Part of their Enterprizc, they themfclvcs iccni 
 -to me to have run into the fame Miftake, for which 
 we chiefly complain'd againft thofe Antients, whole 
 Authority they deftroy'd. The greateft occafion of 
 our duTenting from the GreekfPhilofophers, and clpe- 
 cially from Art/lot le, was, that they made too much 
 Hafte to feize on the Prize, before they were at the 
 End of the Race , that they fix'd and determined 
 .their Judgments on general Conclufions too foon, 
 and fo could not afterwards alter them, by any new 
 Appearances, which might rcprefent themfclvcs. 
 And may not we fuppofe, that Poilcrity will have the 
 fame Quarrel at thefe Men's Labours ? We do not fall 
 foul upon Antiquity, out of any Singularity of Opi- 
 nion, or a prefumptuous Confidence of the Strength 
 of our Wits above theirs 5 we admire the Men, but 
 only diflike the Method of their Proceedings. And 
 can we forbear murmuring, if we fee our Cotempo- 
 raries difdain them, and yet imitate their Failings^ 
 If we muft conftitute a Sovereignty over ourReafons 5 
 I know not why we fhould not allow this Dominion 
 to i\\zAntients, rather than to any one of the Mo- 
 derns. They are all> dead longfinccj and though 
 \ve fhould be over-reach'd by them in fomc few Falfc- 
 hoods, yet there is no Danger, left they fhould in- 
 creafe them upon us j whereas, if we once hang on 
 the Lips of thewifeftMen now living; we arc ilill 
 in their Power, and under their Difciplinc, and fub- 
 to be led by all their Dictates for the future. It 
 4 is
 
 tte ROYAL SOCIETY- 31 
 
 i$ true indeed, a diligent Inquirer of thefc Times 
 may gather as much Experience, and in probability, 
 conclude as rightly, as a whole Academy ', or Seel of 
 theirs could 5 yet I (hall ftill deny, that any one Man, 
 though he has the nimbleft, and moft univerfal Ob- 
 fervation, can ever, in the Compafs of his Life, lay 
 up enough Knowledge, to fuffice all that mall come 
 after him to reft upon, without the Help of any new 
 Inquiries. 
 
 And if we fuppofe thebeft, that fome one Man, 
 by wonderful Sagacity, or extraordinary Chancey,^ 
 (hall light upon the true Principles of natural Philo* 
 ibphy 5 yet what will be the Profit of fuch uni- 
 verfal Demonftrations, if they are only fitted for 
 Talk, and the folving of Appearances ? Will there 
 be any great Matter, whether they are certain, or 
 doubtful 5 old, or new; if they muft be only bound- 
 ed to a Syftem, and confin'd to Difcourfe ? The 
 true Philofophy muft be firft of all begun, on a 
 fcrupulous, and fevere Examination of Particulars : 
 from them there may be fome general Rules with 
 great Caution drawn : But it muft not reft there, nor 
 is that the moft difficult Part of its Courfe. It muft ad- 
 vance thofe Principles, to the finding out of new 
 ErTcds, through all the Varieties of Matter ; and fo 
 both the Courfes muft proceed orderly together 5 
 from experimenting to demonftrating, and from de- 
 monftrating to experimenting ag^in. I hope I fhall 
 content my Reader, if I only give one Inftance in 
 this Cafe. It is probable, that he who firft difco- 
 vcr'd, that all Things were order'd in Natureby Mo- 
 tion ; went upon a better Ground, than any before 
 him. But now if he will only manage this, by 
 nicely deputing about the Nature, and Caufes of 
 
 Motion.
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 'Motion in general, and not profecute it through 
 all particular Bodies ; to what will he at laft arrive, 
 But only to a better Sort of Metaphyfaks ? And it 
 may be, his Followers, fome Ages hence, will di- 
 vide his Doctrine into as many Diftinftioiis, as the 
 School-men did that of Matter and Form ; and Ib the 
 whole Life o it will alfo vanifh away into Air and 
 Words, as that of theirs has already done, 
 
 . XIV. But it is time for me to give over this Argument ; 
 'The M fleas [ a which, 1 fear, that what 1 have already faid, will 
 alarm fomc excellentMcn, whofe Abilities I admire; 
 who may perhaps fufpeft,that it has been with a parti- 
 cular Reflection. I might fay for my felf,that firit they 
 muft pafs Sentence on *hemfelves, before they can 
 think fo, feeing I have nam'd no Man. But I will ra- 
 ther /mccrely profefs, that 1 had no fatyrical Senfc, 
 but only declar'd againft 'Dogwatifts in general. And 
 I cannot repent my having done it, while I perceive 
 there are two -very dangerous Mifchiefs, which arc 
 caus'd by that way of Phiiofophy. The one is, that 
 it makes Men give over, and believe that they are 
 fatisfy'd, too loon. This is of very ill Confcquence 5 
 for thereby Men's Induftry will be flackncd, and all 
 the Motives to any farther Puriuit taken away. And 
 indeed this is an Error, which is very natural to.Mcn's 
 Minds j* they love not a long and a tedious Doubt- 
 ing, though it brings diem at laft to a real Certainty ; 
 but they choofe rather to conclude prefcntly, than 
 to be long inSufpence,though to better purpolc. And 
 it is with mod Men's Underftandings, as with their 
 Eyes 5 to which thofe fecm more delightful Pro- 
 fpeds, where Varieties of Hills and Woods do foon 
 : bound their Wandrings, than where there is one 
 
 large
 
 tie ROVAL SOCIETY. 
 
 large fmooth Champagn, over which they may fee 
 much farther, but where there is nothing to delay, 
 and ftop, and divert the Sight. 
 
 But the other ill EfFecT:, of which I fhall take no- 
 tice, is, that it commonly inclines fuch Men, who 
 think themfelves already refolved, and immoveablc 
 in their Opinions, to be more imperious, and im- 
 patient of Contradiction, than becomes the Calmnefs, 
 and unpaflionate Evennefs of the true philofophical 
 Spirit. It makes them prone to undervalue other 
 Mens Labours, and to neglect the real Advantage, 
 that may be gotten by their Afiiftance ; left they 
 fliould leem to darken their own Glory. This is a X 
 Temper of Mind of all others the moft pernicious 5 
 to which I may chiefly attribute the Slownefs of the 
 Increafe of Knowledge amongft Men. For what 
 great Things can be expeded, if Mens Underftandings 
 fhall be as it were always in the warlike State of 
 Nature, one againft another? If every one be jea- 
 lous of another's Inventions, and ftill ready to put 
 a Stop to his Conquefts ? Will there not be the fame 
 wild Condition in Learning, which had been amongft 
 Men, if they had always been difpers'd, ftill preying 
 upon and fpoiling their Neighbours? If that had ftill 
 continued, no Cities had been built, no Trades found 
 out, no Civility taught : For all thefe noble Produc- 
 tions came from Men's joining in Compacts, and en- 
 tring into Society. It is an ufual faying, that where the 
 natural Thilofopher ends, the Thyfaian muft begin : 
 And I will allb add,, \\&\.the naturalThilofopher is 
 to begin, where the moral ends. It is requiflte, tha- 
 he who goes about fuch an Undertaking, mould firil 
 know himfelf, fhould be well praftis'd in all the mo- 
 deft, humble, friendly Virtues 5 fhould be willing 
 
 E to
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 to be taught, and to give way to the Judgment of 
 others. And I dare boldly fay, that a plain indu- 
 ftrious Man, fo prepared, is more likely to make a 
 good Philofopher, than ail the high, earneft, infult- 
 ingWits, who can bear neither Partnerlhip, nor Op- 
 portion. The Chymifls lay it down, as a necefiary 
 Qualification of their happy Man, to whom God 
 will reveal their ador'd Elixir ^ that he muft be rather 
 innocent, and virtuous, than knowing. And if I 
 were to form the Character of a true Philofopher, 
 I would be fure to make that the Foundation : Not 
 that I believe, God will beftow any extraordinary 
 Light in Nature, on fuch Men more than others j 
 but upon a bare rational Account : For certainly, 
 fuch Men, whofe Minds are fo foft, fo yielding, fo 
 * complying, fo large, are in a far better Way, than 
 the bold and haughty Aflerters : they will pafs by 
 nothing, by which they may learn *, they will be al- 
 ways ready to receive, and communicate Obferva-] 
 tions 5 they will not contemn the Fruits of others 
 Diligence ; they will rejoice to fee Mankind bene- 
 fited, whether it be by themfelves or others. 
 
 Se& XV. The fecond Endeavours have been of thofe, who 
 TbeRevhers renounc'd the Authority of Ariflotle ; but then re- 
 
 " ftor ' d * me one or ot ^ cr ^ ^ c Ancient Setts in his 
 ftead. If fuch Mens Intentions were only, that we 
 might have before us the Conceptions of feveral 
 Men of different Ages, upon the Works of Nature, 
 without obliging us to an implicit Confent to all that 
 they affirm j then their Labours ought to be receiv'd 
 with great Acknowledgments : For fuch a general 
 Profpeft will very much inlarge, and guide our In- 
 quiry 5 and perhaps alfo will help to hinder the Age 
 7 from
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY; 
 
 from ever falling back again into a Subjection to one 
 ufurping Philofopher. But if their Purpofe was, to 
 cred thofe Schools which they reviv'd, into as abfo- 
 lute a Power, as the Teripateticks had heretofore 5 if 
 they ftrive to make a Competition between Ariftotlc 
 and Epicurus, or 'Democritus, or *Philolaus 5 they 
 do not contribute very much, towards the main De- 
 fign : For towards that, it is not enough, that the 
 Tyrant be chang'd ; but the Tyranny it felf muft be 
 wholly taken away. 
 
 The third Sort of new Thilofophers have been Sea. XVI. 
 thofe, who have not only difagreed from the An- f* E *~ 
 dents, but have alfo propos'd to themfelves the rig 
 Courfe of flow and lure Experimenting* and have 
 profecuted it as far, as the Shortneis of their own 
 Lives, or the Multiplicity of their other Affairs, or 
 the Narrownefs of their Fortunes, have given them 
 leave. Such as thefe we are to exped to be but few 5 
 for they muft diveft themfelves of many vain Con- 
 ceptions, and overcome a thoufand falfe Images, 
 which lye like Monfters in their Way, before they 
 can get as far as this. And of thefe, I lhall only men- 
 tion one great Man, who had the true Imagination of 
 the whole Extent of this Enterprife, as it is now fet 
 on foot j and that is, the Lord Bacon ; in whofe 
 Books there are every where fcattered the beft Argu- 
 ments, that can be produced for the Defence of ex- 
 perimental Philofophy, and the beft Directions, that 
 are needful to promote it : All which he has already 
 adorn'd with fo much Art 5 that if my Defires could 
 have prevailed with feme excellent Friends of mine, 
 who engag'd me to this Work, there fhould have 
 been no other Preface to the Hiftory of the Royal So- 
 
 E z ciety,
 
 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 ciety, but fome of his Writings. But methinks, in 
 this one Man, I do at once find enough Occafion, to 
 admire the Strength of human Wit, and to bewail 
 the Weaknefs of a mortal Condition. For is it not 
 wonderful, that he, who had run through all the De- 
 grees of that Trofeffion, which ufually takes up Men's 
 whole Time ; who had ftudied, and pra&is'd, and 
 govern'd the common Law -, who had always liv'd in 
 the Crowd, and born the greateft Burden of civil 
 Bufinefs ; fhould ye; find Leifure enough for thefe re- 
 tir'd Studies, to excel all thofe Men, who feparatc 
 themfelves for this very purpofc ? He was a Man of 
 ftrong, clear, and powerful Imaginations ; his Geni- 
 us was fearching and inimitable j and of this I need 
 give no other Proof than his Style it felf; which as, 
 for the moft part, itdefcribcs Men's Minds, as well as 
 Pictures do their Bodies, fo did his above all Men 
 living. The Courfe of it vigorous, and majeftical > 
 the Wit bold, and familiar 5 the Companions fetch'd 
 out of the Way, and yet the more eafy : In all ex- 
 prefling a Soul, equally skiird in Men, and Nature. 
 All this and much more is true of him 3 but yet his 
 *Philofophical Works do fhew, that a finglc and bufy 
 Hand can never grafp all this whole Defign, of which 
 we treat. His Rules were admirable j yet his Hifto- 
 ry not fo faithful, as might have been wifli'd, in many 
 Places ; he feems rather to take all that comes, than 
 to choofe, and to heap, rather than to regifter. 
 But I hope this Accufation of mine can be no great 
 Injury to his Memory 5 feeing, at the fame time, 
 that I fay he had not the Strength of a thoufand 
 Men, I do alfo allow him to have had as much as 
 twenty. 
 
 The
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 37 
 
 The next Phiiofophers, whom Ifhall touch upon, Sea. XVIL 
 are the Chymifts, who have been more numerous, in Th * 
 this latter Age, than ever before. And without que~ J 
 ftion, they have lighted upon the right Inftrument of 
 great Productions and Alterations 5 which muft for 
 the moft part be perform'd by Fire. They may be 
 divided into three Ranks : Such, as look after the v 
 Knowledge of Nature in general ; fuch, as leek out, 
 and prepare Medicines ; and fuch, as fearch after Ri- 
 ches, by Tranfmutations, and the great Elixir. The 
 two firft have been very fuccefsful, in feparating, 
 compounding, and changing the Parts of Things; and 
 in fhewing the admirable Powers of Nature, in the 
 raifing of new Confiftencies, Figures, Colours, and 
 Virtues of Bodies : And from their Labours, the true 
 ^Philofofhy is like to receive the nobleft Improve- 
 ments. But the Prctenfions of the third Kind arc, 
 not only to indow us with all the Benefits of this 
 Life, but with Immortality it felf : And their Suc- 
 cefs has been as fmall, as their Defign was extrava- 
 gant. Their Writers involve them in fuch Darknefs ; 
 that I fcarce know, which was the greateft Task, to 
 iinderftand their Meaning, or to effect it. And in the 
 Chafe of the Phiiofophers Stone, they are fo earneft, 
 that they are fcarce capable of any other Thoughts 5 
 fo that if an Experiment lye ever fo little out of 
 their Road, it is free from their Difcovery ; as I have 
 heard of fome Creatures in Africk* which ftill going 
 a violent Pace {trait on, and not being able to 
 turn themfelves, can never get any Prey, but what 
 they meet juft in their Way. This Secret they pro- 
 fecute fo impetuoufly, that they believe they fee fome 
 Footfteps of it, in every Line of Mofes, Solomon, or 
 Virgil. The Truth is, they are downright Enthujtafts 
 
 about 
 
 1C3705
 
 3 8 The HISTORY of 
 
 about it," And feeing we caft Enthuftafm out 
 vinity it felf, we (hall hardly fure be perfuaded, to 
 admit it into Philofophy. It were perhaps a vain At- 
 tempt, to try to cure fuchMen of their groundlefs 
 Hopes. It may be they are happier now, as they 
 are : And they would only cry out with the Man 
 in Horace, that their Friends, who had reftor'd them 
 to a perfect Senfe, had murder'd them. But cer- 
 tainly, if they could be brought to content them- 
 felves with moderate Things, to grow rich by De- 
 grees, and not to imagine, they mail gain the Indies 
 out of every Crucible, there might be wonderful 
 Things expe&ed from them. And of this we have 
 good affurance, by what is come abroad from di- 
 verfe eminent Perfons ; amongft whom fome areMem- 
 bers of the Royal Society. And, if it were not al- 
 ready excellently perform'd by others, I might here 
 fpeak largely, of the Advantages that accrue to Phy- 
 fick, by the induftrious Labours of iiich Chymifls> as 
 have only the difcreet, and fober Flame, and not the 
 wild Lightning of the others Brains. 
 
 Seaxvill. But the laft Kind, that I fliall name, has been of 
 tha * thofe, who confcious of human Frailty, and of the 
 culaf Vaftnefs of the Defign of an wuverfafPbUoftfh^^ 
 efa. feparated, and chofen out for themfelves, fomc par- 
 ticular Subjefts, about which to beftow their Dili- 
 gence. In thefe, there was lefs Hazard of Failing 5 
 thefe by one Man's Induftry, and conftant Indeavours, 
 might probably at laft be overcome : And indeed 
 they have generally reap'd the Fruits of their Mo- 
 defty. I have but one thing to except againft fome 
 few of them j that they have been fometimes a little 
 too forward to conclude upon Axioms, from what 
 
 they
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 39 
 
 they have found out, in fome particular Body. But 
 that is a Fault, which ought to be overwhelm'd by 
 their other Praifes : And I (hall boldly affirm, that if 
 all other Philofophical Matters had been as well and 
 as throughly fifted, as fome admirable Men of this 
 Age have manag'd fome parts of Aftronomy, Geome- 
 try, Anatomy, &c. there would fcarce any Burden 
 have remained on the Shoulders of our Pofterity 5 
 but they might have fat quietly down, and injoy'd 
 the Pleafure of the true Speculative Philofophy, and 
 the Profit of the 'Practical. 
 
 To all thefe Proceedings, that I have mention'd 
 there is as much Honour to be paid, as can be due to 
 any one fingle human Wit : But they muft pardon us, 
 if we dill prefer the joint Force of many Men. 
 
 And now it is much to be wondred, that there was Se&. XIX. 
 never yet fuch an A/Tembly erefted, which might pro- M **r? A : 
 
 r rL j- ^ /i- c-c cademtesfn 
 
 ceed on fome {landing Conftitutions of Experiment- * 
 ing. There have, 'tis true, of late, in many Parts of 
 Europe, fome Gentlemen met together, fubmitted 
 to common Laws, and form'd themfelves into Aca- 
 demies : But it has been, for the moft Part, to a far 
 different Purpofe 5 and moft of them only ainVd at 
 the fmoothing of their Style, and the Language of 
 their Country. Of thefe, the firft arofe in Italy : 
 where they have fince fo much abounded, that there 
 was fcarce any one great City without one of thefe 
 Combinations. But that, which excell'd all the other, 
 and kept it felf longer untainted from the Corrupti- 
 ons of Speech, was the French Academy at <Paris. This 
 was composed of the nobleft Authors of that Nation j 
 and had for its Founder, the Great Cardinal de Riche- 
 lieu : who, amongft all his Cares, whereby he efta- 
 
 blifli'd.
 
 4 o MeHISTORTof 
 
 blifli'd and enlarg'd that Monarchy fo much, did of- 
 ten refreih himfeif by dircfting, and taking an Ac- 
 count of their Progrcfs. And indeed in his own Life 
 he found To great Succefs of this Indention, that he 
 faw the French Tongue abundantly purified, and be- 
 ginning to take place in the Weftern World, aimoft 
 as much as the Greek did of old, when it was the 
 Language of Merchants, Soldiers, Courtiers, and 
 Travellers. But I (hall fay no more of this Academy, 
 that I may not deprive my Reader of the Delight of 
 perufing their own Hiftory y written by Monfeur de 
 <Peliffon j which is fo mafculine, fo chaftly, and fo 
 unaffectedly done, that I can hardly forbear envy- 
 ing the French Nation this Honour ; that while the 
 Englift Royal Society has fo much out-gone their ///#- 
 ftrtous Academy, in the Greatnefs of its Undertaking, 
 it fhould be fo far fhort of them in the Abilities of its 
 Htftorian. I have only this to allcdge in my Excufe j 
 that as they undertook, the Advancement of the Ele- 
 gance of Speech, fo it became their Hiftory to have 
 fome Refemblance to their Enterprize : Whereas the 
 Intention of ours being not the Artifice of Words, 
 but a bare Knowledge of Things ; my Fault may be 
 efteem'd the lefs, that I have written of Thilofophers 
 without any Ornament of Eloquence, 
 
 Sea. XX. I hope now it will not be thought a vain Digrcf- 
 
 A Propofal fi on> jf j ftep a little afide, to recommend the forming 
 
 f an Engifi of fuch an A ff e bly to the Gentlemen of our Nation. 
 
 Academy. I know indeed, that the ///& Genius is not fo airy 
 
 and difcurfive, as that of (ome of our Neighbours, 
 
 but that we generally love to have Reafon fet out in 
 
 plain undeceiving Expreflions 5 as much as they to 
 
 have it deliver'd with Colour and Beauty. And be- 
 
 fides
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY." 41 
 
 fuksthfs, I underftand well enough, that they have 
 one great Aflillance to the Growth of Oratory, 
 which to us is wanting : that is. that their Nobilitv 
 
 C? * 
 
 Jive commonly clofe together in their Cities, and 
 ours for the moil part {battered in their, Country 
 Houfes. For the fame rcafon, why our Streets are 
 not fo well built as theirs, will hold alfo, for their 
 exceeding us in the Arts of Speech : They prefer the 
 Pleasures of the Town, we thofe of the Field j 
 whereas it is from the frequent Convcrfations in Ci- 
 ties, that the Humour, and Wit, and Variety, and 
 Elegance of Language, arc chiefly to be fetch'd. 
 But yet, notwithflanding thefe Diicouragements, I 
 fliall not flick to lay, that iuch a Projcftis now feafon- 
 able to be let on foot, and may make a great Refor- 
 mation in the manner of our Speaking and Writing. 
 Firft, the Thing iticlf is noway contemptible : For 
 the Purity of Speech, and Grcatncis of Empire have, 
 in all Countries, ftill met together. The Greeks 
 fpake beft, when they were in their Glory of Con- 
 queft. The Romans made thofe Times the Stan- 
 dard of their Wit, when they fubducd, and gave 
 Laws to the World : And from thence, by de- 
 grees, they decliiVd to Corruption, as their Valour, 
 their Prudence, and the Honour of their Arms did 
 decay ; and at lafl, did even meet the Northern Na- 
 tions halfway in Barbarifm, a little before they were 
 overrun by their Armies. 
 
 But befidcs, if we obferve well the Engliflj Lan- 
 guage^ we (hall find, that it feemsat this time, more 
 than others, to require ibme fuch Aid, to bring it to 
 its laft Perfection. The Truth is, it has been hither- 
 to a little too carelefly handled j and, I think, has 
 had lefs Labour Ipent about its poliihing than it dc- 
 
 F ferves.
 
 42 The HISTORY of 
 
 ferves. Till the time of King Henry thcEigbtk, there- 
 was fcarce any Man regarded it, but Chaucer -, and 
 nothing was written in it, which one would be wil- 
 ling to read twice, but Tome of his ^Poetry. But then 
 it began to raifc itfelf a little, and to found tolera- 
 bly well. From that Age, down to the beginning- 
 of our late Civil Wars, it was ftill fafhioning, and 
 beautifying itfelf. In the Wars themfelves, which 
 is a time wherein all Languages ufe, if ever, to in- 
 creafe by extraordinary degrees , (for in fuch bufic 
 and aftive times, there arife more new Thoughts of 
 Men, which muft be fignified, and varied by new 
 Expreffions) then, I fay, it receiv'd many fantaftical 
 Terms, which were introduc'd by our Religious SetJs 5 
 and many outlandifh Phrafes, which fcveral Writers, 
 and Tranflators, in that great Hurry, brought in, and 
 made free as they pleas'd, and withal it was inlarg'd 
 by many found and necefTary Forms and Idioms, 
 which it before wanted. And now, when Men's 
 Minds are fomewhat fettled, their Paflions allay 'd, 
 and the peace of our Country gives us the Opportuni- 
 ty of fuch Diverfions ; if fome fober and judicious 
 Men would take the whole Mafs of our Language 
 into their Hands, as they find it, and would let a 
 Mark on the ill Words, correct thofe which arc to 
 be retain'd, admit and eftablifh the good, and 
 make fome Emendations in the Accent and Gram- 
 mar : I dare pronounce, that our Speech would quick- 
 ly arrive at as much Plenty, as it is capable to re- 
 ceive } and at the grcateft Smoothnefs, which its De- 
 rivation from the rough German will allow it. 
 
 Nor would I have this new Englijh Academy con- 
 fm'd only to the weighing Words and Letters j but 
 there may be alfo greater Works found out for it. By 
 
 many
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY, 
 
 many Signs we may guefs, that the Wits of our Na- 
 tion arc not inferior to any other ; and that they 
 have an excellent Mixture of the Spirit of the French 
 and the Spaniard: and I am confident, that we only 
 want a few more ftanding Examples, and a little 
 more Familiarity with the Antients to excell all the 
 Modems. Now the beft Means that can be devis'd 
 to bring that about, is to fettle a fixt and impartial 
 Court of Eloquence , according to whofe Cenfurc, all 
 Books, or Authors, fhould either Hand or fall. And 
 above ail, there might be recommended to them one 
 principal Work, in which we are yet defective j and 
 that is, the compiling of zHiftory of our late Civil 
 Wars. Of all the Labours of Men's Wit and Induftry, 
 I fcarce know any that can be more ufeful to the 
 World than Civil Hiftory 5 if it were written, with 
 that Sincerity and Majefty, as it ought to be, as a 
 faithful Idea of human Adions. And it is obferva- 
 ble, that almoft in all civilis'd Countries, it has been 
 the laft thing, that has come to Perfection. I may 
 now fay, that the Englift can already Ihew many in- 
 duftrious and worthy Pieces in this kind : But yet, 
 1 have fome prophetical Imagination in my Thoughts, 
 that there is ftili behind fomething greater than any 
 we have yet feen, referv'd for the Glory of this 
 Age. One Reafon of this my ftrong Perfuafion is 
 a Comparifon, that I make, between the Condition of 
 our State) and that of the Romans. They at firft 
 wrote, in this way, not much better than our Monks : 
 only regiftring, in an undigefted manner, fome few 
 naked Breviaries of their Wars, and Leagues, and 
 Ac\s of their City Magiftratcs. And indeed they 
 advanc'd forward by very (low Degrees : For I re- 
 fflicmber, that Tally fomewhcrc complains, in thefc 
 
 F 2 Words:
 
 44 The HI STORY' of 
 
 Words : Hiftoria nondum Latinis Literis illi^rata. 
 But it was the peaceful Reign of Auguflus, after the 
 Conclufion of their long Civil Wars, the mod of 
 their perfect Htjtorians appcar'd. And it fccms to 
 me, that we may expect the fame Progrefs amongft us. 
 There lye now ready in Bank the moft memorable 
 Adions of twenty Years ; a Subjed of as great Dig- 
 nity and Variety, as ever pafs'd und,r any Man's 
 Hands j the Peace which we enjoy, gives Leisure 
 and Encouragement enough 5 the Effeds of fuch a 
 Work would be wonderfully advantageous to the 
 Safety of our Country, and to His Majeftys Intcrcft : 
 for there can be no better Means to preferve his Sub- 
 jeds in Obedience for the future, than to give them 
 a full View of the Mifcries that attend Rebellion. 
 There are only therefore wanting for the finifliing 
 of fo brave an Undertaking, the united Endeavours of 
 fome publick Minds, who are convcrfant both in 
 Letters and Bufinefs : and if it were appointed to be 
 the Labour of one or two Men to compofc it, and of 
 fuch an Affembly to revife and corrcd: it, it mir.ht 
 certainly challenge all the Writings of paft or pre- 
 lent Times. 
 
 But, I fee, I have already tranfgrefs'd : for I know 
 it will be thought unadvifedly done, while I was in- 
 forcing a weightier Defign, to (tart, and to follow 
 another of lefs Moment. I mail therefore let it pnfs 
 as an extravagant Conceit : only I (hall affirm, that the 
 Royal Society is fo far from being like to put a Stop to 
 fuch a Bufinefs, that 1 know many of its Members, 
 who areas able as any others, to aflift in the bring- 
 ing it into Pradice. 
 
 Thus I have difpatch'd my firft general Head -, in 
 which, it may be, it was not needful to have (laid fo 
 
 7. long :
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 45 
 
 long; feeing, I am confident, I have (aid nothing, 
 but what was before very well known, and what 
 pafles about in common Difcourfc. 
 
 I did on putpofe omit the learned Age of the Ara- Sea. XXI 
 b:ans> in its proper Place j becaule 1 was reiblvcd, 2 
 as I came down, to keep my fclf as near as I could, 
 within the Bounds of Chriftendom. But I fhall now 
 add, concerning them, that their Studies alfo were 
 principally bent upon expounding Ariftotle* and 
 the Greek Thyficians. They were, without Queftion,. 
 ivlen of a deep and fubtile Wit; which is a Charac- 
 ter, that (it may be) in all Ages has belonged more 
 juftly to the Tempers of the Southern, than of the 
 Northern Countries. Of this they have left many no- 
 ble Tcftimonies behind them 5 fo many, that (if we 
 believe Ibmc worthy and induftrious Men of our own 
 Nation, who have fcarched into their Monuments) 
 they might even almoft be compared to Rome and 
 Athens themfclves. But they enjoyed not the Light 
 long enough: It brake forth upon the Point of 
 their grcateft Conquefts ^ it mainly confided, in un- 
 derftanding the Ancients 5 and what they would have 
 done, when they had been weary of them we can- 
 not tell : For that Work was not fully over, before 
 they were darkened by that, which made even Greece 
 it ielf barbarous, the Turkish Monarchy. However, 
 that Knowledge, which they had, is the more re- 
 markable, becaule it fprang up, in that Part of the 
 World, which has been almoft always perverfly un- 
 learned. For methinks, that fmall Spot of civil Arts, 
 compared to their long Courfe of Ignorance, before 
 and after, bears forne Refemblance with that Country 
 it fclf 5 where there are fome few little Vallies, and 
 
 Wells,
 
 the HISTORY of 
 
 Wells, and plcafant Shades of T aim-Trees 5 butthofe 
 lying in the midft of Deferts, and unpaflable Trafts 
 of Sands. 
 
 Sea. XXII. But now it being a fit Time to flop, and breathe a 
 A Defence o/ vv hile, and take a Review of the Ground, that we 
 have paiTed. It would be here needful for me to 
 ttrikt an Apology for my fclf, in a Matter, which, if 
 it be not beforehand remov'd, may chance to be very- 
 prejudicial to Men's good Opinion of the Royal Soci- 
 ety itfelf, as well as of its Hi(lorian. I fear, that this 
 Affembly will receive Difadvantage enough, from my 
 weak Management of their Caufe, in many other 
 Particulars ; fo that I muft not leave them, and myfelf 
 unjuftified, in this, wherein we have fo much Right 
 on our Sides. I doubt not then, but it will come into 
 the Thoughts of many Criticks (of whom the World 
 is now full,) to urge againft us, that I have fpoken a 
 little too fparingly of the Merits of former Ages ; and 
 that this Defign feems to be promoted, with a mali- 
 cious Intention of difgracing the Merits of the An- 
 cients. 
 
 But firft, I (hall bcfcech them, calmly to confidcr^ 
 whether they themfelves do not more injure thofe 
 great Men, whom they would make the Matters of 
 our Judgments, by attributing all Things to them fo 
 abfolutely 5 than we, who do them all the Jufticc we 
 can, without adoring them? It is always cfteemed 
 the greateft Mifchief a Man can do thole whom he 
 loves, toraifc Men's Expectations of them too high, 
 by undue and impertinent Commendations. For 
 thereby not only their Enemies, but indifferent Men, 
 will be fecretly inclined to be more watchful over 
 their Failings, and to confpire in beating down their 
 4 Fame,
 
 the Ro YAL SOCIETY. 47 
 
 Fame. What then can be more dangerous to the 
 Honour of Antiquity ; than to fet its Value at fuch 
 a Rate, and to extol it fo extravagantly, that it can 
 never be able to bear the Trial, not only of envi- 
 ous, but even of impartial Judges ? It is natural to 
 Men's Minds, when they perceive others to arrogate 
 more to themfelves, than is their Share ; to deny 
 them even that, which clfe they would confefs to be 
 their Right. And of the Truth of this, we have an 
 Inftance of far greater Concernment, than that which 
 is before us : And that is, in Religion itfelf. For 
 while the Bifiops of Rome did afiiimc an Infallibili- 
 ty, and a fovereign Dominion over our Faith ; the re- 
 formed Churches did not only jultly rcfufe to grant 
 them that, but fome of them thought themfelves o- 
 bliged to forbear all Communion with them, and 
 would not give them that Refpect, which poffibly 
 might belong to fo ancient and fo famous ^Church'-, 
 and which might ftill have been allowed it, without 
 any Danger of Superftition. 
 
 But to carry this Difpute a little farther ; what is 
 this, of which they accufe us ? They charge us with 
 Immodefty in neglecting the Guidance of wifer and 
 more difcerning Men, than our felves. But is not this 
 rather the greateft Sign of Modefty, to confefs, that, 
 we our ielves may err, and all Mankind befides ? To 
 acknowledge the Difficulties of Science $ and to fub- 
 mit our Minds to ail the leaft Works of Nature ? 
 What kind of Behaviour do they exact from us in this 
 Cafe ? That we fhould reverence the Footfteps of 
 Antiquity ? We do it moft unanimously. That we 
 fhould fubfcribe to their Senfe, before our own ) We. 
 are willing, in Probabilities ; but we cannot, in Mat- 
 ters of Fact j for in them we follow the moft ancient 
 
 Author.
 
 HISTORY cf 
 
 Author of all others, even Nature it felt*. Would' 
 they have us make our Eyes behold Things, at no 
 farther Diftancc, than they law ? That is impoffiblc ; 
 feeing we have the Advantage of (landing upon their 
 Shoulders. They fay, it is Infolcncc, to prefer our 
 own Inventions before thofc of our Anceftors, But 
 do not even they the very fame Thing thcmfelvcs, in 
 all the pretty Matters of Life ? In the 'Arts of War, 
 and Government 5 in the making, and aboliihing of 
 Laws ; nay even in the Fafhion of their Cloaths, they 
 differ from them, as their Humour or Fancy leads 
 them. We approach the Ancients, as we behold their 
 Tombs with Veneration; but we would not there- 
 fore be confined to live in them altogether -, nor 
 would (I believe) any of thofc, who profcls to be 
 more addicted to their Memories. They tell us, that 
 in this Corruption of Manners, and Sloth of Men's 
 Minds, we cannot go beyond thofc, who fcarchect 
 fo diligently, and concluded fo warily before us. But 
 in this they are confuted by every Day's Experience. 
 They objed to us Tradition, and the Confent of all 
 Ages. But do we not yet know the Deceitfulnefs of 
 fuch Words? Is any Man, that is acquainted with the 
 Craft of founding Setts, or of managing Votes in po- 
 pular Affemblies, ignorant, how cafy it is to carry 
 Things in a violent Stream ? And when an Opinion has 
 once mafler'd its firft Oppofers, and fettled itfclf in 
 Men's Paflions or Intcrefts ; how few there be, that 
 coldly confider, what they admit for a long time af- 
 ter > So that when they fay, that all Antiquity is a- 
 gamft us, 'tis true, in fhew, they object to us the 
 Wifdom of many Ages ; but in reality, they only 
 confront us, with the Authority of a few leading 
 Men. Nay, what if I mould fay, that this Honour for 
 
 the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 49 
 
 the dead, which fuch Men pretend to, is rather a 
 worfhipping of thcmfelves, than of the Antients ? 
 It may be \vcll prov'd, that they are more in Love 
 with their own Commentaries) than with the Texts of 
 thofe, whom they fecm to make their Oracles j and 
 that they chiefly doat on thofe Theories, which they 
 themfelvcs have drawn from them > which, it is like- 
 ly, arc almoft as far diltant from the original Meaning 
 of their Authors, as the Pofitions of the new T hi- 
 lofofhers thcmfelves. 
 
 But to conclude this Argument (for I am weary of 
 walking in a Road fo trodden) 1 think lam able to 
 confute fuch Men by the Practice of thole very Anti- 
 entSy to whom they lloop fo low. Did not they truft 
 themfclves, and their own Rcafons ? Did not they 
 bufie themfelves in Inquiry, make new Arts, eftablifh 
 new Tenets, overthrow the old, and order all 
 Things as they pleas'd, without any fervile Regard 
 to their Predcccfiors ? The Grecians all, or the great- 
 eft Part of them, fctch'd their Learning fromZ^j/tf; 
 and did they blindly aficnt to all that was taught 
 them by the Triefts of I/is and O fir is ? If fo 5 then 
 why did they not, .together with their Arts, receive 
 all the infinite Idolatries, which their Matters cm- 
 brac'd ? Seeing it is not to be qucftion'd, but the 
 Egyptians deliver'd the Rites of their Religion to 
 Strangers, with as much Solemnity at leaft, as they 
 did the Myftcries of their Hieroglyphicks, or ^Philofo- 
 fhy. Now then, let 'Pythagoras, Tlato, and AriftotZe> 
 and the reft of their wife Men, be our Examples, and 
 we are fafe. When they travcll'd into the Eafl y they 
 collected what was fit for their Purpoic, and fuitable 
 to the Genius of their Country, and left the Su- 
 
 perfluities behind them : They brought home fome 
 
 G*"^ /* 
 
 of
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 of their ufeful Secrets; but ftill counted their wor- 
 fhiping a Dog, or an Onion, a Cat, or a Crocodile, 
 Iridiculous. And why fliall not we be allow'd the 
 'fame Liberty, to diftinguiih, and chooie what we 
 will follow? Efpecially, feeing in this, they had a 
 more certain Way of being inftrufted by their Teach- 
 ers, than we have by them : They were prefent oa 
 the Place : They learn'd from the Men thcmfclvcs, 
 by word of Mouth, and fo were in a likely Courfc 
 to apprehend all their Precepts aright ; whereas we 
 are to take their Doctrines, fo many hundred Years 
 after their Death, from their Books only, where they 
 are for the moft part fo obfcurely exprefs'd, that they 
 are fcarce fufficiently underftood by the Grammarians* 
 and Linguifts themfelves, much lefs by the *Philo- 
 fophers. 
 
 In few Words therefore, let fuch Men believe, 
 that we have no Thought of detracting from what was 
 good in former Times : But, on the contrary, we have 
 a mind to beftow on them a folid Praife, inftcad of a 
 great, and an empty. While we are raifmg new Ob- 
 fervations upon Nature, we mean not to abolifh the 
 old, which were well and judicioufly eftablifh'd by 
 them : No more, than a King, when he makes a new 
 Coin of his own, does prefently call in that, which 
 bears the Image of his Father ; he only intends there- 
 by to increafe the current Money of his Kingdom, 
 and ftill permits the one to pafs, as well as the other. 
 It is probable enough, that upon a frefli Survey, we 
 may find many Things true, which they have before 
 afferted ; and then will not they receive a greater 
 Confirmation, from this our new and fevere Appro- 
 bation ,than from thofe Men, who refign up their Opi- 
 oiionsto their Words only > It is the beft Way of ho- 
 nouring 
 *
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 51 
 
 nouring them, to feparate the certain Things in them, 
 from the doubtful : For that (hews, we are not fo 
 much carried towards them, by rafh Affeftion, as by 
 an unbyafs'd Judgment. If we would do them the 
 mod RJght, it is not neceflary we Ihould be perfectly 
 like them in all Things. There are two principal 
 Ways of preferving the Names of thofe that are 
 pad ; the one, by 'Pictures ; the other, by Chil- 
 dren : The Tittures may be fo made, that they may 
 far nearer rcfemble the Original, than Children do 
 their Parents; and yet all Mankind choofe rather to 
 keep themfelves alive by Children, than by the o- 
 thcr. It is beft for the Philosophers of this Age to 
 imitate the Antients as their Children ,- to have their 
 Blood derived down to them ; but to add a new Com- 
 plexion, and Life of their own : While thofe, that 
 endeavour to come near them in every Line, and Fea- 
 ture, may rather be called their dead Ttffures or Sta- 
 tues, than their genuine Off-fpring. 
 
 f he End of the FIRST PART. 
 
 THE
 
 52 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 The SECOND PART. 
 
 Sea. I. fc^-raHUS I am, at length, arrived at the fc- 
 
 conc ^ P art f m Y Method, the Nar- 
 ration itfelf. This I fliail divide in- 
 p eriods of Timc? accord- 
 
 ing to the feveral Degrees of the 
 Preparation* Growth) and complete 
 Conftitution of the Royal Society. 
 
 The firft (hall confift of thcfir/t Occajtons of this 
 Model, and the Men, who firft devifed to put it in 
 Execution ; and fliall end where they began to make 
 it a formed and regular Affembly. 
 
 The fecond lhall trace out their/r/? Attempts, till 
 they received the public Afliftance of Royal Authority. 
 
 The third fliall deliver what they have done fmcc 
 they were made a Royal Corporation. 
 
 It may feem perhaps, that in pafling through the 
 firft of thefe, I go too far back, and treat of Things, 
 that may appear to be of too private and dome- 
 ftick Concernment, to be fpoken in this publick 
 Way. But if this Enterprise-, which is now ib well 
 eftablifhed, ihall be hereafter advantageous to Man- 
 kind (as I make no fcruple to foretci that it will) 
 
 it
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY.' 53 
 
 it is but juft, that future Times fhould hear the Names 
 of its firft ^Promoters : That they may be able to render 
 particular Thanks to them, who firft conceived it in 
 their Minds, and praftis'd ibme little Draught of it 
 long ago. And beiides, I never yet faw an Hiftorian 
 that was clear from all Affections ; that, it may be, 
 were not fo much to be called Integrity ', as a ftoical 
 Infenpbility : Nor can I, more than others, refift my 
 Inclinations, which ftrongly force me to mention 
 that, which will be for the Honour of that Place, 
 where I received a great Part of my Education. It 
 was therefore fome Space after the End of the Civil 
 Wars at Oxford, in Doftor JVilkins his Lodgings, in 
 Wadham College* which was then the Place of Re- 
 fort for virtuous and learned Men, that the firft Meet- 
 ings were made, which laid the Foundation of all this 
 that followed. The Univerfity had at that time many 
 Members of its own, who had begun * freeway of 
 Reafoning j and was allb frequented by fome Gentle- 
 men of Philofophical Minds, whom the Misfortunes 
 of the Kingdom, and the Security and Eafe of a Re- 
 tirement amongft Gown-men, had drawn thither. 
 
 Their firft Purpofc was no more than only 'the Sea. II. 
 Satisfaction of breathing a freer Air, and of convert 
 
 ^ -i i .1 t > i 
 
 ing in Quiet one with another, without being mgag d 
 in the Pallions and Madnefs of that di final Age. And 
 from the Inftitution of that Affembly* it had been 
 enough if no other Advantage had come but this : 
 That by this means there was a Race of young Men 
 provided againft the next Age, whole Minds receiving 
 from them their firft Impreifions of fober and gene- 
 rous Knowledge* were invincibly arm'd againft ail the 
 Inchantmcntsof Enthujiafm. But what is more, I may 
 i venture
 
 venture to affirm, that it was in good Meafurc by the 
 Influence which thefe Gentlemen had over the reft, 
 that the Uriwerfity itfelf, or at leaft, any Part of its 
 Difcipline and Order, was favcd from Ruin. And 
 from hence we may conclude, that the fame Men have 
 now no Intention of fweeping away all the Honour 
 of Antiquity in this their new Defign ; feeing they 
 employed fo much of their Labour and Prudence i* 
 prefcrving that moft venerable Seat of ancient Learn- 
 ing, when their ihrinking from its Defence would 
 have been the fpccdicft Way to have deftroycd it. 
 For the Truth of this, I dare appeal to all unintcref- 
 ted Men, who knew the Temper of that Place ; and 
 efpecially to thofe who were my own Cotcmpora- 
 ries there ; of whom lean name very many, whom the 
 happy Reftoration of the Kingdom's Peace found as 
 well inclined to fervc their ^Prince and the Church, 
 as if they had been bred up in the moft profpcrous 
 Condition of their Country. This was undoubted- 
 ly fo : Nor indeed could it be otherwife ; for fuch 
 fpiritual Frenfas, which did then bear Rule, can ne- 
 ver {land long, before a clear and a deep Skill in 
 Nature. It is almoft impoilible, that they, who con- 
 verfe much with the Subtilty of Things, fhould be 
 deluded by fuch thick 'Deceits. There is but one bet- 
 ter Charm in the World, than real Thilojophy, to 
 allay the Impulfes of thcfa/fe Spirit ; and that is, 
 the bleiled Pre fence and Afllftancc of the true. 
 
 Nor were the good Effects of this Convcrfation 
 only confined to Oxford: But they have made thcm- 
 felves known in their printed Works, both in our 
 own, and in the learned Language, which have much 
 conduc'd to the Fame of our Nation abroad, and to 
 the fpreading of profitable Light at home. This, I 
 
 truft,
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 truft, will be univerfally acknowledg'd, when I fhall 
 have nam'd the Men. The principal and moft conftant 
 of them were Doctor Seth Ward, then Lord Bifhop 
 of Exeter, Mr. Boyle, Dr. Wilkins^ Sir William 
 Tetty, Mr. Matthew Wren, Dr. Wallis, Dr. God- 
 dard, Dr. Willis, Dr. Bathurft, Dr. Chriflopher Wren, 
 Mr. Rook, befides feveral others who join'd them- 
 felvcsto them, upon Occafions. Now I have produced 
 their Names, lam a little at aftand how to deal with 
 them. For, if I fhouid fay what they defcrve ; I fear 
 it would be interpreted Flattery, inftead of Juftice: 
 And yet I have now lying in my Sight, the Example 
 of an Elegant Book, which I have profefs'd to admire, 
 whofe Author flicks not to make large Panegyricks 
 on the Members of that Affembly, whofe Relation he 
 writes. But this Precedent is not to be followed by 
 a young Man, who ought to be more jealous of pub- 
 lick Cenlure, and is not enough confirm'd in the good 
 Liking of the World, to think, that he has fuch a 
 weighty and difficult Work, as the making of Cha- 
 rafters, committed to him. I will therefore pafs by 
 their Prailes in Silence; though I believe, that what I 
 might fay of them, would be generally confefs'd ; 
 and that if any ingenuous Man, who knows them, 
 or their Writings, mould contradict me, he would al- 
 fo go near to gainfay himfelf, and to retrad the Ap- 
 plaufes, which he had fomeTimeor other beftow'd 
 upon them. 
 
 For fuch a candid and unpaflionate Company, as 
 that was, and for fuch a gloomy Seafon, what could 
 have been a fitter Subject to pitch upon than Nattf- 
 ralThilofophy ? To have been always tolling about 
 fome Theological Queft ion, would have been, to have 
 made that their private Diverfion, the Excefs of 
 
 which
 
 The HI STORY of 
 
 Which they themfeives diflik'd in the publick : To 
 have been eternally mufing on Cm/ Eujinefs, and the 
 Diftrefles of their Country, was too melancholy a 
 Reflexion: It was Nature alone, which could plea- 
 fantly entertain them in that Eilatc. The Contem- 
 plation of that, draws our Minds off from paft, or 
 prefent Misfortunes, and makes them Conquerors 
 over Things, in the greatcft publick Unhappinefs : 
 while the Conftderation of Men, and human Affairs, 
 may affcd us with a thoufand various Difquiets ; that 
 never feparates us into moral Factions; that gives us 
 room to differ, without Animofity ; and permits us 
 to raifc contrary Imaginations upon it, without any 
 Danger of a Civil War. 
 
 Their Meetings were as frequent, as their Affairs 
 permitted : their Proceedings rather by Adion, than 
 Difcourfe ; chiefly attending fomc particuiar Trials, 
 in Chymiflry QtMechanicks: they had no Rules nor 
 Method fix'd : their Intention was more to commu- 
 nicate to each other their Dileovcries, which they 
 could make in fo narrow a Compals, than an unit- 
 ed, conftant, or regular Inquifition. And mcthinks, 
 their Conftitution did bear fomc rcfemblancc to the 
 Academy lately begun at 'Paris : where they have at 
 Lift turn'd their Thoughts from Words to experi- 
 mental Thilofbphy, and perhaps in Imitation of the 
 Royal Society. Their Manner likcwile, istoaflemblc 
 in a private Houfe, to reafon freely upon the Works 
 of Nature, to pafs Conjectures, and propofe Pro- 
 blems, on any Mathematical, or Philofophical Mat- 
 ter, which comes in their Way. And this is an Omen, 
 on which I will build fomc Hope, that as they agree 
 with us in what was done at Oxford, fo they will go 
 on farther, and come |?y the fame Degrees, to cred 
 
 another
 
 tfoe ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 another Roy at Society in France. I promife for thefe 
 Gentlemen here (fo well I know the Generofity of 
 their Defign ) they will be moft ready to accept 
 their Afliftance. To them, and to all the Learned 
 World befides, they call for Aid. No difference of 
 Country, Interefl, or Profeflion of Religion, will 
 make them backward from taking or affording 
 Help in thisEnterprize. And indeed all Europe* at 
 this time, have two general Wars, which they ought 
 in Honour to make 5 the one a holy, the other uphilo- 
 fophical : The one againft the common Enemy of 
 Chriftendom, the other alfo againft powerful and 
 barbarous Foes, that have not been fully fubdued al- 
 moft thefe fix thoufand Years, Ignorance, andfatfe 
 Opinions. Againft thefe, it becomes us, to go forth 
 in one common Expedition : All civil Nations join- 
 ing their Armies againft the one, and their Reafon a- 
 gainft the other ; without any petty Contentions a- 
 bout Privileges, or Prudence. 
 
 Thus they continued without any great Intermif- Sea. III 
 fions, till about the Year 1638. But then being call'd eir . fr 
 away to fevcral Parts of the Nation, and the great- London* 
 eft Number of them coming to London, they ufual- 
 ly met at Grefham College, at the Wednesday's, and 
 Thurfdays Ledures of Dr.^mz,and Mr. Rook 5 where 
 there join'd with them feveral eminentPerfons of their 
 common Acquaintance: The Lord Vifcount Brounc- 
 ker, the now Lord Brereton, Sir Taut Neil, Mr. John 
 Evelyn, Mr. Henfhaw, Mr. Slingsby, Dr. Timothy 
 Clarke, Dr. Ent, Mr. Ball, Mr. Hill, Dr. Crone, and 
 diverfe other Gentlemen, whofe Inclinations lay the 
 fame way. This Cuftom was obferv'd once, if not 
 iwice a week, in Term-time, till they were fcat- 
 
 H tcr'd
 
 s 8 TheHISTORTof 
 
 ter'd by the the miferable Diftraftions of that fatalYear; 
 till the Continuance of their Meetings there might 
 have made them run the Hazard of the Fate of Archi- 
 medes : For then the place of their Meeting was 
 made a Quarter for Soldiers. But, to make hafte 
 through thofe dreadful Revolutions, which cannot be 
 beheld upon Paper without Horror, unlefs we re- 
 member, that they had this one happy Effect, to o- 
 pen Men's Eyes to lookout for the true Remedy ; up- 
 on this follow'd the Kings Return 5 and that wrought 
 byfuch an admirable Chain of Events, that if we ei- 
 ther regard theEafinefs, on Speed, or bleffed IJJue of 
 the Work, it feems of itfelf to contain Variety and 
 Pleafure enough, to make Recompencc for the whole 
 twenty Years Melancholy that had gone before. 
 This I leave to another kind of Hiftory to be dc- 
 fcrib'd. It fhall fuffice my purpofe, that Philoibphy 
 had its Share in the Benefits of that glorious Adlion : 
 Por the Royal Society had its beginning in the won- 
 derful pacifick Year, 1 660. So that if any Conjectures 
 of good Fortune, from extraordinary Nativities, hold 
 true, we may presage all Happinefs to this Undertak- 
 ing. And I fhall here join my folcmn Wifhcs, that 
 as it began in that Time, when our Country was 
 freed from Confufion and Slavery ; fo it may, in its 
 Progrefs, redeem the Minds of Men from Oblcurity, 
 Uncertainty, and Bondage. 
 
 Se&. IV. Thefe Gentlemen therefore finding the Hearts of 
 The Begin- their Countrymen inlarg'd by their Joys, and fitted 
 *lSya{ W/V-* r an y noble Propofition ; and meeting with the 
 /y, Concurrence of many worthy Men, who, to their im- 
 
 mortal Honour, had follow'd the King in his Banifh- 
 ment, Mr, Erskin, Sir Robert Moray, ^Gilbert Tal- 
 
 bot >
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY. 59 
 
 lot, &c. began now to imagine fome greater Thing, 
 and to bring out experimental Knowledge from the 
 Retreat 's, in which it had long hid itfelf, to take its 
 Part in the Triumphs of that univerfal Jubilee. And 
 indeed Philofophy did very well deferve that Re- 
 ward, having been always Loyal in the worft of 
 Times : For though the King's Enemies had gain'd all 
 other Advantages ; though they had all the Garri- 
 fons, and Fleets, and Ammunitions, and Treafures, 
 and Armies on their fide ; yet they could never, by 
 all their Victories, bring over the Reafon of Men to 
 their Party. 
 
 While they were thus ordering their Platform, 
 there came forth a Treatife, which very much haften'd 
 its Contrivance 5 and that was a Propofal by Matter 
 Cowley y of creeling a Philofophical College. The 
 Intent of it was, that in fome places near London, there 
 fhould liberal Salaries be beftowcd on a competent 
 Number of Learned Men, to whom fhould be com- 
 mitted the Operations of Natural Experiments. This 
 Model was every way practicable ; unlefs perhaps, in 
 two Things, he did more confult the Generofity of 
 his own Mind, than of other Men's : the one was 
 the Largenefs of the Revenue, with which he would 
 have his College at firft indowed ; the other, that he 
 impofed on his Operators a fecond Task of great 
 Pains, the Education of Touth. 
 
 The laft of thefe is indeed a matter of great 
 Weight 5 the Reformation of which ought to be fe- 
 rioufly examined by prudent Men. For it is an un- 
 deniable Truth, which is commonly faid, that there 
 would be Need of fewer Laws, and lefs Force to go- 
 vern Men, if their Minds were rightly informed, and 
 fct {trait, while they were young, and pliable. But 
 
 H 2, ^ perhaps
 
 6o 7be HISTORY of 
 
 perhaps this Labour is not fo proper for Experimen- 
 ters to undergo ; for it would not only devour too 
 much of their Time, but it would go near to make 
 them a little more magifterial'm Philofophy, than be- 
 came them ; by being long accuftomed to command 
 the Opinions, and direcl: the Manners, of their Scho- 
 lars. And as to the other Particular, the large E- 
 ftate which he required to the Maintenance of his 
 College ; it is evident, that it is fo difficult a Thing to 
 draw Men in to be willing to divert an antient Reve- 
 nue, which has long run in another Stream, or to 
 contribute out of their own Furies, to the fupporr- 
 ing of any new Defign, while it fhews nothing but 
 Promifes, and Hopes; that, in fuch cafes, it were (it 
 may be) more advif cable to begin upon a fmall Stock, 
 and fo to rife by degrees, than to profefs great Things 
 at firft, and to exaft too much Benevolence all in 
 one Lump together. However, it was not the excel- 
 lent Author's Fault, that he thought better of the 
 Age than it did deferve. His Purpofe in it was like 
 himfelf, full of Honour and Goodnefs : Moft of the 
 other Particulars of his Draught the Royal Society is 
 now putting in Practice. 
 
 I come now to the fecond Period of my Narrati- 
 on; wherein I promifed to give an Account of what 
 they did, till they were publickly owned, encouraged, 
 and confirmed by Royal Favour. And I truft, that I 
 (hall here produce many Things, which will prove 
 their Attempts to be worthy of all Men's Incourage- 
 ment : though what was performed in this Interval 
 may be rather ftyl'd \hzTemporary Scaffold about the 
 Building, than the Frame itfelf. But in my Entrance 
 upon this Part, being come to the Top of the Hill, I 
 begin to tremble, ajid to apprehend the Greatnefs of 
 
 my
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 my Subjeft. For I perceive, that I have led my Rea- 
 ders Minds on, by fo long and Ib confident a Speech, 
 to expect fome wonderful Model, which lhall far 
 exceed all the former, that I have acknowledged to 
 have been imperfect. Now, though this were really 
 fo, as I believe it is ; yet I queftion, how it will look, 
 after it has been disfigured by my unskilful Hands. 
 But the Danger of this ought to have deterred me in 
 the Beginning : It is now too late to look back ; 
 and I can only apply my felf to that good Nature* 
 which a great Man has obferved to be fo peculiar to 
 our Nation, that there is fcarce atfExpreflion to %- 
 nify it, in any other Language. To this I muft fly 
 for Succour, and molt affectionately intreat my 
 Countrymen, that they would interpret my Failings 
 to be only Errors of Obedience to fome, whofe Com- 
 mands, or Defires, I could not refift ; and that they 
 would take the Meafure of the Royal 'Society ', not fo 
 much from my lame Defcription of it, as from the 
 Honour and Reputation of many of thofe Men, of 
 whom it is compofed. 
 
 I will here, in the firft place, contract, into few Se&. V, 
 Words, the whole Sum of their Refolutions 5 which A Model of 
 I {hall often have occafion to touch upon in Tar- ' 
 -eels. Their Purpofe is, in ihort, to make faithful Re- 
 cords of all the Works of Nature -, or Art, which can 
 come within their Reach ; that fo the prefent Age, and 
 Pofterity, may be able to put a Mark on the Errors, 
 which have been ftrengthned by long Prefcription 5 to 
 reftore the Truths, that have lain neglected 5 to pufli 
 on thofe, which are already known, to more vari- 
 ous Ufesj and to make the way more paflable, to what 
 remains unrevealed. This is the Compais of their 
 
 Defigru
 
 62 -Tie HI S?0 RY of 
 
 Defign. And to accomplifii this, they have endea- 
 voured, to feparare the Knowledge of Nature, from 
 the Colours of Rhetorick, the Devices ofFancy+or the 
 delightful Deceit of Fables. They have labour'd to en- 
 large it, from being confined to the Cuftody of a 
 few, or from Servitude to private Intcrefts. They 
 have driven to prefervc it from being ovcr-prefs'd by 
 a confus'd Heap of vain and ufelefs Particulars 5 or 
 from being ftreightned and bound too much up by 
 general Doftrines. They have tried to put it into a 
 Condition of perpetual Incrcafing; by fettling an in- 
 violable Corrcfpondence between the Hand and the 
 Brain. They have ftudicd to make it not only an 
 Enterprife of one Seafon, or of fomc lucky Oppor- 
 tunity ; but a Bufinefs of Time ; a fteady, a lafting, 
 a popular, an uninterrupted Work. They have at- 
 tempted, to free it from the Artifice, and Humours, 
 and Paflions of Se&s : to render it an Inftrument, 
 whereby Mankind may obtain a Dominion over 
 Things, and not only over one another's Judgments : 
 And laftly, they have begun toeftablifh thcfe Refor- 
 mations in Philofophy, not fo much, by any folem- 
 nity of Laws, or Oftentation of Ceremonies, as by 
 folid Praftice and Examples; not by a glorious 
 Pomp of Words; but by the (ilcnt, effectual, and un- 
 anfwerable Arguments of real Productions. 
 
 This will more fully appear, by what I am to fay 
 on thefe four Particulars, which (hall make up this 
 Part of my Rclarion, the Qualifications of their Mem- 
 bers ; the Manner of their Inquiry 5 their Weekly Af- 
 Seft. VI. femblies j and their Way of Re^iflrinf. 
 
 The gualifi- 
 
 *M e mben tb cf As for what belongs to the Members themfelves 
 the R^l St-tiux. **$ to conftitute the Society : It is to be noted, 
 
 that
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. * 
 
 that they have freely admitted Men of different Re- 
 ligions, Countries, and Profeflions of Life. This they 
 were obliged to do, or elfe they would come far Ihort 
 of the Largencfs of their own Declarations. For 
 they openly profefs, not to lay the Foundation of an 
 Englifh> Scotch, Irifh, Topift, or Troteftant Philofo- 
 phy 5 but a Phiiofophy of Mankind. 
 
 That the Church of England ought not to be appre- They admit 
 henftve of this free Converfe of various Judgments, Men of all 
 I (hall afterwards manifeft at large. For the prefent, 
 I fhall frankly afiert, that our 'Doctrine, and T)ifti- 
 fline, will be fo far from receiving Damage by it 5 
 that it were the bcft Way to make them univerfally 
 embraced, if they were oftner brought to be canvafs'd 
 amidft all Sorts of Diffentcrs. It is dimonourable, to 
 pate a hard Cenfure on the Religions of all other 
 Countries: It concerns them, to look to the Rea- 
 fonablenefs of their Faith 5 and it is fufficient for us, 
 to be eftablifhed in the Truth of our own. But yet 
 this Comparifon I may modeftly make 5 that there is 
 no one Profeffion, amidft the feveral Denominations 
 of Chriftians, that can be expofed to the Search and 
 Scrutiny of its Adverfaries, with fo much fafety as ours- 
 So equal it is, above all others, to the general Reafon 
 of Mankind ; fuch honourable Security it provides, 
 both for the Liberty of Men's Minds, and for the Peace 
 of Government ; that if fome Men's Conceptions were 
 put in Pradice, that all wife Men fhould have two 
 Religions; the one, zpublick, for their Conformity 
 with the People, the other, a pri < uate y to be kept to 
 their own Breafts ; 1 am confident, that moft confi- 
 dering Men, whatever their firft were, would make 
 ours their fecond, if they were well acquainted 
 with it. Seeing therefore our Church would be in 
 i fo
 
 64 *Tte HlSrORT of 
 
 fo fair a Probability of gaining very much, by a fre- 
 quent Contention and Encounter with other Setts : 
 It cannot be indangered by this Aflembly; which 
 proceeds no farther, than to an unprejudiced Mix- 
 ture with them. 
 
 Of all Com- By their naturalizing Men of all Countries, they 
 tries. have laid the Beginnings of many great Advantages 
 
 for the future. For by this Means, they will be able, 
 to fettle a conftant Intelligence, throughout all civil 
 Nations, and make the Royal Society the general 
 Bank and Free-port of the World : A Policy, 
 which whether it would hold good in the Trade of 
 England, I know not > but lure it will in the Thi- 
 lofophy. We arc to overcome the Myfterics of all 
 the Works of Nature 5 and not only to profecute fuch 
 as are confin'd to one Kingdom, or beat upon one 
 Shore : We mould then refufc to lift all the Aids, 
 that will come in, how remote foever. If I could 
 fetch my Materials whence I pleas'd, to fafhion the 
 Idea of a perfect Philofopher; he (hould not be all 
 of one Clime, but have the different Excellencies of 
 feveral Countries. Firft, he fhould have the Induftry y 
 Activity &\& inqnifitive Humor of the 'Dutch \French> 
 Scotch, and Englifh* in laying the ground Work, the 
 Heap of Experiments : And then he fhould have ad- 
 ded the cold, and circumfpeft, and^^ryDifpofition 
 of the Italians and Spaniards, in meditating upon 
 them, before he fully bringsthem intoSpeculation. All 
 this is fcarce ever to be found in one fingle Man ; fel- 
 dom in the fame Countrymen : It muft then be fup- 
 plied, as well as it may, by a publick Counc //, where- 
 in the various Difpofitions of all thefe Nations may 
 be blended together. To this purpofe, the Royal So- 
 ciety has made no Scruple to receive all inquifitive
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY, - 65 
 
 Strangers of all Countries into its Number And 
 this they have conftantly done, with fuch peculiar Re- 
 fped, that they have not obliged them to the Charge 
 of Contributions ; they have always taken Care, that 
 fome of their Members fhould affift them in inter- 
 preting all that pafs'd, in their publick AfTemblies j 
 and they have freely open'd their Regifters to them ; 
 thereby inviting them to communicate foreign Ra- 
 rities, by imparting their own Difcoveries. This has 
 been often acknowledged by many learned Men, 
 who have 'traveled hither ; who have been intro- 
 duc'd to their Meetings, and have admir'd the De- 
 cency, the Gravity, the Plainnefs, and the Calmnefs 
 of their Debates. This they have publilh'd to the 
 World ; and this has rous'd all our Neighbours to fix 
 their Eyes upon England. From hence they expect 
 the great Improvements of Knowledge will flow 5 and 
 though, perhaps, they fend their Touth into other Parts 
 to learn Fafhion, and Breeding ; yet their Men come 
 hither for nobler Ends, to be inftrufted in the Maf- 
 culine, and thtfolid Arts of Life? which is a Mat- 
 ter of as much greater Reputation, as it is more ho- 
 nourable to teach Philofophers, than Children. 
 
 By their Admiflion of Men of -&\ e ProfeJJions J thefe Of all Pro* 
 two Benefits arife : The one, that every Art? and eve- 
 ry Way of Life already eftabliih'd, may be fecure of 
 receiving no Damage by their Counfels. A Thing 
 which all new Inventions ought carefully to confult. 
 It is in vain to declare againft the Profit of the mod, 
 in any Change that we would make. We muft not 
 always deal with the violent Current of popular Paf- 
 fions, as they do with the furious Eager in the Se- 
 vern ; where the fafeft Way is to fet the Head of the 
 Boat directly againft its Force. But here Men muri 
 
 I follow
 
 66 TheHISTORTof 
 
 follow the Shore; wind about leifurably ; and i 
 ate their ufeful Alterations by foft and unperceivablc 
 Degrees. From the Negled of this Prudence, we 
 often fee' Men of great Wic, to have been overborn 
 by the Multitude of their Oppofcrs ; and to have 
 found all their fubtile Projects too weak for Cuftom 
 and Intereft : While being a little too much heated 
 with a Love of their own Fancies, they have raifed to 
 themfelves more Enemies than they needed to have 
 done, by defying at once too many Things in Ufe. 
 But here this Danger is very well prevented. For 
 what Sufpicion can 'Divinity, Law y or Thyjick, or 
 any other Courle of Life have, that they fhall be im- 
 pair'd by thefe Men's Labours ; when they themfelves 
 are as capable of fitting amongft them as any others ? 
 Have they not the fame Security that the whole Na- 
 tion has for its feivcs and Fortunes ? Of which this is 
 efteemed the Eftablifhmcnt, that Men of all Sorts 
 and Qualities, give their Voice in every Law that is 
 made in ^Parliament. But the other Benefit is, that 
 by this equal Balance of all Profeilions, there will no 
 one Particular of them ovcrwcigh the other, or make 
 the Oracle only fpcak their private Scnfe ; which 
 elfe it were impofliblc to avoid. It is natural to 
 all Ranks of Men, to have fome one Darling, up- 
 on which their Care is chiefly fixed. If Mecbanicks 
 alone were to make a Philofophy, they would bring 
 it all into their Shops, and force it wholly to confift 
 of Springs, and Wheels, and Weights j if Thyfaians, 
 they would not depart far from their Art ; fcarce any 
 Thing would be confidered, bcfides the Body of Man, 
 the Caufes, Signs, and Cures of Difeafes. So much 
 is to be found in Men of all Conditions, of that 
 which is called Tedantrjr in Scholars j which is no- 
 2 thins
 
 tie ROVAL SOCIETY; 67 
 
 thins; elfe but an obftinate Addition to the Forms 
 
 C7 
 
 of fome private Life, and not regarding general Things 
 enough. This Freedom therefore, which they ufe, 
 in Embracing all Afliftance, is moft advantageous to 
 them 5 which is the more remarkable, in that they 
 diligently fearch out and join to them, all extraor- 
 dinary Men, though but of ordinary Trades. And 
 that they are likely to continue this comprehenfive 
 Temper hereafter, I will mew by one inftance ; and 
 it is the Recommendation which the King himfelf 
 was pleafed to make, of the judicious Author of the 
 Obfervations on the Bills of Mortality : In whofe 
 Election, it was fo far from being a Prejudice, that 
 he was a Shop-keeper of London -, that his Majefiy 
 gave this particular Charge to his Society, that if they 
 found any more fuch Tradefmen, they mould be fure 
 to admit them all, without any more ado. From 
 hence it may be concluded, what is their Inclina- 
 tion towards the manual Arts; by the careful Regard 
 which their Founder and Tatron, has engag'd them 
 to have for all Sorts of Mechanick Artifts. 
 
 But, though the Society entertains very many Men Se&. VII. 
 of particular <P rofeffions, yet the far greater Num-^S 7 ^ 
 her ate Gentlemen, free and unconfin'd. By the Help Gentlemen. 
 of this there was hopeful Provifion made againft two 
 Corruptions of Learning, which have been long com- 
 plain'd of, but never remov'd : The onejfatf. Knowledge 
 ftill degenerates to con.iultfirefent { Profit too foon 5 the 
 other, thxfPhilofophers have been always Mafters and 
 Scholar si fome impofing,and all the other fubmitting 5 
 and not as equal Obfervers without Dependence. 
 
 The firft of thefe may be call'd, the marrying of^rts The ddvan 
 too foon 5 and putting them to Generation before ta &* of this. 
 they come to be of Age 5 and has been the Caufe of 
 
 I 2 much
 
 68 72* HISTORY of 
 
 much Inconvenience. It weakens their Strength 5 it 
 makes an unhappy Difproportion in their Increafe 5 
 while not the beft, but the moftg&nfiflofthcm flou- 
 rifh : But above all, itdiminifhes that very Profit for 
 which Men drive. It buficsthem about poffeffing fomc 
 petty Prize ; while Nature itfclf, with all its mighty 
 Treafurcs, flips from them ; and fo they are fcrvM 
 like fome foolifli Guards 5 who, while they were ear- 
 ned in picking up Tome fmall Money, that the Pri- 
 fonerdrop'd out of his Pocket, let the Prifoner him- 
 felf efcapc, from whom they might have got a great 
 Ranfom. This is eafily declaimed againd. but mod 
 difficult to be hindrcd. If any Caution will fetve, it 
 muft be this ; to commit the Work to the Care of 
 fuch Men, who, by the Freedom of their Education, 
 the Plenty of their Eftates, and the ufual Generofity, 
 of noble Blood, may be well fuppos'd to be mod a- 
 verfe from fuch fordid Confederations. 
 
 The fccond Error, which is hereby endeavoured to 
 be remedied, is, that the Seats of Knowledge have 
 been for the mod part heretofore, not Laboratories, 
 as they ought to be ; but only Schools, where fome 
 have taught, and all the reft fubfcrib'd. The Confc- 
 quences of this are very mifchicvous. For fird, as 
 many Learners as there arc, fo many Hands and 
 Brains may dill be reckon'd upon as ufelefs. It being 
 only the Maker's part to examine, and obferve 5 and 
 the Difciples, to fubmit with Silence to what they 
 conclude. But befides this, the very Inequality of the 
 Titles of Teachers and Scholars, does very much fup- 
 prcfs and tame Men's Spirits j which though it fhould 
 be proper for Difcipline and Education 5 yet is by no 
 means confident with a free philofophical Co nfulta- 
 tion. It is undoubtedly true ; that fcarce any Man's 
 2 Mind,
 
 the ROYAL SOCIE TV. 69 
 
 Mind is To capable of thinking frongly J.K. the Prefence 
 of one whom he fears and reverences, as he is when 
 that Reftraint is taken off. And this is to be found, 
 not only in thefe weightier Matters j but alfo to give 
 a lighter inftancc in the Arts ot'Difcourfe ZK& Raillery 
 themfelves. For we have often feen Men of bold 
 Tempers, that have over-aw'd and govern'd the Wit 
 of molt Companies ; to have been difturb'd,and dumb, 
 and baihful as Children, when fome other Man has 
 been near, who us'd to out-talk them. Such a kind of 
 natural Sovereignty there is in fome Men's Minds over 
 others j which muft needs be far greater, when it is ad- 
 vanc'd by long Ufe, and the venerable Name of a Ma- 
 fter. 1 fliall only mention one 'Prejudice more, and 
 that is this , that from this only Teaching, and Learn- 
 ing, there does not only follow a Continuance, but an 
 Increafe of the Yoak upon our Reafons : For thofe 
 who take their Opinions from others Rules, are com- 
 monly ftridter Impofers upon their Scholars, than their 
 own Authors were on them, or than the firft Inventors 
 of Things themfelves are upon others. Whatever 
 the Caufe of this be : whether the firft Men are made 
 meek and gentle by their long Search, and by better 
 underftanding all theDifficulties of Knowledge j while 
 thofe that learn afterwards, only haftily catching 
 Things in fmall Syftems^ are foon fatisfy'd, before they 
 have broken their Pride, and fo become more impe- 
 rious ; or whether it arifes from hence, that the fame 
 Meannefs of Soul-> which made them bound their 
 Thoughts by other Precepts, makes them alfo infolent 
 to their Inferiors ; as we always find Cowards the 
 mod cruel j or whatever other Caufe may be alledg'd, 
 the Obfervation is certain, that the SucceJJbrs are ufu- 
 ally more pofuiye and tyrannical, than the Begin- 
 ners of Sefts. It
 
 7 o Tie HISTORY of 
 
 If then there can be any Cure dcvis'd for this, it 
 mud be no other than to form an Affembly at one 
 Time, whofe Privileges 'hall be the fame 5 whole Gain 
 fhall be in common; whofeAfearfffs were not brought 
 up at the Feet of each other. But after all, even this 
 cannot be free from Prevarication in all future Ages. 
 So apt are fome to diftruft, and others to confide too 
 much in themfelves 5 fo much Sweetncfs there is, in 
 leading Parties} fo much Ptidc in following a Fadi- 
 on ; fuch various Artifices there arc to enihare Men's 
 'Pajfionsy and fbon after their Under ft and ings. All 
 thefe Hazards, and many more, are to be iuppos'd 5 
 which it is impofiible for mortal Wit wholly to fore- 
 fee, much lefs to avoid. But yet we have lefs Ground 
 of Jealotify from this Inftitution than any other, not 
 only becaufe they only deal in Matters of Faff, which 
 are not fo cafily perverted ; but alfo upon Security of 
 the Inclinations of the greateft Part of the Members 
 of the Society itfelf. This, I hope, moft Men will 
 acknowledge ; and I will take the Pcrmiflion to fay 
 in general of them, that in z\\paft and preftnt Times, 
 I am confident there can never be fhewn Ib great a 
 Number of Cotemporaries in fo narrow a Space of 
 the World, that lov'd Truth fo zealoufly fought it fo 
 conftantly 5 and upon whofe Labours Mankind might 
 fo freely rely. This I fpeak, not out of Bravery to 
 Foreigners (before whofe Eyes, I believe, this negli- 
 gent Difcourfe will never appear) but to the learned 
 Men of this Nation, who are better Judges of what I 
 lay. And this too, I dare affirm, in an Age? wherein 
 I expect to be condemn'd of Faifhood or Partiality for 
 this Character, which I have given. For fo it happens, 
 that we are now arriv'd at that exceflivc ccnfuring 
 Humour, that he who takes upon him to commend any 
 
 thing,
 
 r the ROYAL SOCIETY*. 71 
 
 thing, though ever fo worthy, will raife to himfelf 
 far more Enemies than Friends. And indeed this 
 Sournefs of Criticifm, which now bears down all 
 before it, is very injurious to the Honour of our Coun- 
 try. For by defpifuig Men for not being abfolutely 
 excellent, we keep them from being fo j while Ad- 
 monitions joined with 'Pratfes, and Reproofs with 
 f Direffions> would quickly bring all Things to a high- 
 er Perfection. But the Rudenefs of fuch Criticks I 
 do not fo much regard, as the Objections of fobercr 
 Men, who have a real good Will to the Promotion of 
 this Defign, and yet may be a little dilTatisfied in this 
 Place. For here efpecially they may doubt of two 
 Things ; the firft, whether the Royal Society being fo 
 numerous as it is, will not in fhort Time be diverted 
 from its primitive Purpofe; feeing there wilt be fcarce 
 enough Men of philofophical Temper always found to 
 fill it up j and then others will croud in, who have not 
 the fame Bent of Mind 5 and fo the whole Bufinefs will 
 infenfibly be made rather a Matter of Noife and Pomp, 
 than of real Benefit ! The fecond, whether their Num- 
 ber being fo large, will not affright private Men from 
 imparting many profitable Secrets to them ; left they 
 fhould thereby become common, and fo they be de- 
 prived of the Gain, which elfe they might be fure of, 
 if they kept them to themfelves. 
 
 To the firft I {hall reply, That this Scruple is of no Se&. VIII. 
 Force, in refped of the Age wherein we live. For A Defence of 
 now the Genius of Experimenting is fo muchdifpers'd, *** Large- 
 that even in this Nation, if there were one or two /fo^* 
 more fakAffemblies fettled, there could not be want- 
 ing able Men enough to carry them on. All Places and 
 Corners are now bufy and warm about this Work : 
 
 and
 
 7 2 Me HISTORY of 
 
 and we find many noble Rarities to be every Day 
 <nven in not only by the Hands of learned and pro- 
 filed Philofophers 5 but from the Shops of Mecha- 
 nicks ; from the Voyages of Merchants ; from the 
 Ploughs of Husbandmen ; from the Sports, the Fifii- 
 ponds, the Parks, the Gardens of Gentlemen--* the 
 Doubt therefore will only touch future Ages. And 
 even for them too, we may fecurcly promifc, that they 
 will not, for a long Time, be barren of a Race of in- 
 quifitive Minds, when the Way is now fo plainly trac'd 
 out before them j when they mould have taftcd of thefe 
 firft Fruits, and have been excited by this Example. 
 There was fcarce ever yet, any the mean eft Scft, or 
 the moft contemptible Opinion, that was utterly ex- 
 tinguifh'd in its Cradle. Whether they defcrv'd to live, 
 ornot, they all had their Courfe 5 fomc longer, fomc 
 Ihortcr, according as they could combine with the 
 Interefts or Affections of the Countries where they 
 began. What Reafon then have we to bode ill alone 
 to this Inftitution, which is now fo carneftly em- 
 braced 5 and which, the older it grows, cannot but 
 ftill appear more inoffenfive ? If we only required 
 perfeff 'Philofophers to manage this Employment, it 
 were another Cafe. For then I grant it were impro- 
 bable, that thrcefcore, or an hundred fuch fhould 
 meet in one Time. But here it is far othcrwiic j if we 
 cannot have a fufficient Choice of thofe that arc skill'd 
 in z\\ < T>i f vine and Human Things (which was the an- 
 cient Definition of a Philofophcr) it fuffices, if many 
 of them be plain, diligent, and laborious Obfcrvers : 
 fuch, who though they bring not much Knowledge, 
 yet bring their Hand, and their Eyes uncorruptcd : fuch 
 as have not their Brains infeded by falfc Images, and 
 can honeftly afllft in the examining and regtflermg 
 
 what
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY-. 
 
 what the others reprefent to their View. It Teems 
 ftrange]to me, that. Men fliould confpire to believe 
 all things more perplexed, and difficult, than indeed 
 they are. This may be {hewn in moft other Matters ; 
 but in this particular in hand, it is moft evident, Men 
 did generally think, that no Man was fit to meddle in 
 Matters of this Confequence, but he that had bred him- 
 felf up in a long CourfeofDifciplincforthatPurpofej 
 that had the Habit, the Gefture, the Look of a Philofo- 
 pher : Whereas Experience, on the contrary, tells us, 
 that greater Things are produc'd by the free way, than 
 the formal. This Miftake may well be compar'd to the 
 Conceit we had of Soldiers, in the beginning of the 
 civil Wars. None was thought worthy of that Name, 
 but he that could {hew his Wounds, and talk aloud of 
 his Exploits in the Low Countries : Whereas the 
 whole Bufinefs of fighting, was afterwards chiefly per- 
 form'd by untravel'd Gentlemen, raw Citizens, and 
 Generals that had fcarce ever before feen a Battle. But 
 to fay no more, it is fo far from being a Blemifh, that 
 it is rather the Excellency of this Inftitution, that Men 
 of various Studies are introduced. For fo there will 
 be always many fincere Witnefles (landing by, whom 
 Self-love will not perfuade to report falfly, nor Heat 
 of Invention carry to fwallow a Deceit too foon ; as 
 having themfelves no Hand in the making of the Ex- 
 periment, but only in the Infpetfion. So cautious 
 ought Men to be, in pronouncing even upon Matters 
 of Fad. The whole Care is not to be trufted tojingle 
 Men ; not to a Company all of one Mind ; not to ^Phi- 
 lofophers 5 not to devout and religious Men alone: By 
 all thefe we have been already deluded ; even by thofe 
 whom I laft named, who ought moft of all to ab- 
 hor Falfhood 5 of whom yet many have mul- 
 
 K tiplied
 
 74 Tie HISrO RT of 
 
 tiplied upon us infinite Stories and falfe Miracles, 
 without any regard to Conference or Truth. 
 
 To the fecond Objection I {hall briefly antwcr ; that 
 if all the Authors, or PofTcflbrs of extraordinary In- 
 ventions, fhould confpirc to conceal all that was in 
 their Power from them ; yet the Method which they 
 take will quickly make abundant Reparation for that 
 De-fed. If they cannot come at Nature in its particular 
 Streams, they will have it in the Fountain. If they 
 could be fhutout from the Clolets o'iThjJicians.oi the 
 Work-houles of Mechanicks ; yet with the lame, or 
 with better Sorts of Inftruments, on more Materials, 
 by more Hands, with a more rational Light, they would 
 not only reliorc again the old Arts, but find out 
 perhaps many more of far greater Importance. But 
 I need not lay much Strefs upon that Hope j when 
 there is no Qucftion at all, but all, or the grcatcft part 
 of fuch domeflick Receipts and Curiofities, will foon 
 flow into this publick Treafury. How few Secrets have 
 there been, though ever fo gainful, that have been 
 long conceal'd from the whole World by their Au- 
 thors ? Were not all the lead Arts of Life at firft pri- 
 vate? Were not Watches, or Locks, or Guns, or 
 ^Printing, 01 lately the Bow- dye, dcvis'd by particular 
 Men, but foon made common ? If neither Chance, nor 
 Friendfhip) nor Treachery of Servants, have brought 
 fuch Things out 5 yet we fee Oflentation alone to be 
 every Day powerful enough to do it. This Defirc of 
 Glory, and to be counted Authors, prevails on all, 
 even on many of the dark and referv'd Chymifts thcm- 
 felvcs ; who are ever printing their greatell Myfte- 
 ries, though indeed they fecm to do it with fo much 
 Reluaancy,and with a Willingnefstohidc ftill; which 
 makes their Style to refemble the Smoke > in which they 
 
 deal.
 
 ' t&e ROYAL SOCIETY? 
 
 deal. Well then, if this Difpofition be fo univerfal, 
 why fhould we think, that the Inventors will be only 
 tender and backward to the Royal Society ; from which 
 they will not only reap the moft folid Honour ', but 
 will alfo receive the ftrongeft Afiurances of ftill retain- 
 ing thcgreateftpart of the ^Profit ? But if all this fhould 
 fail, there ftill remains a Refuge, which will put this 
 whole Matter out of Difpute : and that is, that the 
 Royal Society will be able by Degrees to purchafe 
 fuch extraordinary Inventions, which are now clofe 
 lock'd up in Cabinets ; and then to bring them into 
 one common Stock, which fhall be upon all occafions 
 expos'd to all Men's Ufe. This is a moft heroick Inten- 
 tion : For by fuch Concealments, there may come very 
 much Hurt to Mankind. If any certain Remedy 
 fhould be found out againft an EptdemicalDifeafc} ifit 
 were fuffer'd to be ingrofs'd by one Man, there would 
 be great Swarms fwept away, which otherwife might 
 be eafily fav'd. I fhall inftance in the Sweating-Sick- 
 nefs. The Medicine for it was almoft infallible : But, 
 before that could be generally publifh'd, it had almoft 
 difpeopled whole Towns. If the fame Difcafe mould 
 have returned, it might have been again as deftruftive, 
 had not the Lord Bacon taken Care, to let down 
 the particular Courfeof Thyjtck for it, in his Hiftory 
 of Henry the Seventh, and fo put it beyond the Pofli- 
 bility of any private Man's invading it. This ought 
 to be imitated in all otherfovereign Cures of the like 
 Nature, to avoid fuch dreadful Caiualties. The Arti- 
 ficers fhould reap the common Crop of their Arts\ but 
 the <Publick fhould ftill have Title to the miraculous 
 Productions. It fhould be fo appointed, as it is in the 
 Profits of Men's Lands 5 where the Corn, and Grafs, 
 and Timber, and fome coarfcr Metals belong to the 
 
 K i
 
 7 6 fbe HISTORY of 
 
 Owner: But the Royal Mines, inwhofe Ground fo- 
 cver they are discovered, are no Man's Propriety, 
 but ftill fall to the Crown. 
 
 Thefe therefore are the Qualities which they have 
 principally required in thole whom they admitted ; 
 ftill rcferving to themfelves a Power of increafmg* 
 or keeping to their Number, as they faw Occafion. 
 By this means, they have given Afiurance of an eter- 
 nal Quietnefs and Moderation, in their experimental 
 Progrefs j becaufe they allow themfelves to differ in 
 the weightieft Matter, even in the Way of Salvation 
 itfelf. By this they have taken Care, that nothing 
 fhall be fo remote as to efcape their Reach ; becaufe 
 fome of their Members are ftill icattercd abroad, in 
 moft of the habitable Parts of the Earth. By this 
 they have provided, that no profitable Thing fhall 
 feem too mean for their Confideration, feeing they 
 have fome amongft them, whofe Life is employed 
 about little Things, as well as great. By this they 
 have broken down the Partition -wall, and made a 
 fair Entrance, for all Conditions of Men to engage in 
 thefe Studies : which were heretofore affrighted from 
 them, by a groundlefs Apprehcnfion of their Charge- 
 ablenefs and Difficulty. Thus they have formed that 
 Society ', which intends a 'Philosophy, for the Ufe of 
 Cities, and not for the Retirements of Schools, to re- 
 femble the Cities themfelves ; which are compound- 
 ed of all Sorts of Men, of the Gown, of the Sword, 
 of the Shop, of the Field, of the Court, of the Sea ; 
 all mutually aflifting each other. 
 
 8eft. IX. Let us next confider whatCourfe of Inquiry they 
 Their Courfg^kc, to make all their Labours unite for the Service 
 rf Inquiry. of Mankind : And here I fhall infift on their Expence, 
 their lnftruments,i\\^\n Matter, and their Method. 
 
 Pf
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 77 
 
 Of the Stock, upon which their Expence has been Their Ex- 
 hitherto defrayed, I can fay nothing that is very magni- 
 fcent 5 feeing they have relied upon no more than 
 Ibme fmall Admijfion-money-, and weekly Contribu- 
 tions amongft themfelves. Such a Revenue as this 
 can make no great Sound, nor amount to any waft 
 Sum. But yet I mail fay this for it, that it was the 
 only way which could have been begun, with a Secu- 
 rity of Succefs, in that Condition of Things. The 
 publick Faith of experimental Vhilofophy^ was not 
 then ftrong enough, to move Men and Women of 
 all Conditions, to bring in their Bracelets and Jewels, 
 towards the carrying of it on. Such Affections as thofe 
 may be raifed by a mifguided Zeal ; but feldom, or 
 never, by calm and unpaflionate Reafon. It was 
 therefore well ordained, that the firft Benevolence 
 fhould come from the Experimenters themfelves. If 
 they had fpeedily at firft called for mighty Treajures 5 
 and faid aloud, that their Enterprize required the Ex- 
 chequer of a Kingdom-, they would only have been 
 contemn'd as vain 'Projeflors. So ready is Man- 
 kind to fufped all new Undertakings to be Cheats, 
 and Chimeras ; efpecially, when they feem charge- 
 able y that it may be, many excellent Things have been 
 loft by that Jealoufy. Of this we have a fatal Inftance 
 amongft our felves. For it was this fear of being cir- 
 cumvented, that made one of our wifeft Kings de- 
 lay Columbus too long, when he came with the Pro- 
 mife of a new World-, whereas a little more Confi- 
 dence in his y^rr,and a fmall Charge in furnifhing out 
 fome few Ships, would have yearly brought all the 
 Silver of the Wefl-Indies to London* which now ar- 
 rives at Sevit. 
 
 This Sufpicion, which is fo natural to Men's Breafts, 
 
 could
 
 7 8 The HISTORY of 
 
 could not any way harm the Royal 
 ment ; feeing its firft Claims and Pretenftons were fo 
 modeft. And yet I (hall prefume to aflure the World ; 
 that what they ftiall raife on thefe mean Foundations, 
 will be more anfwcrable to the Largenefs of their In- 
 tentions, than to the Narrowrttfs of their Beginnings. 
 This I fpeak fo boldly, not only becaufc it is almoft 
 generally found true; that thofe Things, which have 
 been fmall at firft, have ofmcr grown greater, than 
 thofc which have begun upon a wider Bottom, which 
 have common \^ flood at a Stay : But alfo in refpcft 
 of the prefent prevailing Genius of the English Na- 
 tion. It is moftufually found, that every People has 
 fome one Study or other in their View, about which 
 their Minds are moft intent, and their Purfes readier 
 to open. This is fometimes a Profufion in Habit and 
 ^Diet'-) fometimcsr^//gv0//.f Buildings > and fometimes 
 the civil Ornaments of their Cities and Country. 
 The firft of thefe will fhortly vanifh from amongft 
 us, by the irrcfiftible Correftion of the King's own Ex- 
 ample ; the next is of late Years very fcnfibly abated : 
 and it is the laft of the three towards which Men's 
 Dcfires are moft propcnfc. To evidence this 5 1 think 
 it may be calculated, that fmce the King's return, there 
 have been matt Acts o 'Parliament, for the clearing 
 and beautifying of Streets, for the repairing of High- 
 ways, for the cutting of Rivers^ for the increase of 
 Manufactures, for the fetting on foot the Trade of 
 Pifhing, and many other fuch publick Works, to adorn 
 the State, than in divcrfe Ages before. This general 
 Temper being well weiglvd, it cannot be imagined, 
 that the Nation will withdraw its Afliftance from 
 the Royal Society alone 5 which docs not intend to 
 ftop at fome particular Benefit, but goes to the Root 
 
 of
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 79 
 
 of all noble Inventions, and propofes an infallible 
 Courfe to make England the Glory of the Weftern 
 World. 
 
 This my Love and my Hopes prompt me to fay. 
 But befides this, there is one Thing more, that per- 
 fuades me, that the Royal Society will be immortal* 
 and that is, that if their Stock (hould ftill continue 
 narrow, yet even upon that, they will be able to free 
 themfelves from all Difficulties, and to make a con- 
 tfant Increafe of it, by their managing. There is 
 fcarce any thing has more hindredft&i true ^Philofophy^ 
 than a vain Opinion, that Men have taken up, that No- 
 thing could be done in it, to any purpofe, but upon a 
 *vaft Charge-, and by a mighty Revenue. Men com- 
 monly think, that the ^Pit^ in which (according to ^De- 
 mocritus) Truth lyes hid, is bottomlefs ; and that it will 
 devour, whatever is thrown into it, without being the 
 fuller. This falfe Conception had got fo much Ground, 
 that as foon as a Man began to put his Hands to Expe- 
 riments, he was prefently given over, as impoverifhed 
 and undone. And indeed the Enemies of real Know- 
 ledge, had fome Appearance of Reafon to conclude 
 this heretofore ; becaufe they had feen the great E- 
 ftates of fomzChymifls melted away, without any 
 Thing left behind, to make Recompence. But this 
 Imagination can now no longer prevail : Men now 
 underftand, that Philofophy needs not fo great a Pro- 
 digality to maintain it ; that the moft. prof table Trials 
 are not always the moft cojlly ; that the belt. Inventions 
 have not been found out by the richeft, but by the 
 moft prudent and induftrious Obiervcrs ; that the 
 right Art of Experimenting, when it is once let for- 
 ward, will go near to fuftain itfelf. Thislipeak, not 
 to flop Men's future Bounty, by a philolbphicai Boaft, 
 
 that
 
 8o The HISTORY of 
 
 that the Royal Society has enough already : But rather 
 to encourage them to caft in more Help ; by fticw- 
 ing them, what Return may be made from a little, by 
 a wife Administration. 
 
 Sea. X. Of the Variety and Excellence of the Inftruments, 
 Their Injlru- w hich it lyes in their Power to ufe, I will give no o- 
 mentSl ther Proof, than the wonderful Perfection to which 
 all manual Arts have of late Years arrived. Men now 
 generally underftand, to employ thole very Tools 
 which the Antients lent us, to infinite more Works 
 than formerly ; they have alfo of late devis'd a great 
 Multitude of all Sorts, which were before unknown ; 
 and bcfides we may very well expect, that Time will 
 every Day bring forth more. For according as the 
 Matter to work upon does abound, the greater Plenty 
 of Inftruments muft by Confcqucncc follow j fuch a 
 Connexion there is between Inventions, and the Means 
 of inventing, that they mutually incrcafe each other. 
 
 I might be as large, as I pleafcd, in this Particular; 
 in running through fome Part of all the innumerable 
 Arts of the weftern World-, and it were not difficult 
 to fhew, that the ordinary Shops of Mechanicks are 
 now as full of Rarities, as the Cabinets of the former 
 noblefl Mathematicians. But I will leave thatJSubjcct, 
 which is fo familiar to all, and choofe rather to fetch 
 a Confirmation of this, even from thofe Countries, 
 which (after the Manner of the Antients} we call 
 barbarous. And in going thither for an Example, I 
 have a farther End. In my foregoing Difcourfe, I 
 tried to make out the Advantages of the modern Times 
 above the antient ; by following the Progrefs of 
 Learning, down through their Tracts, to which Scho- 
 lars
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 8x 
 
 ufually cortfine it -, I will now alfo (trengthen 
 that Argument, by briefly comparing the Skill and 
 theWorks of the unlearned Parrs oftheprefent World 
 with thofc that are^^/?. The antient Barbarians then, 
 thofe Nations I mean, who lay without the Circle of 
 thofe Arts which we admire ; the Gauls, the Bri- 
 tains, the Germans, the Scythians, have fcarce left 
 any Footfteps behind them, to fhew that they were 
 rational Men. Moft of them were favage in their 
 *Praffices ; grofs in their Contrivances j ignorant of 
 all, that might make Life either fafe, or pleafant. 
 Thus it was with them,and this all Hiftory (peaks with 
 one Voice 5 whereas ^.Barbarians of our Times (if 
 I may take the Liberty dill to ufe that Word, which 
 the Pride of Greece firft brought into Fafhion) the 
 Turks, the Moors, the Eaft- Indians, and even the 
 Americans, though they too are utterly unacquainted 
 with all our Sciences 5 yet by the Help of an uni-ver- 
 fal Light, which feems to overfpread this Age, are 
 in feverai Handicrafts moft ready, and dextrous ; in- 
 fomuchthat in fome, they can fcarce be imitated by 
 the Europeans themfelves. I ihall leave it to any 
 Man to conjecture from hence, which of thefe two 
 Times has the prerogative ; and how much better 
 Helps are probably to be found at this Day, in the 
 moft civil Countries^ when we now find fo much Ar- 
 tifice, amongft thofe our Cotemporaries, who only 
 follow rude, and untaught Nature. 
 
 Of the Extent of the Matter, about which they Se&, XI.' 
 have been already converfant, and intend to be here- 
 after 5 there can be no better Meafure taken, than by tfr * 
 giving zgeneralTrofpeff of all the Objeds of Men's 
 Thoughts ; which can be nothing elfe but either God* 
 or Men* or Nature. 
 
 L As
 
 82 The HI STORY of 
 
 As for the firft, they meddle no otherwife with 
 divine Things, than only as the 'Power, and Wifdom, 
 and Goodnefs of the Creator is difplay'd in the admi- 
 rable Order and VVorkmanmip of the Creatures. It 
 cannot be deny'd, but it lies in the natural Thilofo- 
 pher's Hands, bcft to advance that Part of ^Divinity 5 
 which, though it fills not the Mind with iiich ten- 
 der and powerful Contemplations, as that which (hews 
 us Man's Redemption by a Mediator -, yet it is by no 
 means to be pafs'd by unregarded, but is an excellent 
 Ground to eftablifh the other. This is a Religion 
 which is confirm'd by the unanimous Agreement of 
 all Sorts of Worfhips, and may ferve in refpeci to 
 Chriftianity* as Solomons Porch to the Temple ; into 
 the one the Heathens them felves did alfo enter, but 
 into the other, only God's peculiar People. 
 
 In Men, may be confider'd the Faculties and Ope- 
 rations of their Souls, the Conflitntion of their Bodies? 
 and the Works of their Hands. Of thefc, the^r/2 they 
 omit ; bothbecaufe the Knowledge and Direction of 
 them have been before undertaken, by ibmc Arts, on 
 which they have no mind to intrench, as thcToti ticks, 
 Morality, and Oratory ; and alfo bccaufe the Reafon, 
 the Underftanding, the Temper sjk&Will, the Taj/ions 
 of Men, are fo hard to be reduc'd to any certain Ob- 
 fervation of the Senfes, and afford fo much Room to 
 the Ob fewer s to falfify or counterfeit ; that if fuch 
 Difcourfes mould be once entcrtain'd, they would 
 be in Danger of falling into talking, inftead of work- 
 ing, which they carefully avoid. Such Subjefts there- 
 fore as thefe they have hitherto kept out. But yet, 
 when they mall have made more Progrefs in material 
 Things, they will be in a Condition of pronouncing 
 more boldly on them too. lor though Man's Soul 
 
 and
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 and 'Body are not only one natural Engine (as fome 
 have thought) of whofe Motions of all Sorts, there 
 may be as certain an Account given, as of thofe of a 
 Watch or Clock ; yet by long ftudying of the Spirits, 
 of the Bloody of the Nourifhment, of the Parts, of 
 the 'Dtfeafes, of the Advantage's^ of the Accidents 
 which belong to human Bodies (all which will come 
 within their Province) there may, without Queftion, 
 be very near Gue fifes made, even at the more exalted 
 and immediate Aftions of the Souls and that too/with- 
 out destroying its fpmjW$$fA immortal Sting. 
 
 Thefetwo Subjects, God, and the Soul, being only 
 forborn, in all the reft they wander at their Plea- 
 lure : In the Frame of Men's Bodies, the Ways for 
 ftrong, healthful, and long Life ; in the Arts of Men's 
 Hands, thofe that either NeceJJlty, Convenience, or 
 'Delight have produced 5 in the Works of Nature, 
 their Helps, theirVarieties, Redundancies, and Defects ; 
 and in bringing all thefe to the Ufes of human Society. 
 
 In their Method of -inquiring, I will obferve how Se&. XII. 
 they have behav'd themfelves in Things that might ^f r /^7 
 be brought within their own Touch and Sight $ and' * ^ 
 how in thofe, which are fo remote, and hard to be 
 come by, that about them they were forc'd to truft 
 the Reports of others. 
 
 In the firft Kind, I fhall lay it down as their fun- 
 damental Law, that whenever they could poflibly 
 getto/foww&thc Subject, the Experiment was ftill per- 
 form'd by fome of the Members themfelves. The 
 want of this Exaffnefe has very much diminifti'd the 
 Credit of famttNaturalifts; it might elfe havefeem'd 
 ftrange, that fo many Men of Wit, fetting fo many 
 Hands on work, being fo watchful to catch up all Re- 
 
 L a lations,
 
 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 lations, from Woods, Fields, Mountains, Rivers, 
 Seas, and Lands 5 and feathering their Pcnfions fo li- 
 berally ; fhould yet be able to colled/ fo few Obfcrva- 
 tions, that have been judicious or ufeful. But the 
 Reafon is plain; for while they thought it enough, to 
 be only Receivers of others Intelligence 5 they have 
 either employ 'd ignorant Searchers, who knew not 
 how to digeft or diftinguifti what they found 5 or/r/- 
 votous, who always lov'd to come home laden, though 
 it were but with Trifles ; or (which is worft of all) 
 crafty, who having perceiv'd the Humours of thofe 
 that paid them fo well, would always take care to bring 
 in fuch Collections as might fcem to agree with the 
 Opinions and Principles of their Mafters y however 
 they did with Nature itfelf. 
 
 This Inconvenience the Royal Society has efcap'd, 
 by making the whole Proccfs pafs under its own Eyes. 
 And the Task was divided amongft them, by one of 
 thefe two Ways. Firft, it was fometimcs referred to 
 fame particular Men, to make Choice of what Sub- 
 ject they pleafcd, and to follow their own Humour in 
 theTr/Wj the Expence being (till allow 'd from the 
 general Stock. By which Liberty, that they afforded, 
 they had a very neccflary regard to the Power of par- 
 ticular Inclinations , which in all Sorts of Knowledge 
 is fo ftrong ; that there may be numberlefs Inftances 
 given of Men, who in fome Things have been alto- 
 gether ufelefs, and yet in others have had fuch a vi- 
 gorous and fuccefsful Faculty, as if they had been 
 born and form'd for them alone. 
 
 Or elfe fecondly, the Society itfelf made the Di- 
 ftribution, and deputed whom it thought fit for the 
 Profecution of fuch or fuch Experiments. And this 
 they did, either by allotting the fame Work to fe^ 
 
 * > .-.->
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 85 
 
 Men, feparated from one another 5 or elfe by joining 
 them into Committees, (if we may ufe that Word in a 
 philoibphical Senfe, and fo in fome Meafure purge it 
 from the ill Sound which it formerly had.) By this 
 Union of Ryes and Hands there do thefe Advantages 
 arife. Thereby there will be a full Comprehenjion 
 of the Objeft in all its Appearances 5 and fo there 
 will be a mutual Communication of the Light of one 
 Science to another > whereas jingle Labour's can be but 
 as a Profpeft taken upon one fide. And alfo by this fix- 
 ing of fevcral Men's Thoughts upon one Thing, there 
 will be an excellent Cure for that^D*?/^?, which is al- 
 moft unavoidable in great Inventors. It is the Cuftom 
 of fach earneft and powerful Minds, to do wonderful 
 Things in the Beginning ; but fhortly after, to be over- 
 born by the Multitude and Weight of their own 
 Thoughts ; then to yield, and cool by little and little 5 
 and at laft grow weary, and even to loath that, upon 
 which they were at firft the moft eager. This is the 
 wontedConftitution otgreatWits ; fuch tender things 
 are thofe exalted Actions of the Mind ; and fo hard it 
 is/or thofe Imaginations, that can run fwifc and migh- 
 ty Races,tobe able to travel a long and a conftant Jour- 
 ney. The ErTedls of this Infirmity have been (b re- 
 markable, that we have certainly loft very many In- 
 ventions, after they have been inj'part faQrion'd, by 
 the meet languishing and negligence of their Authors. 
 For this, the beft Provifion muft be, to join many Men 
 together 5 for it cannot be imagin'd,that they mould be 
 all fo violent and fiery 5 and fo by this mingling of 
 Tempers, the impetuous Men not having the whole 
 Burthen on them, may have Leifure for Intervals to re- 
 cruit their firft Heat 5 and the more judicious, who are 
 not fo foon poffefs'dj with fuch Raptures, may carry 
 
 on
 
 86 7le HISTORT of 
 
 on the others ftrong Conceptions, by foberer Degrees, 
 to a full Accompliihment. 
 
 Se& XIII. This they have praftis'd in fuch Things whereof 
 their w>^/"the Matter is common, and wherein they may repeat 
 r"mt?Mat- their Labours as they pleafe. But in foreign and remote 
 ters. Affairs, their Intentions and their Advantages do far 
 
 exceed all others. For thefe they have begun to 
 fettle a Correfpondence through all Countries ; and 
 have taken fuch Order, that in fhort Time there will 
 fcarcc a Ship come upthcThames, that does not make 
 fomc return ^Experiments^ well as of Merchandize. 
 This their Care of an univerfal Intelligence is be- 
 friended by Nature itfeif,in the Situation of England: 
 For, lying fo as it does, in the Pailage between the 
 Northern Parts of the World and the Southern > its 
 Torts being open to all Coafts, and its Ships fprcading 
 their Sails in all Seas * it is thereby neceyarily made, 
 not only Miftrefsof the Ocean, but the moft proper 
 Seat for the Advancement of Knowledge. From the 
 'Pq/itions of Countries arifc not only their icvcral 
 Shapes, Manners, Cuftoms, Colours, but alfo their 
 different Arts and Studies. The Inland and Conti- 
 nent we fee do give Laws to Difcourfe, to Habits, 
 to Behaviour j butthofe that border upon the&rf?,afe 
 moft properly feated to bring home Matter for new 
 Sciences, and to make the fame Proportion of Difco- 
 veries above others in the intellectual Globe, as they 
 have done in the Material. 
 
 Uponthis Advantage of our Ifland,there is fo much 
 Strefs to be laid towards the Profpcrity of this Defign, 
 that if we mould fearch through all the World for 
 a perpetual Habitation, wherein the univerfal Philo- 
 ibphy might fettle itfelf, there can none be found, 
 ~2 which
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 87 
 
 which is comparable to London, of all the former, or 
 prefent Seats of Empire. Babylon, that was the Capi- 
 tal City of the firft Monarchy? was fituated in a Cham- 
 pion Country, had a clear and uncloudy Air ; and 
 was therefore fit enough to promote one part of natu- 
 ral Knowledge, the ObfervationsotthzHeavens: But 
 it was a Mid-land Town, and regarded not the Traf- 
 fick of Foreigners, abounding with, its own Luxury 
 and Riches. Memphis was improper, upon the fame 
 account 5 for Egypt was a Land content with its own 
 ^Plenty, admitting Strangers, rather to inftrud them, 
 than to learn any thing from them. Carthage flood not 
 fo well for a Refort for Thilofofhers, as for 'Pirates ; as 
 all thcAfrttan Shore continues at this Day. As for 
 Rome, its Fortune was read by Virgil'-, whenhefaid, 
 that it only ought to excel in the Arts of Ruling. Con- 
 ftantinople, though its prefent Maflers were not barba- 
 rous, yet is too much fhut up by the Straits of the Heir 
 lefpont. Vienna is a Frontier Town, and has no Com- 
 munication with the Ocean, but by a long Compafs a- 
 bout. Amfterdam is a place of Trade,without the Mix- 
 ture of Men of freer Thoughts. And, even 'Paris it- 
 felf, though it is far to be preferred before all the others 
 for theRefort of learned and inquifitive Men to it,yet is 
 lefs capable, for the fame Reafons for which Athens 
 was, by being the Seat of Gallantry, \hzArts of Speech, 
 m&Edtication. But it \s> London alone,that enjoys moft 
 of the other's Advantages without their Inconveni- 
 ences. It is the Head of a mighty Empire, the greateft 
 that ever commanded the Ocean : It is composed of 
 Gentlemen, as well as Traders : It has a large Inter- 
 courfe with all the Earth : It is, as the <Poets defcribe 
 their Houfe of Fame, a City, where all the Noifes and 
 Bufmefs in the World do meet 5 and therefore this 
 
 Honour
 
 fhe HISTORY of 
 
 Honour is juftly due to it, to be the conftant place of 
 Refidence for that KntwledgeJ which is to be made up 
 of the Reports and Intelligence of all Countries. 
 
 To this I will add j That we have another Help in 
 our Hands, which almoft forces this Crown on the 
 Head of the Englifr Nation : and that is, the noble and 
 inquifttive Genius of our Merchants. This cannot be 
 better fhcwn, than by comparing them with thofe 
 of that one Country, which only (lands in Compe- 
 tition wth us for Trade. The Merchants of England 
 live honourably in foreign Parts j thofe of Holland 
 meanly, minding their Gain alone : ours convcrfe 
 freely, and learn from all 5 having in their Behaviour 
 very much of the Gentility of the Families, from 
 which fo many of them arc defcended : The others 
 when they are abroad, fiiew, that they are only a 
 Race of plain Citizens, keeping thcmfclvcs mod with- 
 in their own Cells, and Warc-houfes ; fcarce regard- 
 ing the Acquaintance of any, but thofe with whom 
 they traffick. This Largenefs of ours, and Narrow- 
 nefs of their living,does,no doubt,conduce very much 
 to enrich them ; and is, perhaps, one of the Reafons 
 that they can fo eafdy under- fell us : But withal it 
 makes ours the moft capable &> theirs unfit, to promote 
 fuch mEnterprife, as this of which I am now fpeaking. 
 For indeed, the Effects of their fevcral Ways of Life 
 are as different : OfthcHotfanders, I need fay no more, 
 but of the Englifh Merchants 1 will affirm, that in all 
 forts of Politenefs, and Skill in the World and human 
 Affairs, they do not only excell them, but are equal 
 to any other fort of Men amongft us. 
 
 This I have fpoken, not to lefien the Reputation of 
 that induftriousTeople : But, that I might (if it were 
 .pofllble) inflame their Minds to an Emulation of this 
 
 Defign :
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. $9 
 
 Defign. They have all things imaginable to ftir them 
 upj they have the Examples of the greateft Witso 
 other Countries, who have left their own Homes, to 
 retire thither, for the Freedom of their Philofophical 
 Studies : They have one Place (I mean the Hague] 
 which may be foon made the very Copy of a Town 
 in the New Atlantis j which for its Pleafantnefs, and 
 for the Concourfe of Men of all Conditions to it, may 
 be counted, above all others, (except London) the 
 mod advantageoufly feated for this Service. 
 
 Thefe have been the Privileges and Practices of the 
 Royal Society, in Things foreign and native* It would 
 now be needlefs to fet down all the Steps of their Pro- 
 grefs about them 5 how they obferv'd all the Varieties 
 of Generations and Corruptions : > natural and artificial 5 
 all the Increafings and Leffenings, Agreements and Op- 
 pofitions of Things 5 how, having found out a Caufe, 
 they have applied it to many other Effects, and the 
 Effects to different Caufes ; how they are wont to 
 change the kiftruments, and Places, and Quantities of 
 Matter, according to Occafions : and all the other Sub- 
 tilties and Windings of Trial, which are almoft infinite 
 to exprefs. I mall only, in pafling, touch on thefe two 
 Things, which they have moft carefully confulted. 
 
 The one is, not to prefcribe to theinfelves any cer- 
 tain Art of Experimenting* within which to circum- 
 fcribe their Thoughts ; but rather to keep themfelves 
 free, and change their Courfe, according to the dif- 
 ferent Circumftances that occur to them in their Ope- 
 rations, and the feveral Alterations of the Bodies on 
 which they work. The true Experimenting has this 
 one thing infeparable from it, never to be a fixed and 
 fettled Art, and never to be limit edty conftant Rules* 
 This, perhaps, may be (hewn too in other Arts 5 as in 
 
 M that
 
 go The HISTORY of 
 
 that of Invention, of which, though in Logick and' 
 Rhetorick fo many Bounds and Helps are given, yet 
 I believe very few have argued or difcourfed by thofe 
 Topicks. But whether that be unconfin'd, or no, it is- 
 certain that Experimenting is, like that which is 
 called *Decence in human Life: which, though it be 
 that, by which all our Actions are to be fafhioned,. 
 and though many things may be plaufibly laid upon 
 it 5 yet it is never wholly to be reduced to {landing. 
 Precepts, and may almoft as eafily be obtain V, as 
 defin'd. 
 
 Their other Care has been, to regard the leaft and 
 the plaineft Things, and thole that may appear tf-firft 
 the moft inconfiderable, as well as the great eft Curio- 
 Jlties. This was vifibly neglc&cd by the Antients. The. 
 Hiftories of Tltny, Ariftotle, Solinus, ^/Elian, a- 
 bounding more with pretty Talcs, and rine moiiftrous 
 Stories, than foberand fruitful Relations. If they could 
 gather together fome extraordinary Qualities of Stones 
 or Minerals, fome Rarities of the Age, the Food, the 
 Co/our, the Shapes of Beafls, or fome Virtues of 
 Fountains, or Rivers, they thought they had per- 
 formed the chiefeft Part of Natural Hiftorians. But 
 
 ' thisCourfe is fubjeft to much Corruption: It is not 
 the true following of Nature > for that ftill goes on in 
 a fteady Road, nor is it fo extravagant, and fo artificial 
 in its Contrivances, as our Admiration, proceeding 
 from our Ignorance, makes it. It is alfo a Way that, 
 of all others, is moft fubjcft to be deceived ; for it 
 will make Men inclinable to bend the Truth much, 
 awry, to raife a fpecious Obfervation out of it. It flops 
 the fevere Progrefs of Inquiry, infecting the Mind, and 
 making it averfe from the true NaturalThilofophy : It 
 
 * is like Romances, in refpeft of True Hiftory -, which, 
 5 by
 
 oVAL SOCIETY; 91 
 
 by multiplying Varities of extraordinary Events and 
 furprifmg Circumftances> makes that feem dull and 
 taflelefs. And, to fay no more, the very Delight which 
 it raifes, is nothing fofolid; but, as the Satisfaction 
 of Fancy y it affeds us a little in the beginning, but 
 foon wearies and furfeits : Whereas a juft Htftory of 
 Nature, like the Pleafure of Reafon, would not be, 
 perhaps, fo quick and violent, but of far longer Con- 
 tinuance in its Contentment. 
 
 Their Matter being thus collected, has been^t; 
 brought before their weekly Meetings, to undergo a, 
 juft and a full Examination. In them their principal En- 
 deavours have been, that they might enjoy the Be- 
 nefits of a mix'dAJfembly, which are Largenefsof Ob- 
 fervation, and Diversity of Judgments, without the 
 Mifchiefs that ufually accompany it ; fuch as Confufi- 
 on, Unfteadinefs, and the little Animofities of divided 
 Parties. That they have avoided thefe Dangers for 
 the time paft, there can be no better Proof than their 
 conftant Pradicc 5 wherein they have perpetually 
 preferved a fingular Sobriety of debating, Slownefs 
 of confenting, and Moderation of diflenting. Nor 
 have they been only free from Fattion, but from the 
 very Caufes and Beginnings of it. It was in vain for 
 any Man amongft them, to ftrive to prefer himfelf be- 
 fore another ; or to feek for any great Glory from 
 the Subtilty of his Wit ; feeing it was the inartificial 
 Procefs of the Experiment, and not the Acutenefs of 
 any Commentary upon it, which they have had in Ve- 
 neration. There was no Room left, for any to attempt 
 to heat their own, or other's Minds, beyond a due 
 Temper; where they were not allowed to expatiate, 
 or amplify, or conneft fpecious Arguments together, 
 
 M 2 They
 
 7be HISTORY of 
 
 They could not be much exafperated one againft ano- 
 ther in their Difagreements, becaufe they acknow- 
 ledge, that there may be feveral Methods of Na- 
 ture, in producing the fame Thing, and all equally 
 good ; whereas they that contend for Truth by talk- 
 ing, do commonly fuppofe that there is but one Way 
 of finding it out. The Differences which fhould chance 
 to happen, might foon be compos'd 5 becaufe they 
 could not be grounded on Matters of Speculation, or 
 Opinion, but only of Senfe ; which are never wont 
 to adminifter fo powerful Occafions of Difturbance 
 and Contention, as the other. In brief, they have 
 efcaped the Prejudices thatufe to arife from Authori- 
 ty, from Inequality of Perfons,from Infinuations, from 
 Friendftips j but above all, they have guarded them- 
 felves againft themfelves, left the Strength of their 
 own Thoughts fhould lead them into Error ; left their 
 good Fortune in one Difcovery fhould prefently con- 
 fine them only to one way of Trial ; left their Fail- 
 ings fliould difcourage, or their Succefs abate their Di- 
 ligence. All thefe excellent philofophical Qualities 
 they have by long Cuftom made to become the pecu- 
 liar Genius of this Society ; and to dcfcend down to 
 their Succeflfors, -not only as circumftantial Laws* 
 which may be neglected, or altered, in the Courfe of 
 Time, but as the very Life of their Conftitution > to 
 remain on their Minds, as the Laws of Nature do in 
 the Hearts of Men ; which are fo near to us, that we 
 can hardly diftinguifh, whether they were taught us by 
 Degrees,or rooted in the very Foundation of our Being. 
 
 Seft. XV. It will not be here feafonablc, to fpeak much of 
 The Ceremo-the Ceremonies which they have hitherto obferved in 
 thefe Meetings-, becaufe they are aimed the fame, 
 
 which
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 93 
 
 which have been fince eftablifh'd by their Council^ 
 which we fliali have a more proper Occafion to pro- 
 duce hereafter. Let this only be laid in brief, to fa- 
 tisfy the curious. 
 
 The *Place where they hitherto aftembied, is Gre- 
 foam College*, where, by the Munificence of a Citi- 
 zen, there have been Leftures for feverai Arts in- 
 dowed fo liberally, that if it were beyond Sea, k 
 might well pafs for an CfotvtrjSp, And indeed, by a 
 rare Happinefs in the Conftitution (of which I know 
 not where to find the like Example) the ProfefTors 
 have been from the Beginning, and chiefly of late 
 Years, of the moft learned Men of the Nation ? though 
 the Choice has been wholly inthedifpofal of Citizens, 
 Here the Royal Society has one publick Room to meet 
 in, another for a Refojitory to keep their Inftruments, 
 Books, Rarities, Papers, and whatever elfe belongs to 
 them 5 making ufe befides, by Perm i (lion, of ieve- 
 ral of the other Lodgings, as their Occafions do re- 
 quire. And, when I confider the Place itfelf, methinks 
 it bears fome Likenefsto their Defign. It is now a Col- 
 lege, but was once the Manfioivhoufe of one of the 
 great eft Merchants that ever was in England: And 
 iiich a Thitofophy they would build 5 which fhould firft 
 wholly confift of Aft ion and Intelligence^ before it 
 be brought into Teaching and Contemplation. 
 
 Their Time is every 1Vednefday> after the Lefture 
 of thzAftronomy Profeffor; perhaps, in Memory of 
 the firft Occafions of the Rendezvoufes. 
 
 Their Elections, performed by Balloting j every 
 Member having a Vote 5 the Candidates being named 
 at one Meeting, and put to the Scrutiny at another. 
 
 Their chief Officer is the Trefident j to whom it 
 belongs to call, and diflblve their Mtet'mg$\ \o propofe. 
 
 the
 
 94 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 the Subjeft ; to regulate the Proceedings 5 to change 
 the Inquiry from one thing to another ; to admit the 
 Members who are clcfted. 
 
 Befides him, they had at firft a Regifter, who was 
 to take Notes of all that palled $ which were after- 
 wards to be reduced into their Journals and Regifter 
 Booh. This Task was firft perform d by Dr. Crovne. 
 But they fince thought it more neccflary, to appoint 
 two Secretaries, who are to reply to all Addrcflcs 
 from Abroad, and at Home ; and to publifh what- 
 ever fliall be agreed upon by the Society. Thefc are at 
 prefentjDr. Jilkins^\\& Mr. Oldenburghfism whom 
 I have not ufurp'd this firft Imploymcnt of that Kind ; 
 for it is only my Hand that goes, the Subftance and 
 Direction came from one of them. 
 
 This is all that I have to fay concerning their cere- 
 monial'Part. In moft other Things, they bounded 
 themfelves to no (landing Orders, there being nothing 
 more intended in fuch Circumftances, than Conveni- 
 ence and Order. If any mall imagine, they have 
 not limited themfelves to Forms enough, to keep up 
 the Gravity, and Solemnity of fuch an Entcrprize, 
 they are to confider, that fo much Exaftneis and Cu- 
 riofity of Obfervances, docs not fo well befit Inqui- 
 rers, zsSeffs of Philofophy, or Places appointed for 
 Education, or thofe who fubmit themfelves to the Se- 
 venty of fome religious Order. The Work which 
 the Society propofes to itfelf, being not fo fine, and 
 cafy, as that of Teaching is : but rather a painful dig- 
 ging, and toiling in Nature ; it would be a great In- 
 cumbrance to them, to be ftreightned to many ftrift 
 c P*9tftilros 5 as much as it would be to an Artificer , 
 to be loaded with many Clothes, while he is labour- 
 ing in his Shop. 
 
 But
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 But having made fo much Hafte thro' the formal 
 
 Tart of thefe their Meetings, I fhall not fo foon dif- 
 
 patch the fiibjlantialt) which confifts in directing, 
 
 judging, conjeffuring, improving, difcourjing, upon 
 
 Experiments. 
 
 Towards the firft of thefe Ends, it has been their Se<a. XVI. 
 ufual Courfe, when they themfelves appointed i 
 Trial, topropofeone Weekfome particular Expert- 
 ments, to beprofecuted the next $ and to debate be- 
 fore Hand, concerning all Things that might conduce 
 to the better carrying them on. In this preliminary 
 Collection, it has been the Cuftom, for any of the So- 
 ciety, to urge what came into their Thoughts, or Me- 
 mories concerning them 5 either from the Obfervati- 
 ons of others, or from Books, or from their own Ex- 
 perience, or even from common Fame itfelf. And in 
 performing this, they did not exercife any great Ri- 
 gour of choofing and. diftinguifhing between Truths 
 and Falfhoods : but amafs all together as they came, 
 the certain Works, the Opinions, the Gueffes, the In- 
 ventions, with their different Degrees and Accidents, 
 the Probabilities, the Problems, the general Con- 
 ceptions, the miraculous Stories, the ordinary Pro- 
 du&ions, the Changes incident to the fame Matter in 
 feveral Places, the Hindrances, the Benefits, of Airs, 
 or Seafons,Qi Inftruments > and whatever they found 
 to have been begun, to have failed, to have fucceed- 
 ed, in the Matter which was then under their Difqui- 
 fition. 
 
 This is a moft neceffary Preparation, to any that re- 
 folve to make a perfed Search. For they cannot but 
 go blindly, and lamely, and confufedly about theBufi^ 
 nefs, unlefs they have firft laid before them a full Ac- 
 count of it. I confefs the excellent Monfieur de$ 
 
 Cartes
 
 9 6 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 Cartes recommends to us another Way in \fofhikft- 
 phical Method , where he gives this Relation of his 
 own Progrefs ; that after he had run through the ufual 
 Studies of Youth, and fpent his firft Years in an active 
 Life ; when he retired to fearch into Truth^ he at once 
 rejededall the ImpreJJlons, which he had before re- 
 ceived, from what he had heaid and read, and wholly 
 gave himlelf over to a Reflection on the naked Ideas 
 of his own Mind. This he profefs'dto do, that he might 
 lay afide all his old Imaginations, and begin anew to 
 write on a white and unblotted Soul. This, perhaps, 
 is more allowable in Matters of Contemplation, and in 
 a Gentleman* whofe chief Aim was his own Delight j 
 and To it was in his own Choice, whether or no he 
 would go farther to feek it, than his own Mind : But 
 it can by no means (land with a practical and imivcrfal 
 Inquiry. It is impofllblc, but they, who will only 
 tranfcribe their own Thoughts, and difdain to mea- 
 fure or ftrengthen them by the Afliftance of others, 
 thouldbc in moft of their Apprehenfions too narrow, 
 and obfcure ; by fetting down Things for general, Y 
 which arc only peculiar to themfelves. It cannot be 
 avoided, but they will commit many grofs Miftakcs, 
 and beftow much ufelefs Pains by making themfelves 
 \vilfully ignorant of what is already known, and what* 
 concealed. It was tried among the Antients, to find 
 out the pure and primitive Language of the World, 
 by breeding up a Child fo, that he might never hear 
 any Man fpcak. But what was the Event of that 
 Trial ? Inftead of obtaining that End, the Child was 
 made abfolutely dumb thereby. And.the like Succefs 
 will that Thilofopher find, who fliall expect, that, by 
 the keeping his Mind free from the Tinflure of all o- 
 ther Ofinions, it ^will give him the original and un- 
 
 infefted
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 infeded Truths of Things. All Knowledge is to be 
 got the fame way that a Language is, by Indtiftry* 
 U/e, and Obfervation. It muft be received, before it 
 can be drawn forth. 'Tis true, the Mind of Man is a 
 Glafs, which is able to reprefent to itfelf, all the Works 
 of Nature : Bat it can only {hew thofe Figures, which 
 have been brought before it : It is no magical Glafs ^ 
 like that with which Aftrologers life to deceive the 
 ignorant ; by making them believe, that therein they 
 may behold the Image of any *Place y or 'Perfon in 
 the World, though ever fo far rcmov'd from it. I 
 know it may be here fuggeftcd ; that they, who bufie 
 themfelves much abroad about learning die judgments 
 of others, cannot be unprejudic'd in what they think. 
 But it is not the knowing* but the peremptory Addic- 
 tion to others Tenets, that fours and perverts the 
 Under flanding. Nay, to go farther ; that Man, who 
 is throughly acquainted with all Sorts of Opinions, is 
 very much more unlikely, to adhere obftinately to any 
 one particular, than he whole Head is only fill'd 
 with Thoughts, that are all of one Colour. 
 
 It being now fo requifite, to premife this general 
 Collection, it-could not be better made, than by the 
 joint Labours of the whole Society. It were an into- 
 lerable Burthen, if it were wholly caft on the Experi- 
 menters themfelves. For, it is not only true, that 
 thofe who have the beft Faculty of experimenting, are 
 commonly moft avcrfe from reading Books 5 and 
 fo it is fit, that this <DefecJ fhould be fupplied by- 
 other Pains : But alfo it would too much tire, and 
 wafte, or at lead divert their Spirits, before they came 
 to the main Work : Whereas the Task being fhar'd 
 amongft fo great a Number , will become not much 
 more than a Bufuiefs of 'Delight. Well then, by 
 
 N ' this
 
 9 8 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 this fa&Comment and ^Difcourfe upon ^Experiment; 
 he that is to try it, being prcient, and having fo good 
 an Opportunity T of comparing fo many other Men's 
 Conceptions with his own, and with the Thing it- 
 felf, muft needs have his Thoughts more cnlarg'd, his- 
 Judgment confirm'd, his Eyes opcn'd to difccrn, what 
 moft compendious Helps may be provided ; what 
 part of it is more or lefs ufcful, and upon what fide is 
 may be beft attempted : The Truths^ which he learns 
 this way, will be his Pattern 5 the Errors will be his 
 Sea-marks, to teach to avoid the fame Dangers 5 the 
 very Falfhoodsthemfelveswill lervc tocnlarge,though 
 they do not inform his Underfl andmg. And, indeed, 
 a thoufand more Advantages will hereby come into 
 the Minds of the moft fagacious and acute Inquirers, 
 which they would never have compafs'd, if they had 
 been only left to thcmfclves. I remember my Lord 
 Bacon fomewherc fays 5 That it is one of the great eft 
 Secrets of Nature, that Men's TaJJions are more capa- 
 ble of being rais'd to higher 'Degrees in Company, than 
 in Solitude ; and that we fooner grieve, fear, rejoice, 
 love, admire, when we behold many others fo movd, 
 than when we are alone. This is true ; and the fame 
 may -be as well affirm'd of rnoft other Actions of the 
 Mind. In Affemblies, the Wits of moft Men arc 
 {harper, their Apprehenfions readier, their Thoughts 
 fuller, than in their Clofets. Of this there is an un- 
 doubted Proof in the Art offpeaking. For, let the 
 wittieft and moft eloquent Men think as largely as 
 they can, on any Subject in private , yet, when they 
 come into the publick, and eipccially, when they have 
 heard others fpeak before them, their Argument ap- 
 pears quite another thing to them; their former Ex- 
 preflions fcem too flat and cold for their pretent 
 
 Thoughts i
 
 the ROYAL So c IE TV. 99 
 
 Thoughts 5 their Minds fwcll, and are cnlightncd, 
 as if at that time they were poflefs'd with the Souls 
 of the whole Multitude, before whom they ftand. 
 
 Thofc, to whom the Condud of the Experiment Se<a. VII. 
 is committed, being difmifs'd with thcfe Advantages, ?** tr j*^f* 
 do, as it were, carry the Eyes and the Imaginations^^ J 
 of the whole Company into the Laboratory with Faff. 
 them. And after they have performed the Trial, they 
 bring all the Hiflory of its ^Procefs back again to the 
 Teft. Then com^s in the fecond great Work of the 
 jdffembly ; which is to judge and refolve upon the 
 Matter of Faff. In this Part of their Imployment, 
 they us'd to take an exad View of the Repetition of 
 the whole Courfe of the Experiment -, here they ob- 
 ferv'd all the Chances^ and the Regularities of the 
 Proceedings what Nature does willingly, whatcon- 
 ftrain'd ; what with its own Power, what by the Suc- 
 cours of Art ; what in a conftant Road, and what 
 with fome kind of Sport and Extravagance; induftri- 
 oufly marking all the various Shapes into which it 
 turns itfelf, when it is purfued, and by how many fc- 
 cret Pafiages it at laft obtains its End ; never giving it 
 over till the whole Campany has been fully fatisfied of 
 the Certainty and Conftancy 5 or, on the other fide, 
 of the abfolute Impofllbility of the EfFed. This cr/- 
 ticalm&reiterated Scrutiny of thofe Things, which 
 are the plain Objeds of their Eyes, muft needs put 
 out of all reafonable Difputc the Reality of thofe 
 Operations, which the Society fhall pofitively deter- 
 mine to have fucceeded. If any fhall ftill think it a 
 }v& philosophical Lib eny^ to be jealous of reft ing on 
 their Credit, they are in the right ; and their ^iffent- 
 jngs will be moft thankfully receiv'd, if they be cfta- 
 bliih'd on folid Works^and not only on ^Prejudices, or 
 
 N 2 Sufpicions.
 
 I00 The HISTORY of 
 
 Sufficient. To the Royal Society it will beat any time 
 almoft as acceptable, to be confuted, as to discover > 
 feeing, by this means, they will accomplifh their 
 main 'De/ign : others will be inflam'd 5 many more 
 will labour j and ib the Truth will be obtain'd be- 
 tween them 5 which may be as much promoted by 
 the Contentions of Hands, and Eyes 5 as it is com- 
 monly injur'd by thofe of Tongues. However, that 
 Men may not hence undervalue their Authority* be- 
 caufe they themfclvcs are not willing to impote, and 
 to uiiirp a 'Dominion over their Reafon\ I will tell 
 diem,that there is not any one Thirtg, which is now ap- 
 prov'd and praftis'd in the World, that is confirm'd 
 by ftronger Evidence, than this which the Society 
 requires - y except only the Holy Myfteries of our 
 Religion. In almoft all other Matters of Belief-, of 
 Opinion, or of Science, the A durance, whereby Men 
 are guided, is nothing near ib firm, as this. And I 
 dare appeal to all fiber Men ; whether, feeing in all 
 Countries, that are govcrn'd by Laws, they expect 
 no more, than the Content of two or three Wit* 
 nefies in Matters of Life and Eftate ; they will not 
 think, they arc fairly dealt withal in what concerns 
 their Kjwvltdgf, if they have the concurring Tcfti- 
 monies of Threefcore or an Hundred. 
 
 The HiflW of the Trial performed being thus fe- 
 cur '^> ^ ^^ next declare, what Room they allowed for 
 conjecluring upon the Caufts ; about which they alfo 
 took fome Pains, though in a far different Way from 
 the antient 'Philofophers 5 amongft whom, fcarce any 
 thing elfe was regarded, but fath general Contempla- 
 tions. This indeed is \\\z fatal *Poznt y about which To 
 many of the greateft Wits of all Ages have mifcar- 
 
 ricd 5
 
 tRe ROYAL SOCIETY. 101 
 
 ; and commonly, the greater the Wit, the more 
 has been the Danger : So many wary Steps ought to 
 be trodden in this uncertain Path j fuch a Multitude of 
 pleafing Errors,, falfe Lights* difguifed Lies, deceit- 
 ful Fancies muft be efcap'd ; fo much Care muft be 
 taken to get into the right Way at firft ; fo much, to 
 continue in it ; and at laft, the greateft Caution ftill 
 remaining to be us'd 5 left when the Treafure is in our 
 View, we undo all, by catching at it too loon, with 
 too greedy and rafh a Hand. Thefe and many more 
 are the Difficulties to be pafs'd 5 which I have here 
 with lets Apprehenfion reckon'd up,becaufe theReme- 
 dy is fo nigh. To this Work therefore the Society ap- 
 pioachcs, with as much Circumfpeftion and Mode- 
 fly, as human Couniels are capable of: They have 
 been cautious, to fhun the overweening 'Dogmatizing 
 on Caufes on the one Hand 5 and not to fall into a 
 fpecttlati've Scepticifm on the other ; and whatever 
 Caules they have with juft Deliberation found to hold 
 good they ftill make them increafe their Benefits, by 
 farther experimenting upon them ; and will not per- 
 mit them to ruft or corrupt, for want of Ufc. If afte*: 
 all this, they fhall not feem wholly to have removed the 
 Mifchiefs, that attend this hazardous Matter ; they 
 ought rather to be judg'd, by what they have done 
 towards it above others, than by what they have not: 
 provided againftj feeing the Thing itfelf is of that 
 Nature, that it is impoflible to place the Minds of. 
 Men beyond all Condition of erring about it. 
 The firft "Darner that I fhall obferve in this kind, is 
 
 Q 
 
 an over-hafty? ^^precipitant concluding upon the. 
 Caufes before-thc EjfecJs have been enough fearch'd . 
 into ; a finifhing the Roof before the Foundation has 
 been well laid, for this, I fhall firft alkdge this Cure 5 
 7 that*
 
 HISTORY of 
 
 that though the Experiment was but the private Task 
 of one or two, or ibmc fuch fmall number; yet the 
 conjecturing, and debating on its Confluences, was 
 ftifl the Imployment of their full and folemn Affem- 
 blies. I have already, upon fcveral Occafions, preferr'd 
 Companies before Jtng/e Endeavours in philosophical 
 Matters ; and yet 1 am not aftiam'd here to repeat it 
 again; efpecially, feeing in this place it is moft appa- 
 rent, to which of them the Prerogative of Freedom, 
 and Clearnefs of Judging belongs. To this Purpofe 
 I {hall affirm, that there can never be found, in the 
 Breaft of any particular Thilofopher, as much Wari- 
 ncfs, and Coldnefs of Thinking, and rigorous Exa- 
 mination, as is needful, to a (olid Affent, and to a 
 hftingG?7W/tf/fo#,on the whole Frame of Nature. How 
 can it be imagin'd, that any (ingle Mind can compre- 
 hend and fuftain long enough the Weight of fo many 
 different O/>/tf/<772J, and infinite Obfervations -, when 
 even the beft Mathematicians arc foon tir'd with a 
 long Train of the moft delightful 'Propojitions, which 
 were before made to their Hands ? Or, if there could 
 be a Man of that Vaftncfs of Soul ; yet, how can we be 
 afiur'd,that he would hold the Scale even ? Where have 
 \ve ever had an Example of fo much Streightncls and 
 Impartiality of Judgment, to perfuadc us, that the 
 calmefl^Philofopher will not be infcnfibly inclin'd to 
 prefer his own 'Doctrines, before thofe of a Stranger ? 
 We fee all the World flatter themlelves in their 
 Strength, Beauty? nay, even (as fome have noted) in 
 their very Statures ", the lowed Men fcarce believing, 
 but that they are tali enough. Why then fhould they be 
 fingly trufted in theirVotes about their own Thoughts j 
 where the Comparifon of Wit makes them more ea- 
 gerly concern'd > If we follow the Thilofopher home 
 
 into
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 163 
 
 into his Study, we (hall quickly difcover, by how 
 mznyplaufible'Degrees, the wifeft Men are apt to de- 
 ceive themfelves into zfudden Confidence of the Cer- 1( 
 tainty of their Knowledge. We will fuppofc him to 
 begin his Inquiry with all the Sincerity imaginable : 
 refolving to pals by no fmall Miftake, and to forgive 
 to himfelf no flight Error in the Account > with thefe 
 fair ^PurpofeSy he pitches on fome particular Subjeft -, 
 this he turns and tortures every way, till, after much 
 Labour, he can make fome Queries at its Caufes : up- 
 on this his Induftry increafes j he applies the fame Mat- 
 ter to feveral other Operations 5 he ftill finds the Effefts 
 anfwer his Expectations : Now he begins to mould 
 fome general Tropofition upon it; he meets with 
 more and more Proofs to confirm his Judgment : thus 
 he grows, by little and little, warmer in his Imaginati- 
 ons 5 theDelight of his Succefs fwelJs him 3 he triumphs 
 and applauds himfelf for having found out fome im- 
 portant Truth: But now his Trial begins to (lackenj 
 now Impatience and Security creep upon him ; now 
 he carelefly admits whole Crowds of Teftimonies,that 
 feem any way to confirm that Opinion^ which he had 
 before eftabliih'd j now he flops his Survey, which 
 ought to have gone forward to many more *P articu- 
 lar s j and fo at laft thisjincere, this invincible Obfer- 
 *ver, out of Wearinefs, or Prefumption, becomes the 
 moft negligent in the latter part of his Work, in which 
 he ought to have been the moft exad. Such is the uni- , 
 verfal Inclination of Mankind, to be mifled by them- 
 felves 5- which I have mention'd, not to beat down the 
 Credit of any particular ^Philofophers^ whofc Super- 
 ftruftures have not been anfwerablc to the Strength of 
 their firft Affertions^ but I have only complain'd of it 
 in general, as we ufc to do of Man's iVLortaliry, and be- 
 ing 
 
 5
 
 104 . Tie HISTORY of 
 
 ing fubjea toDifcafes; the aggravating of which com- 
 mon Infirmities can never be eftccm'd by any private 
 Man, as an effect of Malice or ill Nature. 
 
 But now, on the other fide, this TDoubtfulnefs of 
 Thoughts, this Fluctuation, this Slownefs of conclud- 
 ing, which is fo ufeful in this Cafe, is lo natural to a 
 Multitude of Counfellors, that is frequently urg'd a- 
 gainft them, as their inseparable Imperfection. Every 
 Man has this Argument in his Mouth, wherewith to 
 condemn a great and mixt Number of Advifers ; that 
 their ^Deliberations arc fo tedious, that commonly the 
 Seafons of Action arc loft, before they can come to any 
 Rcfult. Tistrue, this Unweildinefs, and want of Dil- 
 patch, is moft destructive in Matters of State and Go- 
 vernment j as Chrlftcndom lately felt : But it has a 
 quite contrary influence on 'Philojbphy. It is not here 
 the moft fpeedy, or the fwifteft Determination of 
 Thoughts, thar will do theBufincfs : here many De- 
 lays are requir'd : here he that can make zfolidOb- 
 j eft ion, or ask a fiafonable &iteftion t will do more 
 Good, than he who fliall boldly fix on a hundred ill- 
 grounded Refolutions. Every Rub is here to be 
 fmooth'd 5 every Scruple to be plan'd ; every thnij, to be 
 forcfccn; the Satisfaction of the Reafon of all pall,pre- 
 fent, and future Times to be defign'd : fo that here, 
 that which is fo much cried down in ^Policy, a driving 
 ilill to do better, can never be too much regarded. 
 
 Nor is the Society only fore-arm'd againft this great 
 Inconvenience, thisRafhnefs of fettling upon Caufcs, 
 by the Multitude of Judges that are to be fatisficd; 
 but alfo by their indifferent hearing of all ConjecJures, 
 that may be made from the Tenets of any Sect of 
 'Philofophy i and by touching every Effect that comes 
 bsfote them, upon all the Varieties of Opinions^ 
 
 that
 
 the ROY A L SOCIETY; 105 
 
 that have been either of late found out, or revtv'd. 
 By this Equality of Rcfpeft to all Parties, it has al- 
 lowed a fufficientTimc to ripen whatever it debated : 
 By this too it has made itfelf the common Cherifh- 
 er and Umpire of them all ; and has taken the right 
 Way of finding out, what is good in any one of them. 
 A Courfc, which if the Antientshad more followed, 
 their Seas would not fo foon have deftroy'd each o- 
 ther. It was a moft perverfe Cuftom amongft their 
 Difciplcs, not to make any ftrtftCfoice, to leave fome,, 
 and embrace others of their M afters Doctrines, but 
 tofwallow -all at once. He that became a Stoick, an 
 Epicurean, a Teripatetick,'m L0gick,or MoralThi- 
 lofofhy^ or Thyjicks, never ftuck prefently to aflent 
 to whatever his Founder had faid in all the other 
 Sciences 5 tho' there was no Kind of Connexion be- 
 tween his Doctrines in the one, and the other. 
 Thus was the whole Image of 'Philofophy formed in 
 their Minds all together : and what they received fo 
 carelefly, they defended the fame way j not in Par- 
 cels, but in Grofs. Of this the Errors are apparent; 
 forbyfo partially believing all forts of Tenets, they 
 had no Time to be fully convinced; and fo became ra- 
 t\\w formal Affertcrs of them, titeH judicious. And by 
 thus adhering to all, without making any Diftinclion 
 between the Truths and Falfhoods, Weaknefles and 
 Strengths of their Seffs ; they denied to themfclvcs a 
 far more calm and fafe Knowledge-, which might have 
 been compounded out of them all, by fetching fome- 
 thing from one, and fomcthing from another. 
 
 This the Royal Society did well forefee ; and there- 
 fore did not regard the Credit of Names, but Things : 
 rejecting or approving nothing, becaufe of the Title 
 which it bears 5 preferving to itfelf the Liberty of re- 
 
 O fufmg
 
 ,o6 The HISrORT of 
 
 fufing or liking, as it found ; and fo advancing its 
 Stock, by a ptre and a double Increase ; by adding new 
 1) if cover ics> and retaining ant tent Truths. A Large- 
 neis and Generofity, which certainly is an excellent 
 Omenof its EftablUhmcnt. In this, methinks, it excels 
 any other Sett ; as the Roman Commonwealth did that 
 of Venice. The latter began upon a fmall Stock, and 
 has been careful to preferve itfelf unminglcd, beftow- 
 ing the Freedom of its City very fparingly : And we 
 fee, it has been (till on the dcfenlive, making no great 
 Progrefs in the World ; whereas the Romans^ by afar 
 more frank and honourable Counfel, admitted all, 
 that defircd to be their Confederates ; gave the Liber- 
 ty of Roman Citizens to whole Towns and Coun- 
 tries 5 excluded none, but thole that would obftinately 
 ftand out 5 and fo dcfervedly extended their Empire, 
 as far ss the Bounds of the civil Wor Id &\& reach. 
 
 The fecond Mifchicf in this great matter of Caufcs 
 is an eternal Infl ability and Averfan from afligning of 
 any. This arifes from a violent and imprudent Haftc 
 to avoid the firft. So eafy is the Paflage from one 
 Extreme to another ; and fo hard it is to Hop in that 
 little Point, wherein the Right docs confift. The 
 Truth is, they arc both almoft equally pernicious j 
 nothingy2w^is to be expected from thole, who will 
 fix blindly on whatever they can lay hold on 5 and no- 
 thing^r^ from them, who will always wander; who 
 will never leave difputing, whether they dream, or 
 wake, whether there is any Motion, whether they 
 have any Being, or no ; the one can produce nothing 
 butunwbolfomeznd rotten fruits ; and the other ^ for 
 Fear of that, will endeavour to have no Harvejl, nor 
 Autumn at all. 
 
 To this Fault of ScepticalT)oubting,\\\z Royal So- 
 ciety
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY*. 107 
 
 ciety may perhaps be fufpefted to be a little too much 
 inclined ; becanfe they always profefTed to be fo back- 
 ward from fettling of 'Principles ', or fixing upon 'Doc- 
 trines. But if we fairly conftdcr their Intentions, we 
 lhall foon acquit them. Though they are not yet very 
 daring, in eftablifhing Conclufions, yet they lay no 
 Injunctions upon their SuccefTors not to do the fame, 
 when they fhall have got a fufficient Store for fuch 
 a Work. It is their Study, that the way to attain a 
 folid Speculation fhould every Day be more and more 
 purfuedj which is to be done by a long forbearing 
 of Speculation at firft, till the Matters be ripe for it ; 
 and not by madly rufhing upon it in the very begin- 
 ning. Though they do not contemplate much on the 
 general Agreements of Things, yet they do on the 
 particular 5 from whence the others alfo will in 
 time be deduced. They are therefore as far from 
 being Scepticks, as the greateft c Dogmatifts them- 
 iclves. The Scepticks deny all, both *DocJrines and 
 Works. The 'Dogmatifls determine on *Do}rmes y 
 without a fufficient refpedto Works : and this Afiem- 
 foly, though we fhould grant that they have wholly o- 
 mitted 'Dotfrines, yet they have been very pofitive and 
 affirmative in their Works. But more than this, it 
 muft alfo be confefs'd, that fometimcs after a full In- 
 fpedion, they have ventured to give the Advantage of 
 Probability to one Opinion, or Caufe, above ano- 
 ther : Nor have they run any manner of Hazard by 
 thus concluding. For firft, it is likely, they did hit 
 the right, after fo long, fo punftual, and fo gradual 
 an Examination : or if we fuppofe the worft, that they 
 fhould fomctimes judge amifs (as we cannot but allow 
 they may, feeing it will not be jufttobeftow Infalli- 
 bility on them alone, while we deny it to all others) 
 
 O 2 yet 
 

 
 fbe HI STO RY f 
 
 yet they have taken Care, that their weaker Reafon- 
 itiffSy and even their Errors, cannot be very prejudicial 
 to Pofterity. The Caufes upon which they have agreed, 
 they did not prcfcntly extend beyond their dueStrcngtli 
 to all other Things, that fcem.to bear Ibmc llclem- 
 blance to what they tried. Whatever they have rc- 
 folvcd upon,they have not reported as unalterable T>e- 
 wonft rat ions, butzsprefent Appearances'-, delivering 
 down to future Ages, with the good Succcfs of the 
 Experiment, the Manner of their Pi-ogrcls, the Inftru- 
 merits^ and the fcveral Differences of the Matter ', 
 which they have applied j fo that with their Miitakc, 
 they give them alib the Means of finding it out. To 
 this 1 fhall add, that they have never affirmed any 
 thing concerning the Caufe, till the Trial was pad: 
 whereas, to do it before, is a mod venomous thing in 
 the making of Sciences ; for whoever has fixed on his 
 Caufe before he has experimented, can hardly avoid 
 fitting his Experiment, and his Obfcrvations, to his 
 ownCaufe, which he had before imagin'd, rather than 
 the Caufe to the Truth of the Experiment itfclf. Bur, 
 in a word, they have hitherto made little other Benefit 
 of the Caufes, to which they have contented, than that 
 thereby they might have a firm footing, whereon new 
 Operations may proceed. And for this Work, I mean 
 a Continuation and Variation of the Inquiry ', the trac- 
 ing of zfalfe Caufe doth very often fo much conduce, 
 that, in the Progrcfs, fhtrtght has becndiicover'd by ir. 
 It is not to be qucflion'd, but many Inventions of great 
 Moment have been brought forth by Authors, \vho 
 began upon Suppofitions, which afterwards they 
 found to be untrue. And it frequently happens to 
 'Pbibfophers, as it did to Columbus ; who firft belicv'd 
 the Clouds, that hover'd about the Continent, to be 
 
 the
 
 t&e RoyAL SOCIETY. 
 
 the firm Land: But this Miftake was happy 5 for, by 
 iailing towards them, he was led to what he fought 5 
 fo by profecuting of mistaken Cattfts, with a Refolu- 
 tion of not giving over the Purfuit, they have been 
 guided to the Truth itfdf. 
 
 The laft Defect is the rcndring of Caufcs barren; 
 that when they have been found out, they have been 
 fufTcrcd to lye idle ; and have been only us'd to in- 
 creale Thoughts, and not Works. This Negligence is 
 of all others the.moft dangerous j it is a Skif wrack in 
 the end of the Voyage, and thence the more to JDC piti- 
 ed : It is a Corruption, that both hinders Additions, 
 and eats .out the Knowledge that has been already ob- 
 tained : It is the Fault ot'Philofophers, and not of meer 
 Inquirers j of thofe that have bccnfaccefefu/, and not 
 of the unfortunate in their Search; and therefore it is 
 as the Mifcarriages of thofe, .that are profperous in hu- 
 man Actions j- which are always obferv'd to be more 
 dcftructive, and harder to be cured, than the Failings 
 of the Afflicted, or thofe that arc ftill in Purfuit. 
 
 To this the Royal Society has applied a double Pre- 
 vention, both by endeavouring to ftrike out new/ JZrwinr 
 Arts> as they go along 5 and alfo, by ftill improving 
 all to new Experiments. 
 
 Of the Pofllbility of their performing the firft, and 
 the Method* which is to be taken about it, 1 mall 
 fhortly fpeak in another Place : It is enough here, to 
 fty, that by this, they have taken Care to fatisfy the 
 Hopes of t\\z pr efent Times ; which elfe might juftly 
 languifh, and grow cold about this Enterprife ; if they 
 once faw, that nothing would be ripe in their Days ; 
 but that all was to come up hereafter^ for the Advan- 
 tage of thofe that are yet unborn. They confulted 
 
 4 th'e
 
 IIO We HISTORY of 
 
 the Good of future Times, but [have not ncglcclcd 
 their ir&n ; 'they have pmftis'd both the Parts of good 
 Husbandry, planting Trees, and {owing-Corn. This 
 hitter, for their own fpecdy J Bcncfitand Support ; and 
 the other for the Profit, and Ornament of after- 
 Ages. 
 
 - "Nor have they fuffcr'd their Diligence tobefwal- 
 lowcd up, by the Plcafurcs and Enjoyments otprefent 
 Difcoverics; but have tfill fubmittcd their nobleft 
 Inventions, to be made Instruments and Means for 
 the finding out of others. This certainly is the moft 
 <:omprchenfive "and unerring Method; at once to 
 make ufe of that Afliftance they give, and to force 
 them to be farther helpful to greater Ends. There is 
 nothing of all the Works of Nature fo inconfidcrable, 
 fo remote, or fo fully known ; but, by being made 
 torefleft on other Things, it will at once enlighten 
 them, and fhcw itfelf the clearer. Such is the De- 
 pendence amongft all the Orders of Creatures 5 the in- 
 animate, the fenfitivc, the rational, the natural, the 
 artificial 5 that the Apprchenfion of one of them is 
 a good Step towards the undcrftanding of the reft: 
 And this is the highcft Pitch of hitman Reafon ; to 
 follow all the Links of this Chain, till all their Se- 
 crets are open to our Minds, and their Works ad- 
 vanced, or imitated by our Hands. This is truly to 
 command the World ; to rank all the Varieties, and 
 'Degrees of Things, fo orderly one upon another, 
 that (landing on the Top of them, we may perfectly 
 behold all that are below, and make them all fcrvicc- 
 ableto the Quiet, and Peace, and Plenty of Man's Life. 
 And to this Happinefs, there can be nothing clfc ad- 
 ded ; but that we make a fecond Advantage of this ri- 
 flng Ground^ thereby to look the nearer into Heaven : 
 
 An
 
 the R o Y A L S o c .( E T v. 111 
 
 An Ambition, which though it was punifhed in the 
 old World by an universal Confufion, when it was 
 managed with Impiety and Infolence ; yet, when it is 
 carried on by that Humility and Innocence, which can 
 never be feparated from true Knowledge j when it is 
 defigned, not to ^rawthe Creator of all Things, but 
 to admire him the more \ it mud needs be the utmoft 
 Perfection of human Nature. 
 
 Thus they have directed, judged, conjedur'd upon, Sea. XX. 
 and improved Experiments. But laftly, in thefe, and etr f m jL"~ 
 all other Bufineffes, that have come under their Care j^rfe. ' 
 there is one thing more, about which the Society has 
 been moil felicitous , and that is. the manner of their 
 'Diftourfej which, unlefs they had been very watch- 
 ful to keep in due Temper, the whole Spirit and Vi- 
 gour of their 'Dejign had been foon eaten out, by the 
 luxury and Redundance of Speech. The ill Effects of 
 this Superfluity of Talking, have already overwhelmed 
 moil other Ar.ts and ^ProfeJJtons--, infomuch, that when 
 1 confider the Means of happy Living-, and the Caufes 
 pf their Corruption, I can hardly forbear recanting 
 what I faid before 5 and concluding, that Eloquence 
 ought to be banilhed cut of all civil Societies* as a 
 thing fatal to Peace and good Manners. To this Opi- 
 nion I fhould wholly incline, if I did not find, that it 
 is a Weapon, which may be as eafily procur'd by bad 
 Men, zsgoodi and that, if thefe mould only caft ita- 
 way, and thofe retain it -5 the naked Innocence of Vir- 
 tue would be, upon all Occafions, exposed to the arm- 
 ed Malice of the Wicked. This is the chief Rea- 
 fon, that Ihould now keep up the Ornament of Speak- 
 ing in any Requeil, fuice they are fo much degenerat- 
 ed from their original Ufcfulnefs. They were at firil, 
 &r * 2 no
 
 II2 The HISfORr of 
 
 no doubt, an admirable Inftrumcnt in the Hands of 
 wife Men-, when they were only employ'd todcfcribe 
 Goodnefs, Honefty, Obedience, in larger, fairer, and 
 more moving Images $ to reprefcntTV?//^ cloath'd with 
 Bodies, and to bring Knowledge back again to our very 
 SenfeSjfrom whence it was atrirfl dcriv'd to our Undcr- 
 ftandings. But now they are generally chang'd to worfc 
 Ufes j they make the Fancy difguft the beft Things, if 
 they come found and unadorn'd ; they are in open De- 
 fiance againft Reafon ; profciTing not to hold much 
 Correfpondcncc with that; but with its Slaves, the 
 c Pajfions*-> they give the Mind a Motion too change- 
 able and bewitching, to confift with right Traffice. 
 Who can behold, without Indignation, how many 
 Mifts and Uncertainties, thcfc fpecious Tropes and Fi- 
 ' gitreshzvc brought on our Knowledge? How many 
 Rewards, which arc due to more profitable and diffi- 
 cult Art s^ have been ftill fnatch'd away by the cafy 
 Vanity of fne Speaking ! For now I am warm'd with 
 this juft Anger, I cannot with-hold my felf, trom be- 
 traying the Shallowncfs of all thcfc fecming Myftcrics ; 
 upon which, we Writers, and Speaker 'S, look ib big. 
 And in few Words, I dare fay, that of all the Stu- 
 dies of Men, nothing may be fooner obtain'd, than 
 this vicious Abundance of Tforafe, this Trick vfMeta- 
 fhorSj this Volubility of Tongue? which makes Ib great 
 a Noifc in the World. But 1 fpend Words in Vain ; 
 for the Evil is now fo inveterate, that it is hard to know 
 whom to blame, or where to begin to reform. We 
 all value one another fo much, upon this beautiful De- 
 ceit; and labour fo long after it, in the Years of 
 our Education ; that we cannot but ever after think 
 kinder of it, than itdcfcrvcs. And indeed, in mod 
 jotker Parts of Learning, I look on it to be a Thing al~ 
 
 mod
 
 fie ROYAL SOCIETY." 
 
 ikoft utterly defperate in its Cure ; and I think it 
 may be plac'd amongft thofe genera! Mifchiefs > fuch 
 as the ^iffention of Chriftian Princes, the Want of 
 *Pralice in Religion, and the like 5 which have been 
 fo long fpoken againft, that Men are become infcnfi- 
 ble about them ; every one fhifting off the Fault from 
 himfelf to others; and fo they are only made bare 
 Common Places of Complaint. It will fuffice my 
 prefent Purpofe, to point out, what has been done 
 by the Royal Society > towards the correcting of its 
 Exceffes in natural Thilofbphy ; to which it is, of 
 all others, a moft profeft Enemy. 
 
 They have therefore been more rigorous in put- 
 ting in Execution the only Remedy, that can be found 
 for this Extravagance -, and that has been a conftant 
 Refolution, to rejed all the Amplifications, Digrefll- 
 ons, and Swellings of Style ; to return back to the 
 primitive Purity and Shortnefs, when Men deliver'd 
 Ib many Things, almoft in an equal Number of 
 Words. They haveexaded from all their Members, 
 a clofe, naked, natural way of Speaking; pofitiveEx- 
 preflions, clear Senfcs ; a native Eafinefs ; bringing all 
 Things as near the mathematical Plainnefsasthey can ; 
 and preferring the Language of Artizans,Countrymen, 
 and Merchants, before that of Wits, or Scholars. 
 
 And here, there is one Thing not to be pafs'd by * 
 which will render this eftabliih'd Cuftom of the So- 
 ciety well nigh everlafting ; and that is the general 
 Conftitutionof the Minds of the Englifh. I have al- 
 ready often inftfted on fome of the Prerogatives of 
 England $ whereby it may juftly lay Claim, to be the 
 Head of a philofophtcal League , above all other Coun- 
 tries in Europe : 1 have urg\l its Situation, its prefent 
 Genius, and the Difpofition of its Merchants j and 
 
 P many
 
 II4 fbe HISTORY of 
 
 many mote fuch Arguments to encourage us, ftill re- 
 main to be us'd : But of all others, this which I 
 am now alledging, is of the moft weighty and impor- 
 tant Confidcration. If there can be a true Charac- 
 ter given of the universal Temper of any Nation 
 under Heaven; then certainly this muft be afcrib'd 
 to our Countrymen ; that they have commonly an 
 unaffc&ed Sincerity 5 that they love to deliver their 
 Minds with a found Simplicity ; that they have the 
 middle Qualities, between the rcferv'd fubtile South- 
 ern, and the rough unhewn Northern People; that 
 they are not extremely prone to fpeak; that they are 
 more concern'd what others will think of theStrcngth, 
 than of the Finenefs of what they lay 5 and that an 
 univerfal Modefty poflefl.es them. Thcfe Qualities 
 are fo confpicuous, and proper to our Soil ; that we 
 often hear them objected to us, by fome of our Neigh- 
 bour Satyrifts, in more difgraceful Expreflions. for 
 they are wont to revile the Engtifh, with a want of 
 Familiarity; with a melancholy Dumpiflmefs; with 
 Slownefs, Silence, and with the unrctin'd Sullennefs 
 of their Behaviour. But thefe are only the Reproaches 
 of Partiality, or Ignorance $ for they ought rather 
 to be commended for an honourable Integrity j for a 
 Negled of Circumftanccs and Flourifhes 5 for re- 
 garding Things of greater Moment, more than lefs ; 
 for a Scorn to deceive as well as to be deceived 5 which 
 are all the beft Indowments, that can enter into 
 * philofophical Mind. So that even the Pofition of 
 our Climate, the Air, the Influence of the Heaven, the 
 Compofition of the Englifh Blood j as wel 1 as the Em- 
 braces of the Ocean, feem to join with the Labours of 
 the Royal Society ,\Q render our Country a Land of ex- 
 perimental Knowledge. And it is a good Sign, that 
 
 Nature
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 115 
 
 Nature will reveal more of its Secrets to the English, 
 than to others j becaufe it has already furninYd them 
 with a Genius fo well proportioned, for the receiv- 
 ing and retaining its Myfteries. 
 
 And now, to come to a Clofe of the fecond Part of 
 the Narration : The Society has reduc'd its principal j^' 
 Obfervations, into one common Stock ; and laid them 
 up in publick Regiflers, to be nakedly transmitted 
 to the next Generation of Men $ and fo from them, 
 to their Succeffbrs. And as their Purpofe was, to heap 
 up a mixt Mafs of Experiments* without digefting 
 them into any perfect Model 5 fo to this End, they 
 confin'd themielves to no order of Subjects ; and 
 whatever they have recorded, they have done it, not 
 as complete Schemes of Opinions^ but as bare unfi- 
 nifh'd Hiftories. 
 
 In the Order of their Inquifitions, they have been 
 fo free, that they have fometimes committed them- 
 felves to be guided, according to the Seafons of the 
 Year j fometimes, according to what any Foreigner^ 
 or Englifh Artificer, being prefent, has fuggefted $ 
 fometimes, according to any extraordinary Accident 
 in the Nation, or any other Cafualty, which has hap- 
 hed in their Way. By which roving and unfettled 
 Courfe, there being feldom any Reference of one 
 Matter to the next ; they have prevented others, nay 
 even their own Hands, from corrupting or contrad- 
 ing the Work; they have made the raifingof Rules 
 m&'PropoJitions, to be a far more difficult Task, than 
 it would have been, if their Regifters had been more 
 Methodical. Nor ought this Negled of Confequence 
 and Order, to be only thought to proceed from their 
 't but from a mature and well grounded 
 P 2
 
 Il6 The BISTORT of 
 
 ^Premeditation. For it is certain, that a too fuddcii 
 Striving to reduce the Sciences, in their Beginnings, 
 into Method, and Shape, and Beauty, has very much 
 retarded their Incrcafe. And it happens to the Inven- 
 tion of Arts, as to Children in their younger Years ; 
 in whofe Bodies, the fame Applications* that ferve 
 to make them ftrait, (lender, and comely, are often 
 found very mifchicvous, to their Eafc, their Strength, 
 and their Growth. 
 
 By their fair, and equal, and fubmiflive way of Re- 
 giftring nothing but Hi/lories, and Relations ; they 
 have left room for others, that fhall fucceed,to change, 
 to augment, to approve,, to contradict them at their 
 Difcrction. By this, they have given ^Poflerity a far 
 greater Power of judging them, than ever they took 
 over thofe that went before them. By this, they have 
 made a firm Confederacy, between their own prefent 
 Labours, and the Induftry of future Ages ; which 
 how beneficial it will prove hereafter, we cannot bet- 
 ter guefs, than by recollecting, what Wonders \t 
 would in all Likelihood have produc'd e'er this, if it 
 had been begun in the Times of the Greeks, or Ro- 
 mans, or Schoolmen * nay even in the laftRefurrec- 
 tion of Learning. What Depth of Nature could by 
 this Time have been hid from our View ? What Fa- 
 culty of the Soul would have been in the dark ? 
 What Part of human Infirmities not provided againft ? 
 If our Predeceflbrs, a thoufand, nay even a hundred 
 Years ago, had begun to add by little and little to 
 the Store, if they would have endcavour'd to be Be- 
 nefactors, and not Tyrants over our Reafons 5 if they 
 would have communicated to us, more of their 
 Works, and lefs of their Wit. 
 
 This Complaint, which I here take up, will appear 
 
 the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 117 
 
 the j after, if weconfider, that the firft learned Times 
 or the Antients, and all thofe, that followed after them, 
 down to this Day, would have received no Prejudice 
 at all } if their Thilofophers had chiefly beftow'd their 
 Pains, in making Hiflories of Nature, and not in 
 forming of Sciences. Perhaps indeed the Names of 
 fome particular Men, who had the Luck to compile 
 thole Syflems and Epitomes which they gave us, 
 would have been lefs glorious than they are : Though 
 that too might be doubted ; and (if we may con- 
 dude any Thing furely, upon a Matter fo changeable 
 ' as Fame is) we have reafon enough to believe, that 
 thefe latter Ages would have honour'd ^Plato, Ari- 
 flotle, Zeno, and Epicurus, as much, if not more, 
 than now they do j if they had only fet Things in a 
 way of propagating Experiences down to us, and not 
 impos'd their Imaginations on us, as the only Truths. 
 This may be well enough fuppos'd, feeing it is com- 
 mon to all Mankind, ftill to efteem dearer the Me- 
 mories of their Friends, than of thofe that pretend 
 to be their Mafters. 
 
 But thisMatter of Reputation , \vas only tbzprrvafy 
 Concernment of five, or fix. As for the Intereft of 
 thofe Times in general, I will venture to make good, 
 that in all Effects of true Knowledge, they might have 
 been as happy, without thofe Bodies of^rts, as they 
 were with them ; Logick, and the Mathematicks on- 
 ly excepted. To inftance in their 'Phyficks 5 they were 
 utterly ufelefs,in reipe&of the good of Mankind ; they 
 themielves did almoft confefs fo much, by referving 
 their natural IP hilofophy, for the Retirements of their 
 wife Men. What Help did it ever bring to the Vulgar ? 
 What vifible Benefit to any City or Country in the 
 World ? Their Mechanicksy*&& Artificers (for whom 
 a the
 
 RTof 
 
 ._ true naturalThilofophy fhould be principally in- 
 tended, were ib far from being afiifted by thofe ab- 
 Jtrtife ^Doctrines ; that perhaps fcarce any one of thofe 
 Profeffions, and Trades, has well underftood Arifto- 
 tie's ^Principles of Bodies, from his o~jun Time down 
 to ours. Hence then we may conclude, that thofe 
 firft Times, wherein the fe Arts were made, had been 
 nothing damag'd ; if, inftead of raifing fo manyjj^- 
 culative Opinions, they had only minded the laying 
 of zfolid Ground-work, for a vaft Pile of Experi- 
 ients,to be continually augmenting through all Ages. 
 And I will alfo add; that, if fuch a Courfe had been 
 at firft fet on Foot, 'Philofophy would by this means 
 have been kept clofer to material Things ; and ib, in 
 Probability, would not have undergone fo many E- 
 clipfes, as it has done ever fincc. If we reckon from its 
 firft fetting forth in the Eaft ; we fhall find, that in fo 
 long a Trad of Time, there have not been above four 
 or five hundred Years, at feveral Intervals, wherein it 
 has been in any Requeft in the World. And if we 
 look back on all the Alterations and Subverfions of 
 States, that have hapned in civil Nations, thcfe three 
 thoufand Years; wemayftill behold, that the Sciences 
 of Men's Brains, have been always fubjed to be far 
 more injur'd by fuch Viciflltudes, than the Arts of 
 their Hands. What Caufe can be aflign'd for this ? 
 Why was Learning the firft thing, that was conftantly 
 fwept away, in all Deftrudions of Empire, and foreign 
 Inundations? Why could not that have weathcr'd out 
 the Storm, as well as moft Sorts of Manufactures j 
 which, though they began as foon, or before the other, 
 yet they have remain'tC through all fuch Changes, un- 
 alter'd ; except for the better > The Reafon of this 
 is evident. It is, becaufc Thilofophy had been fpun 
 5 out,
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 out to fo fine a Thread, that it could be known but 
 only to thofc who would throw away all their whole 
 Lives upon it. It was made too fubtile for the common 
 and grofs Conceptions of Men of Bufmefs. It had 
 before in a meafure been banifh'd by the Philofophers 
 thcmfelves, out of the World, and fhut up in the 
 Shades of their Walks. And by this means, it was firft 
 look'd upon as moft ufelefs, and fo fit fooneft to be 
 Htglefted. Whereas if at firft, it had been made to 
 converfe more with the Senfes, and to aflift familiarly 
 in all Occafions of human Life $ it would, no doubt, 
 have been thought needful to be preferv'd, in the 
 moft affive and ignorant Time. It would have 
 efcap'd the Fury of the barbarous People, as well as 
 the Arts of ^Ploughing, Gardening, Cookery, Making 
 Iron and Steel, Filing, Sailing, and many more 
 fuch necenary Handicrafts have done. 
 
 And it is too lateto lament this Error of the Anti- 
 ents, feeing it is not now to be repair'd. It is enough, 
 that we gather from hence, that by bringing 'Philofo- 
 fhy down again to Men's Sight and Practice, from 
 whence it was flown away fohigh, the Royal Society 
 has put it into a Condition of ftanding out againft the 
 Invafions of Time, or even Barbarifm itfelf 5 that by 
 eftablifhing it on a firmer Foundation than the airy 
 Notions of Men alone, upon all the Works of Nature ; 
 by turning it into one of the Arts of Life, of which 
 Men may fee there is daily need ; they have provided, 
 that it cannot hereafter be extinguifh'd, at the Lofs of 
 a Library, at the Overthrowing of a Language, or at * 
 the Death of fome few ^Philofophers j but that Men 
 muft lofe their Eyes and Hands, and muft leave off 
 defiring to make their Lives convenient or pleafant 
 before they can be willing to deflroy it.. 
 
 Thus
 
 I20 tt* HISrORT of 
 
 Se&. XXI. Thus far I was come in my intended J7ork, when 
 The Occajion m y f an d was ftop'd, and my Mind difturb'd from 
 of the Htn- . ^ the two g rcate n: Difafters that ever bcfel 
 
 drance of the I i r r zi- 
 
 puin/hing our Nation, the fatal Injection, which overfpread 
 this Hi/tory. the City of London in fixty five, and the dreadful fir- 
 ing of the City itfelf in the Year en filing. Thefc two 
 Calamities may well be fuffident to cxcufe the T>elay 
 of publishing this Book j when the one of them dc- 
 vour'd as many Men, and the other as many Books, 
 as the cruelleft Incurfion of the Goths and Vandals 
 had ever done. 
 
 The Tlague was indeed an irreparable Damage to 
 the whole Kingdom j but that which chiefly added 
 to the Mifery, was the Time wherein it happened. For 
 what could be a more deplorable Accident, than that 
 fo many brave Men fhould be cut off by the Arrow 
 that flies in the darky when our Country was ingag'd 
 in *. foreign War * and when their Lives might have 
 been honourably ventur'd on a glorious Theatre in 
 its Defence ? And we had fcarce rccover'd this frft 
 Misfortune^ when we received a fecond and a deeper 
 Wound 5 which cannot be equall'd in all Hiftory^ if 
 either we confider the Obfcurity of its Beginning, the 
 irrefiftible Violence of its Progrcfs, the Horror of its 
 Appear one e-, or the Widcnefs of the Ruin it made, 
 in one of the mod rcnown'd Cities of the World. 
 
 Yet when, on the one fide, I remember what *De- 
 folation thefe Scourges of Mankind have left behind 
 them 5 and on the other, when I reflect on the Mag- 
 nanimity wherewith the Englifo Nation did fup- 
 port the Mifchicfs 5 I find, that I have not more 
 Reafon to bewail the one, than to admire the 
 other. 
 
 Upon
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY; 121 
 
 Upon our Return after the abating of the Plague, 
 what elfe could we expect, but to fee the Streets un- 
 frequented, the River forfaken, the Fields dcform'd 
 with the Graves of the dead, and the Terrors o{T>eath 
 (till abiding on the Faces of the living ? But inftead 
 of fuch difmal Sights, there appeared almoft the fame 
 Throngs in all publick Places, the fame Noife of Buff- 
 nefs, the fame Freedom of Converfe, and, with the 
 Return of the King, the fame Chearfulnefs return- 
 ing on the Minds of the People as before. 
 
 Nor was their Courage lefs, in fuftaining the fecond 
 Calamity, which deftroyed their Houfes and Eftates. 
 This the greateft Lofers indur'd with fuch undaunted 
 Firmnefs of Mind, that their Example may incline us to 
 believe, that not only the beft natural, but the beft mo- 
 rrf/Philofophy too, may be learn'd from the Shops of 
 Mechanicks. It was indeed an admirable Thing to be- 
 hold, with what Conftancy the meaneft Artificers faw 
 all the Labours of their Lives, and the Support of their 
 Families devoured in an inftant. The Affliction, it is 
 true, was widely fpread over the whole Nation; every 
 Place was filFd with Signs of *Pity and Commiferation > 
 but thofe who had fuffered moft, feem'd the leaft af- 
 fefted with the Lofs : No unmanly Bewailing* were 
 heard in the few Streets that were preferved ; they 
 beheld the Aflies of their Houfes, and Gates, and Tern- 
 fles, without the leaft Expreflion of Puftllanimity. If 
 'Philofophers had done this, it had well become their 
 Profemon of Wifdom ; if Gentlemen, the Noblenefs 
 of their Breeding and Blood would have required it : 
 But that fuch Greatnefs of Heart mould be found a- 
 mongft the poor Artizans, and the obfcure Multitude, 
 is no doubt one of the moft honourable Events that 
 ever happened. Yet (till there is one Circumftance be- 
 
 Q hind,
 
 122 It* HISTORY of 
 
 hind, which may raife our Wonder higher 5 and that 
 is, thatamidft fuch horrible Ruins, they ftill profccu- 
 ted the War with the fame Vigour *\\&Cour age, againft 
 three of the moft powerful States of all Europe. What 
 Records of Time, or Memory of paft Ages, canfhew 
 us a greater Teftimony of an invincible and heroick 
 Genius than this, of which I now fpeak ? that the 
 Sound or the Heralds proclaiming new Wars fhould 
 be pleafant to the People, when the lad Voice of the 
 Bell-man was fcarce yet gone out of their Ears ? That 
 the Incrcafe of their Adversaries Confederates, and of 
 their own Calamities, (hould be fo far from affrighting 
 them 5 that they rather feem'd to receive from thence 
 a new Vigour and Refolution ? and that they fhould 
 ftill be eager upon Victories and Triumphs, when 
 they were thought almoft quite exhauftcd, by fo 
 great Definitions ? 
 
 Seft. XXII. From this Obfervation my Mind begins to take 
 The third Comfort, and to prcfage, that as this terrible 'Difeafe 
 
 Narration! anc * C 0n fl a g ra tiH) were not a ble to darken the Honour 
 of our Prince's Arms ; fo they will not hinder the 
 many noble Arts, which the English have begun un- 
 der his Reign, on the Strength of thelc Hopes and In- 
 couragements. I will now return to my former 
 Thoughts, and to the finifhing of my interrupted 7)e- 
 Jtgn. And I come with the more Earncftncfs to pcr- 
 feft it, becaufe it feems to me, that from the fad Ef- 
 fefts of thefe Diiaftcrs, there may a new and a power- 
 ful Argument be raifed, to move us to double our 
 Labours about the Secrets of Nature. 
 
 A new City is to be built, on the moft advantageous 
 Seat of all Europe for Trade and Command. This 
 therefore is the fitteft Seafon for Men to apply their 
 
 Thoughts
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY. 123 
 
 Thoughts to the improving of the Materials tf Build- 
 ing, and to the inventing of better Models for Hottfes, 
 Roofs, Chimnies, Conduits, Wharfs, and Streets: 
 all which have been already under the Confideration 
 of the Royal Society 5 and that too, before they had 
 fuch a fad Occafion of bringing their Observations in- 
 to Practice. The Mortality of this *Peftilence exceed- 
 ed all others of later Ages 5 but the Remembrance 
 of it fliould rather enliven than damp our Induftry. 
 When Mankind is over-run with fuch horrible Inva- 
 fions of 'Death, they fhould from thence be univer- 
 fally alarm'd, to ufe more Diligence about prevent- 
 ing them for the future. 
 
 It is true, that terrible Ziw/has hitherto,in all Coun- 
 tries, been generally too ftrong for the former Reme- 
 dies of Art. But why fhould we think, that it will 
 continue fo for ever? Why may we not believe, that 
 in all the vaft Compafs of natural Virtues of Things 
 yet conceal'd, there is ftill referv'd an Antidote, that 
 fhall be equal to this Poifon ? If in fuch Cafes we only 
 accufe the Anger of 'Providence, or the Cruelty of 
 Nature, we lay the Blame where it is not juftly to be 
 laid. It ought rather to be attributed to the Negli- 
 gence of Men themfelves, that fuch difficult Cures are 
 without the Bounds of their Reafon's 'Power. 
 
 If all Men had defponded at firft, and funk under 
 the Burden of their own Infirmities, almoft every lit- 
 tle Wound, or Pain of the leaft Member, had been as 
 deadly, as the ^Plague at this time. It was by much In- 
 quiry, and Ufe, that moft of the mildeft Difeafes be- 
 came curable. And every firft Succefs of this kind, 
 fhould always ftrengthen our Afifurance of farther 
 Conqucfts, even over this grcateft Terror of Mankind. 
 Diftruft, and Defpair of our own Endeavours, is as 
 
 Q^ 2 great
 
 , 24 The HI STORY of 
 
 great Hindrance in the Progrefs of the true 'Philofo- 
 pby, as it is wont to be in the Rife of Men's private 
 Fortunes. Whoever aims not at the greateft Things, 
 will feldom proceed much farther than the Jeaft. 
 Whoever will make a right and a fortunate Court- 
 fliip to Nature, he cannot enterprife or attempt too 
 much : for She (as it is faid of other Miftreffes) is 
 alfo a Miftrefs, that fooneft yields to the forward 
 and the bold* 
 
 I have hitherto defcribed the firft Elements, on 
 which the Royal Society arofe, and fupported its Be- 
 ginnings : 1 have trac'd its Progrefs from the firft 
 private Endeavours of fomeof its Members, till it be- 
 came united into a regular Conflitution > and from 
 thence I have related their firft Conceptions and 'Prac-- 
 tices, towards the fettling of an univcrfal, conftant,. 
 and impartial Survey of the whole Creation, There 
 now remains to be added in this third Part of my 
 Harratim, an Account of the Incouragements they 
 have received from abroad, and at home, and a parti- 
 cular Enumeration of the principal Sub j efts > about 
 which they have been employed, fince they obtain'd 
 the Royal Confirmation. 
 
 I will firft begin with the Efteem, which all the ci- 
 The Reputa-vi\ World abroad has conceived of their Enterprife : 
 rfpon fence"' Andl mention this with the more Willingnefs, be- 
 of the R, S. wk I believe that our Nation ought juftly to be rc- 
 prov'd, for their Excefs of natural Bafifulnefs, and for 
 their want of Care, to have their moft excellent Things 
 reprefentedto Strangers with the beft Advantage. This 
 filent and referv'd Humour has no doubt been very 
 prejudicial to us, in the Judgment, that our Neigh- 
 bours have often made, not only concerning the Con- 
 
 dition.,
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 125 
 
 dition of our Learning^ but alfo of we political Af- 
 fairs. I will therefore trefpafs a little on this 'Difpo- 
 Jition of my Countrymen, and affirm, that as the Eng- 
 lijh Name does manifeftly get Ground, by the Bravery 
 of their Arms, the Glory of their Naval Strength, 
 and the fp reading of their Commerce , fo there has been 
 a remarkable Addition to its Renown, by the Sue- 
 cefs, which all our Neighbours expect from this Af- 
 fembly. 
 
 It is evident, that t\\\s fear thing Spirit* and thisAf- 
 fe&ion to fenjlble Knowledge, does prevail in moft 
 Countries round about us. 'Tis true, the Convcnien* 
 ees for fuch Labours are not equal in all Places. Some 
 want the Afliftance of others Hands > fome the Con- 
 tribution of others Turfes ; fome the Benefit of ex- 
 cellent Inftruments, fome the 'Patronage of the 
 Civil Magiflrates : But yet according to their feve- 
 ral Towers-, they are every where intent on fuch 
 f radical Studies. And the moft confiderable Effe&s 
 of fuch Attempts throughout Europe have been ftill 
 recommended to this Soc iety> by their Authors, to be 
 examined, approved,, or corrected. 
 
 The Country^ that lyes next to England in its Si- 
 tuation is France-, and that is alfo the neareft to it, in 
 its Zeal for the Promotion of Experiments. In that 
 Kingdom, the Royal Society has maintained a perpe- 
 tual Intercourfe, with the moft eminent Men viArt 
 of all Conditions 5 and has obtained from them, all 
 the Help which might juftly be hoped for, from the Vi* 
 ^<?^r,,and Activity, and Rtadineft of Mind, which is 
 natural to that People. From their T hyjicians, Chirur- 
 geons, ^s\QiAnatomiflS' y \\. hasreceiv'd many faithful Re* 
 wtions of extraordinary Cures-, from their moftjudici- 
 tiQv&Tra<velkrs the Jruits of ti\\t Voyages 5 from their
 
 i: 6 -The HISTORY of 
 
 nioft famous Mathematicians ', diverfc 'Problems, 
 which have been iblved many different Ways ; from 
 their Chymifts the effects of their F/r^J ; and from o- 
 thers of their btfrObfirvers, many Rarities, and Dif- 
 couries of their Fruits, Silk, Wine, Bread, Plants, 
 Salt, and fuch natural Productions of their Soil. And 
 to inftancc once for all, it has been affectionately in- 
 vited to a mutual Correfpondcncc by the French A' 
 cademy of Farts : In which Invitation, there is one 
 Exprcllion, that ought not to be pafs'd over in Silence ; 
 that they acknowledge the Engltfh Nation, to have 
 many Advantages for the propagating ofreal'Thilofe- 
 phy, which are wanting to all others. This Confef- 
 fion is true : Yet thefe Advantages, unlets they had 
 been improved by this In ft it ut ion, had been only as 
 thofc, that we have for Pithing, Objections and Argu- 
 ments of our Sloth. 
 
 In Italy. * n Itafy the Royal Society has an excellent Privi- 
 
 lege of receiving and imparting Experiments, by 
 the Help of one of their own Fellows, who has the 
 Opportunity of being Refident there for them, as well 
 as for the King. From thence they have been earned: - 
 ly invited to a mutual Intelligence, by many of their 
 moft noble Wits, but. chiefly by the Prince Leopoldo* 
 Brother to the Great Duke of Tufcany ; who is the 
 Patron of all the inquifitive'Philofophers of Florence ; 
 from whom there is coming out under his Name an 
 Account of their Proceedings' called c Dnc al Experi- 
 ments. This Application to the Royal Society I have 
 mention'd, bccaule it comes from that Country, which 
 is ieldom wont to have any great Regard to the Arts 
 of thefe Nations, that lye on this fide of their Moun- 
 tains. 
 
 7Gcrmany. Ill Germany ', and its neighbouring Kingdoms, the 
 
 Royal
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 127 
 
 Royal Society has met with great Veneration 5 as ap- 
 pears by feveral Testimonies in their late painted 
 Books, which have been fubmitted to its Ceniure; 
 by many Curiofities of Mechanick Inftfuments, that 
 have been tranfmitted to it 5 and by the Addreffes 
 which have been fent from their 'Philofophical In- 
 quirers. For which Kinds of Enterpnzes the Tem- 
 per of the German Nation is admirably fir, both in 
 refped of their peculiar Dexterity in all Sorts of ma- 
 nual Arts, and alfo in Regard of the plain and un- 
 affeded Sincerity of their Manners ; wherein they fo 
 much refemble the English, that we feem to have de- 
 riv'd from them the Compofition of our Minds, as 
 well as to have defcended from their Race. 
 
 In the Low-Countries, their Intereft, and Reputati- In the 
 on has been eftablifhed, by the Friendfhip of fomeof Countries.^ 
 their chief learned Men, and principally of Hugenius. 
 This Gentleman has beftowed his Pains, on many Parts 
 of thzfpeculative and practical Mathematicks, with 
 wonderful Succefies. And particularly his applying the 
 Motion Qi*P endulums to Clocks, and Watches, was 
 an excellent Invention* For thereby there may be a 
 Means found out of bringing the Meafures of Time, 
 to an exad Regulation', of which the Benefits are in- 
 finite. In the Profecution of fuch c Difto e veries, he has 
 often required the Aid of this Society ; he has receiv'd 
 the Light of their Trials, and a Confirmation of his 
 own, and has freely admitted their Alterations or A- 
 mendments. And this learned Correfpondence with 
 him, and many others, is (till continued, even at this 
 prefent Time, in the Breach between our Countries : 
 Their great Founder, and Patron ftill permitting 
 them to maintain the Traffick of Sciences, when ail 
 
 other
 
 128 lie HISTORY of 
 
 other Commerce is intercepted. Whence we may 
 gucfs, what may be expected from the peaceful Part 
 of our King's Reign, when his very Wars arc mana- 
 ged without Injury to the Arts of Civil Knowledge* 
 
 Vtfts of Fo- But not to wander any farther in T 'articular -s, it 
 reigners. nla y perhaps in general be lately computed, that there 
 has been as large a Communication of Foreign Arts, 
 and Inventions to the Royal Society -, within this fmall 
 Compafsof Time, as ever before did pals over the Eng- 
 lifh Channel, fince the very firftTranfportation of Arts 
 into our Ifland. And that this Benefit will ftill incrcafc 
 by the Length of Time is indubitable, from the Recep- 
 tion^ which has been given to the Scholar s y Nobility ', 
 Embaffadors, and Foreign Trinces^ who of late 
 Years have travelled hither, to behold a Country r , which 
 had been the Stage of fo famous a War, and fo mira- 
 culous a Peace. All thcfe have ftill vifitcd the Royal 
 Society, as one of the firft and nobleft Fruits of our 
 Refloration. From hence they have rcturn'd Home, 
 with a free Engagement of their Afliftancc j the Men 
 of Learning afluring it of a Contribution of their La- 
 bours, and the Statefmen and Trinces of their Autho- 
 rity and Endeavours, in fatisfying zMphilofophicalQiie- 
 ries, with which they have been plentifully furniihed. 
 It would be a ufelefs Pomp to reckon up a Catalogue 
 of their Names ; efpecially feeing they arc already re- 
 corded with Gratitude, in a more lading Monument, 
 the Regifler of the Society. Only it will not, I 
 think, be amifs, if I mention the Vifit of one Trince> 
 becaufe it may afford us a profitable Obfervation, 
 When the Duke of Brunfwick and Lunenburgh was 
 introduced into their weekly Ajfembly, and had fub- 
 fcribcd his Name to their Statutes 5 there was accord- 
 ing
 
 tie ROVAL SOCIETY. 129 
 
 ding to the Cuftom, one of the Fellows appointed, to 
 
 interpret to him, what Experiments were produc'd, 
 
 and examined at that Meeting. But his Highnefs told 
 
 them, that it was not neceflary they fhould put them- 
 
 feivcs to that Trouble 5 for he well undcrftood our 
 
 Language, having been drawn to the Study of it, out 
 
 of a defire of reading our ^Philofopbical Books. 
 
 From whence there may this Conclusion be made, 
 
 that if ever our Native Tongue fhall get any Ground 
 
 in Europe, it mud be by augmenting its experimental 
 
 Treafure. Nor is it impollible, but as the Feminine 
 
 Arts of Tleafure and Gallantry have fpread fome of 
 
 our neigbouring Languages to fuch a vaft Extent ; fo 
 
 the EnglifbTongue may alfo in Time be more enlarg'd, 
 
 by being the Inilrument of conveying to the World 
 
 the Mafculine Arts of Knowledge. 
 
 I now come to relate, what Incouragements this ^' XXIV. 
 Defign has receiv'd at home in its native Soil. And \ ra ' Incou - 
 will aifure my Reader -, that the Original of the Royal R. 's^las r 
 Society has tound a general Approbation within our*W at 
 felves, and that the moft prudent Men of all Prof 
 lions and Interefts, have (hewn by their Refpe&s to 
 thefe hopeful Beginnings, that there is a Reverence 
 ilue to the firft Trials and Intentions, as well as to the 
 laft Accomplifhment of generous Attempts. 
 
 Of our chief and moft wealthy Merchants andC/- 
 tizens, very many haveaffifted it with their Prefence j 
 and thereby have added the induftrious, punctual, and 
 adive Genius of Men of Traffick,, to the quiet, 
 fedentary, and refcrv'd Temper of Men si Learning. 
 They have contributed their Labour s> they have 
 help'd their Correfpondence j they have employed 
 
 R their
 
 , 3 o The HISTORY of 
 
 their Fatfors abroad to anfwer their Inquiries? they 
 have laid out in all Countries for Qbferuations ; they 
 have beftow'd many confiderablc Gifts on their Trea- 
 fury and Repofitory. And chiefly there is one Bounty 
 to be here inferred, \vhichforthefmgularBcnefitthat 
 may be expefted from it, defervcs the Applaufe and 
 Imitation of this and future Times. It is the Eftablifi- 
 ment made by Sir John Cutler, for the reading on Me 
 chanickSj in the Place where the Royal Society fhall 
 meet. This is the firft Lecture that has been founded 
 of this Kind, amidft all the vaft Munificence of fo ma- 
 ny Benefactors to Learning in this latter Age. And yet 
 this wasthe moft necefiary of aUrothrcrs. For this has 
 chiefly caus'd the flow Progrcfs of manual Arts j that 
 the TrW^Jthemfclves have never ferv'd Apprentijhips, 
 as well as the Tradefmen > that they have never had 
 any Mafters fet over them, to direft and guide their 
 Works, or to vary and enlarge their Operations. 
 
 From our of our Thyjicians, many of the moft judicious 
 Phyfiuans. ^^ contributed their Turfes>ti\tu Hands, \\\z'u Judg- 
 ment s> their Writings. This they have done, though 
 they have alfo in London a College peculiar to their 
 'ProfeJJion; which ever fince its firft Foundation, for 
 the Space of a hundred and fifty Years, has given the 
 World a Succeffion of the moft eminent 'Phyficians 
 of Europe. In that they confine thcmfclvcs to th c Ad- 
 vancement ofphyjick : But in rfethey have alfo with 
 great Zeal and Ability promoted this uni-verfallnfpec- 
 tion, into all natural Knowledge. CT 01 " without Dan- 
 ger of Flattery, \ will declare dfjfrtEngliJh Thyficians, 
 that noP art of the World exceeds thcm,not only in the 
 Skill of their own Art> but in general Learning' j and 
 of very many of that Profcflion I will affirm, that all 
 5 Apollo
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY.' 131 
 
 "Apollo is their own, as it was faid by the heft *Poet of 
 this Age, of one of the moft excellent of thcirNumber. 
 
 Of our Nobility and Gentry r ,the moft noble and illu- F m . our 
 ftrious have condefcended to labour here with their 
 Hands, to impart their ^Difcoveries, to propofe their 
 ^Doubts, to afllft and defray the Charge of their Trials, 
 And this they have done with fuch a univerfal Agree- 
 ment, that it isalmoft the only thing, wherein the No- 
 bility of all the three Kingdoms are united. In their 
 Affemblies for making Laws they are leparated ; in 
 their Cuftoms and Manners of Life they differ ; in 
 their Humouas too, they are thought not much of 
 kin to each other. But in the Royal Society the Scotch, 
 the Irifh, the Engliflj Gentry do meet, and communi- 
 cate, without any Diftinction of Countries or Affec- 
 tions. From hence no doubt very much political, as 
 well tephtlkfbphicaFBtri&& will arifc. By this means, 
 there is a good Foundation laid for removing of that 
 Averfion, which the Englifl) are fometimes obferv'd 
 to exprefs to the Natives of thofe Kingdoms - 3 which 
 though perhaps it arifes from the Knowledge of their 
 own Ad-vantages above the other, yet it is a great 
 Hindrance to the Growth of the British To^'er. For 
 as a Kingdom divided againft itfelf, cannot ftand ; fo 
 three Kingdoms divided from each other, in Tem- 
 pers, Studies, and Inclinations., can never be great, 
 upon one common Intcreft. 
 
 Of our Minifters of State at home, zM omEmbaffa- From our 
 dors abroad, there have been very few employed, who Statefman. 
 are not Fellows of the Royal Society : and efpecially 
 thefe latter have beftow'd their Pains m foreign Courts, 
 to colled Relations and Secrets of Nature, as well as 
 
 R 2 of
 
 , 32 The HISTORY of 
 
 of State : For which Service their Way of Life is mod 
 convenient, by the Generality of their Convcrie, the 
 Tri'vileges and Freedom of their ^Difpatches, and the 
 ufual Retort of the moft knowing and inquifitive 
 Men to their Company. 
 
 From our Our greateft Captains and Commanders have in-' 
 
 Sold'ws, roll'd their Names in this Number, and have regarded 
 
 thefc Studies : which are not, as other Parts of Learn- 
 
 ings be call'd the Studies of the Go^'n 5 for they do as 
 
 well become the Profeflion of a Soldier ', or any othec_ 
 
 Way of Life. Nor have our molt renown'd Generals 
 
 neglected the Opportunities tfphilofipbical Inquiries, 
 
 even in the midft of their greateit Enterprises, on 
 
 which the Fate of Kingdoms has depended. They have 
 
 been furniih'd with Inftruments and Directions by the 
 
 Royal Society, and amidft the Tumult of Wars* and 
 
 Government of Fleets, they have found Leifurc to 
 
 make tome Trials of Experiments : which Works as 
 
 much excell that of 'Declaiming* which fomc of the 
 
 Roman Generals us'd in their Camps, as it is better 
 
 to do, than to talk well. 
 
 from our Of our Churchmen the grcateft and the moft Reve- 
 Churchmen. re nd,ty their Care and Patllon, and Endeavours in ad- 
 vancing this Inftitutionjayit taken off the unjuft Scan- 
 dal from Natural Knowledge, that it is an Enemy to 
 'Divinity. By the perpetual 'Patronage and Ajfiflance 
 they have afforded the Royal Society, they have con- 
 futed the falfe Opinions of thofe Men, who believe 
 that Thilofophers muft needs \x, irreligious : they have 
 fhewn,that in our Veneration ofGW's almightyTower, 
 we ought to imitate the manner of our Relpcft to 
 earthly Kings. For as the greater their 'Dominion is, 
 
 / the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 133 
 
 the more Obfervance is wont to be given to their 
 neareft Servants and Officers ; fo the Greatnefs of the 
 'Divine Majefty is bed to be worfhippcd, by the due 
 honouring and obfcrving of Nature, which is his 
 immediate Servant, and the univerfal Minifter of his 
 Pleafure. 
 
 But I make hafte to that, which ought to be efteem'd Se &- XXV. 
 the very Life and Soul of this Undertaking, the Pro- 
 tettion and Favour of the King and the Royal Family. 
 JVhen the Society firft addreis a themfelves to his Ma- 
 jefty, he was pleafed to exprefs much Satisfaction, that 
 this Enterprise was begun in his Reign : he then re- 
 prefented to them the Gravity and Difficulty of their 
 Work, and aflured them of all the kind Influence of 
 his 'Power and 'Prerogative. Since that he has fre- 
 quently committed many Things to their Search : he 
 has refer 'd many foreign Rarities to their Infpeftion : 
 he has recommended many domeftick Improvements 
 to their Care : he has demanded the Reiiilt of their 
 Trials ', in many Appearances of Nature : he has been 
 prefent, and aflifted with his own Hands, at the per- 
 forming of many of their Experiments, in his Gar- 
 dens-, his "Parks, and on the River. And befides I 
 will not conceal, that he has fometimes reprov'd them 
 for the Slownefs of their 'Proceedings : at which Re- 
 proofs they have not fo much Cauie to be afflicted, 
 that they are the Reprehenfions of a King, as to be 
 comforccd, that they are the Reprehenfions of his 
 Love, and Affeffiion to their Progrefs. For a Tefti- 
 mony of which Royal Benignity > and to free them 
 from ail Hindrances and Occafions of Delay, he has 
 given them the Eftablifhmcnt of his Letters T?atents y 
 of which I will here produce an Epitome. 
 
 Chalks
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 CHarles the Second, by the Grace of God, of England, 
 Scotland, France, and Ireland King, Defender 
 of the Faith, &c. To all unto whom thefe Prefents fiall 
 come, Greeting. Having long rejohed within our felf 
 to promote the Welfare of Arts and Sciences, as well as 
 that of our Territories and Dominions, out of our prince- 
 fy Affection to all kind of Learning^ and more particular 
 Favour to philofophical Studies : Efpecially thofe which 
 endeavour by folia Experiments, either to reform or im- 
 prove Philofophy. To the intent therefore that thefe 
 Kinds of Study, which are no where yet fufficiently cul- 
 tivated, may flour tjh in our Dominions -, and that the 
 learned World may acknowledge us to be, not only the 
 Defender of the Faith, but the Patron and Encourager 
 of all Sorts of ufeful Knowledge -, 
 
 Know ye, that we out of our fpecial Grace, certain. 
 Knowledge, and meer Motion, have given and granted, 
 and do by thefe Prefents give and grant for us, our 
 Heirs, and Succejfors, 'That there Jhall be for ever a So- 
 ciety, conffting of a Prefdent, Council, and Fellows, 
 which flail be called by the Name of the Prejident, Coun- 
 cil, and Fellows of the Royal Society of London, for and 
 improving of natural Knowledge, of which Society we 
 do by thefe Prefents declare our felf to be Founder and 
 Patron. And we do hereby make and ccnjlitute the faid 
 Society by the Name, &c. to be a Body corporate, to be 
 continued under the fame Name in a perpetual Succef- 
 Jion -, and that they and their Succeffbrs, (whofe Studies 
 are to be imployed for the promoting of the Knowledge 
 of natural Things y and ufeful Arts by Experiments. 
 i/o the Glory of God, and the good of Mankind,) 
 Jhall by the aforefaid Name of Prefident, Council, 
 6cc. be enabled and made capable in Law, to levy, 
 hold, pojjefs, and enjoy, Lands, Tenements, &c. Liber- 
 ties,
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 135 
 
 ties, Pranchifes, Jurifdiftions,for Perpetuity or Terms 
 of Lives, or Tears, or any other Way : as alfo Goods, ' 
 Chattels, and all other ^Things of what Nature or 
 Kind foever. And alfo by the Name aforefaid to give, 
 grant, demife, oraffign the f aid Lands, Goods, &c. and td 
 do all fbtftgs necejfary thereabout. And the faid Per- 
 Jons by the Name aforefaid are enabled to implead, be 
 impleaded, Jue, defend, &c. in any Courts, and before 
 any Judges, Officers, &c. ivhatfoever of the King, his 
 Heirs, and Succeffbrs, in all and Jingular Actions real 
 and perfonal: Pleas, Caufes,&c. ofivhat kind foever, as 
 any of his Subjects within his Kingdom of England, or 
 Corporations^ are by Law capable and enabled to do. 
 
 And the faid Prejident, Council, and Fellows are 
 importer d to have a Common Seal for their Ufe in their 
 Affairs; and from time to time to break, change, and 
 make anew the fame ', as/hallfeem expedient unto them. 
 
 And his Majefty, in Teftimony of his Royal Favour 
 towards the faid Prejident, Council, and Fellows, and of 
 his efpecial JLfteem of them, doth grant a Coat of Arms 
 to them and their Succeffors, viz. On a Field Argent a 
 Canton* of the three Lions of England: For a Creft, an 
 Eagle proper on a Ducal Coronet fupporting a Shield 
 charged with the Lions af or ej aid -, and for Supporters, 
 two TaHnts with Coronets on their Necks. The faid 
 Arms to be born, &c. by the faid Society upon all Oc- 
 cajions. 
 
 And that his Majefty s Royal Intention may take 
 the better EJfefffor the good Government of the faid So- 
 ciety from time to time -, if is cftablljh *d, that the Council 
 aforefaid flail confijl of twenty one Perfons; (thereof 
 the Prejident for the time being ah: ays to be one.} And 
 that all Perjbns, which within two Months next en- 
 [uingthe Date of thefnid Charter J'kd II be cbofhi fa tie 
 
 "faid
 
 i 3 6 ne HISrORT of 
 
 fald Prepdent and Council-, and in all times after the 
 Jaid two Months , by the Prefident, Council, and Fel- 
 lows [_and noted in a Regifter to be kept for that pur- 
 pofe~] fiall be Fellows of the fald Society, and fo account' 
 ed y and called during Life, except by the Statutes of the 
 f aid Society to be made, any of them jhall happen to be 
 amoved. And by how much any Perfons are more ex- 
 celling in all kinds of Learning, by how much the more 
 ardently they defire to promote the Honour y Bufinejs, 
 and Emolument of the fald Society, by how much the 
 more eminent they are for Integrity, Honejly, Piety y 
 Loyalty, and good Affection toward his Majtfty, his, 
 Crown and Dignity ; by fo much the more Jit and wor- 
 thy fuch Perfons are to be judged, for Reception into the 
 Society. 
 
 And for the better Execution of his Royal Grant, 
 his Majefty hath nominated, &c. his trujly and well- 
 helmed William, Vlfcount Brouncker, Chancellor to 
 his dear eft Confort Queen Catherine, to be the Jirft and 
 modern Prejident to continue in the fald Office from the 
 Date of the Patent to the Feajl of St. Andrew next 
 enfulng, and until another Perjbn of the Jaid Council be 
 duly chofen into the f aid Office. Ihefaid Lord Brounc- 
 ker being fworn in all things belonging thereto well and 
 faithfully to execute the fald Ojr.ce, before his right 
 well- beloved and right trujiy Coujin andCounfellor, Ed- 
 ward, Earl of Clarendon, Lord High Chancellor of 
 ' England, in the Words following. 
 
 \ 
 
 ; William, Vifcount Brouncker, do promifc to deal 
 JL faithfully and honeftly in all things belonging to 
 that Truft committed to me, as Prefident of the 
 Royal Society of London, for improving Natural 
 Knowledge, So help me God. 
 
 dnd
 
 the R o v A L S o c i E T y. 137 
 
 And his Majcjly hath nominated, &c. tie Perfom 
 following, His tntjly and well- beloved Sir Robert Mo- 
 ray Knight, one of his Privy Council in his Kingdom 
 of Scotland, Robert Boyle Efquire, William Brereton 
 Efquire, eldefl Son to the Lord Brereton, >S/rKenelme 
 Digby Knight, Chancellor to his deareji Mother Queen 
 Mary, tfr> Gilbert Talbot Knight, Mafter of bis Jewel- 
 houfe, Sir Paul Neile Knight, one of the UJhers of 
 his Privy Chamber, Henry Slingsby Efquire, one of 
 the Gentlemen of His faid 'Privy Chamber, Sir Wil- 
 liam Petty Knight, Timothy Clark, Doctor of Phy- 
 fick, and one of his Phyficians, John Wilkins Dec- 
 Vor of Divinity, George Ent Doctor of Phyjick, 
 William Erskyne Efquire, one of his Cupbearers, Jo- 
 nathan Goddard Doctor of Pbyfick, William Ball 
 Efquire, Matthew Wren Efquire, John Evelyn Efq. 
 Thomas Henfhaw Efquire, Dudley Palmer of Grays- 
 Inn Efquire, Abraham Hill of London Ejquire, and 
 Henry Oldenburg Ejquire^ together with the Prejident 
 a for ef aid, to be the Jirfl and Modern 21. of the Council 
 and Fellows of the Royal Society aforefaid, to be con- 
 tinued in the Offices of the Council afore faid, from the 
 Date of the Patent to the Feaft of St. Andrew next 
 following, and from thence till other Jit Perfom be 
 chofen into the faid Offices. T^he faid Perfom to be 
 Jworn before the Prejident of the Society, Jor the time 
 being, well and truly to execute the faid Offices, ac- 
 cording to the Form and EfecJ of the afore/aid Oath 
 to be adminiflred to the Prejident by the Lord Chan- 
 cellor as afore/aid. For the adminijlring which Oath 
 to the faid Perjons, and all others hereafter from time 
 to time to be chofen into the faid Council, full Power and 
 Authority is granted to the Prejident for the time be- 
 ing : And the faid Perjons duly fworn, and all other 
 
 S from
 
 138 lie HI STORY of 
 
 from time to time duly chojln into the/aid Council and 
 J-worn, are to aid, ad-vije and ajjifi in all Affairs, Bujl- 
 neffes, and Things concerning the better Regulation, Go- 
 vernment and Direction of the Royal Society, and every 
 Member thereof. 
 
 Furthermore, Liberty is granted to the faid Society, 
 lawfully to make and hold Meetings of themfches, for the 
 fearching out and Difcovery of natural Things, and 
 Tranfaftion of other Bufme/es relating to thefaid So- 
 ciety, 'when and as often asfiall be requifite, in any Col- 
 lege, Hall, or other convenient Place in London, or within 
 ten Miles thereof.^ 
 
 And Tower is granted to thefaid Society, from time 
 to time to nominate and chufe yearly, on St. Andrew'* 
 Day, one of the' Council aforefaid, for the time being, to 
 be tyrefident of the Society, until St. Andrew'* Day next 
 enfuing (if he flail fo long live, or not be removed for fome 
 juft and reasonable Caufe) and from thence until another 
 be chofen and put into thefaid Office, the fnul Prejidcnt 
 Jo defied, before Admiffion to that Office, to be Jworn be- 
 fore the Council, according to the Form before exprefjed, 
 who are impotverd to adminifter thefaid Oath from time 
 to time, as often as there fliaJl be caufe to chufe a Pre- 
 fident. 
 
 And in cafe that thefaidPreJident, during his Office y 
 Jhall die, recede, or be removed; then, and fo often, it 
 Jhall be lawful for the Council of the Royal Society, to 
 meet together to chufe one of their Number for Pre/ident 
 of thefaid Society, and the Perfon Jo chofen and duly 
 fworn, flail have and exercife the Office of Prejident 
 for the remainder of the Year, and until another be duly 
 chofen into thefaid Office. 
 
 And in cafe that any one or more of the Council afore- 
 Jaid Jhall die, recede, or be removed (-which Perfons or
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY*. 139 
 
 any of them, for Mif demeanour > or other reasonable Caiife, 
 are declared to be amove able by the Prejident and the reft 
 of the Council) then and fo often it flail be lawful for the 
 Prefident, Council, and Fellows, to chafe one or more of the 
 Fellows of the Royal Society in the room of him or themfo 
 deceajing, receding, or remold, to ccmpleat the afore- 
 faid Number of twenty one of the Council, which P erf on 
 or Perfonsfo chofen, are to continue in Office until St. An- 
 dre w'j Day then next enfuing, and until others be duly c bo- 
 Jen the j aid Perfons being (worn faithfully to execute their 
 Offices, according to the true Intention of the Patent. 
 
 And his Majefty doth will and grant unto the faid 
 Prejident, Council, and Fellows, full Power and Autho- 
 rity, on St. Andrew'* Day yearly, to eleft, nominate, and 
 change ten of the Fellows of the Royal Society, to Jupply 
 the Places and Offices of ten of the aforefaid Number of 
 twenty one of the Council, declaring it to be his Royal 
 Witt and P leaf ure, that ten and no more of the Council 
 aforefaid be annually changed and removed by the 'Preji- 
 dent, Council and Fellows aforefaid. 
 
 And it is granted on the behalf of the faid Society, 
 that if it foall happen, that the ^Prejident bejick y in- 
 firm, detain d in his Majeftfs Service, or otherwife 
 occupied, fo as he cannot attend the nece/Jary Affairs 
 of the Society, then andfo often it Jhall be lawful for 
 him to appoint one of the Council for his Deputy, who 
 foallfupply his Place from time to time, as often as he 
 Jhall happen to be abfent, during the whole time of the 
 faid Prejident's Continuance in his Office, unJefs he 
 jhali in the mean time conjlitutefome other of the Coun- 
 cil for his Deputy: And the Deputy Jo conflitutcd is 
 Empowered to do all and Jingular Things which belong 
 to the Office of the Prefident of the Royal Society, and 
 in as ample Marnier and Form as the faid Prefident 
 
 S 2 may
 
 I4 o The HISTORY of 
 
 may do by virtue of his Majeftys 'Letters Patents, ke 
 the faid Deputy being duly Jworn before the Council in 
 Form before fpecifted, who are impower'd to adminifter 
 the Oat has often as the Cafe flail require. 
 
 It is farther granted to the Society, to have one Trea- 
 furer, two Secretaries, two or more Curators of Expe- 
 riments, one or more Clerk or Cterks, and alfo two Ser- 
 jeants at Mace, who may from time to time attend on 
 the Prefident ; all the faid Officers to be chofen by the 
 reftdent, Council and Fellows, and to be fworn in 
 Form and Effect before fpecified, well and faithfully to 
 execute their Offices, which Oath the Couficil are im- 
 powered to adminifter : And his Majejly nominates and 
 appoints bis well beloved Subjects, the afore faid William 
 Ball Efquire, to be the firft and modern Treafurer ; and 
 the aforejaid John Wilkins and Henry Oldenburgh, 
 to be the jirft and modern Secretaries of the Royal So- 
 ciety > to be continued in the faid Offices to the Feaft 
 of St. Andrew next following the Date of the 'Patent. 
 And that from time to time and ever hereafter, on the 
 faid Feaft of St. Andrew ( if it be not Lord's Day, 
 and if it be Lord's Day, on the next Day after) the 
 Prejtdenty Council, and Fellows aforefaid, are impowerd 
 to nominate and chufe honefl and difcnet Men for *frea- 
 furer and Secretaries, which are to be of the Number 
 of the Council of the Royal Society, which Perfons elecJ- 
 fd and fworn , in Form before fpecified, are to exer- 
 cife and enjoy the faid Offices until the Feaft of St. An- 
 drew next then following. 
 
 And if it Jkall happen, that the aforefaid Election of 
 the Prejident, Council, Treafurer, and Secretaries, or any 
 of them, cannot be made or perfected on the Feaft of Sf. 
 Andrew aforefaid; it is granted to the aforefaid Pre- 
 Jident) Council^ and Fellows, that they may lawfully
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 141 
 
 nominate and ajjign another Day, as near to the fald 
 Feaji of St. Andrew as conveniently may be, for making 
 or perfecting the faid Elections, and fo from Day to Day 
 till the faid Elections be perfected. 
 
 And in cafe that any of the a for ef aid Officers of the 
 
 Royal Society Jhall die, recede, or be remov dfrom their 
 
 refpeftive Offices, then and Jo often it ft all be lawful 
 
 for the faid Prefdent, Council and Fellows, to choofe 
 
 one or more into the Office or Offices vacant, to hold the 
 
 fame during the Re/idue of that Tear, and until others 
 
 be duly chofen and/worn in their "Places. 
 
 Moreover, on the behalf of the Society, it is grant- 
 ed unto the Prefident and Council, that they may of- 
 Jemble and meet together in any College, Hall, or other 
 convenient place in London, or within ten Miles there- 
 of (due and lawful Summons of all the Members of the 
 Council to extraordinary Meetings being always pre- 
 mifed) and that they being fo met together, have full 
 Power and Authority from time to time, to make, 
 conflitute, and eflablijh fuch Laws, Statutes, Orders, 
 and C on/lit utions, which Jhall appear to them to be 
 good, ufeful, honeft, and neceffary, according to their 
 Judgments and Discretions, for the Government, Re- 
 gulation and Direction of the Royal Society, and e- 
 uery Member thereof: And to do all things concern- 
 ing the Government, Eftate, Goods, Lands, Revenues, 
 as alfo the BufmeJJes and Affairs of the faid Society : 
 All which Laws, Statutes, Orders, &c. fo made, His 
 Majejly wills and commands, that they be from time to- 
 time inviolably obferved, according to the Tenor and 
 Ejf'eft of them : Provided that they be reafonable, and, 
 not repugnant or contrary to the Laws, Cujloms^ &c. 
 efhis Kingdom ^England. 
 
 And further more, full Power and Authority is given 
 
 and
 
 142 
 
 and granted unto tie f aid Society, from time to time to 
 
 choo/e one cr more Printers and Gravers, and by writing 
 
 " fealed with the common Seal of the Society, andfigncd by the 
 
 Prejidentfor the time being, to grant them Power to print 
 
 fuch Things, Matters and Bnjtnejes concerning the /aid 
 
 Society, as Jhall be committed to them by the Council from 
 
 time to time: The faid Printers and Gravers, being 
 
 fworn before the Prejident and Council in Form before 
 
 fpecified, which Prejident and Council arc itnpvuxred to 
 
 give the faid Oath. 
 
 And for the greater Advantage and Succefs of the 
 Society in their philcfoplical Studies and Endeavours, 
 full Power and Authority is granted unto them, to re- 
 quire, take, and receive from time to time, dead Bodies 
 of Perfons executed, and the fame to anatomife, to all 
 Intents and Purpo/es, and in as ample Manner and Form 
 as the College of Phyjicians, and Company ofChirurgeom 
 of London (by 'what Names /sever the faid two Corpo- 
 rations are or may be called) have had and made ;//</ of, 
 or may have and ufe the faid Bodies. 
 
 And for the Improvement of fuch Experiments, Arts t 
 and Sciences, as the Society may be imployed in, full Pow- 
 er and Authority is granted unto them from time to time 
 by Letters under the Hand of the Preftdent, in the 
 Prefence of the Council, to bold > Correspondence and 
 Intelligence with any Strangers, whether private Per- 
 fons, or Collegiate Societies, or Corporations, without 
 any Interruption or Mdeftation whatfoeijer : Provided 
 that this Indulgence cr Grant be extended to no farther 
 Ufe than the particular Benefit and Interejl of the Society, 
 in Matters Philofophical, Mathematical, and Mechanical. 
 Full Power and Authority is al(o granted on the 
 behalf of the Society to the Council, to erett and build 
 one or more Colleges within London, or ten Miles 
 
 thereof]
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 14.3 
 
 thereof, ofwhe? Form or Quality feeder, for Habitation, 
 AJj'embling, or Meeting of the Prefident, Council and Pel- 
 lows, about any Affairs and Bujinefies of the Society. 
 
 And if any Abufes or Differences fball ever hereafter 
 arife and happen about the Government or Affairs of 
 the Society, whence the Conftitution, Progrej's, and Im- 
 provement, or Biifmefles thereof may fvffer or be kin- 
 dred: In fucb Cafes his Majefly aj/igns and amhjr.fes 
 his right trujly and right well beloved Coujln and COL n- 
 fellor, Edward Ear! of Clarendon Lord High Chan- 
 cellor of England, by himfelf during his Life, and afer 
 his DeceaJ'e the Lord Arcbbifiop ^Canterbury, the 
 Lord Chancellor ; or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of 
 England, the Lord High Treafurer of England, the 
 Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Lord Bijhop of 
 London, and the two principal Secretaries of State for 
 the Time being, or any four or more of them, to compofe 
 and redrefs anyfuch Differences or Abifes. 
 
 And laftly, his Majejly Jlrittly charges and commands 
 all Jitftices^ Mayors, Aldermen^ Sheriff's, Bailiff], Con- 
 ftables, and all other Officers, Minijiers, and' Subjefts 
 ivbatfoever, from time to time to be aiding and aflifting 
 unto the f aid Prefident, Council, and Fellows of the. 
 Royal Society, in and about all ^bingSy according to the 
 true Intention of his Letters Patent. 
 
 This is the Legal Ratification which the Royal 
 Society has received. And in this Place I am to render 
 their publick Thanks to the Right Honourable the 
 Earl of Clarendon Lord Chancellor of England, to 
 Sir Jeffery 'Palmer Attorney General, and to Sir He- 
 neage Finch Sollicitor General , who by their chearful 
 Concurrence, and free Promotion of this Confirma- 
 tion, have wiped away the Afperfion, that has been 
 
 fcandaloufly
 
 j 44 
 
 fcandaloufly caft on the TrofeJJion of the La^', that it 
 is an Enemy to Learning and the civil Arts. To (hew 
 the Fallhoodof this Reproach, I might intlancc in many 
 Judges and Councilors of all Ages, who have been the 
 Ornaments of the Sciences, as well as of the Bar-, and 
 Courts of Juftice. But it is enough to declare, that 
 my Lord Bacon was a Lawyer p , and that thclc eminent 
 Officers of the Law, have completed this Foundation 
 of the Royal Society-, which was a Work well be- 
 coming the Largenefs of his\Vit to dcvife, and the 
 Greatnefs of their Prudence to cftablifh. 
 
 Sea. XXIV. According to the Intention of thcfc Letters Ta- 
 TheirCoun- tents, their Council has ever fmcc been annually re- 
 dh and Sta- ncwc d . tnC i r <PreJident, their Treafurer, their Secre- 
 taries chofen : The chief Employments of the Coun- 
 cil have been to manage their political Affairs, to re- 
 gulate Difordcrs, to make Addrefles, and Applications 
 in their Behalf: to regard their 'Privileges, to dif- 
 perfe Correspondents, but principally to form the Bo- 
 dy of their Statutes, which I will here infcrt. 
 
 An Abftratt of the Statutes of the Royal Society. 
 
 JI7Hatever Statute fhal! be made, or repealed, the 
 ** making or repealing of it fhall be voted twice, 
 and at two fever al Meetings of the Council. 
 
 This Obligation flail be Jubjcribed by every Fel- 
 low j or his Election jhall be void. 
 
 WE who have hereto fubfcrib'd, do promifc 
 each for himfelf, that we will endeavour to 
 promote the good of the Royal Society of London, 
 for the Improvement of natural Knowledgc,and to pur- 
 fue the Ends, for which the fame was founded j that we 
 
 were
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 145 
 
 beprefentat the Meetings of the Society, as of- 
 ten as conveniently we can ; efpecially at the anniver- 
 fary Elections, and upon extraordinary Occafions j 
 and that we will obferve the Statutes and Orders of 
 the faid Society : Provided, that whenever any of us 
 t fhall fignify to the Prefident under his Hand, that 
 he defires to withdraw from the Society, he lhall be 
 free from this Obligation for the future. 
 
 Every Fellow flail pay his Admiffion-Money ^ and af- 
 terwards Contribution, towards the defraying of the 
 Charges of Obfervations and "Experiments, &c. 
 
 The ordinary Meetings of the Royal Society flail be 
 held once a Week, where none flail be prefent, be fides the 
 .Fellows, without the leave of the Society, under the De- 
 gree of a Baron in one of bis Majeflfs three Kingdoms, 
 or of his Majejlys Privy Council', or unlefs he be an 
 eminent Foreigner , and thefe only without the leave of 
 the Prejldent. 
 
 The Bufinefs of their weekly Meetings flail be, To 
 order, take account, confider, and difcourfe of, philofo- 
 phical Experiments and Obfervations -, to read, hear, 
 and difcourfe upon, Letters, Reports, and other Papers, 
 containing philofophical Matters-, as alfo to view, and 
 difcourfe upon the Productions and Rarities of Nature y 
 and Art j and to confider what to reduce from them, or 
 how they may be improved for Ufe or Difcovery. 
 
 The Experiments that be made at the Charge of the 
 Society, two Curators at leaft flail be appointed for the 
 Infpetfion of thofe which cannot be performed before the 
 Society, by them the bare Report of Matter of Faff 
 flail bejlated and returned. 
 
 The Election of Fellows flail be made by way of Bal- 
 lot -, and their Admi/ion by ajolemn Declaration made 
 by the Prefident of their Election.
 
 , 4 6 The HI STORY of 
 
 *fhe Election of the Council and Officers (hall be made 
 once a Tear: Eleven of the prefent Council Jhall be con- 
 tinued by Lot, for the next Year, and ten new ones cbo- 
 fen in like Manner. Out of this new Council flail be 
 elected a Prefident, Treafurer, and two Secretaries in 
 the fame JVay. 
 
 The Prefident flail prejide in all Meetings, regulate 
 all Debates of the Society and Council ; State, and put 
 QueftioJis -, call for Reports and Accounts from Commit- 
 tees, Curators, and others-, fummon all extraordinary 
 Meetings upon urgent Occafons, and fee to the Execution 
 of the Statutes, 'the Vice-Prefident flail have the fame 
 Power in the Abjence of the Prejident. 
 
 'The Treafurer, or his Deputy, flail receive and keep 
 Accounts of all Money due to the Society, anddisburfe all 
 Money payable by the Society. He flail pay f mall Sums 
 by Order of the Prejident under his Hand, but thofe that 
 exceed five Pounds by Order of the Council. All Bills 
 of Charges for Experiments flail Jirjl be Jigned by the 
 Curators. The Accounts of the Treafurer flail be au- 
 dited four times a Tear, by a Committee of the Council^ 
 and once a Tear by a Committee of the Society. 
 
 The Secretaries are to take Notes of the Orders, and 
 material Pajjages of the Meetings ; to take care of the 
 Books, Papers, and Writings of the Society-, to order > 
 and dirett the Clerks in making Entries of all Matters 
 in the Regijier and Journal Books of the Society or Coun- 
 cil-, to draw upjuch Letters as flail be written in their 
 Name, which flail be approved at one of their Meet' 
 ings ; to give notice of the Candidates propounded in or- 
 der to Election. 
 
 The Curators by Office flail have afufficicnt Allow- 
 ance for their Encouragement, which flail increafe 
 frofortionably with the Revenue of the Society, pro- 
 6 vaded
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY. 
 
 vided that it exceed not two hundred Pounds a Year. 
 They Jhall be well skilled in philofopbical and mathe- 
 matical Learning^ well vers'd in Objervations, Inqui- 
 ries^ and Experiments of Nature and Art. 'They Jhall 
 take care of the managing of all Experiments and Ob~ 
 fervations appointed by the Society or Council, and re- 
 port the fame, and perform fuch other Tasks, as the 
 Society or Council fi all appoint ; fuch as the examin- 
 ing of Sciences, Arts, and Inventions now in uje, and 
 the bringing in Hi/lories of natural and artificial 
 things, &c. They fhall be propounded at leaft a Month 
 before they are chojen. 'They Jfjall be examined by the 
 Council before the Election: To their Election every 
 Member of the Society JJi all be fummoned: They foall 
 at firfl be only elected for a Tear of Probation, except 
 they be of known Merits; at the end of the Tear, they 
 Jhall be either elected for Perpetuity, or for a longer 
 Time of Probation, or wholly rejected. The Caufes of 
 ejecting a Curator Jhall be the fame with ejecting a Fel- 
 low, or for fraudulent Dealing and Negligence in the 
 Affairs of the Society, provided that he JJoall Jirft re- 
 ceive three refpetfive Admonitions. If any Curator 
 Jhall be dijabled by Age, Infirmity, or any Cafualty, in 
 the Service of the Society, feme Provijion Jhall be made 
 for him during Life, if his Condition requires, accord' 
 ing as the Council JJj all think fit. 
 
 The Clerk Jhall conjlantly attend at all Meetings ; he 
 Jhall follow the Directions of the Secretaries, in regi- 
 jlring and entring all Matters thatJJiall be appointed: 
 he /hall not communicate any thing contained in their 
 Books, to any that is not a Fellow. He fhall have a 
 certain Rate for what he copies, and a yearly Stipend 
 for his Attendance. 
 
 The Printer Jhall take care for the printing of fuch 
 
 T 2 Books
 
 , 4 8 The HI STORY of 
 
 Books as flail be committed to him by Order of the So- 
 ciety, or Council-, and therein he flail obferve their Di- 
 rections, as to the Correction of the Edition, the Number 
 of Copies, the Form, or Volume, &c. 
 
 The Operators of the Society, when they have any of 
 their Work under their Hands, flail not undertake the 
 Work of any other Perfons, which may hinder the Bttji- 
 nefs of the Society. They (hall have Salaries for their 
 Attendance. 
 
 The common Seal of the Society flail be kept in a 
 Chejl with three Locks, and three different Keys, by the 
 Prefidenty Treafurer, and one of the Secretaries, 'the 
 Deeds of the Society j[h all be pafsd in Council, andfeal'd ; 
 by them and the Prejident. 
 
 'The Books that concern the Affairs of the Society, 
 Jhall be the Charter Book, Statute Book, Journal Books, 
 Letter Books, and Regifter Books, for the entring of phi- 
 lofophical Obfervations,. Hiftories, Dijcourfes, Experi- 
 ments, Inventions. 
 
 The Names of Benefactors flail be honourably menti- 
 oned in a Book provided for that purpofe. 
 
 In cafe of Death, or Recejs of any Fellow, the Se- 
 cretaries are to note it in the Margin of the Rcgifter,. 
 over againft their Names. 
 
 TheCaufes of Ejection flail be contemptuous Dijobe- 
 dienceto the Statutes and Orders of the Society ; defam- 
 ing or malicious damnifying the fame. This flail be de- 
 clared by the Prejident at one of the Meetings-, and f be 
 Ejection recorded. 
 
 When thefe Statutes were prefented to his Majefty, 
 he was pleas'd to fuperfcribe himfelf their Pounder 
 and Patron ; his Royal Highnefs, and his Highnefi 
 Prince Rupert, at the fame time 3 declaring themfelves 
 
 Ft/tows,
 
 the ROYAL So c IETY. 149 
 
 Nor has the King only incourag'd them, by Kind- Seft - .xxvn. 
 nefs and Words, and by Atts of State -, but he has alfo J^'J/'^ 
 provok'd them to unwearied Activity in their Rxpe- promoting 
 riments, by the moft effectual Means of his Royal Ex-. Experiments, 
 ample. There is fcarce any one fort of /%r,whofe Ad- 
 vancement they regard 5 but from his Majeftfs own 
 Labours they have receiv'd a pattern for their Indca- 
 vours about it. They defign the multiplying and 
 beautifying of Mechanick Arts : And the Noife of 
 Mechanick Injlruments is heard in Whitehall itfelf, 
 They intend the Perfection of Graving, Statuary,- 
 Litnningoiningi*.i\& all the Works of Smiths,in Iron, 
 or Steel, or Silver : And the moft excellent Artifts of 
 thefe kinds have Provifion made for their Practice, 
 even in the Chambers and Galleries of his Court. 
 They pjarpofe the Trial of all manner of Operations by 
 Fire /And the King\M& under his own Roof found , 
 place' for ChjmicalOperatorfs'They refolve to reftore, 
 to enlarge, to examine^^/fe^ j and the King has in- 
 dow'd the College of London with new Privileges, 
 and has planted a Phyfick Garden under his own Eye* 
 They have beftow'd much Confideration on the pro- 
 pagating of Fruits and Trees : And the King has made 
 Plantations enough, even almoft to repair the Ruins 
 of a Civil War. They have begun an exact Survey 
 of the Heavens j and St. James's Tark may witnefs, 
 that Ttolomy and Alphonfo were not the only Mo^ 
 narchsj who obferv'd the Motions and Appearances of 
 the Stars. They have ftudied the promoting of Ar^ 
 chitetture in our Ifland 5 and the Beauty of our late 
 Buildings, and the Reformation of his own Houfes,'do 
 sufficiently manifeft his Skill and Inclination to that i 
 Art: of which. Magnificence, we had feen more Ef- 
 fect:
 
 I5 o Tie HISTORY of 
 
 fefts e'er this, if they had not been call'd off by this 
 War,from Houics otConvemence,to thole of Strength 
 They have principally confulted the Advancement of 
 Navigation, and the King has been moft ready to 
 reward thole, that (hall difcovcr the Meridian- They 
 have employ 'd much Time in examining the Fabrick 
 of Ships, the Forms of their &?/'/>, the Shapes of their 
 Keels, the Sorts of Timber, the planting of Fir, the 
 bettering of Pitch, and Tar, and Tackling. And in 
 all maritime Affairs of this Nature, his Majejfy is ac- 
 knowledg'd to be the bcft Judge amongft Seamen 
 and Shipwrights, as well as the moft powerful amongft 
 Princes. 
 
 Sea.xxvm. By thefe and many other Inftances it appears, that 
 
 And the prt- ^ g- has nQt Qn j - cn s uccour to t h e R yal So- 
 lent Genius . .<=> . r J . *~ ., . . T , 
 
 ofwrNation. arty, in the prolecution or their Labours 5 but has al- 
 
 fo led them on their Way* and trac'd out to them the 
 
 Paths, in which they ought to tread. And with this 
 
 propitious Inclination of his Majefty, and thchighcft 
 
 "Degrees of Men, the Genius of the Nation itfelf ir- 
 
 rcfiftibly confpires. If we reflect on all the paft 
 
 Times of Learning in our IJlandi we may ftill ob- 
 
 -ferve fome remarkable Accidents, that retarded thefe 
 
 Studies, which were ftill ready to break forth, in 
 
 fpight of all Oppofition. 
 
 Till the Union of the two Houfesof Tork and Lan- 
 cafter, the whole Force of our Country was ingag'd in 
 Domeftick Wars, between the King and the Nobility, 
 or in the furious Contentions between the divided 
 Families : unlefs fometimes fome magnanimous 
 Prince was able to turn their Strength to foreign 
 Conquefts. In King Henry the Seventh the two Rofes 
 were join'd : His Government was like his own 
 
 Temper,
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Temper, clofe,feverej jealous, avaritiouS) and withal 
 victorious-, *\\& prudent : but how unprcpar'd his Time 
 was for new Dilcoverics, is evident by the {lender Ac- 
 count that he made of the Propofition of Columbus. 
 The Reign of King Henry the Eighth was <vigoroiis, 
 haughty, magnificent ', expenfive, learned: But then 
 the Alteration of Religion began, and that alone was 
 then fufficient to pofifefs the Minds of Men. 
 
 The Government of King Edward the Sixth was 
 contentious, by rcafon of the Factions of thofe who 
 manag'd his Childhood 5 and the Shortnefs of his Life 
 deprived us of the Fruits, that might have been expeft- 
 ed from the prodigious Beginnings of the King him- 
 felf. That of Queen Mary was weak, melancholy, 
 bloody againft the Proteflants, obfcur'd by a foreign^ 
 Marriage, and unfortunate by the LofsofCtf&gr: That 
 of ^tieen Elizabeth was/07^, triumphant, peaceable 
 at home, and glorious abroad. Then it was ihewn, to 
 what height the Englifh may rife, when they are com- 
 manded by a ^Prince, who knows how to govern their 
 Hearts as well as Hands. In her Days the Reformation 
 was fettled, Commerce was eftablifiYd, and NavigatL 
 <?advanc'd, But though Knowledge began abundant- 
 ly to fpring forth, yet it was not then feafonable for 
 Experiments to receive a publick Incouragement : 
 while the Writings of Antiquity, and the Controver- 
 fies between us and the Church of Rome, were not' 
 fully ftudy'd and difpatch'd. 
 
 The Reign ;of King James was happy in all the Be- 
 nefits ofPeace, and plentfully furnifh'd with Men of 
 profound Learning : But in Imitation of the King, 
 they chiefly regarded the Matters of Religion and 
 *Difputationi fo that even my Lord Bacon, with all his 
 Authority in the State, could never raife any College
 
 the HISTORY bf 
 
 of Salomon j but in a Romance,. That of King Charles 
 the frft began indeed to be 'ripe for fuch Undertake 
 ings, by rcafon of the Plenty and Felicity of the firft 
 Years of his Government, and the Abilities of the 
 /<7himfelf ; who was not only an inimitable Ma- 
 fler, in Reafon and Eloquence, but cxceli'd in very- 
 many practical Arts, beyond the uiual Cuftom of 
 Kin^s, nay even beyond the Skill of the belt Artifts 
 themfelvcs. But he, alas ! was call'd away from the 
 Studies of Qiilet and Teace* to a more dangerous and 
 a more honourable Reputation. The chief Triumphs 
 that Hcav'n rcierv'd for him, were to be gathcr'd from 
 his fnffering Virtues : In them he was only exceeded 
 by the Divine Example of our Saviour ^ in Imitation 
 of whofc Paflion,.thofe Afflictions, and thofe Thorns 
 which the rude Soldiers dcfign'd for his ^Difgrace and 
 Torment y became his G/0r>'andhis Crown. 
 
 The late Times of Civil JVar and ConfufionjQ make 
 Recompcnce for their infinite Calamities, brought this 
 Advantage with them, that they ftir'd up Men's Minds 
 from longEafe^nd a lazy Reft, and made them aflive, 
 induftrious and mquijltive: it being the uiual Benefit 
 that follows upon Tempefts and Thunders in the State> 
 as well as in the Sky, that they purifie and clear the 
 ^/>,whichthey difturb. But now fincc the Kings Re- 
 turn, the Blindnefs of the former Ages, and theMife- 
 ries of this laft, are vanifh'd away : now Men are gene- 
 rally weary of the Relicks of Antiquity ', and fatiated 
 with Religious 'Difputes : now not only the Eyes of 
 Men,but their Hands are open and prcpar'd to labour : 
 Now there is an univerfal 'Dejire and Appetite after 
 Knowledge, after the peaceable, the fruitful, the nou- 
 rifhing Knowledge, and not after that of anticnt Seels, 
 \which only yielded hard indigcftiblc Arguments, 
 
 6 or
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 153 
 
 or {harp Contentions inftead of Food > which when 
 the Minds of Men required Bread, gave them only 
 a Stone, and for a Fifh a Serfent. 
 
 Whatever they have hitherto attempted, on thefe 
 Principles and Incouragements, it has been carry 'd on The 
 with a vigorous Spirit, and Wonderful good Fortune, 
 from their firft Conftitution down to this Day. Yet been empty d. 
 I overhear the Whifpers and Doubts of many, who 
 demand, what they have done all this while ? And 
 wjiatthey have prod uc'd, that is anfwerable to thefe 
 mighty Hopes, which we indeavour to make the 
 World conceive of their Undertaking * 
 
 If thofe who require this Account, have themfclvcs 
 perform'd any worthy Things, jn this Space of Time ; 
 it is fit, that we fhouldgive them Satisfaction. But they 
 who have done nothing at all, have no reafon to up- 
 braid the Royal Society, for not having done as much 
 as they fancy it might. To thofe therefore who ex- 
 cite it to work by their Examples, as well as Words 
 and Reproofs, methinks it were a fufficient Anfwer, 
 if I fhould only repeat the particulars I have already 
 mentioned, wherein the King has fet on foot a Refor- 
 mation^ in the Ornaments, and Advantages of our 
 Country. For though the original Praife of all this 
 is to be afcrib'd to the Genius of the King himfelf ; 
 yet it is but juft, that fome Honour mould thence def- 
 cend to this Aflembly, whofe Purpofes are conform- 
 able to his Majefty's Performance of that Nature : 
 Seeing all the little Scandals, that captious Humours \ 
 have taken againft the Royal Society ', have not rifen 
 from their general Proceedings, but from a few 
 pretended Offences of fome of their private Mem- 
 j it is but reafon, that we mould alledge in their 
 
 U com-
 
 , 54 . - The HISTORY of 
 
 Commendation, all the excellent Defigns, which 
 are begun by the King, who has not only ftyl'd him- 
 felf their Founder, but afted as a particular Member 
 of their Company. 
 
 To this I will alfo add, that in this Time, they have 
 pafs'd through the firft Difficulties of their Charter 
 and Models and have overcome all Oppofitions, 
 which are wont to arife, againft the Beginnings of 
 greatThings. This certainly alone were enough to free 
 them from all Imputation of Idlenefs, that they have 
 fram'd fuch an Aflembly in fix Years, which was ne- 
 ver yet brought about in fix thoufand. Befides this the 
 World is to confider, that if any (hall think, the whole 
 Compafs of their Work might have come to a fudden 
 HTue ; they feem neither to underftand the Intenti- 
 ons of the Royal Society, nor the Extent of their Task. 
 It was never their Aim, to make a violent Difpatch, 
 They know, that Precipitancy in fuch Matters was the 
 Fault of the Anticnts : And they have no Mind, to fall 
 into the fame Error, which they indeavour to correcl. 
 They began at firft on fo large a Bottom, that it is im- 
 poflible, the whole Frame (hould be fuddenly com- 
 pleated. 'Tistrue, they that have nothing el fe to do, 
 but to exprefs, and adorn Conclufions of Knowledge 
 already made, may bring their Arts to an End, asfoon 
 as they pleafe : But they who follow the flow and 
 intricate Method of Nature, cannot have the Seafons 
 of their Productions, fo much in their own Power, 
 If we would always exacl: from them daily or week- 
 ly Harvefts ; we {hould wholly cut off the Occafions 
 of very many excellent Inventions, whofe Subjects 
 are remote, and come but feldom under their Con- 
 fideration. If we would require them, immediately 
 to reduce all their Labours, to publick and confpicu- 
 
 ous
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY 155 
 
 bus Ufe ; by this dangerous Speed, we fhould draw 
 them off from many of the beft Foundations of Know- 
 ledge. Many of their noblefl Difcoverics, and fuch 
 as will hereafter prove moft ferviceable, cannot in- 
 ftantly be made to turn to Profit. Many of their 
 weightieft and moft precious Obfer vat ions, are not 
 always fit to be expofed to open View : For it is with 
 the greateft Philofophers, as with the richeft Mer- 
 chants, whofe Wares of greateft Bulk and Price, lye 
 commonly out of Sight, in their Warehoufes, and 
 not in their Shops. 
 
 This being premis'd, I will however venture to lay 
 down a brief Draught of their moft remarkable Parti- 
 culars, which may be reduced to thefe following 
 Heads : The Queries and Directions they have given 
 abroad 5 the Propofals and Recommendations they 
 have made 5 the Relations they have received ; the 
 Experiments they have tried ; the Obfervations they 
 have taken 5 the Inftruments they have invented ^ the 
 Theories that have been propofed ; the Difcourfes 
 they have written, or publifhed ; the Repofitory and 
 Library ; and the Hiftories of Nature, and Arts, and 
 Works they have collected. 
 
 Their Manner of gathering, and difperfing 6)ue+ 
 ries, is this. Firft, they require fome of their parti- 
 cular Fellows, to examine all Treatifes and Defcrip- 
 tions of the Natural and Artificial Productions of 
 thofe Countries, in which they would be informed. 
 At the fame Time, they employ others to difcourfe 
 with the Seamen, Travellers, Tradefmen, and Mer- 
 chants, who are likely to give them the beft Light. 
 Out of this united Intelligence from Men and Books, 
 they compofe a Body of Queftions, concerning all 
 
 U a the
 
 I5 6 ?t>e HISrORY of 
 
 the obfervable Things of thofe Places. Thefe Pa- 
 pers being produced in their weekly Aflemblies, 
 are augmented, or contracted, as -they fee Occafi- 
 on. And then the Fellows themfelves are wont 
 to undertake their Diftribution into all Quarters, 
 according as they have the Convenience of Corref- 
 pondence : Of this Kind I will here reckon up fome 
 of the principal, whofe particular Heads are free to 
 all that fhall defire Copies of them for their Direc- 
 tion. 
 
 They have compofed Queries, and Directions, 
 what Things are needful to be obferved, in order to 
 the making of a natural Hiftory in general ; what 
 are to be taken Notice of towards a perfect Hiftory 
 of the Air, and Atmofphere, and Weather ; what is 
 to be obferved in the Production, Growth, Advanc- 
 ing or Transforming of Vegetables ; what Particulars 
 are requifite, for collecting a compleat Hiftory of the 
 Agriculture, which is ufed in feveral Parts of this 
 Nation. 
 
 They have prefcribed' exact Inquiries, and given 
 punctual Advice for the Trial of Experiments of Ra- 
 refaction, Refraction, and Condenfation; concerning 
 the Caufeand Manner of the Petrifaction of Wood j 
 of the Loadftonc ; of the Parts of Anatomy, that 
 are yet imperfect; of Injections into the Blood of 
 Animals ; and transfufing the Blood of one Animal 
 into another ; of Currents j of the ebbing and flow- 
 ing of the Sea ; of the Kinds, and Manner of the feed- 
 ing of Oyfters ; of the Wonders, and Curiofitics ob- 
 fervable in deep Mines. 
 
 They have collected, and fent abroad Inquiries 
 
 for the Eaft-Indies, for China, for St. Helena, forTe- 
 
 neriff, or any high Mountain, for Guinea, for Bar- 
 
 5 bary>
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY. 
 ary, and Morocco, for Spain, and Tortugal, for 
 
 Turky y for France, for /ta/j/, for Germany, 
 ^77, for Tranfylvama, for ^Poland, and Sweden, 
 for Iceland, and Greenland^ they have given Direc- 
 tions for Seamen in general, and for obferving the 
 Eclipfes of the Moon 5 for obferving the Eclipfes of 
 the Sun by Mercury, in feveral Parts of the World, 
 and for obferving the Satellites of Jupiter; 
 
 Of this their Way of Inquiry, and giving Rules 
 for Direction, I will here produce a few Inftances 5 
 from whofe Exa&nefs it may be gueffed> how all the 
 reft are performed. 
 
 ANSWERS
 
 , S 8 Me HISTORY of 
 
 ANSWERS 
 
 RETURN'D BY 
 
 SIR PfHLBERTO VERNATTI 
 
 Refident in Batavia in Java Major, 
 
 To certain Inquiries fent thither by Order of the 
 Royal Society, and recommended by 
 
 SIR ROBERT MORAY. 
 
 Q^ i . JTTHether 'Diamonds and other precious Stones 
 & row a & am * a ft r three or four Tears, in 
 the fame T laces where they have been digged out ? 
 
 A. Never, or at leaft as the Memory of Man can 
 attain to. 
 
 0^2. Whether the Quarries of Stone in India, near 
 Fetipoca, not far from Agra, may be cleft like Logs, 
 and fawn like *P tanks, to ceil Chambers, and cover 
 Houfes. 
 
 A. What they are about the Place mentioned, I 
 have not as yet been well inform'd ; but in Terjtanot 
 far from Cyrus where the beft Wine groweth, there is 
 a fort of hard Stone which may be cleft like Fir- 
 wood, as if it had a Grain in it ; the fame is at the 
 Coaft Cormandel about Sadrafyatuam ; where they 
 make but a mark in the Stone, fet a Wedge upon it, 
 with a wooden Hammer, as thick and thin as they 
 pleafe ; it is ufcd commonly for Pavement in Houfes, 
 one Foot fquarc, and fo cheap, that fucha Stone fine- 
 ly polifh'd cofts not above fix Pence. 
 
 i 3- IVkc-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Q^ 3 . Whether there be a Hill in Sumatra, 'which 
 burneth continually r , and a Fountain which runneth 
 pureBalfam ? 
 
 A. There is a Hill that burneth in Sumatra near 
 Endrapeor ; but 1 cannot hear of any fuch Fountain ; 
 and I believe that the like Hill is upon Java Major 
 oppofite to Batavia ; for in a clear Morning or Even- 
 ing, from the Road a Man may perfedly perceive a 
 continual Smoak rife from the top, and vanifh by lit- 
 tle and little. I have often felt Earthquakes here, 
 but they do not continue long. In the Year 1656, or 
 57, (I do not remember well the Time) Batavja 
 was cover'd in one Afternoon, about two of the 
 Clock, with a black Duft, which being gather'd to- 
 gether, was fo ponderous, that it exceeded the Weight 
 in Gold. I, at that Time, being very ill, did not 
 take much Notice of it, but fome have gathered it, 
 and if I light upon it, I mail fend you fome. It is 
 here thought, it came out of the Hill : I never heard 
 of any that had been upon this Hill's top. Endrapeor 
 is counted a mighty unwholefome Place, as likewife 
 all others where Pepper grows ; as Jamby? Banjar y 
 Balingtoan, &c. though fome impute it to the Hill's 
 burning. 
 
 As forthe Fountain, it is unknown to us, except 
 Oleum Terra is meant by it, which is to be had in 
 Sumatra) but the beft comes from 'Pegu. 
 
 Q._4. What River is thatin]w& Major that turns 
 Wood into Stone ? 
 
 A. There is none fuch to our Knowledge ; yet I 
 have feen a Piece of Wood with a Stone at the End 
 of it j which was told me, that was turned into Stone 
 by a River in Tegu ; but I took it but for a Foppery ; 
 for divers Arbufla grow in Rocks, which being appro* 
 
 priatedv
 
 , 6o 2& HISTORY of 
 
 priated curioufty, may eafily deceive a too hafty Be- 
 liever. 
 
 Q^5. Whether it be true, that upon theCoaft of 
 Achin in Sumatra, the Sea, though it be calm,grow- 
 eth very high when no Rain falls, tut is fmooth in 
 Rain, though it blows hard ? 
 
 A. Sometimes, but not always? the Rcafon is 
 this, that Achin lyeth at the very End and Corner of 
 Sumatra, as may be fcen by the Map, open in the 
 main Ocean, ib that the Sea comes rowling from the 
 Cabo debonaEfperanza, and all that way unto it, and 
 it is natural to the Sea to have a continual Motion, let 
 it be ever fo calm ; which Motion cannot be called 
 a Wave, neither have I any English for it at prcfcnt, 
 but in 'Dutch we call it, ^Deyninge van*Dee Zee, and 
 the calmer it is, the higher ; the natural Motion of 
 the Sea elevates very (lowly the Water > fo that I have 
 fecn Ships and Junks tofled by tixcfc'Dcynings in a 
 calm, (when there is fcarce Wind enough to drive a 
 Bubble) that a Man can fcarce ftand in them ; fomc 
 lay this Motion proceeds from boiltcrous Winds at Sea 
 far diftant. That Rain beats down the fwclling of thefc 
 T>eynings (efpecially if it be vehement) proceeds 
 naturally from its Weight and Impetuofity. And it 
 is obferved, that about Achin the Mountains arc high 
 andfteep, from whofe Tops boiftcrous Winds, called 
 Travant, come fuddenly (likeaGranado-caft) falling 
 into the Sea, arc accompanied commonly with a great 
 Shower of Rain, and laft not above a Quarter, or at 
 the moft, half an Hour, which is too ihort a Time to 
 difturb the Sea, or to caufe a contrary Motion in it, 
 being (hclter'd by thefe Mountains. 
 
 Q.^ 6. Whether in the Ijland of Sambrcro, which 
 . h'eth Northwards of Sumatra, about eight Degrees 
 
 Northern
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 161 
 
 them Latitude, there be found fuch a Vegetable as 
 
 Mr. James Lancaftcr relates to have feen, which 
 
 grow sup to aTree,fhrinks down, when one of ers to 
 
 finch it tip, into the Ground, and would quite fhrink y 
 
 unlefs held very hard? And whether the fame, being 
 
 forcibly pluck d up, hath a Worm for its Root,diminifh- 
 
 ing more and more, according as the Tree groweth in 
 
 Greatnefs ; and as foon as the Worm is wholly turned 
 
 into the Tree, rooting in the Ground, and fo growing 
 
 reat ? Andwhether the fame pinched up young turns, 
 
 y that time it is dry, into a hard Stone, much like to 
 
 white Corral ? 
 
 A. I cannot meet with any that ever have heard of 
 fuch a Vegetable. 
 
 Q. 7. Whether thofe Creatures that are in thefe 
 Tarts plump, and in Seafon at the full Moon, are 
 lean and out of Seafon at the new, and the contrary > 
 at the^ aft- Indies ? 
 
 A. I find it fo here, by Experience at Batavia, in 
 Oyfters and Crabs. 
 
 C^ 8 . What ground there might be for that Relation, 
 concerningHorns tahingRoot, and growing about Goa ? 
 
 A. Inquiring about this, a Friend laught, and told 
 me it was a Jeer put upon the 'Portuguefe, becaufc 
 the Women of Goa are counted much given to Le- 
 chery. 
 
 Q. 9- Whether the Indians canfo prepare thatftu- 
 piJyingHerbDxttttzjhat they make it lye fever aVD ays, 
 Months, Tears, according as they will have it, in a 
 Mans Body, without doing him any hurt, and at the 
 end hill him, without miffing half an Hour 's time? 
 
 A. The China Men in this Place have formerly uf- 
 cd ^Datura as a Fermentation, to a fort of Drink much 
 beloved by the Soldiers and Mariners, called Suyher- 
 
 X bier,
 
 162 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 bier, which makes them raging mad, fo that it is for - 
 bidden ftridly under the Penalty of a great Pain to 
 make ufe of the fame. 
 
 Q^ i o. Whether thofe that be flttpifed by the Juke 
 of this /&r Datura, are recovered by moiftning the 
 Soles of their Feet in fair Water ? 
 
 A. No. For I have feen divcrfe Soldiers and Ma- 
 riners fall into the Rivers and Ditches, being ftupificd 
 by their Drink aforefaid, who were rather worfe af- 
 ter they were taken out, than better. 
 
 Q. n. Whet her a Betel hath fitch a Contrariety to 
 the Durion, that a few Leaves thereof put to a whole 
 $&<?/>/#/ <?/Durions, will make them all rot fudden- 
 ly ? And whether thofe who have (urfeited on Du- 
 rions, and thereby overheat edthemfelves, do by lay- 
 ing one Leaf of Betel cold upon the Heart, imme- 
 diately cure the Inflammations and recover the Sto- 
 mach ? This Betel being thought to prefer ve thofe In- 
 dians from Tooth-ach, loofe Gums and Scurvy, and 
 fromftinking Breath -, fome of it is dejired to be fent 
 over with the Fruit Arcica, and the other Ingredi- 
 ents^ and Manner of preparing it. 
 
 A. I have feen that ^/V/ Leaves in a fhort time 
 will fpoil a c Dtirion> take away its Nature, and turn 
 a fat creamy Subftance into Water. Commonly 
 thofe that eat great Quantities of ^Durions^ cat a Betel 
 afterwards as a Correfforium > but of laying a Leaf 
 upon the Heart, I have never heard. As for the 
 other Qualities of the Betel* I believe they arc good, 
 if not abufed 5 as mod of the Indians do, who ne- 
 ver are without it in their Mouths, no not flecping, 
 which corrodes their Teeth, and makes them as black 
 as Jet : It draws from the Head the phlcgmatick Hu- 
 mours, which are voided by fpitting 5 fo we ufe it j 
 
 but
 
 fhe ROVAL SOCJETV. 163 
 
 but the Indians fwallow down their Spittle, together 
 \vith the Juice of the Befet, and the Areica. The 
 Manner of preparing it is eafy, being nothing but the 
 Nut, Leaf and Calx viva, of which laft each one adds 
 as much as pleafcth his Palate. There is a Sort of 
 Fruit called Si-vgboa, which is ufed with the Areica, 
 inftcad of Betel, and can be dried and tranfported as 
 well as the Areica, and hath the fame Force, but a 
 great deal more plcafant to the Palate. 
 r Q.J2. met her the Papayas, that beareth Fruit 
 like a Melon, do not grow, much lefs bear Fruit, un- 
 lefs Male and Female be together ? 
 
 A. They grow, as I have feen two in the Englifi 
 Houfe at Bantam, and bear little Fruit, which never 
 comes to Perfection ; but if the Male and Female be 
 together, the one bears great Fruit, the other nothing 
 but Flowers. 
 
 Q^ 1 3 . JVhether the Arbor Trifte (beds its Flowers 
 at therifing of the Sun,andfhoots them again at the 
 fetting of the Sun ? And whether the diftill'd Water 
 thereof (call' d Aqua di Mogli by f^Portugals) may 
 not be tranfported to England ? And whether at the 
 rijlng of the Sim the Leaves of the Arbor Trifte drop 
 off as well as the Flowers ? 
 
 A. There are two forts of the Arbor Trifle ; one is 
 called by the Tortugals Trifte de T>ie> the other Trifle 
 de NocJe 5 the one flieds its Flowers at the rifing, the 
 other at the fetting of the Sun; but neither of them 
 fhed their Leaves. There is no Body here that under- 
 ftands the diftilling of Waters $ fome fay this Aqua 
 di Magli is to be had at Malaca-, for which I have 
 writ, and fliall fend it if procurable. 
 
 Q^ i4 IVhether the Arbor de Rays, or Tree of Root, 
 propagate it f elf in a whole For eft, by footing up and 
 
 X 2 letting
 
 l64 The HISTORY of 
 
 letting fall Roots from its Branches into the Ground, 
 that Jpring up again, and foon ? 
 
 A. This is true. And we have diverfe Trees about 
 Batavia, and the like adjacent Iflands, above fifty 
 Foot in the Diameter. 
 
 Q^i 5 . What kind of Fruit is that in Jucca, ^hich 
 grows immediately out of the Trees' s Body , and is 
 faid to breed the Plague if eaten immoderately ? 
 
 A. It is a Fruit much like to 'Durion-, which grow- 
 cth in the fame Manner j hath a faint Smell, and fweet 
 watcrifh Tafte; for my part I do not afiect them : The 
 Tlague is a Difeafe unknown amongll the Indians ; 
 but this Fruit, as moft others do, immoderately eat- 
 en, caufes a 'Diarhea, which eafily degenerates to a 
 Tenefmus, by us called Veirfing, a dangerous Sick- 
 nefs, and worfe than the 'Plague. 
 
 Q^i6. What Toifon is it the King fl/'Macaflar in 
 Colebees is faid to have particular to himfelf, which 
 not only kills a Man immediately r , that hath received 
 the flight eft Wound by a T)art dipt therein, but alfo 
 isaithin half an Hour's time, makes the Fleft, touched 
 ixith it, Jo rotten, that it luillfall like Snivel from 
 the Bones, and whofe poyfbnous Steams ill foon fly 
 up to a Wound made with an unpoifoned 'Dart, if the 
 Blood he only in the flight eft Manner touctid ivith a 
 "Dart infefled 'with the 'Poifon ? What Certainty 
 there is of this Relation ? 
 
 A- That there is fuch a Poifon in this King's Pof- 
 feflion is moft certain 5 but what it. is, no Chriftian 
 hitherto ever knew right. By the Government of 
 Arnold de Flamminge Van Qutfiorn diverfe have been 
 tortured 3 yea, killed. 
 
 Some fay it is the Gall of a venomous Fifh, others 
 fay it is a Tree which is fo venomous, that thofe who 
 
 arc
 
 "the ROYAL SOCIETY. 165 
 
 are condemned to die, fetch the Poifon, but not one 
 of an Hundred fcapcs Death 5 the Roots of this Tree 
 are held au' Antidote againtt. the Poifon ; but our 
 People, when we had War with Macaffar, found no 
 Antidote like to their own or other's Excrements ; as 
 foon as they felt them felves wounded, they imtantly 
 took a Dofe of this lame, which prelently provoked to 
 vomit, and fo, by Repulilon, (as 1 perceive) and Sweat, 
 freed the noble Parts from farther Infection. That a 
 Wound fhould be infected by this Poifon, tho' not 
 inflicted by an impoifoned Weapon, is notftrangeto 
 thofe who ftudy Sympathy 3 and fet Belief in that 
 much renowned fympathetical Powder of Sir Ke- 
 nelm T>igby. Yet fuch Effects of the MacaJJars Arts 
 are unknown to us. 
 
 Q. 17. Whether .in Pegu and other *P * laces in the 
 Eaft- Indies, they life a 'Poifon that kills by fmelling, 
 and yet the Toifon-Smell is hardly perceived ? 
 To this no Anfwer was rcturn'd. 
 
 Q^i 8 . Whether Camphire comes from Trees? What 
 kind of Trees they are in Borneo, that are faid to yield 
 fuch excellent Camphire, as that one Tound thereof 
 is faid to be worth an Hundred of that of China and 
 other 'Places ? 
 
 A. Camphire comes from Trees of an exceflive 
 Bulk, as you may fee by the Chefts which come 
 from Japan into Europe, made of the fame Wood 
 of Borneo y it comes iikewife from Trees, which are 
 faid to ftand in fandy Ground, and drop like a Gum. 
 
 But of late an Experiment is found in Ceylon, that 
 
 the Root of a Cinnamon Tree yields as good Cam- 
 
 fhire, as either Japan, or China, of which I mall fend 
 
 you a Pattern, being now to be had at prefent here 5 
 
 as allo an Oil extracted from the fame Roots, which 
 
 referves
 
 We HISTORY of 
 
 rcf&'vcsfomething of the Cinnamoivfmcll 5 but that 
 may be the Fault of rheDiftillcr. 
 
 Q. 1 9. Whether fame of that rare Wood, call'd Palo 
 d'Aquila and Calamba, of an extraordinary Value, 
 even in the Country ^hereit growetb, AS *Siam'4- 
 lH}nt$&\^andtt.m->andin Cochinchina, may not he 
 brought over > as alfofomeofthofeftrange 'Nefts of 
 Cochinchina, made by Birds upon Rocks y of a cer- 
 tain vifcous Froth of the Sea-> which Nefts grown 
 dry and hard, are faid to become transparent , and 
 'When diffol-ved in IVater^ ferve excellently to feafon 
 all their Meats ? 
 
 A. If the Queftion be made, whether thefe Things 
 may be brought over by Permiffion of the Company ? 
 I anfwer; as firft, that their Laws forbid the Tranl- 
 portationof all whatfoever, whether neceflary to the 
 Confervation of Health, or Acquifition of Wealth, 
 or Rarities, &c. but if the gttery be concerning the 
 Nature and Subftance of the Wood and Nefts 5 they 
 are tranfportabie, and can fubfift without decaying 
 many Years. Lignum Aqnilte is far inferior to Ca- 
 lamba, though notcafy tobedifcerned. A Pound of 
 Calamba is worth in Japan thirty, and fomctimcs for- 
 ty Pounds Sterling 5 the beft comes from Cambodia^ 
 and feems to be the Pith of the Tree Aqitila in Japan , 
 it is ufed as Incenfe to perfume Clothes, and Cham- 
 bers. It is held for a great Cordial, and commonly 
 us'd by that Nation, as alfo the Chinefe^ in *De- 
 fetfione fpirititnm vitalium ; as in 'Paralyfi & Ner- 
 i)orum laxatione & impotent ia : They rub it with 
 Aqua Cynamomi upon a Stone, till the Subftance of 
 the Wood is m\xt,JicHtpulpa, with the Water, and fo 
 drink it with Wine, or what they pleafe. The Bird's 
 Nefts are a great Reftorative to Nature, and much 
 ufed by the lecherous Chinefe. Q^ 20.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Q^ 10. Whether the Animal caWd Abados, <?r Rhi- 
 noceros, hath Teethy Claws, F/efb, Blood, and Skin, 
 yea his 'very T>iing and Water^ as well as his Horns ^ 
 antidotal? And whether the Hotns ofthofeBeafts 
 be better or worfe^according to theFoodthey live upon. 
 
 A. Their Horns, Teeth, Claws, and Blood are 
 efteemed Antidotes, and have the fame Ufe in the In- 
 dian Pharmacopeia as the Theriaca hath in ours ; the 
 Fleih I have eaten is very fweet and fhort. Some 
 Days before the Receipt of your Letter, I had a young 
 one no bigger than a Spaniel Dog, which foil owed me 
 wherever I went, drinking nothing but Buffalo Milk, 
 lived about three Weeks, then his Teeth began to 
 grow, and he got a Loofenefs and died. 'Tis obferved, 
 that Children (efpecially of European Parents) at 
 the breaking out of their Teeth are dangeroufly fick, 
 and commonly die of the fcouring inthefe Parts. His 
 Skin I have caufed to be dried, and fo prefcnt it unfo 
 you, fmce Fate permits not to fend him you living ; 
 fuch a young one was never feen before. The Food 
 I believe is all one to this Animal, being that they 
 are feldom feen but amongft withered Branches, 
 Thirties and Thorns 5 fo that the Horn is of equal 
 Virtue. 
 
 Q._ 2 1 . Whether the faljlfying of the China Musk 
 is not rather done by mixing Oxen and Cow's Livers 
 dried and pulverifed with fame of the putrified and 
 concrete Flefh and Blood of the China Musk- cat > than 
 by beating together the bare Flefh and Blood of this 
 Animal, &c. 
 
 Not anfwer'd. 
 
 0^22. Whether there be two Sorts of Gumlac, 
 one produced from a certain winged Ant, the other 
 the Exudation <?/ 'a Tree j the firft had in the IJlands 
 
 1 *f 

 
 x68 fbe fflSfO.RT of 
 
 of Suachan, the lafl in the Kingdom of Marta- 
 ban 2 
 
 A. We know of none but luch as drop from Trees, 
 and come from diverfe Places in S/am, Cambodia > 
 Tegn, &c. 
 
 (^23. If the be ft Ambergrcafe be found hi the 
 Ijlands Socotora and Aniana, near Java ? To endea- 
 vour the get ting of more certain Knowledge, what it 
 is > being reported to be bred in the Bottom of the Sea 
 like to a thick Mud ? 
 
 A- The bed that is in the World comes from the 
 Ifland Mauritius : and is commonly found, after a 
 Storm. The Hogs can fmell it at a great Diftancc 5 
 who run like mad to it, and devour it commonly be- 
 fore the People come to it. It is held to be a Zeequal 
 Vifcofity, which being dried by the Sun, turns to fuch 
 a Confiftcnce as is daily fecn. Father My ovine s Ifaac 
 rVigny a French Man in Olero?i, hath been a great 
 Traveller in his Time ; and he told me, he failed once 
 in his Youth through fo many of thefe Zeequalen, as 
 would have loaden ten thoufand Ships j the like hav- 
 ing been never feen : His Curioiity did drive him to 
 take up fome of thofe, which being dried in the Sun, 
 were perceived to be the bcft Ambergreafe in the 
 World. I have feen one Piece which he kept for a 
 Memento > and another Piece he fold for a 1 300 lib. 
 fieri. This being difcovercd, they let fail to the lame 
 Place where thelc Zecqualen appeared, andcruifcd 
 there, to and fro, for the fpace of fix Weeks, but 
 could not perceive any more. Where this Place is 
 fituated, I do not know; but Monficur Gentillot, a 
 French Captain in Holland, can tell you. 
 
 Qi 24. To enquire 0fihe c Di<yers for T ear Is ft aj ing 
 long underWatcr ^kether they do it by the ajjlft once of 
 
 at y
 
 ROYAL Soc.tkTY.' 169 
 
 my thing they carry with them, or by long and often 
 Ufe get a Trick of holding their Breath fo long-, at 
 the Ifle 0/*Bahaaen near Ormus ? 
 
 A. What they do at Baharen is unknown to me, 
 but fince we have had Tute Cor em in Ceylon, where 
 very good Pearls grow, I hear the 'Divers ufe no 
 Artifice. The manner is thus > at a let time of theYear 
 Merchants come from all Parts, as likewife 'Divers 
 with their Boats ; each Boat hath a certain Quantity 
 of fquare Stones, upon which Stones the 'Divers go 
 down, and give a Token to their Companions, when 
 they think it time to be hal'd up 5 each Stone pays 
 Tribute to the Company. The Oyfter or Shell* Fifh. 
 is not immediately open'd, but laid on Heaps, or in 
 Holes at the Sea-fide. When the diving Time is end- 
 ed, the Merchants come and buy thefe Heaps, accord- 
 ' ing as they can agree, not knowing whether they mall 
 get any thing or no. So that this is a meer Lottery. 
 This Pearl-fifhing is dangerous, being the 'Divers com- 
 monly make their Will, and take Leave of their 
 Friends, before they tread the Stone to go down. 
 
 (^25. Whether Cinnamon when fir ft gathered 
 hath no Tafte at all.but acquires its Tafte and Strength 
 by fifteen 'Days funning ? And whether the Bark be 
 gathered every two Tears in the Ifle of Ceylon ? 
 
 A. The Cinnamon Tree as it groweth is fo fra- 
 grant, that it may be fmelt a great Way off before it 
 be fcen. And hath even then, a moft excellent Tafte ; 
 fo that by funning it lofcth rather than acquires any 
 Tafte or Force > the Tree being pill'd is cut down to 
 the Root; but the young Sprigs after a Year or two 
 give the beft and fineft Cinnamon. 
 . Q^ 2 6 . To learn*) if it may be, what Art the Mafter- 
 workmen of Pegu have to add to the Colour of their 
 Rubies? Y A. Not
 
 J7 o The HISTORT of 
 
 A- 'Notanfwered. 
 Q._ 27.7*0 inquire after, and get, i 
 of the Bones oftheFifr called Caballa, which are fo 
 powerful in flopping Blood. 
 
 A. Tis done, and they fhail follow with the 
 'Dutch Ships. 
 
 Q. 28. Whether at Hcrmita, a Town m Ethiopia, 
 there are Tortoifes fo big, that Men may ride upon 
 them ? 
 
 A> It is reported, that there be extraordinary great 
 ones there j I have lecn ibine Sea Tortoifes here, 
 of four Foot broad, in oval Form, very low leg'd, 
 but of that Strength, that a Man may ftand on one : 
 The manner of catching them, is to turn them with 
 a Fork upon their Backs. 
 
 (^29. Whether there be a Tree in Mexico, that 
 yields Water, Wine, Vinegar > Oil, Milk, Honey, Wax, 
 Thread and Needles ? 
 
 A. IhzCokos Tree yields all this and more , the 
 Nut, while it is green, hath very good Water in it ; 
 the Flower being cut, drops out great Quantity of 
 Liquor, called Sury, atTey&ack, which drank frefh, 
 hath the Force, and almott the Taltc of Wine 5 grown 
 four, is very good Vinegar 5 and diftillcd, makes very 
 good Brandy, or Areck: The Nut grated, and ming- 
 led with Water, tafteth like Milk ; prefled, yields 
 very good Oil : Bees fwarm in thefe Trees, as well 
 as in others ; Thread and Needles are made of the 
 Leaves and tough Twigs. Nay, to add fomething 
 to this Defcription j in Amboyna, they make Bread of 
 the Body of the Tree, the Leaves ferve to thatch 
 Houfes, and likewife fails for their Boats. 
 
 Q. 30. Whether about Java, there beOyflers of that 
 vaJIBignefs, as to weigh three hundred Weight ?
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 A. I have fcen a Shell Fifn, but nothing like an 
 Oyfter, of fuch a Bignefs, the Fifli being falted, and 
 kept in pickle, afterwards boiled, tafteth like Brawn 
 in England, and is of an horny Subftance. 
 
 Q. 31. Whether near Malacca, there be found in 
 the Gall of certain Swine, a Stone eftetmed incom- 
 parably above Bezoar ? 
 
 A. In that Country, but very fcldom, there grows 
 a Stone in the Stomach of a < P0rkapine,cz\].ed 'Pedro 
 *Porco i of whole Virtue there arc large Defcriptions; 
 and the Hollanders are now Ib fond, that I have fcen 
 400 Dollars of f given for one no bigger than a Pi- 
 geon's Egg. There is Sophistication as well in that as 
 Bezoar, Musk, &c. and every Day new Falfhood, 
 fo that I cannot well fet down here any Rules, but 
 muft be judged by Experience. A falfe one I fend 
 you, which doth imitate Very near in Virtue the true 
 one, but is a great deal bigger, and of another Colour. 
 
 As for the Obfervations defired of the Iflands St. 
 Helena, and Aftenfion, they may be better made by 
 the Englijh Eaft-India Men, who commonly touch 
 at both Places 5 but the Hollanders never, or very 
 feldom. 
 
 Q^ 3 1. Whether it be Winter at the E aft -fide of 'the 
 Mountain Gates, which come from the North to Cape 
 Comoryn, whilft it is Summer on the Weft-fide ? and 
 Vice verfa. 
 
 A. Not only there, but likcwife on the Ifland of 
 Zeylon. 
 
 Q^ 3 3 In what Country Lignum Aloes is found, 
 whether it be the Wood of a Tree? or the Root of a 
 Tree ? How to know the be ft of the Kind ? 
 
 A- Lignum Aloes, Lignum Taradifi? Calamba, are 
 Synonyma> the fame : and the fame Wood comes moft 
 
 Y 2 from
 
 i 7 2 Me HISTORY of 
 
 from Cambodia, and Siam ; but they fay it is brought 
 by the People of Lawlan, a Country about Cambo- 
 dia, whence Musk, and Benzoin, and moft Aroma- 
 tacomc 5 it is eafily diflinguiihed from other Wood 
 by its ftrong Scent and Richnefs of Balm in it, which 
 appears in its Blacknefs 5 it is of great Value, and 
 hard to be gotten here. 
 
 The reft of theJ^r/Vjarenotanfwered, becaufe 
 the Time is (hort fmce I received them, and efpecially, 
 becaufe I cannot meet with any one that can fatisfy 
 me, and being unfatisfied my felf, I cannot nor will 
 obtrude any Thing upon you, which may hereafter 
 prove fabulous, but ihall ftill ferve you withTruth.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 173 
 
 A 
 
 METHOD 
 
 For making a Hiftory of the WEATHER. 
 
 By Mr. HOOK. 
 
 Sf T"?OR the better making a Hiftory of the Wea- 
 
 "F 
 
 tt 
 
 ther r I conceive it requisite to obferve, 
 rt i. The Strength and Quarter of the Winds, and 
 to regifter the Changes as often as they happen; 
 <f both which may be very conveniently fhewn, by 
 " a fmall Addition to an ordinary Weather-cock. 
 
 " 2.- The Degrees of Heat and Cold in the Air? 
 " which will be belt obferved by a fealed Thermo- 
 " meter > graduated according to the Degrees of Ex- 
 " panjion, which bear a known Proportion to the 
 " whole Bulk of Liquor, the beginning of which 
 " Gradation, fnould be that Dimenfion which theLi- 
 " quor hath, when encompaflfed with Water, juft be- 
 " ginning to freeze, and the Degrees of Expanfan, 
 <c either greater or lefs, fhould be fet or marked a- 
 <c bove it, or below it. 
 
 " 3. Tli Degrees of Dryneft and Moifture in the 
 ** Air ; which may be moft conveniently obferved by 
 " a Hygrofcope, made with the fingle Beard of a wild. 
 * c Oat perfectly ripe, fet upright and headed with an 
 <f Index, after the Way described by Emanne-l Mag- 
 " nan 5 the Converfions and Degrees of which may be 
 "' measured by Divifions made on the rim of a Circle, in 
 
 " the
 
 I 7+ The HI STORY of 
 
 " the C*fcr of which, the Index is turned round j 
 " The Beginning or Standard of which Degree of 
 < { Rotation, ftiould be that, to which the /<& A: points, 
 " when the Beard, being throughly wet, or covered 
 with Water, is quite un wreathed, and becomes 
 <' ftrait. But becatffe of the Smalnefs of this Part 
 tf of the Oat, the Cod of a wild Vetch may be ufed 
 " inftead of it, which will be a much larger Index, 
 <c and will be altogether as feufiblc of the Changes 
 " of the Air. 
 
 " 4. The Degrees of Preflure in the Air ; which 
 " may be feveral Ways obfcrvcd, but bcft of all with 
 " an Inftrument with Quick-filvcr, contrived fo, as 
 " cither by means of Water, or an 7&.v, it may len- 
 <c fibly exhibit the minute Variations of that Action. 
 
 <c 5. The Conftitution and Face of the Sky or Hca- 
 " vcns ; and this is bcft done by the Eye 5 here fhould 
 " be obfcrvcd, whether the Sky be clear or clouded j 
 " and if clouded, after what Manner ; whether with 
 c< high Exhalations or great white Clouds, or dark 
 " thick ones. Whether thofe Clouds afford Fogs or 
 l< Mifls or Sleet, or Rain, or Snow, &c. Whether 
 " the under fide of thofc Clouds be flat or waved and 
 *' irregular, as I have often fccn before Thunder, 
 " Which way they drive, whether all one Way, or 
 " fome one way, fome another, and whether any of 
 e( thefe be the fame with the Wind that Blows be- 
 cc low ; the Colour and Face of the Sky at the riling 
 " and letting of the Sun and Moon.; what Haloes or 
 <c Rings may happen to encompafs-thofe Luminaries, 
 " their Bigncfs, Form and Number. 
 
 " 6. What Effects are produced upon other Bo- 
 '" dies : As what Aches and Diftempers in the Bodies 
 << of Men ; what Difeafes are moil rife, as Colds, Fe- 
 
 " vets,
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 " vers, Agues, &c. What Putrefactions or other 
 " Changes are produced in other Bodies ; as the fweat- 
 " ing of Marble, the burning blue of a Candle, the 
 <c blafting of Trees and Corn; the unufal Sprouting, 
 " Growth, or Decay of any Plants or Vegetables ; the 
 " Putrefaction of Bodies not ufual ; the Plenty or 
 " Scarcity of Infefts > of feveral Fruits, Grains, Flow- 
 " crs, Roots, Cattel, Fifhcs,Birds, any thing notable of 
 " that Kind. What Conveniences or Inconveniences 
 " may happen in the Year, in any kind, as by Floods, , 
 " Droughts, violent Showers, &c. What Nights pro- 
 **' duce Dews and Hoar- Frofts, and what not ? 
 
 lc 7. What Thunders and Lightnings happen, and 
 " what Effe&s they produce ; as fouring Beer or Ale, 
 " turning Milk, killing Silkworms, <&c? 
 
 " Any thing extraordinary in the Tides ; as double 
 cl Tides, later or earlier, greater or lefs Tides than 
 " ordinary, rifing or drying of Springs , Comets or 
 < unufual Apparitions, new Stars, Ignes fatui or 
 " fhining Exhalations, or the like. 
 
 * c Thefe fhould all or moft of them be diligently 
 " obferved and regiftred by fome one, that is always 
 " converfant in or near the fame Place. 
 
 <f Now that thefe, and fome others, hereafter to be 
 " mentioned, may be regiftred fo as to be moft con- 
 " venient for the making of Comparifons, requifite 
 <e for the raifing Axioms, whereby the Caufe or Laws 
 " of Weather may be found out j it will be defire- 
 " able to order them fo, that the Scheme of a whole 
 " Month may at one View beprefented to the Eye: 
 '" And this may conveniently be done on the Pages of 
 " a Book in Folio, allowing fifteen Days for one fide, 
 " and fifteen for the other. Let each of thofe Pages 
 " be divided into nine Columns, aad diftinguiihed by 
 5 '< per-
 
 x?6 The HISTORY of 
 
 li perpendicular Lines j let each of the firft fix Co- 
 " lumns be half an Inch wide, and the three laft equal- 
 " ly fliare the remaining of the Side. 
 \ " Let each Column have the Title of what it is t<> 
 " contain, in the firft at leaft, written at the Top of 
 " it : As, let the firft Column towards the left hand, 
 " contain the Days of the Month, or Place of the 
 " Sun, and the remarkable Hours of each Day. The 
 " fecond, the Place, Latitude, Diftance, Ages and 
 " Faces of the Moon. The third, the Quarters and 
 " Strength of Winds. The fourth, the Heat and 
 " Cold of the Seafon. The fifth, the Drynefs and 
 " Moifture of it. The fixth, the Degrees of PreflTurc. 
 " The feventh, the Faces and Appearances of the 
 < { Sky. The eighth, the Effects of the Weather upon 
 <c other Bodies, Thunders, Lightnings, or any thing 
 " extraordinary. The ninth, general Deductions, 
 ** Corollaries or Syllogifms, arifing from the com- 
 <c paring the fcveral 'Phtcnome na together. 
 
 " That the Columns may be large enough to con- 
 <c tain \vhatthcy are dcfigncdfor, it will be ncceflary, 
 " that the Particulars be cxprcfled with ibme Cha- 
 " rafters, as brief and compendious as is pofllblc. 
 <c The two firft by the Figures and Characters of the 
 " Signs commonly ufed in Almanacks. The Winds 
 " may be expreft by the Letters, by which they are 
 " exprcft in fmall Sea-Cards ; and the Degrees of 
 " Strength, by i, 2, 3, 4, &c. according as they arc 
 " marked in the Contrivance in the Weather-cock. 
 <c The Degrees of Heat and Cold may be expreft by 
 " the Numbers appropriate to theDiviftons of the 
 " Thermometer. The Drynefs and Moifture, by the 
 " Divifions in the Rim of the Hydrofcope. The Pref- 
 " c * fure by Figures, denoting the Height of the Mercn- 
 
 " rial
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 177 
 
 " rial Cylinder. But for the Faces of the Sky, they 
 *' are fo many, that many of them want proper Names j 
 " and therefore it will be convenient to agree upon 
 '' fome determinate ones, by which the moft ufual 
 ie may be in brief expreft. As let Clear fignify a very 
 " clear Sky without any Clouds or Exhalations : 
 " Checquerdz clear Sky, with many great white round 
 " Clouds, fuch as are very ufual in Summer. Hazy, 
 " a Sky that looks whitifh, by Reafon of the Thick- 
 " nefs of the higher Parts of the Air, by fome Exhala- 
 <c tions not formed into Clouds. Thick, a Sky more 
 " whiten'd by a greater Company of Vapours : thefe do 
 " ufually make the Luminaries look bearded or hairy, 
 " and are oftentimes the Caufe of the Appearance of 
 " Rings and Haloes about the Sun as well as the Moon. 
 " Overcaft, when the Vapours fo whiten and thicken . 
 " the Air, that the Sun cannot break through ; and of 
 " this there are very many Degrees, which may be ex- 
 " preft by a little, much, more* 'very much vvercaft&c. 
 *' Let Hairy fignify a Sky that hath many fmall, thin, 
 " and high Exhalations, which refemble Locks of Hair, 
 " or Flakes of Hemp or Flax 5 whofe Varieties may 
 " be expreft by ft rait or curvd, &c. according to the 
 " Refemblance they bear. Let Water d fignify a Sky 
 " that has many high thin and fmall Clouds, looking 
 <c almoft like water'd Tabby, call'd in fome Places a 
 " Mackrel Sky. Let a Sky be call'd Wavd, when 
 " thofe Clouds appear much bigger and lower, but 
 " much after the fame manner. Cloudy, when the Sky 
 " has many thick dark Clouds. Lowring, when the 
 " Sky is not very much overcaft, but hathalfo under- 
 <( neath many thick dark Clouds which threaten 
 " Rain. The Signification ot gloomy, foggy, mifty,fleet- 
 " ing, driving, rainy, fnowy, Reaches or Racks <va- 
 
 Z " riable,
 
 i 7 8 Tlje HISTORY of 
 
 " riable,&c. are well known, they being very com- 
 (C monly uicd. There may be alfo feveral Faces of 
 " the Sky compounded of two or more of thefc, 
 <: which may be intelligibly enough cxprcft by two 
 " or more of thefc Names. It is likewifedefirablc, 
 " that the Particulars of the eighth and ninth Co- 
 " lumns may be entred in as little Room and as few 
 " Words as arc fufficicnt to fignify them intelligibly 
 " and plainly. 
 
 " It were to be wifht that there were diverfe in 
 " feveral Parts of the World, but efpecially in diftant 
 " Parts of this Kingdom, that would undertake this 
 " Work, and that fuch would agree upon a common 
 " Way fomewhat after this Manner, that as near as 
 " could be, the fame Method and Words might be 
 " made Ufe of. The Benefit of which Way is ca- 
 " /ily enough conceivable. 
 
 " As for the Method of ufi.ng and digcfting thofc 
 " fo collected Obfcrvations ; that will be more ad- 
 <c vantageoufly confidcred when the Supellex is pro- 
 " vided 5 a Workman being then beft able to fit 
 <f and prepare his Tools for his Work, when he fees 
 * what Materials he has to work upon.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 SCHEME, 
 
 ATONE 
 
 View reprefenting to the Eye the Obfervations of the 
 WEATHER for a Month. 
 
 c 
 
 
 d 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 o 
 
 j> 
 
 rt 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 
 
 "H C 
 
 C 3 
 
 
 u 
 
 "5 
 
 rt 
 
 * j 
 
 Ul 
 
 
 
 General De- 
 
 O V3 
 
 u 
 
 *"* c 
 
 ~b f 
 
 ffi 
 
 
 
 - 3 
 
 O 
 
 The Faces or 
 
 
 duftions to be 
 
 -5 
 
 
 
 u, o 
 
 O O 
 
 "o S 
 
 '-l-l . 
 
 ^ 
 
 f= 
 n '5 
 
 u 
 
 vifible Ap- 
 
 The notableft 
 
 made after the 
 
 r^g Q 
 
 * 
 
 a* 
 
 en CO 
 Jj "> 
 
 C 
 
 u *2 
 
 u ,_= 
 
 pearances of 
 
 EfFeds. 
 
 Side is fitted 
 
 
 "3 
 
 CO rt 
 
 " '" 
 
 E 
 
 W) 
 
 ^Q-O 
 
 > 
 
 the Sky. 
 
 
 with Obfer- 
 
 O $i 
 
 u 
 
 rt 
 
 c 
 
 a "9 
 
 C/ S 
 
 M 
 
 Q 
 
 $ S 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 vations: As, 
 
 ft 
 
 s 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 O 
 
 U 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 
 r- 
 
 u 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 
 -C 
 
 
 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 H ^ 
 
 -1 
 
 C 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 W. 2 
 
 9 7 
 
 2 5 
 
 ^9io 
 
 Clear Blue, 
 
 A great Dew 
 
 From the lait 
 
 
 8 
 
 27 
 
 3 
 
 1 2 % 
 
 
 
 hut Yellowifh 
 
 
 Q.pf the Moon 
 
 14 
 
 I 2 
 
 b>46 
 
 31 
 
 16 
 
 2 S 
 
 
 in the N. E 
 
 Thunder, far 
 
 a the Change 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 9 f 
 
 clouded to- 
 
 to the South. 
 
 he Wea- 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ward the S. 
 
 A very great 
 
 ther was very 
 
 12.46 
 
 8 
 
 Perigeu 
 
 
 to ^ 
 
 2 9 
 
 
 checker'd 
 
 Tide. 
 
 cemperate,but 
 
 rtMUfaMLi 
 
 f : 
 ~ 
 
 
 W.SW i 
 
 7 i 
 
 
 22 * 
 
 Blue. 
 
 
 cold for the 
 
 '5 
 
 31 
 13.40 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 28 
 
 N. W. 3 
 4 
 
 ^J 2 
 
 i 
 
 9 
 
 3 \ 
 7 
 
 28 T 
 
 2 C, 
 2 1C 
 
 29 i o 
 29 
 
 A clear Sky 
 all Diy, but 3 
 little check- 
 er'd at 4. P.M. 
 Jt Sun-fet red 
 
 Not by HJU h 
 r o big a Tide 
 is Yefterday. 
 Thunder in 
 he North. 
 
 Seafon ; the 
 Wind pretty^ 
 conilant be- 
 uveenN.&W. 
 A little before 
 
 ^24.5. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 md hazy. 
 
 
 the l.'.ft great 
 
 16 
 H 
 J4-37 
 
 10 
 
 N Moon 
 at 7. 25 
 A. M. 
 n 10.8 
 
 S. i 
 
 to 
 
 1O 
 
 z8 i 
 
 Overcalt and 
 very lower- 
 ing. 
 
 ^Jo Dew upon 
 the Ground, 
 out very , 
 much upon 
 
 v IMG, tinQ till 
 .he Wind rofe 
 U its higheir, 
 ; ie Quick-fil- 
 ver continued 
 
 
 
 &c. 
 
 ** 
 
 Sec. 
 
 &C. 
 
 &c. 
 
 &c. 
 
 Marble-itones 
 &c. 
 
 Jefcendingtill 
 if came very 
 
 
 ow ; after 
 
 
 ivhich it be- 
 
 
 gan to reaf- 
 
 < 
 
 cend, &c. 
 
 DI-
 
 i8o T%e HI STORY of 
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 FOR THE 
 Obfervations of the Eclipfcs of the Moon. 
 
 By Mr. ROOKE. 
 
 tl T7 Clipfcs of the Moon are obfcrv'd for t\vo prin- 
 '< ll cipal Ends j one Agronomical, that by cora- 
 t( paring Obfervations with Calculations, the Theory 
 '* of the Moons Motion may be perfected, and the Ta- 
 *' bles thereof reform'd : The other Geographical* 
 '* that by comparing among themfelvcs Obfervations 
 '* of the fame Ecliptical 'Phafes, made in diverfc 
 ' Places, the Difference of Meridians, or Longitudes 
 '' of thofc Places, may be difcover'd. 
 
 " The Knowledge of the Eclipfes Quantity and 
 " Duration, the Shadows, Curvity and Inclination, 
 " &c. conduce only to the former of thcfe Ends : 
 " The exaft Time of the Beginning, Middle, and 
 " End of the Eclipfes, as alfo in total ones, the Be- 
 " ginning and End of total Darknefs,is ufeful for both 
 w of them. 
 
 " But becaufe thefc Times conftderably differ in 
 " Obfervations made by the bare Eye, from thofe with 
 " a Telefcope, and becaufe the Beginning of Eclipfes 
 " and the End of total Darknefs are fcarcc to be ob- 
 '< ferv'd exactly, even with GlafTcs ; one not being a- 
 * ble clearly to diftinguifh between the true Shadow 
 " and 'Penumbra, unlefs one have fecn, for fome time 
 " before, the Line, feparatingthem,pafs along upon 
 
 " the
 
 ^e ROYAL SO^IETV, j8i 
 
 w the Surface of the Moon: \And laftly, becaufe in 
 ' inall partial Eclipfis, the Beginning and End (and 
 " m total ones of fhort Continuance in the Shadow, 
 " the Beginning and End of total Darknefs) are un- 
 " fit for nice Obfervations, by Rcafon of the flow 
 " Change of Appearances, which the oblique Motion 
 " of the Shadow then. caufeth : For thefc ReafonsJ 
 " fhall propound a Method particularly defigned for 
 ct the Accomplishment of. the geographical End in 
 " obferving Lunar Eclipfes, free (as far as is poilible) 
 " from all the mention'd Inconveniences. For, 
 Firft, It fhall not be practicable without a. Tele- 
 
 " 
 
 " Secondly^ The Obferver lhall always have Op- 
 portunity, before his principal Obfervation, to note- 
 the Diftindion between the true Shadow and!FV#- 
 umbra. 
 
 " Thirdly, It fiiail be applicable to thofc Seafons 
 of the Eclipfe* when there is the fuddeneft Altera- 
 tion in the Appearances. Tofatisfyail which In-- 
 tents ; 
 
 " Let there be of the eminenteft Spots, difperfed 
 over all Quarters of the Moons Surface, a feled 
 Number generally agreed on, to be conftantly made 
 ufe of to this Purpofe, in all Parts of the World ; 
 As for Example, thofe which Hevelius calleth 
 
 Sinai 
 
 c 
 
 nfula C Creta Talus) Marxo- 
 Serrorum L \tts. 
 
 Lacus Niger Major.
 
 1 82 72* HISfORT of 
 
 ee Let in each Eclipfe (not all, but for inftance) 
 " three of thcfe Spots, which then lye neareft to the 
 " Ecliptic, be exactly obferv'd, when they are firft 
 " touched by the true Shadow, and again when they 
 " are juft completely cntrcd into it; and (if you 
 pleafe) alfo in the Dccrcafe of the Eclipfe, when 
 " they are firft fully clear from the true Shadow : 
 " For the accurate Determination of which Mo- 
 " ments of Time (that being in this Bufincfs of main 
 " Importance) let there be taken Altitudes of re- 
 " markable fixed Stars, on this fide the Line, of 
 c * fuch as lye between the ^/Equator and Tropic of 
 " Cancer > but beyond the Line, of fuch as are fi- 
 " tuated towards the other Tropic ; and in all Pla- 
 " ccs, of fuch, as at the time of Obfcrvation, arc 
 " about four Hours diftant from the Meridian. 
 
 Mr.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY, 183 
 
 Mr.ROOKE's 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 Concerning the Obfervations of the Eclipfes 
 of the Satellites of *fupher. 
 
 J Ongitudinh Jive Differentia Meridia norum fcientla 
 f^ eft vet N auric a, <vel Geographica. 
 
 Ilia Navis aqu<z innatantis ; Hac Urbiitm, Infula- 
 rum, Promontoriorum, &c. Globo terreftri adharentium 
 Jitum iiiveftigat. 
 
 In Navi, motu vario fublnde tranjlata, Qbfervatio 
 identidem eft repetenda - } at loci terreni, fxam perpetUQ 
 jedem obtinenth, pofitionem Jewel determinate fufficit. 
 
 Maria, fluftibus ut plurimum agitata y fubtilem Jn- 
 jlrumentorum^ pr<zfertim T'elefcopii longioris traffiationem 
 minime permittunt. 
 
 Longitudinis fcientia Nautica *vix. unquam de Ccslo 
 expeftanda; Geographica vero $b Eclipjibus Corporum 
 ccelejlium pr<zcipue petenda. 
 
 cVeteribus wtce^ fell. Solis ? Lima, 
 Edipfesfunt veil Sat elli turn Jovis, ante Tubi Optici 
 L ujum incognita. 
 
 (Mijfam fecimus Cl Hugenii Lunulam S.aturniam 
 Objervatu difficiliorem.) 
 
 Illarum per mult a retro facula Objeryat tones ; nt 
 
 dm quidem /oca quantum Meridianorum i-ntercapidinem 
 
 babeant, fat is certo dcfinitum ejje experimur ; bar urn 
 
 verb per pauculos annos adbibendd diligent i animad- 
 
 4 verfionei
 
 1 84 *fc HISTORY of 
 
 wrfione ; pracipua totius terrarum Orbis parfes, quo- 
 modo ad fe invicemfoa fmt, accuwtius determine turn 
 in non dejperamus. 
 
 Can fa, ob quas mink in hoc ncgoth prafiittrc Ectiffts 
 
 I liwllvt/nrinttl 
 
 P I. Communis utrifque, ipfarum Ran' fas 
 Sunt J p . J2. Solari, Parallaxis Lurve. 
 
 ^ (3. Lunari, Pcjiumbra Terr a. 
 
 * \ 
 
 His ergo prafcrimus Satellitum Jwialium Defeffus 
 
 frequenti]fitnos,Jine nil a Para/taxi, in qttibus etiam Pe- 
 numbra Jovis prodefle magis, quam officere videtur. 
 
 Methodus Longitudinis, ex Eclip/ibus Tel aliis Pla- 
 nomenis ctfleftibus, indaganda dtfplcx ejl: Una, cum 
 ^empore ad Meridianum 'Tabu/arum proprium fuppu- 
 tato t Tempus alibi obfervatum; Alter a^ Tetnpora va- 
 riis in locis obfervata^ inter Je comparat. 
 
 Cum Arti nautkfs prior ilia unice interfere! at, qua 
 Mofus calejles accurafitu mulfb, quam nobis fperandum 
 videtur, cognitos fupponit \ ob Aftronomice Imperfettio- 
 nem, & Obfervatio?ium marmarum Hallucinationcm 
 perpetuofere ncceffariam : fupra pronunciavimus Lon- 
 gitudinis Scientiam nauticam vix unquam de Cceh ex- 
 pettvndam. 
 
 Methodus alter a, Geographic perficienda idonea, cum 
 non aliam ob caujam prce-vium Calculum adhibeat, nljl 
 ut eo moniti plures y eidem Phtenomeno, in diffitis locis, 
 obfervando fimul invigilent ; Periodorum alque Epocba- 
 rum dxpifietciv minime defiderat. 
 
 Satellites Jovis numero funt quatuor, van' a apud 
 Author es Nomina fortiti ; nos ex diver/is, qua a Jove 
 obtinent Intervallis, i. Intimum, 2. Penintimum, 
 3. Penextimum, 4. Extimum appellabimus. 
 
 Horum
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY. 185 
 
 Uoruift non nijl uniufmodi Qatvcptvov obfervandum 
 proponimut ; Immerjionem nempe in Umbram Jovis 
 five ipfum Eclipfws initium. 
 
 Solamhanc $d<rivfeligimus, utpote in indivijibili fere 
 
 conjlitutam : Licet enim Luminis Languor atque T)imi- 
 
 nutio Moram aliquantulam trabere poffit, omnimoda ta- 
 
 men ExtincJio & Evanefcentia (de qua unice foliciti 
 
 fumus) Momenta quajl contingere deprehendetur. 
 
 Ante # Satellites ad Occidentem^ Difci yovia- 
 lis Rejpetfu, in Deliquia incidunt-, pofl Acronycbia, 
 ad Orientem. 
 
 Intimi & (niji forte rariflime) penintimi Eclipjwv 
 tantum Occident alium Initia mbh apparere pojjitnt: 
 duorum autem remotiorum multa etiam Orientalium 
 Exordia confpicere licet. 
 
 Defetfus Medicaorum obfervatu faciliores reddant. 
 I. Major Planet arum Claritas. 2. Mot us ip forum 
 tardior. 3. Penumbra Jovis crajjlor. 4. Longius a 
 Joviali Difco intervallum : ad Obfervationum dxpiGu- 
 av conducit. i . Motus Satellitum velocior. 2 . Penum- 
 bra yovis angujlior. 
 
 Hcec omnia nobifcum meditati^ fubducJd bene Jingu- 
 krum Ratione, Satellitum intimum & penextimum ad 
 Rem nojlram prce cezteris accommodates j atque adeo, cum 
 fatis frequentes fmt ipforum Eclipfes, fobs adhibendos effe 
 judicamus. 
 
 Extimum omnino negligtmus, utpote minimum omni- 
 um & obfcurijjlmum ; prafertim verb quod tantd non- 
 nunquam Jit Latitudine prteditus, ut Umbra Jovis 
 ipfum Aphelium neutiquam attingat. 
 
 Penintimus autem nulld gaudet ex fupra recenfitis 
 Prterogativd, qua alterutri jaltem eorum t quos jam 
 frtztulimuS) potion Jure non debeatur. 
 
 Maxima Satellitum in Umbra incidentium a Limbo 
 
 A a Difci
 
 HISTORY of 
 
 Difcijovialis Diftantia, und aut alter a y pojl prior em 
 Solis & Jovis Quadraturam, Hebdomada contingit. 
 
 Ejlque ea penextimi Sefquidiametro Jovis fere <z- 
 qualis: Intimi verb Semidiametro ejufdem non multo 
 major ) fextd ante memoratam Quadraturam Hebdoma- 
 da. Penextimus Umbram ingredient Diametro Jovis 
 a Di/co abejl : Augendd inde ufque ad max imam Diftan- 
 tid, Incremento non uniforms, fed continue decrefcente. 
 
 Hinc iifdem reciproce pajjibus (Decremento fc. fenfim 
 increfcente ) diminuitur ijtiufmodi Interuallumy ad bi- 
 mejlre ufque Tempus a diftd Quadraturd elapfum y 
 quando iterum Diametro Joviali tzquatur. 
 
 Poftea autem ufque ad ipfa Acronychia^ penextimus 
 Umbram fubiturus, tequabili fere G radii (fmgulis nem- 
 pe Hebdomadis Quadrante Diametri) promotus y adLim- 
 bum Jo^is accedit. Intimi \ pro diver fb Jovis ad Solem 
 Situ, Dijiantia eddem plant ratione variatur : ejus e- 
 nim y quam ubique obtinet, penextimus, Tricnti fere 
 perpetuo ejl aqualis. 
 
 Menfe circiter pojl Jovem Sell oppofitum, penextimus 
 (Intimi pojl <P o V , Immerjiones objcrvari non poffe 
 fupra innuimus) jimulac Corporis Jovialis Li m bum 
 orientalem tranfierit, occidentalem Umbra continue in- 
 trabit. 
 
 Inde augetur paulatim penextimi evanefcentis Di- 
 Jlantia, donee und aut alter d ante pofteriorem Quadra- 
 turam Hebdomada, maxima evadat; quando a Difci 
 Jovialis Margine Semidiametro ejufdem removetur. 
 
 Pojlquam autem hucufque diminutd fenfim Velocita- 
 te, Umbra 'Jovis ab ipfius Difco recejjit : line, Motu 
 continue accelerato, ad eundem redit. 
 
 Per bimeftre ante & pojl Jovis cum Sole Conjunclio- 
 nem Spatium, in Locis Longitudine multum differen- 
 tibus } eadem Eclipjis apparere nequit : adeoque tune
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 187 
 
 Temporis Obfervationes inftituere non eft Opera Pre- 
 tlum. 
 
 Qua cum ita fint) 'Tempus quadrimeftre, a Sextili 
 priori ufque ad ipj'a fere Acronychia numerandum^ utri- 
 que SatelHti cbfervando erit unice opportunism : Penex- 
 timi autem foli, infuper trimeftre, ab altero poft Op- 
 pojitionem menfe ad Sextilem pofteriorem. 
 
 Intra tempora jam definita, ofloginta cirdter utri- 
 nfque fimul Satellitis fient Eclipfes - y penextimi ft. fere 
 triginta, intimi autem quinquaginta. 
 
 Has cum non ubivis terrarum y fed aliae aim in locis 
 fmt confpiciendfZt in fex Clajfes digeremus. 
 
 1. In Europd & Africa. \ 
 
 2. In Afid. Eclipfes 
 
 3. In America. \feruandas 
 
 4. In Europa Africa & AJia. j compre- 
 
 5. In Europa Africa & America. 1 bendef. 
 
 6. In AJia Orient. G? America Occident. J 
 
 Non of us eft forte ut moneamus in Infulis 
 
 f Mthiopici 'j f4 am 
 
 Oceani r Atlantid \obfervandam ejje claj]em\ 5 am . 
 
 (. Padfid S t6 am . 
 
 Calculus Eclipjium a nobis exhibendus in ipfo fortaf- 
 fe Loco ad quern inftituitur, plus Hord integrd nonnun- 
 quam a vero obfervabit ^ ob uariam fc. in Satellitum 
 motu oiyo^AhiAv^ ab Excentricitate (ut verijimile eft) 
 &propriarum ipfis Orbitarum ad Jovis Orbitam Incli- 
 natione oriundam. 
 
 Alibi autem terrarum multo minus Calcuk jidendum y 
 p ropier incertam infuper in pkrifque Locis Meridiano- 
 
 A a 2 rum
 
 ,88 The HISTORY 
 
 rum Diferentiam j qua tamen ut fiat, Redutfio Tent- 
 poris aliqua utcunque adhibenda eft. 
 
 Longam itaque futuram fapiufcule Eclipjtum bar urn 
 Expettationem pramonemus, ajfiduamque interim At- 
 tentionem, nee (ob xaiqcv admodum ovv) unquam fere 
 interruptam, effe continuandam : primum enim, quum 
 Vifu ajjequi poflumus Luminis Diminutionem, breviffi- 
 ma (prafertim in intimo) interpojita Moruld mox in- 
 fequitur perfefta ejus ExtinEtio. 
 
 Molejlum autem in obfervando Tadium, fumma TY\- 
 Mjtrtuv dxp^tict, abunde compenfabit, idemque plurimum 
 jninuit, Sociorum mutuas operas tradentium, ubi fup- 
 pefit Trezfentia. 
 
 Ad momenta temporis accuratiffime mtanda (quod 
 in hujmmodi Obfervationibus eft Palmarium) perutile 
 erit Horokgium Ofcillatorium, ab ingeniojiffimo & can- 
 didijfitno Hugeniof elicit er excogitatum. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 f Ongitudinis fcientiam Nauticam vix unquam de 
 *-* Ccelo expeftandam^ fupra ajjeruimus ; Jiqua ta- 
 men ejufmodi aliquando futura eft t non aliud Funda- 
 mentum, quam Lunarium Motuum pracifam Cogni- 
 tionem> habitura i)idetur. Horum autem Rejlitutio- 
 nem a Parallaxi inchoandam^folertijjime monuit Kep- 
 ler us. Parallaxeuq verb indaganda, Gf a Lunce 
 latitudine ( cut femper fere complicatur ) diftinguen- 
 d<z> optima ( Ji non fola) Methodus eft, qu<z> in Re- 
 gionihus knge diffitis & fub ecdem Meridiano pojitis y 
 Altitudinum Luna meridianarum, per fmgulas Or- 
 bita Paries fimul obfervatarum ferie innititur : inde 
 enirn, Polorum Elevations folum prtecognita, certijji- 
 tna innotefcit Globi Lunaris a T'errejlri Diftantia^ 
 2 Pro-
 
 -the ROYAL SOCIETY. 189 
 
 itaque nos Africa Tromontorium Cap. 
 Bon<e Spei, i)el in Oceano Atlantico SanEtte Helena 
 Infulam, cumlocis in Euro pa us respondent ibus, Satel- 
 litum Ope, tit docuimus, deter minandis, in quibus ifti- 
 ufmodi Qbfervat tones commodijjime inflituantur. 
 
 Upon the reading of thefe laft ^Direttions, Mr. 
 Rook the Author of them being dead, I cannot for- 
 bear faying fomething of that excellent Man, which 
 his incomparable Modefly would not have permit- 
 ted me to write, if he had been living. He was in- 
 deed a Man of a profound Judgment & v&.Comprehen- 
 fan, prodigious Memory, folid Experience. His Skill 
 in the Matbematicks was reverenced, by all the Lovers 
 of thofe Studies - 3 and his 'Perfettion in many other 
 Sorts of Learning deferves no left Admiration. But 
 above all, his Knowledge had a right Influence on the 
 Temper of his Mind, which had all the Humility, 
 Goodnefs, Calmnefs, Strength, and Sincerity of a 
 found and unaffected ^Philofopher. This is fpoken, no 
 of one who liv'd long ago, in praifmg of whom it were 
 eafie to feign and to exceed the Truth, where no Man's 
 Memory could confute me : but of one who is lately 
 dead, who has many of his Acquaintance ftill living, 
 that are able to confirm this Teftimony, and to join 
 with me, in delivering down his Name to Pofterityy 
 with this juft Character of his Virtues. He died in the 
 year fixty two, fhortly after the Eftablifhment of the 
 Royal Society, whofe Inflitution he had zealoufly pro- 
 moted. And it was a deplorable Accident in/ his 
 Death; that hedeceas'd the very mg&t which he had 
 for fome years expecled, wherein to fmifh his accu- 
 rate Obfervations on the Satellites of Jupiter : how- 
 ever this Treasure will not be loft, for the Society has 
 
 refer'd
 
 tgo The HISTORY of 
 
 rcfer'd it to fome of thcbcft Aftronomers si Europe^ 
 to bring his Beginnings to Conclufion. 
 
 Se&.XXXI. -j- man y O f thefe Qijeries they have already re- 
 and' ceiv'd good Returns, and Satisfaction 5 and more inch 
 
 Recommen- Accounts are daily expedcd from all Coafts. Befides 
 dations. thefe, there have been fevcral great and profitable 
 Attempts-, relating to the Good of Mankind, or the 
 Englift Nation, propounded to them by many publick 
 Bodies, and private Peribns ; which they have again 
 recommended, to be cxamin'd apart by divcrfc of their 
 own Number, and by other Men of Ability and Inte- 
 grity, who have accepted of their Recommendations of 
 this Kind : The principal that I find recorded in their 
 Regz/lers, arc thefe. 
 
 They have propounded the compofing a Catalogue 
 of all Trades, fPbrks,zi\d Manufactures, wherein Men 
 arc employ 'd 5 in order to the collecting each of their 
 Hiftories, by Baking notice of all the phyfical Re- 
 ceipts or Secrets, thelnftruments, Tools, and Engines, 
 >x the manual Operations or Slights, the Cheats and ill 
 Practices, the Goodnefs, Bafcncfs, and different Value 
 of Materials, and whatever elfe belongs to the Ope- 
 rations of all Trades. 
 
 They have recommended the making ^Catalogue 
 of all the Kinds of natural Things to be found in 
 England. This is already in a very good Forward- 
 neis : And for its better completing, many Expedi- 
 ents for the prefcrving, drying and embalming of all 
 living Creatures have been profecuted. 
 
 They have fuggefted the making a perfed Survey, 
 
 Map, m&Tables, of all the fix'd Stars within the Zo- 
 
 diac, both vifible to the naked Eye, and difcoverablc 
 
 by a fix-foot Telefcope, with a large Aperture 5 towards 
 
 2 the
 
 R o Y A L S o c i E T r. I g i 
 
 the 'obferving the apparent Places of the Planets, 
 with a Telefcope, both by Sea and Land. This has been 
 appro v'd, and begun, feveral of the Fellows having 
 their Portions of the Heavens allotted to them. 
 
 They have recommended the advancing of the 
 Manufacture of Tapeftry : the improving of Silk- 
 making : the propagating of Saffron : the melting 
 of Lead-Oar with Pit-coal: the making Iron with 
 Sea-coal : thcufing of the Duftof black Lead inftead 
 of Oil in Clocks : the making Trials on Englifh 
 Earths, to fee if they will not yield fofine aSubftance 
 as China, for the perfecting of the Potter's Art. 
 
 They have propounded and undertaken the compa- 
 ring of feveral Soils and Clays, for the better making 
 of Bricks and Tiles : the Way of turning Water into 
 Earth > the obferving of the Growth of Pebbles in 
 Waters : the making exad Experiments in the large 
 Florentine Loadftone : the Consideration of the Bo- 
 wman Stone : the examining of the Nature of petri- 
 fy 'ing Springs : the ufing an Umbrella Anchor., to (lay 
 a Sip in a Storm : the Way of finding the Longitude 
 of Places by the Moon : the Obfervation of the Tides 
 about Lundy^ the Southweft of Ireland? the Bermu- 
 das, and diver fe parts of Scotland: and in other Seas 
 and Rivers, where the ebbing and flowing is found to 
 be irregular. 
 
 They have darted, and begun to pradife, the Pro- 
 pagation of 'Potatoes ; the planting of Verjuice Grapes 
 in England; the chymical Examination of French 
 and English Wines ; the gradual Obfervation of the 
 Growth of *P /ants, from the firft Spot of Life 5 the in- \ 
 creafing of Timber, and the planting of Fruit-Trees ^ 
 which they have done by fpreading the Plants into 
 many Parts of the Nation, and by publifhing a 
 
 large x
 
 , 92 The HISfORTof 
 
 large 'Account of the beft Ways of their Cultiva^ 
 tion. 
 
 They have propounded and attempted with great 
 Effect, the making Experiments with Tobacco Oil \ 
 the anatomifing of all amphibious Creatures, and 
 examining their Lungs; the obicrving the Manner 
 of the Circulation of the Blood in Fifties ; the Ways 
 of tranfporting Fifh from one Place to another for 
 Breed ; the collecting Observations on the 'Plague $ 
 the examining of all the feveral Ways to breed Bees ; 
 the altering the Tafte of the Flcfh of Animals, by 
 altering their Food 5 the Probability of making Wine 
 out of Sugar-Canes : Which laft 1 will fet down as 
 one Example.
 
 PROPOSAL 
 
 
 For making* WINE. 
 
 By Dr. GODDARD. 
 
 TjT is recommended to the Care offome 
 
 * ters in Barbadoes, to try whether good Wine may 
 not be made out of the Juice of Sugar-canes, That 
 which may induce them to believe this Work to be pof~ 
 fible, is this Obfervation, that the Juice of Wine, when 
 it is dried) does always granulate into Sugar ^ as appears 
 in Raijins, or dried Grapes : andalfo that in thofe Vef- 
 fels wherein acute-, or unfermented Wine is put, the 
 Sides are wont to be cover d over with a Cruft of Su- 
 gar. Hence it may be gather d, that there isfo great a, 
 Likenefs of the Liquor of the Cane, to that of the Vine, 
 that it may probavly be brought to fervefor the fame 
 Ufes. If this Attempt ft all fucceed, the Advantages 
 of it will be very conjiderable. For the Englift being 
 the chief Ma ft ers of the Sugar Trade, and that fal- 
 ling very much in its 7 rice of late Tears, while all o- 
 ther outlandish 'Productions are rifen in their Value ; 
 it would be a great Benefit to this Kingdom , as well 
 as to our We fern Plantations, if part of our Sugar t 
 which is now in a manner a meer *Drug, might be 
 turned into Wine, which is a foreign Commodity, and 
 grows every *Day dearer -, efpecially feeing this 
 might be done, by only bruijing andprejjtng the Canes > 
 which would be afar lefs Labour and Charge > than 
 the Way by which Sugar is now made* 
 
 B b Thefc
 
 , 94 The HISTORY of 
 
 Thefe are fome of the moft advantageous Tropofats 
 they have fcattered and encouraged in all Places, 
 where their Intereft prevails. In thefe they have re- 
 commended to many diftind and feparatc Trials*. 
 thofe Dcfigns, which fome private Men had begun, but 
 <ould not accomplish, by reafon of their Charge ; or 
 thofe which they themfelves have devis'd, and con- 
 ceived capable of Succefs ; or even thofe of which 
 Men have hitherto feem'd to dcfpair. Of thefe, fome 
 are already brought to a hopeful Iflue ; fome arc put 
 in Ufe, and thrive by the Practice of the Publick ; and 
 fome arc difcover'd to be feafiblc, which were only 
 before thought imaginary, and fantaftical. This is 
 one of the greateft ^Powers of the true and unwearied 
 Experimenter, that he often refcucs Things from the 
 Jaws of thofe dreadful Monftcrs, Improbability, and 
 ImpoJJlbility '. Thefe indeed arc two frightful Words 
 to weaker Minds, but by diligent and wife Men, they- 
 are generally found to be only the Excufcs of Idle- 
 nefs and Ignorance. For the mod part, they 1 ie not in 
 the Things themfclves,but in Men's falfc Opinions con- 
 cerning them $ they are rais'd by Opinions, but arc foon 
 aboliuYd by Works. Many Things ', that were at firft 
 improbable to the Minds of Men, arc not ib to their 
 Eyes j many that feemed impracticable to their 
 Thoughts, are quite othcrwife to their Hands : many 
 that are too difficult for their naked Hands, may be 
 foon performed by the fame Hands, if they are. 
 ftrengthen'd by Inftruments, and guided by Method: 
 many that are unmanageable by a few Hands, and a 
 few Inftruments, are eafy to the joint Force of a 
 Multitude : many that fail in one Age, may fuccced 
 by the renew'd Endeavours of another. It is not there- 
 fore the Conceit orFancy of Men alone, that is of fuffi - 
 
 7 cicnt
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 cicnt Authority to condemn the moft unlikely Things 
 for impojjible ; unlefs they have been often attempted 
 in vain, by many Eye s, many Hands, many Inflru- 
 ments, and many Ages. 
 
 This is the AJJiflance and Information they haveS..a. xxxir. 
 given to others to provoke them to enquire, and fb^'/^ff 1 " 
 order and regulate their Inquijitions. To thefe I willT^^"^ 
 add the Relations of the Effetls of Nature and Art, and Art, they 
 which have been communicated to them. Thefe 
 infinite in Number : And though many of them have 
 not a fufficient Confirmation to raife Theories, or Hif- 
 tories on their Infallibility ; yet they bring with them 
 a good Aflfurance of Likelihood, by the Integrity of 
 the Relators > and withal they furnifh a judicious 
 Reader with admirable Hints to 'direcl: his Obfcrva- 
 tions. For I will once more affirm, that as the Minds 
 of Men do often miftake Falftoods for Truths, though 
 they are ;cvcr fo circumfpect ; fo they are often 
 drawn by uncertain, and fomctimes erroneous Re- 
 ports, toftumble on Truths and Realities. Of this vaft 
 Heap of Relations, which is every where fcattercd in 
 their Entry Books, \ will only take notice of thefe 
 occafional Accounts. 
 
 Relations of two new Kinds of Stars, obferved in 
 the Year fixty fix, the one in Andromeda, the other in 
 Cygnus, in the fame Place where they appeared fixty 
 Years fince, and have ever fince difappear'd $ of feveral 
 Obfcrvations of Cceleftia! Bodies made mSfaim of Ob- 
 fcrvations of feveral of the 'Planets made at Rome, and 
 in other Parts, by extraordinary Glaffes 5 of the compa- 
 rative Goodnefs of Glaffes us'd in other Countries 5 of 
 feveral Eclipfes obferv'd in diverfe Parts of the World. 
 
 Relations of Tarhelii, and other fuch Appearances 
 
 B b 2 feen
 
 I9 6 The HISTORY of 
 
 feen in France ; of the Effects of Thunder and 
 / ; of Hurricanes, and J^/tfj ; of the Bignefs, Fi- 
 gure, and Eftefts at Halftones ; of Ftfh, and Frogs laid 
 To be rain'd ; of the raining of Duft out of the Air, 
 and of the Diftance it has been carried by great Fires 
 , and Earthquakes >ot Changes of Weather, and a Way 
 of predicting them 5 of the Vermination of the ^/r > of 
 the fuppos'd raining of Wheat in Glocefterflire, which 
 being (own was found to be nothing but Ivy Berries. 
 Relations 'of a Spring in Lancashire, that will prc- 
 fently catch Fire on the Approach of a Flame ; of 
 Burning-glares performing extraordinary Effects ; of 
 Burning glaffes made with Ice 5 of Fire balls for Fuel ; 
 of a more convenient Way of ufing Wax-Candles-, of 
 the kindling of certain Stones, by their being moift- 
 ened with Water; of ufing ordinary Fuel to the bed 
 Advantage. 
 
 Relations of the Times of the rifingand difappear- 
 rn^oi Springs; of artificial Springs 5 of the Natures 
 of feveral of our Englifh Springs, and of other olea- 
 ginous and bituminous Springs : of the Fitncfs and 
 Unfitncfs of fome Waters for the making of Beer or 
 Ale \ of brewing Beer with Ginger inftead of Hops ; 
 of Tides and Currents } of petrifying Springs ; of the 
 Water- blafts ofTivofyi of floating IJlands of Ice 5 
 of the mining of 'Dew in a Common of Lancajbire, 
 and elfewherc 5 of 'Divers, and 'Diving, their Habit, 
 their long holding their Breath, and of other notable 
 Things obferv'd by them. 
 
 Relations of the Effects of Earthquakes, and the 
 moving and finking of Earths j of deep Mines, md deep 
 Wells 5 of the feveral Layers of Earth in a Well at 
 Amfterdam 5 of the mining Cliffs in Scotland-, of the 
 Layers of Earth obferv'd in diverie Cliffs ; of Screw-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 197 
 
 Stones, Lignum Fojfile, Blocks buried in Exeter Ri- 
 ver, Trees found under Ground in Chefbire, Lincoln- 
 ft>ire> and elfewherej of a Coal- Mine wrought half a 
 Mile from the Shear, under the Sea? of the fatal Ef- 
 feds of 'Damps on Miner r s, and the Ways of recover- 
 ing them. 
 
 Relations of the extraordinary Strength of fome 
 fmall Load/tones, taking up above 150 Times their 
 own Weight ; of feveral Englifh Load/tones 5 of the 
 Variation of the Loadftoneobfcw'd. in two Eaft- India 
 Voyages, and other Places ; of the growing of "Peb- 
 bles inclos'd in a Glafsof Water; of feveral excellent 
 Englifh Clays ; of Gold found in little Lumps in a 
 Mine in England '; of the moving Sands in Norfolk. 
 
 Relations about refining Lead, and Tin-Oar ; of 
 hardning Steel fo as to cut Porphyry with it, and foft- 
 ning it To much, as to make it cafy to be wrought on j 
 of impregnating Lead Oar with Metal, after it has 
 been once freed 5 ofpetriffd Teeth^ and a petrify'd 
 human Ffltf 0J ; of feveral Ways of fplitting Rocks 5 
 of living Mufcles found in themidft of Rocks at Le- 
 ghorn 5 of the Way of making Quick/liver ; of Things 
 obfervable at the Bottom of the Sea ; of a foft Metal, 
 which hardens after it has taken off the Impreflion, 
 and the Way of reducing fuch Imprefllons into as 
 fmall a Proportion as is defired. 
 
 Relations about Agriculture ; of ordering of Vines; 
 of the fetting and planting of Trees feveral Ways 5 
 of Elms growing from Chips, of new Trees fprung 
 from rotten Roots j of feveral Kinds of Trees, grow- 
 ing one out of another, and in the Place of others ; of 
 the beft Ways of Pruning - 3 of making a Kind of Silk 
 with Virginia Grafs ; of a Kind of Grais making ftrong- 
 er Ropes than the common Hemp 5 of anew Way of or- 
 dering
 
 I9 8 The HI STORY of 
 
 -dcrins; Mulberry Trees in Virginia ; of a Locitft-T*tt 
 j&KiTjtanding'bcnt fix Months without loimg its 
 Spring; of a way of improving the planting of Tobacco. 
 Rdationsoi\\\z Uiefulncis of changing Seed year- 
 ly ; oi the fteeping, liming, lowing it fcvcral Ways ; 
 of freeing it from Worms ; prefcrving it long (as eighty 
 Tears] of freeing it from Smut, of the Caufes and 
 firft Signs of Smut ; of the Infirument and Way of 
 chopping Straw, for the feeding of Horfes ; of Plants 
 growing in meer Water -, of others growing in rneer 
 Air-, of feveral Indian Woods-, of the growing of 
 the divided Parts of Beans, of the growing of 
 chop'd Stalks of Totatoes ; of ordering Melons -, of 
 keeping their Seed, and producing extraordinary good 
 ones without Tranf plant ing. 
 
 Relations of the Growth, Breeding, Feeding, and 
 Ordering of Qyfters ; of a Sturgeon kept alive in St. 
 Jamess-Tark ; of the moveable Teeth of Tikes ; of 
 young Eels cut alive out of the old one's Belly ; of the 
 tranfporting Fifh Spawn, and Carps alive from one 
 Place to another j of the ftrange Increafc of Carps fo 
 transported 5 of Snake- Stones and other Antidotes ; 
 of Frogs, Frog f pawn, Toads, Newts, Vipers, Snakes, 
 Rattle- Snakes. 
 
 Relations of feveral Kinds of Toifbns, as that of 
 Maccaffar, and Florence ; of Craw-fijhes - t of the Ge- 
 neration, Growth, Life, and Transformation of Ant s ; 
 ofCheefe Worms leaping like Fleas , of living Worms 
 found in the Entrails of Fifbes j of Infefts found in the 
 fiicathing of Ships 5 of the Generation of Infers out of 
 dead Cantharides ; of Infetts bred in Men's Teeth, 
 Gums, Fiefh, Skin; of great Quantities of Flies living 
 in Winter, tho' frozen ; of theWays of ordering Silk- 
 Worms in France, Italy, Virginia ; and of their not 
 Joeing hurt in Virginia by Thunder. '
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Relations of Swallows living after they had been 
 frozen under Water 5 of Barnacles and Solan Geefe, 
 of a new Way of hatching ^Pigeons ; of the Way of 
 hatching Chickens in Egypt ; of Eggs proving fruit- 
 ful, after they had been frozen 5 of recovering a tired 
 Horfe with Sheep's Blood. 
 
 Relations of leveral Monfters with their Anato- 
 mies ; of the Meafure of a Giant-Child 5 of Stones 
 found in feveral Parts of the Body 5 of an unufual 
 Way of cutting the Stone out of the Bladder ; of a 
 Woman's voiding the Bones of a Child out of her 
 Side, eighteen Years after her having been with Child ';. 
 of grafting Teeth, and making the Teeth of one Man 
 grow in the Mouth of another. 
 
 Relations of feveral Chirurgical Operations j of re- 
 newing the beating of the Heart, by blowing into the 
 Receptaculum Chyli >, of the Art of perfectly reftoring 
 Nerves tranfverfly cut, practis'd in France ; of a: 
 Mummy found in the Ruins of St. Taul'^ after it had 
 lain buried above 200 Years ; of breaking the Nerve 
 to the 'Diaphragm) and of its Effects ; of cutting a Ste- 
 atoma out of a Woman's Bread ; of making the Blood 
 florid with Volatile, and coagulating with Acid Salts. 
 
 Relations of fympathetick Cures and Trials ; of 
 the Erfefts of Tobacco Oil for catting into Convulfion 
 Pits 5 of Moors killing themlelves by holding their 
 Breaths -, of walking on the Water by the Help of a 
 Girdle filled with Wind; of Tendidwn Clocks j of 
 feveral rare Guns, and Experiments with them ; of 
 new fyiadrants and Aftronomical Inftrumcnts 5 of 
 Experiments of Ref raff ion n\z<\c by the French Aca- 
 demy - of a. Way to makeufeof Eggs in Painting, in- 
 ftead c f Oil ; of the Ifland Hirta in Scot land - 7 of ther 
 whifpering Tlace at Glouccfter j of the Tike of Tenr- 
 zi& A
 
 Ike HISTORY 
 
 A 
 
 R E L A T ION 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 PICO TENERIFFE, 
 
 RECEIV'D FROM 
 
 Some confiderable Merchants and Men 
 worthy of Credit, who went to the Top 
 of it 
 
 TTAving furniihed our fclves with a Guide, Ser- 
 " jTl vants, and Horfes to carry our Wine and 
 " Provifions, we fet out from Oratava, a Port Town 
 " inthelfland ofTenerffi, fituated on the North of 
 <c it, two Miles diftant from the main Sea. We tra- 
 <c veiled from twelve at Night till eight in the Morn- 
 c< ing, by which Time we got to the Top of the firft 
 *' Mountain towards the Tico de Terroira ; here, un- 
 ** der a very great and confpicuous Pine-Tree, we 
 *' brake our Faft, dined and refreih'd our felves till 
 " two in the Afternoon 5 then we proceeded thro* 
 " much fandy Way, over many lofty Mountains, but 
 " naked and bare, aud not cover'd with any Pine- 
 " Trees, as our firft Night's Paflage was. This expo- 
 " fed us to excefllve Hea,t, till we arrived at the 
 ** Foot of the 'Pico ; where we found many huge 
 '*' Stones, which feem'd to have been fallen down 
 from fome upper Part, 
 
 " About
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 201 
 
 <f About fix a Clock this Evening, webeganro af- 
 * c cend up the *Pico, but being nov/ a Mile advanced, 
 <{ and the Way no morepaflable for ourHorfes, we 
 " quitted and left them with our Servants : In this 
 " Mile's Afcent fome of our Company grew very 
 " faint and fick, diforder'd by Fluxes, Vomitings, and 
 <c aguifh Diftempers, our Horfes Hair ftanding upright 
 " like Bnftles j but calling for fome of our Wine, 
 fc which was carried in fmall Barrels on a Horfe, we 
 " found it fo wonderfully cold, that we could not 
 cc drink it till we had kindled a Fire to warm it, altho' 
 " yet the Temper of the Air was very calm and mo ' 
 " derate. But when the Sun was fet it began to blow 
 " with that Violence, and grew fo cold, that taking 
 " up our Lodging under certain great Stones in the 
 " Rocks, we were conftrained to keep great Fires 
 " before the Mouths of them all Night. 
 
 '.' About four in the Morning we began to mount 
 " again, and being come about a Mile up,one of the 
 " Company fail'd, and was able to proceed no far- 
 f< ther. Here began the black Rocks. The reft of 
 " us purfued our Journey till we came to the Sugar" 
 * e loaf-, where we began to travel again in a white 
 <c Sand, being fore-mod with Shoes whofe fingleSoles 
 " are made a Finger broader than the upper Leather, 
 " to encounter this difficult and unftable Paflage 5 
 <c being afcended as far as the black Rocks, which 
 " are all flat, and lie like a Pavement, we climbed 
 '* within a Mile of the Top of the Tico, and at 
 *< laft we gained t\\zSummit, where we found no fuch 
 " Smoak as appeared a little below, but a continual 
 " breathing of a hot and fulphurous Vapour, which 
 ** made our Faces extremely fore. 
 
 " In this Paflage we found no confiderable Altera- 
 C c " tion
 
 302 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 tion of Air, and very little Wind ; but being at the 
 " top, it was fo impetuous, that we had much ado to 
 " ftand againft it, whilft we drank the King's Health, 
 " and fir'd each of us a Piece. Here we alfo brake 
 " Faft, but found our Strong- water had quite loft its 
 " Force, and was become almoft infipid, whilft our 
 " Wine was rather more fpirituous and brisk than 
 " it was before. 
 
 " The Top on which we ftood, being not above a 
 " Yard broad, is the Brink of a Pit called the Caldera* 
 " which we judged to be about aMusket-ihot over, 
 " and near fourfcore Yards deep, in Shape like z.Cone> 
 " within hollow like a Kettle or Cauldron, and all 
 " over cover'd with fmall loofc Stones mixt with 
 " Sulphur andSand ; from amongft which iflue diverfe 
 " Spiracles of Smoak and Heat, when ftirred with any 
 " thing puffs and makes a noife, and fo offcnfive, that 
 " we were almoft ftifled with the fuddcn Emanation 
 " of Vapours upon the removing of one of thefe 
 " Stones, which- are fo hot as they are not eafily to 
 " be handled. We defcended not above four or five 
 " Yards into the Caldera, in regard of its fliding from 
 u our Feet and the Difficulty. But fome have ad- 
 " ventured to the Bottom. Other obfervable Mate*- 
 " rials we difcover'd none, befides a clear fort of Sui- 
 " phur-t which looks like Salt upon the Stones. 
 
 " From this famous TicOy we could ken the Grand 
 " Canaria, fourteen Leagues diftant, Talma eighteen, 
 " and Gomera feven Leagues, which Interval of Sea 
 " feem'd to us not much larger than the River of 
 " Thames about London : We difcerned alfo the Her- 
 " ro, being diftant above twenty Leagues, and fo to 
 *' the utmoft Limits of the Sea much farther. 
 
 * So foonas the Sun appeared, the Shadow of the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY 203 
 
 ** ^ico Teemed to cover, not only the whole Ifland, 
 " and the Grand Canaries ', but the Sea to the very 
 " Horizon^ where the Top of the Sttfar-loafot Tlco 
 <c vifibly appeared to turn up and caft its Shade into 
 " the Air itfelf, at which we were much furprized : 
 ** But the Sun was not far afcended, when the Clouds 
 " began to rife fo faft, as intercepted our Profpeft 
 '" both of the Sea, and the whole Ifland, excepting 
 t only the Tops of the fubjacent Mountains, which 
 u feem'd to pierce them through : whether thefe 
 (c Clouds do ever furmount the 'Pico we cannot fay* 
 " but to fuch as are far beneath, they fometimes feem 
 " to hang above it, or rather wrap themielves about 
 it, as conftantly when the North-weft Wind blows 5 
 this they call theCappe, and is a certain Progno- 
 (lick of enfuing Storms. 
 
 <e One of our Company, who made this Journey 
 again two Years after, arriving at the Top of the 
 " *P/V<? before Day, and creeping under a great Stone 
 " to fhroud himfelf from the cold Air (after a little 
 " Space,) found himfelf all wet, and perceived it to 
 '* come from a perpetual trickling of Water from 
 " the Rocks above him. Many excellent and very 
 " exuberant Springs we found iffuing from the Tops 
 " of moft of the other Mountains, gufhing out in 
 " great Spouts, almoft as far as the huge Pine-Tree 
 * c which we mentioned. 
 
 " Having ftay'd fome time upon the Top, we all 
 " defcended by the fandy Way till we came to the 
 <e Foot of the Sugar-loaf, which being deep, even 
 " to almoft a Perpendicular, we foon paffed. And here 
 " we met a Cave of about ten Yards deep, and fifteen 
 u broadjbeing in Shape like an Oven or C#/>0/<0,having 
 " a Hole at the Top which is near eight Yards over; 
 
 C c 2 ? by 
 
 " 
 
 '**
 
 204 The HI STORY of 
 
 " by this we defcended by a Rope, which our Ser- 
 " vants held at the Top, whilft the other end being 
 " faftned about our Middles, we fwing ourfelves, 
 " till being over a Bank of Snow, we Hide down, 
 " and light upon it. We were forced to fwing thus 
 " in the Defcent, becaufe in the middle of the Bot- 
 " torn of this Cave, oppofite to the Overture at the 
 " Top, is a round Pit of Water, rcicmbiing a Well, 
 tf the Surface whereof is about a Yard lower than 
 " the Snow, but as wide as the Mouth at Top, and 
 " is about fix Fathom deep. We fuppole this Water 
 " not a Spring, but diiTolv'd Snow blown in, or 
 " Water trickling through the Rocks. 
 
 " About the Sides of the Grot, for fome height, 
 " there is Ice and Icicles hanging down to the Snow. 
 " But being quickly weary of this cxccllivc cold 
 *' Place, and drawn up again, we continued our 
 " Defcent from the Mountains by the fame Paflagcs 
 " we went up the Day before, and fo about five in 
 " the Evening arrived at Oratava, from whence we 
 " we fet forth, our Faces fo red and fore, that to 
 " cool them, we were forced to wafh and bath them 
 " in Whites of Eggs, &c. 
 
 " The whole Height of the Ttco in perpendicular 
 ** is vulgarly efteem'd to be two Miles and a half. No 
 " Trees, Herbs, or Shrubs in all the Paflage but Pines, 
 *' and amongft the whiter Sands a kind of Broom, 
 " being a bufhy Plant 5 and at the fide where we lay 
 * 4 all Night, a kind of Cordon, which hath Stems of 
 " eight Foot high, the Trunk near half a Foot thick, 
 " every Stem growing in four Squares, and emerging 
 " from the Ground likeTuffets ofRulhes; upon" the 
 ' Edges of thefe Stems grow very (mail red Buttons 
 J* or Berries, which being Squeezed produced a poi- 
 
 " fonous
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 205 
 
 " fonous Milk, which lighting upon any Part of a 
 " Horfe, or other Bead, fetches off the Hair from 
 " the Skin immediately j of the dead Part of this 
 " we made our Fires all Night. This Plant is alfo 
 <f universally fpread over the Ifland, and is perhaps a 
 " Kind of Enphorbium. 
 
 (l Of the Ifland Tenertffe itfelf, this Account was 
 '* given by a judicious and inquifitive Man, who liv'd 
 ** twenty Years in it as a Phyfician and Merchant. 
 <c His Opinion is,that the whole Ifland being a Ground 
 <4 mightily impregnated with Brimftone, did in for- 
 " mer Times take Fire, and blow up all or near upon 
 " all at the fame Time, and that many Mountains of 
 " huge Stones calcin'd and burnt, which appear every 
 " where about the Ifland, efpecially in the South- 
 " weft Parts of it, were rais'd and heav'd up out of 
 " the Bowels of the Earth, at the Time of that ge- 
 " neral Conflagration ; and that the greateft Quanti- 
 c< ty of this Sulphur lying about the Center of the 
 <c Ifland, raifed up the *Pico to that Height at which 
 ' e it is now feen. And he fays that anyone upon the 
 " Place that (hall carefully note the Situation and 
 Manner of thefe calcin'd Rocks how they lye, will 
 " eafily be of that Mind : For he fays, that they lye 
 " for three or four Miles almoft round the Bottom of 
 " the 'Pico, and in fuch Order one above the other 
 " almoft to the very Sugar Loaf (as 'tis called) as if 
 ft the whole Ground fwclling and rifing up together 
 " by the Afcenfion of the Brimftone, the Torrents 
 *-' and Rivers of it did with a ludden Eruption rowl 
 " and tumble them down from the reft of the Rocks, 
 " efpecially (as was faid before) to the South-weft : 
 " For on that fide, from the very top of the Tico al-
 
 206 32* HISrORT of 
 
 " moft to the Sea-fhoar, lye huge Heaps of theft-burnt 
 " Rocks, one under another. And there remain to 
 " this time the very Trads of the Rivers of Brim- 
 " ftone, as they ran over all this Quarter of the Ifland, 
 " which hath fo wafted the Ground beyond Recove- 
 " ry, that nothing can be made to grow there but 
 " Broom : But on the North fide of the Tico, few or 
 " none of thefe Stones appear. And he concluded 
 " hence, that the Vole anio di fcharg'd itfclf chiefly to 
 " the South-weft. He adds farther, that Mines of 
 " feveral Metals were broken and blown up at the 
 " fame time. Thefe calcin'd Rocks re fembl ing fome 
 tf of them Iron- Oar, fome Silver, and others Copper. 
 tf Particularly at a certain Place in thefe South- weft 
 *' Parts called the Azuleios, being very high Moun- 
 " tains, where never any Englifh Man but himfclf 
 " (that ever he heard of) was. There arc vaft Quan- 
 " titics of a loofe blewifh Earth intermixt with blue 
 * Stones, which have on them yellow Ruft as that 
 " of Copper and Vitriol : And likcwife many little 
 " Springs of vitriolate Waters, where he fuppofes was 
 " a Copper Mine. And he was told by a Bell- founder 
 " of Oratava, that out of two Horfe Loads of this 
 " Earth, he got as much Gold as made two large 
 " Rings. And a Tortugueze told him, who had been 
 " in the Weft- Indie s^tt his Opinion was,there were 
 " as good Mines of Gold and Silver there as the beft 
 " inthe/^V^. There are likewife hereabout ni- 
 " trous Waters and Stones covered with a deep Saf- 
 " fron-colour'd Ruft, and tafting of Iron. And far- 
 1 ther he mentions a Friend of his, who out of two 
 : Lumps of Earth or Oar, brought from the top of 
 " this fide the Mountain, made two Silver- fpoons. All 
 
 this 
 6
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETV. 207 
 
 w this he confirms from the late Inftance of the ^Palnte 
 " Ifland eighteen Leagues from Tenariffa-, where a 
 " Volcanio was fired about twelve Years fmce 5 the 
 " Violence whereof made anEarthquake in this Ifland 
 " fo great, that he and others ran out of their Honfes, 
 " fearing they would have fallen upon their Heads. 
 " They heard the Noife of the Torrents of flaming 
 " Brimflone like Thunder, and faw the Fire as plain 
 ** by Night, for about fix Weeks together, as a Candle 
 " in the Room : And fo much of the Sand and Ames, 
 " brought from thence by the Wind with Clouds, 
 " fell on his Hat, as fill'd a Sand Box for his Ink- 
 *' horn, 
 
 " In fome Part of this Ifland there grows a crooked 
 " Shrub which they call Legnan, which they bring 
 " for England as a fweet Wood : There are likewife 
 " Apricots, Peaches, &c. in Standard, which bear 
 " twice a Year, Pear- trees alfo which are as pregnant : 
 " Almonds of a tender Shell ; Palms,Plantains,Orang- 
 " es and Limons, efpecially the 'Pregnadas which 
 <{ have fmall ones in their Bellies, from whence they 
 " are fo denominated. Alfo they have Sugar- Canes, 
 " and a little Cotton. Colloquintida&c. TheRofes 
 " blow ztChrift mas- There are good Carnations, and 
 " very large 5 but Tulips will not grow or thrive 
 * { there : Sampier cloaths the Rocks in Abundance, 
 " and a kind of Clover the Ground. Another Graft 
 " growing near the Sea, which is of a broaderLeafj 
 " fo lufcious and rank, as it will kill aHorfethat eats 
 of it, but no other Cattle, Eighty Ears of Wheat 
 have been found to fpring from one Root, but it 
 grows not very high. The Corn of this is tranfpa- 
 rent and bright like to the pureft yellowAmber, and 
 
 " one 
 
 
 
 sc
 
 Me HISTORY of 
 
 " oncBufticl hath produc'd one hundred and thirty 
 < f in a feafonable Year. 
 
 f" <c The Canary Birds (which they bring to us in 
 England] breed in the Barancos or G///J, which 
 " the Water hath fretted away in the Mountains, be- 
 " ing Places very cold. There arc alib Quails, Par- 
 *' tridges, larger than ours and exceeding beautiful, 
 " great Wood- pigeons, Turtles at Spring, Crows, 
 <c and fometimes from the Coaft of Barbary appears 
 <e the Falcon. Bees are carried into the Mountains, 
 " where they profper exceedingly. 
 
 cl They have wild Goats on the Mountains, which 
 <( climb to the very top of the <Pico fometimes : Alfo 
 " Hogs and Multitudes of Conies. 
 
 e< Of Fifh they have the Cherna, a very large and 
 <c excellent Fifh, better taftcd than any we have in 
 " England ; the Mero, Dolphin, Shark, Lobfters 
 <c without the great Claws, Mufcles, Periwinkles, 
 c< and the Clacas, which is ablblutely the very bed 
 " Shell-rifh in the World ; they grow in the Rocks 
 tc five or fix under one great Shell, through the top 
 " Holes whereof they peep out with their Nebs, 
 ' from whence (the Shells being broken a little more 
 " open with a Stone) they draw them forth. There 
 " is likewife another Fifh like an Eel, which hath 
 " fix or feven Tails of a Span in Length united to 
 " one Head and Body, which is alio as fhort. Be- 
 c< fides thefe, they have Turtles and Cabridos which 
 *' are better than our Trouts. 
 
 " The Ifland is full of Springs of pure Water taft- 
 tf ing like Milk. And in Lalaguna (where the Wa- 
 M ter is not altogether fo limpid and clear (they per- 
 ** colate it through a kind of ipungy Stone cut in 
 " Form of a Bafon. 
 
 " The
 
 t&e ROYAL SOCIETY.. 20Q 
 
 " The Vines which afford thofe excellent Wines, 
 " grow all about the Ifland within aMile of the Sea, 
 <c fuchas are planted farther up are nothing efteem'd, 
 " neither will they thrive in any of the other Iflands. 
 
 " For the Guanchios or anticnt Inhabitants he 
 <c Q.IVCS this full Account. 
 
 L. t-' 
 
 " September the third, about twelve Years fince, he 
 " took his Journey from Guimar (a Town inhabited 
 " for the moft Part by fuch as derive themfelves 
 " from the old Guanchios) in the Company of fome 
 " of them, to view their Caves and the Bodies buried 
 " in them. This was a Favour they feldom or never 
 " permit to any (having in great Veneration the Bo- 
 " dies of their Anceftors, and likewife being moft 
 " extremely againft any Moleftation of the Dead) 
 * : but he had done feverai eleemofynary Cures a- 
 <e mongft them (for they are generally very poor, yet 
 cc the pooreft thinks himfelf too good to marry with 
 " the beft Spaniard] which indeared him to them 
 " exceedingly ; otherwife it is Death for any Stranger 
 " to vifit thefe Caves or Bodies. 
 
 " Thefe Bodies are fowed up in Goat-skins with 
 (< Thongs of the fame, with very great Curiofity, par- 
 " ticularly in the incomparable Exattnefs and Even-' 
 " nefs of the Seams, and the Skins are made very loofe 
 " and fit to theBody. Moft of thefe Bodies are in- 
 " tire, the Eyes clo fed, Hair on the Head, Ears, Nofe, 
 " TeethjLips, Beard, all perfcd, only difcoloured and 
 " a little (hrivel'd, likewife &\z?Pudenda of both Sexes ; 
 " He faw about three or four hundred in feverai 
 " Caves, fome of them are ftanding,others lie on Beds 
 " of Wood, fo hardned by an Art they had (which the 
 " Spaniards call Curar, to cure a piece of Wood) as 
 
 D d " no
 
 2io 2&? BISTORT of 
 
 " no Iron can pierce or hurt it. He fays, that on-e Day 
 " being hunting a Ferret (which is much in life there) 
 " having a Bell about his Neck, ran after a Coney in-. 
 " to a Hole, where.thcy loft the. Sound of the Bells 
 " the Owner being afraid he (hould lofe his Ferrer, 
 " fecking about the Rock and Shrubs, found the. 
 " Mouth of a Cave, and entring in, was fo affrighted, , 
 * that he cried- out. It- was. at the Sight of one of 
 " thefe Bodies, very tall and large, lying with his Head, 
 " on a great Stone, his Feet fupportcd with a little, 
 " Wall of Stone, the Body refting on a Bed of Wood 
 " (as before was mention'd.) The Fellow being now 
 " a little pnt of. his Fright entrcd in, and cut off a 
 " great Piece of the Skin that lay on the Brcaft of this. 
 " Body^ which, the Do&or fays, was more flexible. 
 " and pliant than ever he felt any Kids-leather Glovc^ 
 " yet fo far from being rotten,, that the Man ufed ir^ 
 [< for his Flail many Years after, 
 f " Thefe Bodies are. very light, as if made up of 
 " Straw, and in fome broken Limbs he obferv'd the, 
 Nerves and Tendons, and alfo fome Strings of the 
 Veins and Arteries very diftin&ly. 
 
 " His great Care was to enquire of thefe People. 
 " what they had amongft them of Tradition con-. 
 *' ccrning the Embalming and Prcfcrvation of thcle 
 " Bodies : from fome of the eldeft, of them (above 
 <f a hundred and ten Years of Age) he received this 
 *' Account, That they had of old one particular 
 * Tribe of Men that had this Arr amongft themfelves 
 " only, and kept it as a thing facred, and not to be 
 " communicated to the Vulgar : Thefe mixt not with 
 the reft of the Inhabitants, nor married out of their 
 own Tribe, and were alfo their Pricfts andMinifters 
 4 "of
 
 cc 
 
 t> 
 <c 
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 211 
 
 *'-"of Religion : That upon the Conqueft of the Spa- 
 u nidrds they were moft of them deftroy'd, and the 
 " Att loft with them, only they held fome Traditions 
 " yet of a few Ingredients, that were made ufe of 
 " in this Bufinefs. They took Butter of Goats 'Milk 
 " ((bine faid Hogs Grcafe was mingled with it) which 
 " they kept in the Skins for this purpofc ; in this they 
 " boiled certain Herbs j firft a fort of wild Laven- 
 der, which grows there in great Quantities on the 
 Rocks : Secondly, an Herb called Lara, of a very 
 "gummy and glutinous Confidence, which now 
 grows there under the Tops of the Mountains only : 
 w Thirdly ,a kind of Cyclamen or Sow-bread : Fourth- 
 " ly, wild Sage, growing plentifully in this Ifland : 
 <e Thefe with others bruifed and boiled in the'Butter, 
 " rendered it a perfeft Balfam. This prepared, they 
 " firft unbowelled the Corps (and in the poorer fort, 
 *' to fave Charges, they took out the Brain behind, 
 " and thefe poor were alfo few'd up in Skins with 
 " the Hair on, whereas the richer fort were, as was 
 faid 'before, put up in Skins fo finely and exacHy 
 dreffed, as they remain moft rearly pliant and gen- 
 tle to this Day.) After the Body was thus ordered, 
 they had in Readinefs a Lixivium made of the 
 Bark of Pine-trees, with which they wafht the Bo- 
 dy, drying it in the Sun in Summer, and in Stoves 
 in Winter, this repeating very often. Afterward 
 they began their UndHon with the "Balfam, botli 
 without and within, drying it again as before. This 
 they continued till the Balfam had penetrated in- 
 to the whole Habit, and the Mufcles in afl parts ap- 
 peared through the contracted Skin, and the Body 
 ;< became exceeding light : Then they few'd them 
 
 P d z up 
 
 1C 
 
 tc 
 
 (C
 
 2I2 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 " up in the Goat-skins, as was mention'd already. 
 " He was told by thefe antient People, that they 
 " have above twenty Caves of their Kings and great 
 " Perfons, with their whole Families, yet unknown 
 " to any but themfelvcs, and which they will never 
 " difcover. Laftly, he fays, that Bodies are found 
 " in the Caves of the Grand Canana in Sacks, and 
 " quite confumcd, not as thefe in Teneriffa. Thus far 
 " of the Bodies and embalming. 
 
 " Anciently when they had no Knowledge of Iron, 
 " they made their Lances of Wood hardned as bc- 
 " fore, fomc of which the Doctor hath fecn. He hath 
 " alfo feen Earthen-pots fo hard, that they cannot be 
 " broken ; of thefe fomc arc found in the Caves and 
 " old Ba-vances, and ufed by the poorer People that 
 " find them, to boil Meat in. Likewife they had Cu- 
 " ror Stone itfelf, that is to fay, a Kind of Slate called 
 tc now Tobona, which they firft formed to an Edge or 
 " Point as they had Occafion to ufc it, cither as Knives 
 " or Lancets to let Blood withal. 
 
 " Their Food is Barley roafted, and then ground 
 with little Mills, which they made of Stone, and 
 *f mixt with Milk and Honey : This they ftill feed 
 *' on, and carry it on their Backs in Goat-skins. 
 
 " To this Day they drink no Wine, nor care for 
 " Flefh. They are generally very lean, tall, a&ive 
 t( and full of Courage. 
 
 '* He himfclf hath fcen them leap from Rock to 
 " Rock, from a very prodigious Height, till tkey 
 " came to the Bottom/ometimes making ten Fathom 
 *' deep at one leap. 
 
 " The manner is thus : 
 
 *' lirft they teretate their Lance ^which is about 
 
 " the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 213 
 
 " the Bignefs of a half Pike) that is, they poife it 
 " in their Hand, then they aim the Point of it at any 
 " Piece of a Rock, upon which they intend to light 
 " (fometimes not half a Foot broad.) At their going 
 " off they clap their Feet clofe to the Lance, and fo 
 " carry their Bodies in the Air. The Point of the 
 " Lance firft comes to the Place, which breaks the 
 " Force of their Fall; then they flide gently down 
 " by the Staff, and pitch with their Feet upon the 
 " very place they firft defigned, and from Rock to 
 " Rock till they come to the Bottom. Their 
 " Novices fometimes break their Necks in learn- 
 
 " He added fevcral Stories to this EfFed of their 
 " great Activity in leaping down Rocks and Cliffs. 
 " And how twenty eight of them made an Efcape 
 " from the Battlements of an extraordinary high 
 " Cattle in the Ifland, when the Governor thought 
 " he had made fure of them. 
 
 c He told alfo (and the fame was ferioufly con- 
 " firm'd by a Spaniard) and another Canary Mer- 
 " chant then in the Company.) That they whittle fo 
 Sl loud as to be heard five Miles off: And that to be 
 <( in the fame Room with them when they whittle, 
 <c were enough to indanger breaking thcTympamm 
 " of the Ear, and added ; that he (being in Compa- 
 <c ny of one that whittled his loudeft) could not hear 
 ' perfectly for fifteen Days after, the Noife was fo 
 " great. 
 
 " He affirms alfo, That they throw Stones with a 
 " Force almoft as great as that of a Bullet, and 
 " now ufe Stones in all their Fights as they did 
 " anciently. 
 
 5 When
 
 ft* HISTORY of 
 
 When my Reader '(hall behold this large 
 of Relations 5 perhaps he will think, that too many 
 of them feem to be incredible Stories, and that -if 
 the Royal Society fhallmuchbufythemfclves, about 
 fuch wonderful and uncertain Events, they will 'fall 
 into that Miftake, of which I have already accused 
 ibme of the Antients^ of framing j?0j#2arftm, inftead of 
 folid Hiftories of Nature. But here, though lihall 
 firft confirm what I faid before, that "it is an unprofit- 
 able, and unfound Way of Natural Thilofophy.totc- 
 gard nothing elfe, but the prodigious and extraordi- 
 nary Caufes and Effetfs -, yet 1 will alfo add, that it is 
 not an unfit Employment for the mod judicious Expe- 
 rimenter, to examine and record the moft unufual 
 and monftrous Forces, and Motions of Matter. It is 
 certain that many things, which now fccm miraculous, 
 would not be fo, if once we come to be fully ac- 
 quainted with their Compactions and Operations. And 
 it is alfo as true, that there arc many Qualities, and 
 Figures,znd Toners of things,that break the common 
 Laws, and tranfgrefs the Handing Rulcs-of Nature. It 
 is not therefore an Extravagance, to obfcrve fuch 'Pro- 
 duff ions, as are indeed admirable in themfclvcs, if at 
 the fame time we do not ftrivc to make thofe appear 
 tvbt admirable, that are groundlefs and-falfc. In this 
 there is a near Refemblance between Natural and C/- 
 'VtlHtftory. In the Civil, that way of Romance is to 
 be exploded, which heightens all the Characters and 
 A&ions of Men, beyond all Shadow of 'Probability ; 
 yet this does nothinder,but the great and eminent Vir- 
 tues of extraordinary Men of all Ages, may be relat- 
 ed and propos'd to our Example. The fame is to be 
 affirna'd of Natural Hiftory. To make that only to 
 confift of ftrange and delightful Tales, is to render it 
 
 nothing
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY, 2T 
 
 nothing, el fc but vain and ridiculous Knight -Erran- 
 try. Yet we may avoid that Extreme, and ftill leave 
 room to confider the fmgular and irregular Effects, 
 and tojimitate the unexpe&ed and monftrous Exceffes, 
 which Nature does fometimes praftifeinher/^nkr. 
 The firft may be only compared to the Fables of Ama-r 
 di'Sj and the Seven Champions } the other to the teal 
 Hiftories of Alexander, Hannibal, Scipio> or Cxfar : . 
 in which though many of their Actions, may at flrit 
 furprize us ; yet there is nothing that exceeds the, 
 Truth of .Life, and that may not ferve for our In? 
 ftrucjion, or Imitation, 
 
 If this Way of general receiving all credible Ac-* Sea.xxxiir. 
 counts of Natural, and Artificial 'Productions, mall rhe Ex P eri ' 
 
 JT > j i 1-1 j j T 7 meats they 
 
 feem expos d to overmuch Hazard and Uncertainty * haw try* d,' 
 that Danger, is remov'd by t\\z Royal Society's reduc- 
 ing fuch Matters of Hear- fay and Information, into 
 real and impartial Trials, performed by their own - 
 Hands: Of the Exaftnefs, .Variation and accurate 
 Repetition of their Experimental have already di 
 corned : I. will now go on to lay down in ftiort Com- 
 pafs thofe Parts of the vifible World, about which 
 they kave chiefly beftow'd 
 
 The firftKind that 1 ftiall mention,, is of Expert- Of Fift, 
 ments about Fire, and F/ami, of thefe many were 
 made in order tcr the Examination of a Theory pro- 
 pounded to them, that there is no fuch thing, as an 
 elementary Fire of the ^Peripatetics ; nor fiery Atoms 
 of the Epicureans : but that Fire is only the Ad of the 
 DiiTolution of heated fulphureous Bodies, by the Air 
 as a Menftnmm y much after the fame manner as Aqua. 
 Fortis, or other iharp Menftruums do work on diflb- 
 
 lublt -
 
 21 6 Tie HISTORY of 
 
 lublc Bodies, as Iron, Tin, Copper : that Heat and 
 Lidit are two infeparablc EfFcds of this Diffolution, as 
 Heat and Ebullition are of thofe Diflblutions of Tin, 
 and Copper : that Flame is a Diftblution of Smoak, 
 which confifts of combuftible Particles, carried up- 
 ward by the Heat of rarified Air : and that Afles 
 arc a Part of the Body not diftblublcby the Air. 
 
 Of this Sort, they have made Experiments, to find 
 the lading of the burning of a Candle, Lamp, or 
 Coals, in a cubic Foot of common, rarified, andow- 
 densd Air : to exhibit the fuddcn Extinction of Can- 
 dles, Lamps, and lighted Coals, when they arc put in- 
 to fatiated Air : to mew the fpccdy Extinction of 
 kindled Charcoals, by blowing on them with Bellows, 
 that Air which had before been fatiated with burn- 
 ing : to mew that the greatcft and moft lafting Heat, 
 without a Supply of frefh Air, is unable to burn 
 Wood, Sulphur, and moft other combuftible Matters : 
 to find the comparative Heat of all Kinds of Fires, 
 and Flames of fevcral Materials, as of Sulphur, Cam- 
 phire, Spirit of Wine, Oyl, Wood, Coal, Seacoal, 
 Iron : to find at what Degree of Heat, Lead, Tin, 
 Silver, Brafs, Copper, Gold will melt. 
 
 Experiments of the Tranfparency, and Refraftcd- 
 nefsof Flames : of difccrning the Strength of fevcral 
 Kinds of Gunpowder, Tufois Fulminant, Aurum Ful- 
 minaris : of Gunpowder in the cxhaufting Engine : of 
 bending Springs by the Help of Gunpowder : of 
 inciting Copper immediately, by the Help of a Flux- 
 powder : of the recoyliug of Guns. 
 
 Experiments of Candles, and CoaLscxtinguifh'd by 
 
 the Damps of a deep Well : of the burning of: Lamps 
 
 .'under Water : of burning Spirit of Wine" and Cam- 
 
 phirc together, and the Divcrfity of their Flames : of 
 
 reducing
 
 the ROVAL SOCIETY, 217 
 
 reducing Copper to a very combuftible Subftancc : of 
 heating the Air, by blowing it through a red-hot 
 earthen Tipe, fo as to burn Wood : of the Brightnefs 
 of the Flame of Niter zn& Sulphur : of the burning 
 and flaming of Tin Filings by the Help of Niter : of 
 kindling Bodies, in common ratified and condens'd 
 Air, by the Help of a Burninp-glafs : of the compara- 
 tive Heat caft by a Burning- gfafs, in the Morning, and 
 at Noon : of burning with a Lens made of Ice : of cal- 
 cmmgAntimony in the Sun withLofs : to find whether 
 Aurum Fulminansot*Putris Fulminans do flame up- 
 on Explofan : of hatchingggj with a Lamp Furnace. 
 
 Their fecond Sort of Experiments is of thofe that Of ^ 
 have been made in order to find out the Nature, Pro- 
 perties, and ufesof^/>: Suchasthefe. 
 
 Experiments for determining the Height of the 
 'Atmofphere, for finding the Prefliire of the At- 
 mofphere : on the Tops of Mountains, on the Surface 
 of the Earth, and at the Bottoms of very deep Pits 
 and Mines, by the Help oQuick-Jilver,2&& otherCon- 
 trivances : for finding the PrefTure of the Atmofphere> 
 both in the fame Place, and Places very far remov'd. 
 
 Experiments to determine the poflible Bounds of 
 Expanfion and Condenfation of the Air, by Heat and 
 Cold, by exhaufting and comprefling : to determine 
 the Strength of Air under the feveral Degrees ofRa- 
 refaffion and Condenfation : of the Force of condens'd 
 Air in Wind- Guns, toftate the comparative Gravity 
 of the Air to other fluid and folid Bodies : to difco- 
 ver the refractive Power of the Air, under the feveral 
 Degrees of Rarefaction zn&Condenfation : to manifeft 
 the inflective Veins of the Air : to produce a Kind of 
 Opacity of the Air ; of the falling of Smoak in.rari- 
 
 E e fied
 
 TSr HTSfORT if 
 
 Scd ATT: to make <?& BMks iVim in yf/r 
 IT modi coodcnsd : of GUfs U!s rifou in 2 he: 
 or cooxlcns'd AST, sad falling in a lighter j.d rr. c 
 ratified. 
 
 Exftrimtmtsof the Propagation 
 commoa rarifkd and condens'd ,- the Con- 
 
 gniiry or Incongruity of Air CojMCir : ? pcnc- 
 
 ::: .-- ^i . - 
 
 
 by coorofive ^bm^ruams out of krmc 
 out of \Vitcr and ocUer T iqiy>r^^ v HJC- 
 
 hioftkxi: of the returning of toch^f/rinto thc/Pk- 
 f/r aain : of the tariffing of ^fjr into fFstfr cxhioft. 
 ed of ^iir : of the matnfaining and incrcilui- 
 by iuch ^f TJ : of die Fitnels and Unnrncti of fuch 
 Alf fdt Recitation : of the Ufc el Air in breadline. 
 of keeping Creatures many Hours a- 
 I:ve 7 fry bloving into the L**g* with Bellows, after 
 that all the TbUfdx and AUtmcm were opcn'd and 
 QX away, and all the Enrrails, (are the Ht*rt and 
 Lrmgs, ronov'd : of tevning Cbxktns, after they 
 have been, ftrangled, by blowing into their Lwcftgs: 
 to try how loos a Man can live, by exipiring and in- 
 fpiring again the fame Air : to try whether the Air 
 lo rdpiicd, na *^ ty not by leveral Means be puuficd 
 or renew'd : to pcovc that it b not the Heat nor the 
 I of this r e i pired Air y that cfaoaks 
 
 fs of the reipiring of Amrmifr in Air 
 , and the fatal Eif efts: of the long Con- 
 of ieveral fiia^Ti r rry wrtl in f f'r IT mnrti 
 oondcns'd, ask will be under Water, at tvo hundred 
 ^-- -:.,: -.:. :::_: c.i.-::.r.: ; : :: - ^_ -" 
 tky of ftcfh Arr icquifitt for the Life of a : 
 
 a certain Space of Time : of making A: 
 
 - >
 
 ZTT. 219 
 
 D burn in it, i. 
 
 Experiment* of iadudic _ Amimds t and kin- 
 
 died Coals, and Candies, in a large Giais, ro obie; 
 which of them will be fidi caJngntiVd : of a Mac's 
 living half an Hoar, without an? Inconvenience, in a 
 Leiden Belly at diverfe Fathoms under Water : of the 
 Quantity of Air rcfpii'd at once bf a Man : of the 
 Strength a Man has to raife Weights by his Breath. 
 
 Experiments of the fwelling of an Arm put into 
 the rarifying F.ngine, by taking off the Prcffiire of the 
 Ambient Air : of the i welling of Vipers and Frogs, 
 upon taking off the PrefTure of the Amfaest Air : of 
 the Life, and tree Motion of Fifhcs in Water, under the 
 Prefiiire of Atr eight Times coadens'd : of Infcds nor 
 beins able to move in exhanfkd Air : of the Rc&- 
 ance of Air to Bodies mov'd through it : of the not 
 growing of Seeds for want of Air : of the growing 
 of Plants hT?ng in the Atr^ and of the Decreafc of 
 their Weight : of the living of a Camckoc, Snakes, 
 Toads^ad divcrfc Tnfrfh^in a free Air, without Food : 
 of conveying Air under Water to any Depth : of 
 condenlmg Air by IVater, and by the Fipinfat of 
 freezing IPtter : of the iVclling of Lungs in the ra- 
 rifying Engine : of the Velocity and Strength of feve- 
 
 The third Kind, are thofe which have becnmadcOf ITai 
 about the Subftance and Properties of Water : Sack 
 are, 
 
 Experiments about the < i^iyuaiyc Govity of 
 frltW+erviifnfr andof federal Afc^caM/^ra^ 
 found in dm Nation : of the different Weight of the 
 , in fc?cral Ciimates^od
 
 210 The HISTORY of 
 
 of the Weight of ^Diflill'd-water, Snoi 
 dew ', Rain-water, Spring -water : of augmenting the 
 Wciglit of Liquor, by diflolving Salts : of the greater 
 Thicknefs of liich Water at Bottom than at the Top : 
 of weighing afcending and descending Bodies in 
 Waterl of the Preflure of the Jf' r ater at fcvcral Depths 
 under its Surface. 
 
 Experiments of the Heat and Cold of the Watery 
 feveral Depths of the Sea : of propagating Sounds 
 through the Water : of founding the Depth of the 
 Sea without a Line: of fetching up Water from the 
 Bottom of the Sea, of fetching up Earth, Sand, Plants, 
 from the Bottom of the Sea. 
 
 Experiments of the Refinance of Water to Bodies 
 mov'don its Surface, of feveral Figures, and by feveral 
 Degrees of Force : of the Refiftance of Water to Bodies 
 mov'd through its Subftance, afcending and dcfcend- 
 ing : of the Expanfion and Condeniation of Water by 
 Heat and Cold : of the Condenfation of Water by. 
 feveral Ways of Preflure: of converting Water into' 
 a vaporous Air, lafting fome time in that Form : the 
 Torricellian Experiment tried with Water in a Glafs- 
 Cane thirty fix and forty Foot high, in a leaden Tube 
 alfo with a Glafs atthe Top : the fame tried with Oil, 
 and other Liquors, 
 
 Experiments of the rifing of Water in fmall Tubes y 
 and many others about its Congruity : of Filtration, 
 or of the rifing of Water to a great Height in Sander, 
 of the fwimm ing of Fifties: of Waters being able to- 
 penetrate through thofe Pores, where Air will not : o 
 opening Bellows at a Depth under Water ',and blowing 
 up Bladders, to find the Preflure of the Water : of 
 Water not fubfiding in a high Glafs-Cane upon remov- 
 ing the ambient Prefiuce, after it had been well ex-. 
 
 haufted :
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 221 
 
 /r-^f/Ww that lurk'd in it : of forcing 
 Water out of a Veflel by its own Vapours. 
 
 Experiments of the different Weight and Refrac- 
 tion of warm Water and cold ; of the pafling of Plater 
 through the Coats of a Man's Stomach 5 of the living 
 of FiQi in Water, the Air being exhaufted ; of doling 
 up a Filh in a Glafs of Water* of the dying of Fiflies 
 in Water, upon taking oft" the Preflure of the Air, in 
 the ratifying Engine ; of Hydroftaticks y and making a 
 Body fink by pouring more Water upon it j of raifmg 
 Water above its Standard by fucking ; of the fubfiding 
 of Water in the Stem, upon putting the Bolt-head in' 
 to warm Water > of the fhrinking of Water upon 
 cooling. 
 
 The fourth Kind are about Mines, Metals., Oars, Of Metals 
 Stones, &c. Such as and Stow.. 
 
 Experiment sot Compelling made at the Tower 5 of 
 diffolving many Salts in one Liquor j of the Oculus 
 Mundi 5 of Rufma ; of the Tenacity of feveral Me- 
 tals examin'd by Weights ; of the Rarefaction and 
 Gondenfation of Glafs ; of the volatifing Salt of Tar- 
 tar, with burnt Alom, with Vinegar and Spirit of 
 Wine ; on the BononianStone ; on 'Diamonds, of their 
 {hining by rubbing j on Copper -Oar $ of the Diftillation 
 of Coal', of refining feveral Kinds of Lead-Oar ; of. 
 extracting a much greater Quantity of Silver out of. 
 that Oar, than is commonly done , of feveral Ways 
 of reducing Let barges into Lead-, of changing Gold 
 into Silver. 
 
 Experiment s Magnetic al, of the beft Form of cap-- 
 ping Loadftones -, of the beft Forms of Needles, of ie- 
 veral Lengths and Bigneffes : of various Ways of 
 touching Needles QR\\\Z Load/tone, of making the.. 
 
 fame
 
 222 7he HISTORY of 
 
 fame Pole of the Loadflone both attract and chafe 
 the fame End of the Needle* without touching it j to 
 find the Variation of the Loadflone here at London. 
 
 Experiments with the dipping Needle , of the ex- 
 traordinary Strength in Proportion to its Bulk of a 
 fmall Load/lone ; to meafure the Strength of the Mag- 
 netical attractive Power, at feveral Distances from the 
 Stone : to examine the Force of the attractive Power, 
 through feveral Mediums, as Water, Air, Wood, 
 Lead, and Stone; to divert the attractive Power, by 
 interpofing Iron j to find the directive Virtue of the 
 Loadflone under Water. 
 
 Experiments to manifeft, by the Help of Stecl-duft, 
 the Lines of the directive Virtue of the Loadjlone to 
 be oval, in a contrary Pofttion to what T>es Cartes's 
 Theory makes them j to manifeft thofe Lines of Di- 
 rection by the Help of Needles ; to diicover thofc 
 Lines of Direction, when the Influence of many 
 Loadftones is compounded ; to find what thofc Lines 
 are incompafling a Spherical Loadflone* what about 
 a Square, and what about a regular Figure 5 to bore 
 through the Axis of a Loadflone* and fill it up with 
 a Cylindrical Steel : Experiments on Loadftones hav- 
 ing many Poles, and yet the Stones fccming uniform. 
 
 Of Vegeta- The fifth Kind is of the Growth of Vegetables la 
 Ww feveral Kinds of Water ; as River-water, Rain- Wa- 
 
 ter, T>iftiWd Water, May-^Dev* of hindring the 
 Growth of Seed-Corn in the Earth, by extracting the 
 Air, and furthering their Growth, by admitting it ; of 
 deeping Seeds of feveral Kinds ; of inverting the Pofi- 
 tions of Roots and ^Plants fet in the Ground, to find 
 whether there are Valves in the Pores of the Wood, 
 that only open oneWayjof thcDecreafe of the Weight 
 
 of
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 223 
 
 of ^Plants growing in Air; of Lignum FoJJile* of 
 the growing of fome Branches of Ro/emarf, by on- 
 ly fprinkling the leaves with Water; of Camphire 
 Wood\ of Wood brought from the Canaries-, of a 
 {linking Wood brought out of the Eaft- Indies '> of 
 the Re-union of the Bark of Trees after it had been 
 feparated from the Body. 
 
 The fixth are Experiments Medicinal and Anato- Medicinal 
 mical j as of cutting out the Spleen of a Dog ; of the?* 
 Effects of Vipers biting Dogs ; of a Camaleon, and its mca ' 
 DifTcction ; of preferving Animals in Spirit of Wine, 
 Oil of Turpentine, and other Liquors; of injecting 
 various Liquors, and other Subftances into the Veins 
 of feveral Creatures. 
 
 Experiments of deftroying Mites by feveral Fumes j 
 of the equivocal Generation of InfecJs j of feeding a 
 Carp in the Air ; of making Infects with Cheefe, and 
 Sack; of killing Water-Newts, Toads, and Sloworms 
 with feveral Salts ; of killing Frogs, by touching their 
 Skin with Vinegar, Pitch, or Mercury ; of a Spider's 
 not being in chanted by a Circle oi Unicorn's Horn, 
 or Irijh Earth-, laid round about it. 
 
 Experiments with a poifon'd Indian ^Dagger on fe- 
 verai Animals ; with the Maccaffar Poilbn ; with __ . 
 Florentine Poifon, and feveral Antidotes againft it ; of 
 making Flefh grow on, after it has been once cut off; 
 of the grafting a Spur on the Head of a Cock, and its 
 growing; of the living of Creatures by factitious 
 Air ; of the reviving of Animals ftrangled, by 
 blowing into their Lungs ; of Flefh not breeding 
 Worms, when fecur'd from Fly-blowing ; of the Suffo- 
 cation of Animals upon piercing the Thorax j of 
 hatching Silk-Worm's Eggs in tariffed Air ; of tran 
 fufing the Blood of one Animal into another. 
 
 The.
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 Qffenfile The fcvcnth Sort are about thofe which are call'd 
 Qualitits. f e nfible Qualities ; as of Freezing ; of Cold, and Heat $ 
 of freezing Water freed from Air 5 of the Time and 
 Manner of the Contraction in freezing lukc-warm 
 Water; of the Temperature of fcvcral Places, by 
 feal'd Thermometers -, as of feveral Countries j of 
 the Bottoms of deep Mines, Wells, Vaults, on the 
 Tops of Hills, at the Bottom of the Sea. 
 
 Experiments on the Contraction of Oil of Vitriol-^ 
 and diverfe other Oils by freezing ; of freezing bit- 
 ter Tinctures j of freezing fcvcral ting'd Liquors, and 
 driving all the Tincture inward to the Center ; of 
 mewing Ice to be capable of various Degrees of Cold, 
 greater than is rcquifite to keep it ke ; of producing 
 Cold by the Difiblution of feveral Salts ; of freezing 
 Water without Blebs ; of a membranous Subftance 
 feparable from the Blood by freezing ; of a Thermo- 
 meter in rarified and condcns'd Air ; of very cafy 
 freezing of Oil of Anifeeds ; of making a Standard 
 of Cold by freezing diftill'd Water. 
 
 -. , The eighth are of Rarity, 'Denfity, Gravity, Tref- 
 
 \jf other r - r . y-,/ . ,. - r ,.- / r 'j-S . +' J 
 
 Dualities. J ure * Levity ^ rlwdity, rirmnefs, Longrmty^ &c. as of 
 the Nature of Gravity ; of the Cohaelion of two flat 
 Marbles 5 of comprefling the Air with Mercury to 
 find its Spring; of the Weights of Bodies, folid and 
 fluid ; of Rarefaction and Condenfation by the Help 
 of Mercury ; of the Tenacity of feveral Bodies ; of 
 the turning of two very fluid Liquors into one folid 
 Mafs, by mingling them together. 
 
 Experiments for examining, whether the Gravity 
 
 of Bodies alter, according as they are carried a good 
 
 Way above or below the Surface of. the Earth .5 of the 
 
 i 6 Handing
 
 tie R o Y A L SOCIETY. 
 
 {landing of Mercury well exhaufted, many Inches, 
 nay many Feet, above its ufual ilanding 5 of a Wheel- 
 Barometer, of the Expanfion, and Contraction of 
 Glafs and Metals by Heat and Cold ; of Spirit of 
 Wine, and feveral ting'd Liquors, by the Help of a 
 Glafs Tube 5 the Examination of Monjtenr Tafchal's 
 Experiment by many others. 
 
 The ninth are Experiments of Light, Sound, Co- Of Light, 
 lours ', Tafte, Smell i as of two tranfparent Liquors Sound^c. 
 producing an opacous one : of Echoes and reflected 
 Sounds i of mufical Sounds and Harmonies j of Co- 
 lours j of the greater Refraction of Water than of 
 Ice ; of Refraction in a new Engine ; of the Refrac- 
 tion of Glafs of various Shapes under Water ; of de- 
 flroy ing the fhining of Fifh by Oil of Vitriol ; of ma- 
 king a great Light by rubbing two Chryftals hard one 
 againft the other ; of making a deafx&& dumb Man 
 to fpeak. 
 
 The tenth are Experiments of Motion : as of Glafs Of Motion. 
 Drops feveral Ways order'd and broken ; of the Ve- 
 locity of the Defcent of feveral Bodies of diverfe Fa- 
 fhions through feveral Liquors ; of determining the 
 Velocity of Bodies falling through the Air, tried by 
 many Ways ; of ihzfwift Motion of Sounds ; of the 
 irregular Motion of the Oil of Turpentine on Spirit 
 of Wine ; of the Strength of falling Bodies, accord- 
 ing to the feveral Heights, from which they fall ; 
 of proportioning the Shapes of Bodies, fo as to 
 make them fall together in the fame Time through 
 differing Mediums. 
 
 Experiments of the Swiftnefs of a Bullet fliot with 
 extraordinary Powder ; of the beft Figure of the 
 
 F f Weight
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 Weight* of a ^Pendulum for Motion ; of the Motion of 
 pendulous Bodies of various Figures ; to determine 
 theLength of ^Pendulums, to find the Velocity of the 
 Vibrations of a founding String ; to find the Veloci- 
 ty of Motion, propagated by a very long extended 
 Wire ; for explaining the Inflection of a ftrait Mo- 
 tion into a circular, by a fupervening attractive Power 
 towards the Center, in order to the explaining of the 
 Motion of the Planets. 
 
 Experiments of the circular and complicated Mo- 
 tion of 'Pendulums, to explain the Hypothecs of the 
 Moon's moving about the Earth ; of comparing the 
 Motion? of a circular Tendututn, with the Motion 
 of a ftrait one ; of the Propagation of Motion from 
 one Body to another ; of the Reflection of Motion ; 
 of the vibrating Motion of Quickfilver in a crooked 
 Pipe, imitating iht Motion of a 'Pendulums of com- 
 municating of the Strength of Powder for the bend- 
 ing of Springs ; and thereby for making artificial 
 Mufcles, to command what Strength wedeftrc. 
 
 Cbymical The eleventh are Experiments Chymical,Mechani- 
 and Media- } optical; as of reducing the Ficfh of Animals ia- 
 nical. r 1-1 TII i_ 
 
 to a Liquor like Blood, by dmolvmg it in a certain 
 
 Menflruum't of a great Facility of raifing Water in 
 Pipes of a large Bore 5 of brewing Beer with Bread, 
 Barley, Oats, Wheat, and without melting ; of pre- 
 cipitating Tartar out QiWine by feveral Expedients j 
 of a chemical Extraction of a volatile Spirit, and Salt 
 out of Spunges j of examining Aurum fulminans 
 after Explofion ; of the DhTolution of Manna in 
 Water, and of a chryftallifing it again out of it, by 
 Evaporation. 
 
 Expe-
 
 the R o . y A S o c 
 
 Experiments of volatifing Salt of Tartar many 
 Ways j of examining the mucilaginous Matter call'd 
 Siar-Jboofi of examining oiir Englifh Telefcopes^ and 
 MicroftopeS) and comparing them with fuch as have . 
 been made at Rome-, of making a volatile Salt with 
 Oil of Turpentine^ and Sea- fait 5 of the Quantity of 
 Spirits in Cyder 5 of the Strength of feveral Springs ^ 
 of examining a Pump made with Bellows ; of dying 
 Silk with feveral Jamaica Woods 5 of finding the 
 Strength of Wood of feveral Kinds, for bearing ; of 
 finding the Flexibility of various Woods, and de- 
 termining the utmoft Extent of their yielding and 
 bending. 
 
 Experiments about the Gravity of Bodies made on 
 the Top of St. Taul's Steeple, WeftminfterAwy^ and 
 feveral other high Places ; and in a Well of feventy 
 Fathoms Depth ; examined about the Virgula TJtvt- 
 na-> wherein the common Aflertions were found 
 falfe j of the various Refradions of feveral Liquors, 
 in a new refractive Engine of common Oil of To- 
 bacco, made by Diftillation in a Glals Retort 5 of 
 making the Object Glafs of a Microfcope to bear as 
 large an Aperture as is defied. 
 
 Of this their Way of Experimenting I will here 
 produce thefe Examples. 

 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 EXPERIMENTS 
 
 Of the Weight of Bodies increafed 
 
 in the F I R E : 
 
 Made at the Tower, and the Account 
 brought in ly my Lord BROUNCKER. 
 
 i. Coffer and Lead. 
 
 d. gr. 
 
 *T~HE Copcl weighed 10 8 T 
 ^ Lead - 4 9 
 
 Coffer . _ o 6 
 
 Info the Fire a II three -- 14 23 T i 
 Out of the Fire . i? 4 7 f 
 
 Gained o 
 
 Be fides what the Cofel loft in Weight, fuffofedto 
 be about three Grains. 
 
 2. Coffer and Lead. 
 
 ^ > d ' gr ' 
 
 Cofel - - - 10 x 
 
 Lead 4 9 
 
 Coffer - - - o 6 
 
 Into the Fire all three 14 17 
 
 Out of the Fire 15 i 
 
 Gained o 7 j| 
 
 '3. Lead
 
 tto ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 3. Lead alone. 
 
 d. gr. 
 
 Cofel - - - I0 3 fi- 
 
 Lead -. 4 p 
 
 Into the Fire both 14 12 f| 
 
 of the Fire - 14 3 } | 
 
 Gained o 10 ff 
 
 4. Lead alone. 
 
 d. gr. 
 
 4 9 
 
 Into the Fire both ^ 14. 19 
 
 \$ 
 
 Into the Fire 
 
 Fire 
 
 . Cofel alone. 
 
 d. gr. 
 
 Into the Fire 10 wanting 7 
 
 ire to wanting 9 
 
 Loft
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 Of a Stone called 
 
 A 
 
 Made by Dr. G o D D A R o. 
 
 Small Stone of the Kind, called by fome Authors 
 Oculus Mundi, being dry and cloudy, weighed 
 
 The fame being fut under Water* for A Night and 
 
 fomewhat more, became tranfparent, and the Super- 
 
 ficies being wiped dry, weighed - - 6gr. il* 
 
 The^Difference between thefetizo Weights o. H* 
 
 The fame Stone kept out of Water one )ay, and be- 
 
 coming cloudy again, weighed 5 \ f 
 
 which was more than the fir ft Weight - o. ^f I 
 
 The fame being kept dry two 'Days longer, weigh- 
 
 ed ' - -** 5 . 1 1^ 
 
 which was lefs than at firft - - - o. 7 f -5 
 
 Being put under Water for a Night, and becoming 
 
 again tr anfparent->and wiped dry J heW eight was 6. T^ 
 
 the fame with the firft, after putt ing inWater >and more 
 
 than the laft Weight, after keeping of it dry - o. ?$$ 
 
 Being kept dry fome time longer, it did not grow 
 
 fenfibly lighter. 
 
 Another Stone, of the fame Kmd y being variegated 
 with milky, white, and grey, Like fome Sort of 'Agates \ 
 while it lay under Water, was always in^ir one d with 
 little Bubbles, fuck of appear in Water before boiling* 
 next the Sides of the VeffeL 
 
 There
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY, a 3 
 
 There were alfo fome of the like Bubbles on the Sur- 
 face of the Water juft over it j as if either fome Ex- 
 halations came out of it, or that it did excite fome 
 Fermentation in the Parts of the Water contiguous to 
 it. 
 
 There was little fenftble 'Difference of Transparency 
 in this Stone, before the putting under Water, and 
 after : To be fur e the milky white 'Parts continued as 
 before, but more different in Weight than in the for- 
 mer. For whereas, before the putting into the Water* 
 
 the Weight was i%gr.-l% after it had lain in 
 
 about twenty -four Hours, the Weight was zo^r.rftj 
 fothe ^Difference was - igr. 72!. 
 
 The fame Stone was infujed inthe Water fc aiding 
 hot, and fo continued for a while after it was cold, 
 but got no more Weight, than upon mfujing in the 
 cold j neither was their anyfenJible e Differenceinth& 
 Weight both times. 

 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 An ACCOUNT of a Dog difledted, 
 By Mr.HOOK. 
 
 JN^Profecution of fome Inquiries into the Nature of 
 * Refpiration infeveral Animals-, a^Dogwas differed, 
 and by means of a Tair of Bellows, and a certain *Pipe 
 thr lift into the Wind-pipe of the Creature, the Heart 
 continued beating for a very long while after all the 
 Thorox and Belly had been of end, nay after the Dia- 
 phragm had been in great TPart cut away, and the 
 Pericardium removd from the Heart. Andfromfe- 
 ver'al Trials made, it fe en? d very probable, that this 
 Motion might have been continued, as long almoft as 
 there was any Blood left within the Veffels of the 
 ^Dog 5 for the Motion of the Heart fe em' d very little 
 changd, after above an Hours time from the frft 
 difflaying the Thorax , though we found, that upon 
 removing the Bellows, the Lungs would prefently 
 grow flaccid^ and the Heart begin to have convuljlve 
 Motions ; but upon removing the Motion of the Bel- 
 lowS) the Heart recovered its former Motion, and 
 the Convulfions ceafed. Though I made a Ligature 
 upon all the great Vejfels that went into the lower 
 farts of its Body, I could not find any Alteration 
 in the fulfeof the Heart } the Circulation, it feems, 
 beine performed Come other Way. I could not perceive 
 
 o j J J J. 
 
 any thing diftinflly, whether the Air did unite and 
 mix with the Blood i nor did in the le aft perceive the 
 Heart to fwell upon the Extension of the Lungs ; 
 nor did the Lungs feem to fwell upon the Contraction 
 of the Heart. 
 
 EX-
 
 u
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 133 
 
 EXPERIMENTS 
 
 Of the Recoiling of 
 
 GUNS. 
 
 By the Lord B R U N C KER. 
 
 WHen I was commanded by this Society , to make Fig. 
 fome Ex ferments of the Recoiling of Guns : 
 In order to the difcovery of the caufe thereof Jcaufed 
 this Engine that lies here be fore you to be prep are d-, 
 and with it (ajjifled by fome of the moft eminent of 
 this Society) I had divers foots made in the Court of 
 this College, near the length thereof from the mark, 
 with a full charge (about a four-penny weight) of 
 ^Powder ; but without any other fuccefs, than that 
 there was nothing regular in that way^ which was 
 by laying it upon a heavy Table, unto which it was 
 fometimes faflned with Screws at all the four places 
 R, L, V, B, fometimes only at R or L, having wheels 
 affixed at L and V , or R and B, that it might the 
 more eajily recoil. 
 
 This uncertainty I did then conceive might arife 
 from one or more of thffe three caufes, viz. 
 
 1. The violent tremblingmotion oftheGun^whence 
 theBullet might cafually receive fome literal impulfe 
 from the nofe of the Tiece at the parting from it. 
 
 2 . The yielding of the Table, which was Jenfible. 
 
 3 . The difficulty of aiming well by the Sight and 
 Button fo far from the Mark. 
 
 G g There-
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 Therefore to avoid all theft, the Experiments I 
 cans' d to be made before you In the Gallery of this 
 Co Hedge, you may be p leafed to remember were per- 
 formed, fir ft, taking only eight grains of Towder 
 for the charge. Secondly r , laying the Engine upon 
 the Floor ; and, Thirdly, aiming by a Thread at M, 
 a Mark about an Inch and i from the Mouth of the 
 Gun (the edge of a knife being put for the Mark, 
 the better to difcern the line that was Jhot in) and 
 they thus fucceeded. 
 
 When the^Piece was faftncdto the Floor both at R 
 andL, the Bullet then did fo fully hit the Mark, that 
 it was divided by it into two parts, whofe difference 
 in weight was lefs than ten grains (about the thirty 
 third part of the whole Bullef) although the leffer 
 part was a little hollow, and that from which the 
 neck of Lead was a little too clofe pared off: But 
 when hindred jrom Recoiling only at R, the Bullet 
 mift *he mark towards L or A, for the whole Bullet, 
 lefs than two grains excepted, went on that Jlde : 
 And in like manner when hindred from Recoiling 
 at L,the Bullet mift the Mark towards R or ft, the 
 whole Bullet^ lefs than two grains except ed,pajjing 
 the knife on that Jlde thereof. 
 
 I had the honour to make other Experiments with 
 the fame Engine, lately at White-Hall, before his 
 Majejly and his Highnefi Royal within the Tilt-yard 
 Gallery, where there is the hearth of a chimney raifed 
 a little above the Floor, about the diftance of thirteen 
 feet from the oppofite wall, againft which Icaufeda 
 plank to be placed, and the Engine to be laid fir ft 
 againft the middle of the Hearth, that it might not 
 recoil at all, and that part of the board to be marked 
 againft which 'twas levelled, known by a line ftr etch- 
 ed
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 *d from the Breech of the *Piece unto the Board, di~ 
 reffily over the fight and button; and the f re being 
 given (the charge being but eight grains of ^Powder 
 asbefore}theBullet did fully hit the mark. Secondly, 
 the iece (charged and levelled in the fame manner) 
 was laid at the end of the Hearth next the 'Park, Jo 
 that very little of the corner^, refted againft it->and 
 then the Bullet mifs'd the mark about an inch and a 
 quarter towards the *Park^ or A . The like being done 
 at the other end of the Hearth^ the Bullet then 
 mifs'd the mark as much the other way ; and after- 
 wards with double that charge fomething more, as 
 before I had found it lefs with a fmaller charge. 
 
 Since this(atfrjt defigning only to experiment the 
 fever al diflances that the Bullet is carried wide of 
 the mark with different charges of ^Powder) I made 
 thefe Experiments following. 
 
 In the firft Column whereof you have the comer 
 ftopt from recoiling. 
 
 In the fecond the grains of ^Powder with which 
 the *Piece was charged. 
 
 In the third the dijlance the Bullet was Jhot wide 
 from the margin inches, tenths^and parts of tenths* 
 
 In the fourth the fide on which the Bullet was 
 carried. 
 
 In the laft the dijlance of the mark from the 
 muz>z,le of the Gun in feet. 
 
 Gg * B
 
 136 
 
 TheHISTORT of 
 
 B 
 
 16 
 
 o. 
 
 N 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 40 
 
 o. 14 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 It 
 
 12 
 
 I- '4 
 
 R 
 
 6 
 
 L 
 
 16 
 
 7* 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 38 
 
 o. it 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 48 
 
 o. oi 
 
 R 
 
 "i 
 
 R 
 
 16 
 
 5 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 39 
 
 O. Oj 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 48 
 
 4 
 O. I j 
 
 L 
 
 2 
 
 R 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 39 
 
 O. I 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 48 
 
 O. 2i 
 
 L 
 
 A. 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 . 74 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 12 
 
 o. 6 
 
 L 
 
 2 
 
 L 
 
 48 
 
 T 
 
 - 5 2 
 
 L 
 
 T^ 
 
 6 
 
 L 
 R 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 . 6 
 . i 
 
 R 
 L 
 
 9 
 Q 
 
 R 
 R 
 
 12 
 12 
 
 o. 9}. 
 
 I. 2 
 
 L 
 L 
 
 4 
 6 
 
 L 
 
 r 
 
 4 
 
 oTTi 
 
 R 
 
 T 
 
 R 
 
 
 I. O 
 
 L 
 
 s 
 Q 
 
 R 
 
 I 2 
 
 
 L 
 
 8 
 
 
 4 
 
 o. i; 
 
 R 
 
 T 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 4 
 
 i. ii 
 
 R 
 
 .7 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 12 
 
 i. 9 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 0-34 
 
 R 
 
 T 
 
 L 
 
 24 
 
 I. li 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 B 
 
 12 
 
 0. I 
 
 L 
 
 2 
 
 
 12 
 
 o. 3 
 
 R 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 L 
 L 
 
 3 2 
 
 40 
 
 48 
 
 o. 6 
 
 0. Ii 
 
 o. 4^ 
 
 R 
 R 
 L 
 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 L 
 L 
 
 12 
 12 
 9 6 
 
 o. o~ 
 
 L 
 R 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 R 
 R 
 
 T 
 
 48 
 48 
 
 0. 2 4 - 
 0. O 
 O. I 
 
 R 
 
 N 
 L 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 R 
 R 
 
 20 
 20 
 
 I. Oi 
 
 i- 4 
 
 O *7 *- 
 
 L 
 L 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 R 
 R 
 
 L 
 
 9 6 
 9 6 
 9 6 
 
 O. O 
 0. 2 
 O. 2 
 
 L 
 R 
 L 
 
 4 
 1 
 
 J-J 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 
 4 
 
 _4 
 
 O. O-j 
 
 . 6 
 
 : 5* 
 
 R 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 R 
 R 
 L 
 
 64] 
 
 96 
 96 
 
 Q 6 
 
 U< 7 4 
 
 - 9 
 i. i 
 
 o. 7 
 o. 8 
 i . 3 
 
 IX 
 
 L 
 
 L 
 R 
 R 
 L 
 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 
 L 
 L 
 R 
 R 
 R 
 
 48 
 48 
 4 8 
 
 39 
 
 39 
 
 o. i r 
 
 0. 
 
 - 34 
 
 0. 2 
 
 R 
 
 N 
 L 
 L 
 L 
 
 4 
 2 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 R 
 R 
 L 
 L 
 R 
 
 4 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 12 
 
 . 6 
 . 8 
 . 8 
 
 2. 
 2. I 
 
 L 
 L 
 
 R 
 L 
 
 c 
 9 
 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 ^ v 
 96 
 
 ' ^ 
 
 L 
 
 o 
 
 R 
 
 40 
 
 0. 2 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 16 
 
 L 7* 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 R 
 L 
 
 12 
 12 
 12 
 
 .J 2 
 ~J* 
 
 i. 3 
 
 o. 6d 
 
 L 
 L 
 R 
 
 ;/ 
 
 6 
 9 
 
 2 
 
 R 
 R 
 
 R 
 
 40 
 40 
 
 96 
 
 0. 
 O. 2 
 
 N 
 L 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 9- 
 
 L 
 L 
 L 
 
 16 
 
 20 
 20 
 
 r. 8 
 r - 5 
 
 O. 2 
 
 R 
 R 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 j . oi 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 96 
 
 i. <4 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 2 4 
 
 0. 2\ 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 I. 2-i 
 
 R 
 
 T^ 
 
 6 
 
 L 
 
 96 
 
 i. 05 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 28 
 
 0. I 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 i 
 
 4*2 
 
 R 
 
 8 
 
 R 
 
 96 
 
 o. 7 i 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 32 
 
 0. I ~ 
 
 R 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 
 o. 5 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 96 
 
 I. 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 36 
 
 O. 1 5 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 56 
 
 o. 8 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 40 
 
 o. 8 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 40 
 
 0. I 
 
 R 
 
 i 
 
 L 
 
 9 6 
 
 I. 2i 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 40 
 
 o. 5 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 44 
 
 O. O:T 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 9 6 
 
 * 5 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 48 
 
 O. I 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 48 
 
 0. Of- 
 
 Rl 
 
 4" 
 
 L 
 
 40 
 
 o. 5 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 R 
 
 48 
 
 o. oj 
 
 L 
 
 2 
 
 L 
 
 52 
 
 O. O 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 R 
 
 4 6 
 
 o. 9 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 i. 7 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 56 
 
 oToi 
 
 R 
 
 T 
 
 B 
 
 8 
 
 O. 2 
 
 R 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 o. 24 
 
 R 
 
 t 
 
 L 
 
 6c 
 
 4 
 O. Oi 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 i 
 
 R 
 
 96" 
 
 o7~6~ 
 
 k 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 o. 6 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 2 
 
 L 
 
 64 
 
 O. O i 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 Q6 
 
 O. Q 
 
 L 
 
 9 
 
 L 
 
 12 
 
 I. O 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 L 
 
 96 
 
 O. O 
 
 L, 
 
 i 
 
 Whence
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 137 
 
 Whence you may be p leafed to obferve : 
 
 Fir ft, that the recoil ofthe<Piece being kindred on- 
 ly at R or L, whatfoever be the charge of the Towder, 
 the Bullet ftillmiffes the Markup laced at the Mouth 
 of the Gun^ on the fame fide that the recoil is made. 
 
 Secondly, That about twelve grains of 'Powder 
 /hoots wf deft from the Mark at all diftances above* 
 mentioned, on the fame fide that the recoil is made. 
 
 Thirdly, That above Forty -eight Grains of 'Pow- 
 der /boots wide from the mark, placed at nine foot 
 from the Muzzle of the Fiece, on the contrary 
 fide to that on which the recoil is made. 
 
 TheCaufe of the fir ft I cannot doubt to be there- 
 coil of the Tiece (from the Force of the Towder) 
 before the Bullet be parted from it. 
 
 Thefecond //, as I conceive, becaufe with lefs than 
 twelve Grains the *Piece ceafeth to recoil before the 
 Bullet be parted from it. Andwith more than twelve 
 Grains the Bullet is parted from the Apiece before it 
 hath recoiled fo far : A greater power not moving 
 a greater weight fwifter (horizontally) in the fame 
 proportion that it doth the leffer. 
 
 And for the third I have this to offer * viz. Becaufe 
 the Mouth of the Gun is moving fidewards whilft the 
 Bullet is going out - y therefore the Mouth ofthe^iece 
 muft be contiguous (at leaft) unto the Bullet on the 
 contrary fide to thai on which the *Piece recoils, feme 
 time after the feparation made on the other fide, and 
 therefore thelajt impulfe of the Bullet from the force 
 ofthe'Powder is on that fide the' 'Piece recoils; where- 
 fore the Bullet muft necejfarily crofs the Axis of the 
 'Piece, and that with a greater or lejfer Angle, ac- 
 cording to the force of 'the'Powder , and when this 
 Angle therefore is greater than the Angle of recoil, 
 
 then
 
 The HISTORT of 
 
 then mufl the Axis of that Cylinder in which the 
 Bullet moves crofs the Axis of the Mark, beyond 
 which interjection the mark being placed, the Bul- 
 let mufl be carried neceffarily wide of the Mark 
 on the contrary fide to the recoil of the 'Piece. 
 
 Fig. 2. Let a d=a. 
 
 f e k = f 1 p= phm 
 = the Angle of Recoil 
 p h n the Angle of Re- 
 flexion made at the part- 
 ing of the Bullet from 
 the Tiece. When p h n 
 
 p h m (m h beinv al- 
 
 j. \ o 
 
 waysparallelto f g) then 
 mufl h n inter ft tt f g // 
 continued. 
 
 and therefore a b = r 
 V : r*a* 
 
 Therefore a b. a d : : r 
 V : r 1 a* a : : J. x (x 
 
 being any given quan- 
 
 tity.) 
 
 Wherefore a= x r x V : 
 r*ji': 
 
 and x \/. : r l _a* := xr 
 a. 
 
 Therefore x* r* x 1 a* xr* 
 a x r a -f- a. 
 
 Therefore x x ra = x 1 
 a* + a 1 
 Therefore axr = ^ 
 
 x z + i 
 Quod &c. 
 
 Some other Experiments 1 have alfo made wAh 
 another Tiece (about the fame length, but of a bore 
 near two tenths of an Inch lefs) and ordered in the 
 fame manner; and do fnd y that with a fmall charge 
 the Bullet is Jhot (thence too) wide of the mark on 
 the fame fide on which the Re coil is made, and with 
 a full Charge wide the contrary fide.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. a 39 
 
 / can fed be fides two *Piftol-barrels of about five Fig. 3. 
 inches long to be placed upon Carriages with four 
 Wheels, and loaded with Lead, that they might not 
 overturn when difcharged, and both of equal weight, 
 and an Iron Cylinder of the length of both their bores, 
 and of the fame diameter with a piece of Lead of 
 weight eqiial to it. So that the piece of Lead affixed 
 to either ofthefe Guns(which of them Ifhouldfleafe 
 to charge) might equally poife the other with the 
 Iron Cylinder. And thus indifferently charging ei- 
 ther with eight grains more orlefs ofPowder, and 
 putting the Iron Cylinder home into both, the piece 
 of Lead being affixed to that which held the ^Pow- 
 der, and then both fo fet upon the floor, and the 
 Towder fired, I could not thereby difcover,that the 
 charged 'Piece, or the other, either of them, did cer- 
 tainly recoil more or lefs than the other, they rather 
 feemedftill to be equal. 
 
 The fe few Experiments I have made fince, the 
 Barrel being fir ft cut at the muzzle parallel to 
 a vertical Tlane faffing the line C D. 
 
 B 
 B 
 B 
 B 
 B 
 
 48 
 48 
 16 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 o. 8 
 o. 9 
 
 0. I 
 
 O. 2 
 0. 
 
 L 
 L 
 R 
 R 
 
 N 
 
 RJ 4 8 
 iL' 4 8 
 : Ll 4 8 
 
 I. 2 
 
 0. 2 
 
 o. 3 
 
 L 
 L 
 L 
 
 
 
 Befidcs
 
 14-0 TbeHISTORTof 
 
 Befides thefe, there is another that I fhail mention, 
 and that is, the Experiment it felf, or the Double- 
 Bottom' d Ship, invented by Sir William Tetty : of 
 this I will venture to add a few Words, and I think I 
 may do it without tranfgreflmg that Rule I had fix'd 
 to my felf, of not enlarging on the praiieof particu- 
 lar Names, or Defigns. For fince the Experiment it 
 felf is loft, I hope I may fecurely fpeak of its Advan- 
 tages : feeing Men are wont out of common humani- 
 ty to allow the commendations of dead Men, I trufl I 
 may commend a wreck' d Ship, without any fear of 
 the envy that may thence arife to the Author. In brief 
 therefore I will fay this of it, that it was the moil con- 
 fiderable Experiment that has been made in this Age 
 of Experiments : if either we regard the great charge 
 of the work, or the wonderful change it was likely to 
 make in Navigation, or the great fuccefs, to which 
 this firft Attempt wasarriv'd. Tho'it was at tirft con- 
 fronted with the doubts, and objections of moft Sea- 
 men of our Nation, yet it foon confuted them by 
 Experience. It appeared very much to excel all other 
 forms of Ships, in failing, in carriage, infccurity, and 
 many other fuch benefits. Its firft Voyage it perform'd 
 with admirable Jwiftnefs. Andtho'it mifcarried af- 
 ter its return, yet it was deftroy'd by a common fate, 
 and by fuch a dreadful tempeft, as overwheim'd a great 
 Fleet the fame Night : fo that the ancient Fabricks 
 of Ships have no reafon to triumph over that new Mo- 
 del, when of threefcore and ten Sail that were in the 
 fame Storm, there was not one clcap'd to bring the 
 News. 
 
 In a word, though this Invention fuccceded not, 
 while it was only fupported by private Turfes , it 
 will undoubtedly produce great effects, if ever itfhall 
 
 * be
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 retrieved upon \htpublick Stock of a Nation : which 
 will be able to fuftain the firft hazards and lofTes that 
 muft be allowed to happen in the beginnings of all 
 extraordinary Trials. 
 
 To their Experiments I willfubjoin their Obferva- .XXXIV k 
 tjons, which differ but in name from the other, the Their Obfer- 
 fame fidelity and truth being regarded in collecting v< 
 them both. 
 
 Obfervatums of \.\\efx'd Stars for the perfecting of 
 Agronomy, by the help of Tele f copes : of the Comets 
 in 1665 and 1666, which were made both in London* 
 and elfewhere ; and particularly of the firft Comet, for 
 above a month after it difappear*d to the naked eye, 
 and became Stationary, and Retrograde. 
 
 Ob fer vat tons about Saturn* of the proportion, and 
 pofition of its Ring) of the motion and orbit of it 
 Lunale, of the fhadow of the Ring on the Body, and 
 ofthe-ZWy on the Ring*, and of its Thafes, &c. of 
 Jupiter's Belts> and of its fpots, and verticity about 
 its Axis* of its eclipfing its Satellites) and being eclipsM 
 by them ; of the Orbs, Inclinations, Motions, ^r 
 of the Satellites, together with Tables, and Epheme* 
 rides of their motions. 
 
 Obfervations of the Spots about the Body of Mars> 
 and of its whirling motion about its Center : of feve* 
 ral Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon, and fome of them. 1 
 as were not taken notice of by Aftronomers, of Ta- 
 bles commonly ufed : of the Spots in the Moon) and 
 of the feveral appearances in the Phafes of it : of the 
 Moon at the fame time, by Correfpondents in feveral 
 parts of the World) towards the finding her Parallax, 
 and Diftance. 
 
 H h Obfer*
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 Observations of the eliptical and waved Figures 
 of rhe Tlanetary Bodies, near the Horizon from the 
 Refraction of the Hemisphere : of the effeds of Light- 
 nin ' ' of the various preflure of the Atmofphere, by a 
 Wheel barometer for feveral Years, and of its ufeful- 
 nefs for predicting the changes of Weather. 
 
 Obfer vat ions on frozen Beer : on the Figures of 
 Snow, frozen Water, Urine congeal'd : on the fufpen- 
 fion of Mercury at a great height : on Mines and Mi- 
 nerals : on the Concretions of Wood, ^Plants? Shells-, 
 and feveral Animals Subftances: on the effects of 
 Earthquakes, Fiery Eruptions, and Inundations : on 
 Lakes, Mountains, Damps, fubtcrraneous Fires : on 
 Tides, Currents, and the Depth of the Sea. 
 
 Obfervations of the liming of Ground, for improve- 
 ment of the Bodies of Sheep, but fpoiling their Wool : 
 of feveral ways for preventing fmutty Corn : of the 
 importance of changing Seed-Corn : of the alteration 
 of the Horns of Sheep, and other Cattle , by the change 
 of Failure : of the Pores and Valves in Wood: the 
 Anatomy of Trees: of the fenfitive, and humble 
 Tlant. ' 
 
 Obfervations on the Bills of Mortality : on the 
 
 Leaves of Sage: on fmall living Flies in the Powder of 
 o 
 
 Cantharides : of Infects bred in 'Dew : of Virginian 
 Silk-Bottoms : of the Parts, and Anatomy of Fifhes : 
 of the Teeth of Lupus Marinas , that they are the lame 
 thing with the Toad-Jtones fet in Rings : of the Rc- 
 fpiration of Fifhes : of Bernacles : of the calcin'd 
 Powder of Toads : of an outlandifh 'Deer- Skin, and 
 Hair : of the Parts of Vipers : of Stones taken out of 
 the Heart of a Man : of young Vipers : that they do 
 not eat holes through their old ones Bellies, as is com- 
 monly affirm'd. 
 
 For
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 14,3 
 
 For Examples of this Head, 1 will only refer my 
 Reader to thofe which Mr. Graunt has publifhed on the 
 Bills of Mortality ; wherein the Author has fhewn, that 
 the meaneft and mod trivial Matters may be fo cultiva-- 
 ted, as to bear excellent Fruit, when they come under 
 the Management of an accurate and prudent Obferver : 
 For, From thofe 'Papers, which went about fo many 
 Years, through every Tradefman's Hands, without any 
 manner of Profit, except only to the Clerks that col* 
 leded them, he has deduc'd many true Conclusions, 
 concerning the graveft and moft weighty Parts of Civil 
 Government, and humane Nature . 
 
 As T am now pafllng away from their Experiments) . XXX V 
 and Obfervations, which have been their proper and J*Objetio* 
 principal Work ; there comes before me an Objection, ""{^'ring 
 which is the more to be regarded, becaufe it is rais'd theunctr- 
 by the Experiments themfelves. For it is their con> taintyofEx* 
 mon Complaint, that there is a great nicety, and con-$ ermenU% 
 tingency, in the making of many Experiments : that 
 their Succefs is very often various and inconftant^ 
 not only in the Hands of different, but even of the 
 fame Triers. From hence they fuggeft their Fears, 
 that this continuance of Experimenters, of which we 
 talk fo much, will not prove fo advantageous, though 
 they {hall be all equally cautious in obferving* and 
 faithful in recording their 'Dtfcoveries : becaufe it is 
 probable, that the Trials of future Ages will not agree 
 with thofe of the prefenr, but frequently thwart and 
 contradict them. 
 
 The Objection is ftrong and material ; and I am fo 
 far from diminifliing the weight of it, that I am ra- 
 ther willing to add more to it. I confefs many Expe- 
 riments are obnoxious to failing ; either by reafon of 
 
 H h 2 fome
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 ibmc circumftances, which are fcarce difccrnable, 'till 
 the work be over : or from the diverfity of Materi- 
 als > whereof ibmc may \x. genuine* fomzfophijticated y 
 fomcjtmp/e, fomc mix*d<> Comcfrtfb, fome may have 
 loft their virtue. And this is chiefly remarkable, in 
 Chymical Operations ^ wherein if the diflblvents be ill 
 prepared, if the Spirts be too much, or too little puri- 
 fy J d, if there be the Icaft alteration, in the degrees 
 of /fry, the quantity of Matter^ or by the negligence 
 of thofc tliat attend it, the whole courfe will be over- 
 thrown, or chang'd from its firft purpofe. 
 
 But what is now to be concluded from hence ? 
 Shall this Inft ability, and Cafualty of Experiments, de- 
 ter us from labouring in them at all? or mould it not 
 rather excite us to be more curious and watchful in 
 their Trocefs? It is to be allow'd, that fuch nnderta- 
 kings are wonderfully hazardous and difficult ; why 
 elfe does the Royal Society endeavour to p refer ve them 
 from degenerating, by fo many fore^arnings, and 
 Rules* and a Method fo fcverc ? It is granted, that 
 their event is often uncertain, and not anfwerableto 
 our expectations. But that only ought to admonifh 
 us, of the indifpenfible necefllty of a jealous, and 
 exaft Inquiry. If the uncertainty proceeded from a 
 eonftant irregularity of Nature-, we had reafon then to 
 defpair ; but feeing it for the mofl part arifes only from 
 fome defed or change in our progrefs, we fhould 
 thence learn, firft to correct our own mifcarriagcs, 
 before we ceafe to hope for thcfuccefs. 
 
 Let then the Experiment be often rcnew'd. If the 
 fame kinds and proportions of Ingredients be us'd,and 
 the fame circumftances be punctually obferv'd, the 
 t.ffe& without all queftion will be the fame. If fome 
 .little variation, of any of thefe, has made any altera- 
 tion
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 147 
 
 tion, a judicious and well practised Trier will foon be 
 able to difcern the caufe of it 5 and to rectify ir, up- 
 on the next repetition. If the difference of time, or 
 flace, or matter? or Inftruments, will not fuffer the 
 product to be juft the fame in all points ; yet fome- 
 thing elfe will refult, that may prove perhaps as be- 
 neficial. If we cannot always arrive at the main 
 end of our Labours, fome lefs unfought Curiojities 
 will arife. If we cannot obtain that which fhall be 
 ufeful for practice, there may fomething appear that 
 may inftrud. ^ 
 
 It is ftranger that we are not able to inculcate inter 
 the minds of many men, the neceility of that diftin* 
 tJion of my Lord Bacon's, that there ought to be Ex-- 
 feriments of Light, as well as of Fruit. It is their ufual ; 
 word, What filid goodwill come from thence? They 
 are indeed to be commended for being fo fevere Ex- 
 acJers of goodnefs. And it were to be wifh'd, that : 
 they would not only exercife this vigour, about Ex- 
 feriments^ but on their own lives, and actions : that 
 they would Hill queftion with themfelves, in all that 
 they do, what folid goodwill QQmt from thence ? But: 
 they are to know, that in fo large, and fo various an* 
 Art-i& this of Experiments, there are many degrees of 
 ufefulnefs: fome may ferve for real, and plain bene- 
 ft, without much^//^r: fome tot teaching without: 
 apparcnt^r<?/^ : fome for light now, and for /// here- 
 after; fome only for ornament ^ and curiofity. If they;; 
 will perfift in contemning all Experiments, except 
 thofe which bring with them immediate gain, and a 
 prefent hawe-ft* they may as well cavil at the Provi* 
 dence of God, that he has not made all the feafons> 
 of the year, to be times of mowing^ reaping* and 5 
 
 Oft 

 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 ^XXXVI. Of the variety, and excellence of the 
 
 The Injlru- vv j tn which this Age abounds, for their help in 
 
 *ave]nvw(-ffb* ca t m!incrs > * * iave alrcac ty difcourfcd in the for- 
 ed. mer Part. I will now go on to mention thofe new 
 
 ones, which they themfelvcs, or fome of their Mem- 
 bers, have either invent ed, or advancd, for the eafe, 
 ftrength, and direction of their Senfes, in themotions 
 of Nature, and Art : of this kind are thefc that fol- 
 low. 
 
 An Inftrument, for finding a Second of Time by 
 the Sun : another for finding the Celeftial Refradi- 
 ons. 
 
 Three fcveral Quadrants made after three new 
 contrivances, which though they are riot above eighteen 
 Inches in Diameter, and fo are manageable in any 
 Window, or Turret, are yet far more exaft than the 
 beft, that have been hitherto us'd, for AJlronomical 
 Observations, or taking Angles at Land, 
 
 Anew Inftrumentj for taking Angles by reflection ; 
 by which means the Eye at the fame time fees the two 
 Objects, both as touching in the fame point, though 
 diftant almoft to a Semicircle : which is of great ufc 
 for making exaft Observations at Sea. 
 
 A new kind vtBack-ftaff, for taking the Sun's Alti- 
 tude by the Shadow, and Horizon : which is fo con- 
 triv'd, that though the Shadow be at three foot di 
 ftance, or as much more as is defir'd, yet there fhall not 
 be the leaft 'Penumbra : and the Shadow may be eafily 
 diflinguifh'd to the fourth part-of a minute. 
 
 A Hoop of all thefix'd Stars in the Zodiac, for the 
 fpeedy finding the Pofition of the Ecliptic, and for 
 knowing the Extent of the Cancellations.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 14,7 
 
 A Copernlcan Sphere, reprefenting the whirling 
 Motion of the Sun, and the Motion of the feveral 
 Planets. 
 
 A great many new ways of making Inflruments, 
 for keeping time very exactly, both with Tendulums, 
 and without them ; whereby the intervals of time may 
 be meafur'd both on the Land, and Sea. 
 
 A univerfal Standard, or meafure of Magnitudes, 
 by the help of a Tendulum, never before attempted. 
 
 A new kind of Tendulum Clock, wherein the 'Pen- 
 dulum moves circularly, going with the moft fimple, 
 and natural motion, moving very equally, and making 
 no kind of noife. 
 
 A Tendulum Clock, fhewing the equation of Time. 
 
 Three new ways of ^Pendulums for Clocks, and fe- 
 veral ways of applying the motion of the Watch- 
 work to them. 
 
 Several new kinds of Tendulum Watches for the 
 Pocket, wherein the motion is regulated, by Springs, 
 or Weights, or Loadftones, or Flies moving very ex- 
 actly regular. 
 
 Several forts of Inftruments for comprefling, and 
 rarefying the Air : A Wheel-Barometer, and other 
 Inftruments for finding the preflure of the Air, and 
 ferving to predid the changes of the Weather. 
 
 A new kind of Scales , for examining the gravity of 
 Bodies in all places : to fee whether the attraction of 
 the Earth, be not greater in fome parts of the Earth) 
 than in others -, and whether it do not decreafe, at 
 farther diftances from the furface of the Earth, either 
 upwards into the Air, or downwards under the 
 Earth. 
 
 A very exact pair of Scales, for trying a great num- 
 ber of Magnet ical Experiments. 
 
 Several
 
 a4 .8 The BISTORT of 
 
 Several very accurate Beams, for tryin many Sfa* 
 tical Experiments^ and for rinding the moft exacl 
 gravity of feveral kinds of Bodies. 
 
 A <*reat number of Magnetic al Inftrnments, for ma- 
 king Experiments about Load/tones. 
 
 Several new kinds of Levels, for finding the true 
 Horizon, where, by one of not above a foot length, 
 the Horizontal line may be found, without the error 
 of many feconds. 
 
 A new kind of Augar, for boring the ground, and 
 fetching up whatever it meets with in the right or- 
 
 A new Inftrument, for fetching up any Subftancc 
 from the bottom of the Sea, whether Sand, Shells, 
 Clay, Stones, Minerals, Metals. 
 
 A new Bucket, for examining and fetching up what- 
 ever Water is to be found at the bottom of the Sea, 
 or at any depth, and for bringing it up without mix- 
 ing with the other Water of the Sea, through which 
 it pafles. 
 
 Two new ways of founding the depth of the Sea 
 without a Line, for examining the greatcft depth of 
 the Ocean, in thofe parts of it, that are moll remote 
 from the Land. 
 
 Several Injfruments for finding the velocity of 
 fwimming Bodies of feveral Figures, and mov'd with 
 divers flrengths, and for trying what Figures arc leafl 
 apt to be overturned, in order to the making a true 
 Theory, of the Forms of Ships*, and Boats for all 
 ufes. 
 
 An Inflrument of great height, with Glafs windows 
 <on the fides, to be fili'd with Water, for examining the 
 velocity of Bodies of feveral Subftances, Figures and 
 ."Magnitudes, by their defcent. 
 
 An
 
 the R o Y A L SOCIETY. 
 
 An Inftrument to* meafuring, and dividing the time 
 of their Defcent, to the accuratenefs of two, or three 
 thirds of time, ferving alfo for examining the fwift- 
 nefs of Bodies defcending through the Air, and of 
 Bodies fhot by a Gun, or Bow. 
 
 A Bell for diving under water to a great depth, 
 wherein a man has continued at a confideraWe depth 
 under water, for half an hour, without the lead in- 
 convenience. 
 
 Another Inftrument for n'Diver, wherein he may 
 continue long under water, and may walk to and fro, 
 and .make ufe of his ftrength and limbs, almoft as free- 
 ly as in the Air. 
 
 A new fort of Spectacles, whereby a 'Diver may 
 fee any thing distinctly under Water. 
 
 A new way of conveighing the Air under Water, 
 to any Depth, for the ufe of *Di<vers. 
 
 An Inftrument for meafuring the fwiftnefs, and 
 ftrength of the Wind. 
 
 An Inftrument for raifing a continual ftream of 
 Water, by turning round a moveable valve, within the 
 hollow of a clofe Cylindrical Barrel. 
 
 Several kinds of Thermometers for difcovering the 
 heat, and cold of the Air, or any other Liquors : a 
 Thermometer for examining all the degrees of heat in 
 Flames, and Fires, made of feveral Subftances ; as al- 
 fo the degrees of heat requifite to melt Solder, Lead, 
 Tin, Silver, Brafs, Iron, Copper, Gold. 
 
 A Standard^* Cold feveral ways. 
 
 An Inftrument for planting of Corn. 
 
 Four feveral forts of Hygrofcopes made with feveral 
 Subftances, for difcovering the drowth, and moifture 
 of the Air. 
 
 I I Several
 
 
 TheHfSTORTof 
 
 SeveraJ kinds of ways to examine the goodnefs, and 
 badnefsof Waters. 
 
 Several Engines for finding, and determining the 
 force of Gun-fodder, by Weights, Springs, Sli- 
 ding, &c. 
 
 An Inflrnment for receiving, and preferving the 
 force of Gun- powder, foas to make it applicable, for 
 the performing of any motion defirM. 
 
 Several Injiruments for examining the recoiling, 
 true carriage, and divers other properties of Guns. 
 
 Several kinds of Otocouflicons, or Inflrttments, to 
 improve the fcnfe of hearing. 
 
 Several Models of Chariots, and other Inftruments y 
 for Progrcflive Motion. 
 
 A CbariQt^waj-wifer, meafuring cxadly the length 
 of the way of the Chariot, or Coach, to which it is 
 apply 'd. 
 
 hftlnflrument for making Screws with great difpatch. 
 
 A way of preferving the moft exad imprcfllon of 
 a Seal, Medal, Sculpture > and that in a Metal harder 
 than Silver. 
 
 K\\Inftrument for grinding Of tick- piaffes : a dou- 
 ble Telefcope : feveral excellent Telefeopes of divers 
 lengths of fix, twelve, twenty-eight, thirty-fix, fixty 
 foot long, with a convenient Apparatus for the man- 
 aging of them : and feveral contrivances in them for 
 meafuring the Diameters, and parts of the 'Planets^ 
 and for finding the true pofition, and diftancc of the 
 fmall fix'd Stars, and Satellites. 
 
 Towards the cxaclnefs of all manner of thefe Op- 
 tick-glaffes, the Englijk have got a great advantage of 
 late years, by the Art of making Glafs, finer, and more 
 ferviceable for Microfcopes, and Telefeopes , than that of 
 
 Venice. This Invention was brought into our Coun- 
 
 CP 
 
 try,
 
 OYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 try, and practis'd here, by the care, and expence of the 
 Duke of Buckingham ; whom the Author of thefe 
 Papers ought to mention with all honour -, both for 
 his Skill and Zeal in advancing fuch Experimental 
 Studies of which I am writing : and alfo becaufe it 
 has been by the favour of fo great a <Patron, that I 
 have injoy'd the leifure, and convenience of compo- 
 img this Hiftory. 
 
 As foon as they were reduc'd into a Fix'd Affembly^ XXXVII. 
 one of the Principal Intentions they propos'd to ac- 
 complifh, was a General Collection of all the 
 of yfr^and the Common, or Monilrous ff^orks of Na- 
 ture- This they at firft began by the cafual Trefents* 
 which either Strangers, or any of their own Members 
 beftow'd upon them. And in fliort time it has in- 
 creas'd fo faft, by a contribution from all Parts, and 
 chiefly by the bounty of Mr. Colwal, that they have 
 already drawn together into one Room, the greateft 
 part of all the feveral kinds of things, , that are feat- 
 ter'd throughout the Univerfe. The Keeping, 
 and Ranging of thefe into order, is committed to 
 Mr. Hook, who had alfo the honour of being made 
 the firft Curator of the Royal Society by election. 
 This Repojltory he has begun to reduce under its fe- 
 veral heads , according to the exact Method of the 
 Ranks of all the Species of Nature, which has been 
 compos'd by Dr. Wilkins, and will iliortly be pub- 
 liftYd in his Univerfal Language : A Work wherein 
 this excellent Man has undertaken a Defign, that 
 very well fits the temper of his own Mind ; for it 
 well became him to teach a Communion of Speech 
 amongftall 'Philofophers-, whofe chief ftudy it has 
 always been, to promote a general agreement, and 
 I i 2 cor-
 
 correfpondcnce amongft all virtuous and wife 
 Men. 
 
 This Book had fooncr fcen the light, if part of it 
 had not perifh'd in the Fire. Of its ufe and accurate 
 compofition there is no man can doubt, that has ever 
 heard the name of the Author : of whom, if I had not 
 at firft reftrain'd my felf from particular commendati- 
 ons, I might have faid very much in his praife, which 
 defervesto be known to all the World, and to be the 
 firft Experiment of his own Ijn'werfal Language. 
 
 Li- Having well fucceeded in this their purpofc of col- 
 letting divers patterns of all Natural, and Artificial 
 things; they have alfo (amongft others) appointed 
 a Committee, whofe chief employment mall be to read 
 over whatever Books have been written on fuch fub- 
 jccls. By this means they hope fpeedily to obferve, 
 and digeft into Mannftrtpt volumes, all that has been 
 hitherto trv'd, or propounded in fuch ftudics. This is 
 the only help. that an Experimenter can receive from 
 Books : which he may ftillufc, as his Guides, though 
 not as his Mafters. For this end they have begun a 
 Library, confining only of fuch Authors, as may be 
 ferviccable to their 'Dcjign. To this there has been late- 
 ly made a great Addition, by the Munificent Gift of 
 Mr. Henry How ar dot Norfolk, who has bcftow'd on 
 the Society \\\z whole Arundelian Library, containing 
 feveral hundreds of choice Manufcripts, befidcs fome 
 thoufands of other Books of all kinds. And bccaufe 
 many of them belong'd to other Profejjions, this No- 
 ble Benefactor has given them with a free permiflion 
 of changing them for others, that fhall be more pro- 
 per for their Work : Whereby they will fhorrly be 
 able to fhew a com pi eat Collection of all that has been 
 
 pub-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 publifh'd in the Ancient, or Modern Tongues, which 
 either regards the productions of Nature, or the ef- 
 fects of all Manual Arts. 
 
 Nor is this the only bounty which this Illuftrious 
 Terfon has conferred on the Royal Society ; fince by 
 the firing of London^ the firft place of their meeting 
 has been rcftored to its original ufe, and made an Ex* 
 change^ he has afforded them a retreat in his own 
 houfe, where they afiemble at this prefent : By which 
 favour he has added a new honour to the ancient No- 
 bility of his Race : one of his Anceftors had before 
 adorn'd that place with many of the beft Monu- 
 ments of Antiquity : and now by entertaining thefe 
 new dilcoveries under his Roof, his Family deferves 
 the double Praife of having cherifh'd both the old, 
 and new Learning 5 fo that now methinks mArundel- 
 houfe, there is a perfect reprefentation, what the real 
 Philofophy ought to be : As there we behold new In- 
 ventions to flourifh amongft the Marbles, and Images 
 of the *Dead: fo the prefent Arts, that are now ri- 
 fing, fhould not aim at the deftru&ion of thofe that are 
 part, but be content to thrive in their company. 
 
 It will not I hope be expected, that I fhould prefent 
 my Reader^ Index of all the feveral Writings,v?hich XXXVIII. 
 have at any time been publifh'd by the Members of the 
 Royal Society. I mall omit thofe, which either were Theories. 
 printed before the beginning of this In ft it ut ion, or 
 which treat of matters, that have no relation to their 
 *DeJign. Only I will fay in general, that there isfcarce 
 any Art* or Argument ; which has ever been the fub- 
 ject of humane Wit, of which I might not produce In- 
 ftance?, that fome Fellows of this Society have given 
 good proofs of their labours in it ; of thofe f Diftourfes> 
 
 which.
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 which have been fince compos 'd by fome of their 
 Body, or read before their weekly Affemblies, and di* 
 redly concern the advancement of their Work, thefe 
 are the principal. 
 
 Several Hypothefes explaining the divers Thafes 
 and Motions^ and other Phenomena of the Comets. 
 
 Several Hypothefes of Saturn, and its Satellites. 
 
 An Hypothecs of the caufe of the Rugofity of the 
 Moon's furface. 
 
 An Hypothecs of the motion of the Moon y and of 
 the Sea depending upon it. 
 
 An Hypothecs of the motion of the Planets, and 
 of Circular Motion in general. 
 
 Several Hypothefes forthedEquatzon of Time. 
 
 A'DiftourJe about the poflibility of the Retardation 
 of Cteleftial Motions ^ and of their going (lower, and 
 flower, the longer they laft. 
 
 A *D*fcWfe of making the feveral Vibrations of a 
 Pendulum aqual, by making the weight of it move in 
 a Cycloid inftead of a Circle. 
 
 Several c Diftourfes,znd Hypothefes about the length 
 oi^'Pendulum, for moving once in a fecond of Time. 
 
 A ^Difcourfe of the moft convenient length of a Pen- 
 dulum, for making a Standard for aunivetfalMeafurc. 
 
 Several Aftronomical ^Difcourfes of Mr. Hortex 
 retriev'd, and digefted for the Prefs. 
 
 Uleg Beg tranflatcd, about the places of the fix'd 
 Stars, and feveral other Aftronomical Ob few at ions. 
 
 A 'Diftourfe about the poflibility of the change of 
 the attractive power of the Earth, and confequently 
 of the variation of the vibrative motion of Pendu- 
 lums, 
 
 A *Difeourfe about fhort mt\\mw 'Pendulums, and 
 of other Pendulums counterpois'd above the Center of 
 
 Motion,
 
 Motion, and of others lying Horizontal in the manner 
 of a Beam. 
 
 An Hypothecs about Fire, and Flame. 
 
 An Hypothecs, and difcourfe of the gravity, pref- 
 fure, and fpring of the Air. 
 
 A ^Difcourfe of an AirRegifler. 
 
 Several Difcourfes Mathematical, and Philofophi- 
 cal, upon the Experiment of raifing great weights 
 by the Breath. 
 
 A 'Difcourfe and Demonftration againft a propos'd 
 Method of doubling the Cube, and of finding two 
 mean 'Proportionals. 
 
 Several Difcourfes about Thermometers, Hygro* 
 fcopes, Barofcopes, and other Weather-wifers. 
 
 An Hypothecs m&Difcourfe of \hzlnflettion and 
 inflective veins of the Air, and of the fitnefs, and an- 
 fitnefsofthe Air foiCteleflialObfervations. 
 
 An Hypothecs of the Form, and Spring of the'^/r. 
 
 A f Difcourfe of the different parts of the fame Wa- 
 ter, and of the difference of Waters. 
 
 A 'Difcourfe and Hypothecs of Filtration, and of 
 the Congruity, and Incongruity of Bodies. 
 
 A Difcourfe of the poffible height of the Air, and 
 of its proportionable rarefaction upwards. 
 
 An Hypothetical CDifcourfe about the fufpenfion 
 of the Clouds, and their preflure. 
 
 An Hypothefis, and Difcourfe of Earthquakes. 
 
 A Difcourje of Petrifactions, and an Hypothecs; 
 for explaining the feveral varieties of fuch Bodies. 
 
 Several Dijcourfes about the Loadftone, and an Hy- 
 pothefis for falving its appearances. 
 
 A Difcourfe about the Pores of Stones. 
 
 A Difcourfe about Eggs. 
 
 A Difcourfe concerning the Glafs-drops. 
 
 A
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 A ^Difcourfe and Hyfothejis of annealing, and tern* 
 pering Steel. 
 
 ^Difcourfes about Cyder, and Coffee. 
 
 A *Difcourfe of the original of Forms. 
 
 An Hrfot befit of Light. 
 
 A ^Difcourfe and Hyfothejis of the Nature and Pro- 
 prieties of Colours. 
 
 A ( Diftourfe about improving Wood for Dying, 
 and for fixing Colours. 
 
 A *DifcourJe about the improvement f M u fit k 
 
 A *Difcourfe of the differing Heat of Summer, and 
 Winter. 
 
 A 7)ifeourfe, and Hyfothejis about Fluidity. 
 
 ^Difcourfes upon feveral Mercurial Experiments. 
 
 *Difcourfes of Hydrojtaticks. 
 
 *Difcourfes about the force of falling Bodies. 
 
 A Treatife of the motion of the Mufcles. 
 
 A 'Difiourfe of the Ufefulnefs of Experimental 
 Philofophy. 
 
 A Treatife of the vanity of Dogmatizing. 
 
 The Sceptical Chymift. 
 
 E flays about Salt- peter. 
 
 The 'Parallel of the Ancient, and Modern Archi- 
 re&ure. 
 
 Microfcopical Obfcrvations. 
 
 Micrograph, or a *Difcourfe of things difcover'd 
 by a Microfcope. 
 
 Three Books of Fevers, of the Brain, and of the 
 Scurvy, which I will alledge as the great Inflanccs of 
 this head : Wherein the famous Autlwr has with ac- 
 curate Diligence made prodigious improvements in 
 all the parts of Phyfick, and fhewn that the largenefs 
 of his Knowledge in it, is equal to the happy fuccefs 
 of his practice. 
 
 In
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 15-7 
 
 In this Collection of their 2)//?<?#r/<Kr,and Treat ifes, 
 my Reader beholding fo many to pafs under the 
 name of Hypothefes, may perhaps imagine that this 
 confifb not fo well with their Method, and with the 
 main purpofe of their Studies, which I have often re- 
 peated to be chiefly bent upon the Operative, rather 
 than the Theoretical Thilojbpfyy. But I hope he will be 
 fatisfied, if he fhall remember, that I have already re- 
 mov'd this doubt, by affirming that whatever ^Pritt- 
 ciples, and Speculations they now raife from things, 
 they do not rely upon them as the abfolute end, but 
 only ufe them as a means of farther Knowledge. This 
 ^vay the moft fpeculative Notions, and Theorems that 
 can bs drawn from matter, may conduce to much 
 profit. The light of Science, and 'DocJrines of caufes, 
 may ferve exceeding well to promote our Experi- 
 menting 5 but they would rather obfcure, than illu- 
 minate the Mind, if we mould only make them the^ 
 perpetual Objects of our Contemplation :/as we fee the 
 light of the Sun, is moil beneficial to dired ourfoot- 
 fteps in walking, and our hands in working, which 
 would certainly make us blind, if we fhould only con- 
 tinue fix'd, and gazing on its Beams. 
 
 The Ht/Iortes they have gather'd, are either of Na- -XXXIX, 
 t ure, Artsy or Works. Thefe they have begun to col- 
 left by the plaineft Method, and from the plaineft In- 
 formation. They have fetched their Intelligence from 
 the conftant and unerring ufe of experienced Men of 
 the moft unaffected, and moft unartificial kinds of life. 
 They have already perform'd much in this way, and 
 more they can promife the world to accomplilh in a 
 very Ihort fpace of time. 
 
 K k There
 
 TheHTSTORTof 
 
 There are already brought in to them the Hiflory 
 of. Comets in general, and efpecially of the two laft : 
 The Hiftory of Englijb Mines, w\Oars : And par- 
 ticularly two fevcral Hiftories of Tinner ies and Tin- 
 working. 
 
 The Hiflories of Iron-making : of Lignum Fof- 
 file : of Saffron : of Alkerntes : of Ferdigreace : of 
 whiting of Wax : of Cold : of Co/ours : of Fluidity, 
 and Firmnefs. 
 
 The Hijtories of Refining : of making Copperas : 
 of making Ailum : of Salt-peter: of making Latten : 
 of Lead : of making Salt out of Sea- water : of re- 
 fining Gold : of making Pot-afhes : of making Ce- 
 rufe : of making Brafs : of Painting, and Limning : 
 of Calcography : of Enamelling : of Varnifhing : of 
 Dying. 
 
 The Hiflories of making Cloth : of Worfted- 
 Combers: of Fullers: of Tanners, and Leather-ma- 
 king: of Glovers, and Lea ther-dre fling : of Parch- 
 ment, and Vellum-making, and the way of making, 
 tranfparent Parchment: of Paper- making: of Hat- 
 ters: of making Marble Paper : of the Rowling-Prefs. 
 
 The Hijlories of making Bread : of M a 1 1 : of brew- 
 ing Beer and Ale in feveral places : of Whale-filhing : 
 of the Weather for feveral years : Wind-mills, and 
 other Mills in Holland: of Mafonry : of Pitch and 
 Tar : of Maiz : of Vintners : of Shot : of making 
 Gun-powder : and of making fome that is twenty 
 times asftrong as the common Piftol-powder. 
 
 The two laft of thefe were communicated to the 
 Royal Society by the favour of ^Prince Rupert ; whom 
 I take the boldnefs to mention here, for his excellent 
 Knowledge, and ufe in all manner of Mechanical 
 Operations. But his name will be recorded in all 
 
 the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 the Hzflories of this Time, for greater works, for 
 many glorious enterprifes by Sea and Land, and for 
 the Immortal Benefits whereby he has oblig'd the En- 
 glijh Nation. ' 
 
 The Inftances that I ihall give of this their manner 
 of colleding Hiftortes, fhall be, of Works, that of 
 Salt-peter ; of Arts, that of T>ying ; of Nature, that 
 of Oyflers : which laft may perhaps feem a fubjedt too 
 mean to be particularly alledg'd : but to me it appears 
 worthy to be produc'd. For tho' the Britifh Oyflers 
 have been famous in the World, ever fince this Ifland 
 x was difcover'd, yet the skill how to order them aright, 
 has been fo little confider'd amongft our felves, that 
 we fee at this day, it is confinM to fome few narrow 
 Creeks of one iingle County. 
 
 Kk 2 THE
 
 160 The BISTORT of 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 Of the Making of 
 
 SALT-PETER, 
 
 By Mr. H E N s H A w. 
 
 TT 7HETHER the Nitre of the Antients be of 
 
 * VV the fame fpecies with the Salt which is com- 
 ' monly known by the name of Salt- pet er, is vari- 
 ' oufly difputed by very learned Authors amongft the 
 ' modern Phyficians: on the negative fide are Ma- 
 ' thiolus and Bellonius ; the latter of which had the 
 ' advantage, by the opportunity of his travels in " 
 ' gyp** to have often feen and handled them both, and 
 ' is fo pofitive as to pronounce, that in all Chriften- 
 ' dom there is not one grain of Nitre to be found, un- 
 
 * lefs it be brought from other parts, although at the 
 
 * time of his being in Grand Caire (which was about 
 ' the year 1550) it was fo common there (as he fays) 
 ' that ten pounds of it would not coft a Moidin. 
 ( Among thofe that hold the affirmative, the mod 
 ' eminent are Cardan and Longiusi and it fhould 
 
 * feem the general vote of learned Men hath been 
 ' moft favourable to that Opinion, by realon that in 
 
 * all Latin Relations and Prefcriptions, the word Ni- 
 ' trum or Halinitrum is moft commonly ufed for 
 c Salt-peter.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 e I have often enquired, amongfr, our London 
 Drugfters, for Egyptian Nitre, and if I had been fo 
 c fortunate as to have found any, I doubt not but I 
 
 * fhould have been able to have put an end to that 
 
 * Queftion by a Demonftration 5 that is, by turning 
 f the greatefV part of it into Salt-peter. However, 
 ' the Obfervations I have made in my own private 
 
 * Experiments, and in the practice of Salt-pet er-men 
 
 * and Refiners of Salt-peter, fcem to give me fiiffici- 
 ' ent ground tofufpect, that the confidence of thole,' 
 f who hold them to be feveral Salts, proceedeth 
 
 * chiefly from their being unacquainted with the 
 ' various $at*oftfi>a of Salt -peter in the marking and 
 ' refining of it : and alfo their comparing double re- 
 ( fined Salt-peter (of which Gunpowder is made) 
 f with that defcription of Nitrum and Aphronitrum 
 6 in the tenth chapter of the one and thirtieth Book 
 ' of "Pliny's Natural Hiftory (the only tolerable ac- 
 < count of that Salt that hath been handed to us 
 ' from Antiquity) where he tells us, That Aphroni- 
 1 trum was Color epene purpureo, and Egyptian Nitre 
 ' Fuftum & Laptdofum, adding afterward, Sunt ibi 
 ' Nitraritf in quibus rufum exit a color e terra j which 
 
 * is fufficient to have hinted to any one but mode- 
 *. rately verfed in the moderate way of ordering Salt- 
 ' peter-, that the Antients were not at all skilled in refi- 
 
 * ning their Nitre from the Earth and common Salt 
 ' that is ufually mingled with it, nor from that foul 
 c yellow Oyl, which, it feems, did accompany their 
 ' Nttre, as well as it doth our Salt-peter, in great 
 ' abundance 5 for Tliny takes notice of it, when he 
 ' mentions the removing the Nitre (after it is grain- 
 ' ed) out of the Nitrari# y faying, Hie quoque natura 
 
 * olei tntervenit, ad fcabiem animalium utilis : And 
 
 6 indeed
 
 ^ 6^ TheHISTORTof 
 
 * indeed this greafy Oyl (which the Workmen call 
 ' Mother of Salt-peter, and perhaps is but the crude 
 ' and unripe part of it) doth by nature fo wonder- 
 c fully adhere to every part elfe of the 'Peter (it may 
 ' be ordained for the nutriment and augmentation 
 ' of it) that the reparation of it, is the fole caufe of 
 
 * the great charge and labour that is required to t he re- 
 ' fining of Teter : otherwife the <Peter will be yellow, 
 c or brown, or fome other dark colour. And Scali- 
 < *rm his 104. Exercit.fecJ. 15. faith, Subluftris 
 1 pur pur quafl fplendor quidem in falis-petr <e t err is 
 f ftepenumero eft a nobis obftrvatus ; and he that Ihall 
 ' boil a Lixivium paft through a Salt-peter-zw\h, up 
 c to a confidence, without filtring it through afhes, 
 ' or giving the Salt leave to chryftallize, may per- 
 
 * haps find fomething not unlike the Nitre of the 
 
 * Antients. 
 
 ' To make this doubt yet clearer, it will require 
 c your patience to obferve a few fhort remains out of 
 ' the fame TUny, concern iag the production of Nitre j 
 c faith he, Exigiium Nitri ft apud Medos, cande- 
 ' f cent thus ficcitate convallibus quod *vocant Halmir- 
 
 * haga : minus etiam in Thractajuxta Thilippos for- 
 ' didum Terra quod appellant Agrium. 
 
 * This agrees very exactly with what I have been 
 c informed by a Refiner of Salt-peter, that near So- 
 1 phia> Santa Crux, znd fcveral other places mBar- 
 ' bary> he hath feen Salt-peter fhoot out of the ground 
 ' (as thick and white as a hoar froft) on many barren 
 < and defart Lands 5 only he adds, that this hap- 
 pens not till the beginning of the rains oiAuguft-, or 
 c September j and that it is the falling of the frefli- 
 ' water that caufes the Salt peter to fhoot out into 
 ( little Chryftalsj and that the people of the Coun- 
 
 * try
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 * try do no more than take it off the ground as clean 
 ' as they can, and fell it to Merchant- ftrangers. This 
 *- is, fays he, the Earbary ^Peter^ which the Refiners 
 ; buy commonly at twenty {hillings per Cent. 
 
 Much after the fame manner (by the relation of 
 an Indian Merchant) is that great quantity of 7V- 
 
 * ter produced, which of late years hath been brought 
 ' into England, and other parts of Chriftendom y 
 
 * from about *Pegu in Baft-India^ faving that the 
 
 * Natives do refine it once, before they fell it to the 
 Merchants: But being not fo skilful, to difcharge 
 
 * it from the common Salt, which attends 'Peter, our 
 
 * Workmen do refine it again, before it be fit for Gun- 
 4 powder, 
 
 ' The next remark out of Tliny, is, Aqu<e vero 
 Nitrofepluribus in locis reperiuntur^ fed fine viri- 
 
 * bus c Denfandi (he means the heat of the Sun in thofe 
 ' places) OptimumCopiofumque in Clytis Macedonia 
 
 * qtiod'vocantCbalaJtricum candidumpurnmquepro- 
 ' ximumfali. Lacus eft Nitrofus, exiliente e medio 
 ' dulci fonticulo, ibifit Nitrum circa Canis or turn * 
 
 * novenis diebus^ totidemque ceffat, & rurjus innatat 
 
 * & deinde ceffat^ its autem diebus quibus gignitur 
 ' Jifuere imbres falfms Nitrum faciitnt, Aquiloms 
 
 * deterius quia Validius commovent limum. In 
 ' EgyP to aufem confidtur multb abundantius fed 
 ' deterius , namfufcum lapidofumque eft, ftpene 
 
 * eodem moda quo Sal : nifi quod Salmis mare in- 
 ' fundunt, Nilum autem Nitrariis. 
 
 4 How fuch great plenty of Nitre fhould be found 
 ' in the Waters above mention'd, will be no difficulty 
 
 * to conjecture, if we consider that Lakes are the re- 
 
 * ceptacles of Land-floods, and that great Rains may 
 ' eafily bring it to the Lake in Macedonia^ from the 
 
 ' higher
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 ' higher parts in the Country about it. And for the 
 ' River Ntky there muft needs be Icfs icruple con- 
 4 ccrning it, if we call to mind that once in a year, it 
 ' fwecps with an impetuous overflow the burnt and 
 ' barren Defarts of Africa under the 'Torrid Zone -, 
 ' where, by the relation of Travellers, thofe Sands 
 ( are viiibiy full of Nitre, and thofe few Springs and 
 ' Wells that are to be found there, are by that rea- 
 
 * fbn fo bitter, that the Moors and iheir Camels are 
 ' forced to make a haidmift with them in their long 
 1 journeys. 
 
 * But when he comes to defcribe the Aphronitrnm, 
 1 he comes more home, both to the name and nature 
 
 * of our Salt-pet er^ in thele words, 'Proxima <etas Me- 
 1 dicorum tradidit, Aphronitrum in Afia Colligi in 
 fpeluncis & mol;bus diflillans> di in Jo le fa cant. And 
 
 * zcaliger fpeaking of Salt-peter, fays, Eft qutedam 
 ' Nitrifpecies Mar ens Rupibus^ in quibus wfolatur* 
 
 * acpropterea Salpetra dicitur. And, I my felt, for my 
 
 * own fatisfadion in the point, have drawn very good 
 Rock-peter out of thofe Stiritf, which are ufu*lly 
 
 * found hanging like Icycles in arched Cellars and 
 Vaults ; and have beentold,that a Phyfician mSbrop* 
 1 fbjre did perform great Cures by vertue of Sal-pru- 
 1 nellte, which he made only of Flower of Brimitonc 
 ' and thofe Stiri*. 
 
 ' But to fleer more directly upon our immediate 
 4 fubjeft Salt-peter 5 tho' it be likely, that the Air 
 
 * is every where full of a volatile kind of Nitre, 
 c which is frequently to be feen coagulated into fine 
 ' white Salt, like Flower of Wheat (but by the ve- 
 ' ry tafle may be eafily known to be *Petef) flicking 
 1 to the fides of Plaiftered-walls, and in Brick- walls 
 [ to the Mortar between the Bricks, ( in dry wea- 
 
 ' ther,
 
 tie ROYALS o&i 
 
 _* : jther, or where the wall is defended from the rah>) 
 1 for Lime doth ftrongly attract ,itj though Dew and 
 : Rain do conveigh much of it to the Earth, ; and the 
 1 Clouds feem to be fpread out before the face of the 
 : Sun, either to imbibe fome part of his influence, or 
 
 . * to have a Salt generated in them, for to advance the 
 c fertility of the Earth, and certainly, they, return not: 
 : without a bielTing; for I have more than once ex- 
 1 tracked Salt-peter out of Rain and Dew, but from 
 f the latter more plentifully, and yet even there, is 
 ' Salt-peter accompanied with a greafy purple Oil, 
 ' in great plenty : Though ( as 1 have found upon 
 c trial ) that moft {landing waters, and even deep 
 
 * wells have fome fmall quantity of Salt-peter in 
 
 * them j though the face of the Earth, if it were not 
 ' impregnated with this Salt, could not produce Ve- 
 ' getables; for Salt (as the Lord Bacon fays) is the 
 ' firft Rudiment of Life ; and Nitre is as it were .the 
 ' Life of Vegetables ; Yet to be more fure of it, I made 
 
 C-2 : . 
 
 * Experiment likewife there too, and found fome little 
 1 of it in fallows, and the earth which Moles cad up in 
 ' the Spring : Though I fay the Air and Water want 
 ' it not, yet it is not there to be had in any proportion, 
 
 * ahfwcrablc to the charge in getting it : And though 
 
 * the Earth muft neceilarily have great quantities there- 
 ' of, generated or infufed into it; yet in thefe tern- 
 
 * perate Countries of Europe* it is no (boner dilated by 
 
 * Rain water, or the Moifture of the Earth, but it is 
 f immediately applied to the production or nutriment 
 
 * of fome Plant, Iiifcft, Stone, or Mineral j fo that 
 
 * the Artifl will find as little of it here to fervc his turn, 
 as in the other two Elements. 
 
 ' The only place, therefore, ytiereSa/t-fejet is to 
 1 be found in thefe Northern Countries, is in Stables, 
 
 LI ' Pigeon-
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 ' Pigeon-houfes, Cellars, Barns, Ware-houfes, or in- 
 ' deed any place which is covered from the Rain, 
 ' which would diffblve it, and (as I have faid) make 
 c it vegetate ; as alfo from the Sun, which doth ratify 
 ' it, and caufeth it to be exhaled into the Air 5 (For 
 
 * the fame reafon Husbandmen alfo might make dou- 
 ' ble or treble the profit they ufually do of their 
 : Muck, if they will lay it up under a Hovel, or 
 1 fome covered place, until they carry it out upon 
 ' their Land.) And I have been told by an experien- 
 c ced Workman, that no Earth yields *Peter fo plen- 
 1 tifully, as that in Churches, were it not an im- 
 1 piety to difturb the Allies of our Ancdlors, in that. 
 1 facred Depofitory. 
 
 * Provided always, that the Earth be of good 
 ' Mould, and the better the Mould is, the more *Pe- 
 1 ter is produc'd j for in Clay, or landy Earth, little 
 ' or none is to be found: The freer ingrefs the Ah 1 
 1 hath into a place, is (till of more advantage, fo that 
 1 the Sun be excluded : And let the Earth be never fo 
 ' good, if it be laid^on a brick or boarded floor, it 
 
 * will not be fo rich in i Peter\ as if it have free com- 
 ' munication with the Exhalations of the lower parts 
 4 of the Earth. 
 
 ' In any place thus qualified, you cannot mifs of 
 good quantities of Teter-, if it have not been drawn 
 out in fome Years before 3 which a Workman will 
 quickly find, after he hath digged the firft fpadeful 
 of Earth, by laying a little of it on the end of his 
 tongue, and if it tafte bitter, he is fure of good ftorc 
 of mineral, (as they love to call it) that is, Salt- 
 peter--> if the Ground be good, it continues rich- to 
 fix or eight foot deep, and fometimes, but not often, 
 to ten.. 
 
 4 After
 
 tie R o y A i, SOCIETY. 167 
 
 . ' After the Salt-peter is extracted, if the Earth be 
 laid wet in the fame place again, it will be twenty 
 Years e'er any confiderable quantity grow there of 
 it ; but if the Earth be well dryed, it will come in 
 twelve or fourteen : and if they mingle with the 
 dryed Earth ftore of Pigeons-dung, and mellow 
 Horfe-dung, and then temper it with Urine (as 
 was ufual before we were fupplyed with *Peter from 
 India] it will be fit to dig again in five or fix Years. 
 He that fhall caft Water upon a Ground fit to dig 
 for *Peter, will only fink the Mineral deeper into 
 the Earth ; but he that throws Soap-fuds On it, will 
 quite deftroy the <Peter (as the Workmen have a 
 Tradition) and it very well deferves a further En- 
 quiry. 
 
 4 That Salt-peter, and the way of drawing it out 
 of the Earth, now in ufe, was a modern Invention, 
 is generally concluded by all Authors 5 but whether 
 we owe it to chance, or the fagacity of fome great 
 Wit, is as unknown, as the time when it was firft 
 difcovered. 
 
 It feems to have many Years preceeded the Inven- 
 tion of Gun-powder, which by ^Germans is afcri- 
 bed to ConftantineAutlitzer, or BertholdSchwertz, 
 a Monk of Friburgh, and was, in all probability, not 
 long difcovered, when the Inventor (fPolydore Vir- 
 gil tells us) taught the ufe of Guns to the Veneti- 
 ans, at the Battel of Fojfa Claudia^ when they ob- 
 tain'd that notable Victory over the Genouefes, An- 
 no 1380. For there is mention made, both of Salt' 
 peter and Aqua-fortis* in the Writings of Geber, a 
 Spanifh Moor, and an Alchymift', but at what time 
 he lived, is unknown, though it be certain, fome 
 hundreds of Years before Raimnnd Lully, who 
 
 Liz ' * about
 
 i<J8 TheHISTORTof. 
 
 * about the Year 1333, publifhed fome'of his Books, 
 
 * wherein he treats of Salt-peter and Aqua-fortis. 
 
 * It is no ill conjc&ure of Matcrus^ that the forefaid 
 
 * Monk, being a skilful Alchymift, had a defign to 
 
 * draw a higher Spirit from *Petcr than the common 
 ' Aqua-fartis'i and that he might better open the Body 
 g of tFV/Vr, he ground it with Sulphur, and Charcoal, 
 < by which Compofure he loon became the Inventor 
 
 * of ^Gun-powder. 
 
 The 'Manner of ^taking 
 
 S A L T - P E T E R. 
 
 TN the firft.' place you muft be provided of eight 
 _L or ten Tubs/fo Large, that they may -be able to 
 c contain about ten Barrows full of Earth each of 
 ' them. Thefc Tubs muft be all open at the top ; 
 
 * but in the bottom of every one of them, you mull 
 
 * make a hole near to that fide you intend to place 
 4 outermoft, which hole -you muft fit very well with 
 ' a Tap and Spigot on the outfidc downward. On 
 4 tlie infide of the Tub, near the Tap-hole, you muft 
 ' carefully place a large wad of ftraw, and upon that 
 ' a fhort piece of board, which is all to keep the earth 
 
 * from flopping up the Tap-hole. When you have 
 ' placed your Tubs on their ftands, at fuch a dillance 
 
 * one from the other, that you may come with eafe 
 between them, then fill them up with fuch f Peter- 
 ' earth as you have chofen for your work, leaving 
 
 * only void about a fpan's breadth between the earth 
 
 * and the edge of the Tub 5 then lay on the top of 
 
 4 the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 the Earth fn each Tub, as near as you can to the 
 c middle, a rundle of Wicker, like the bottom of a 
 Basket, and about a foot in diameter, and by it ftick 
 into the Earth a good ftrong Cudgel, which muft 
 be thruft pretty near the bottom > the Wicker is to 
 1 keep the Water, when it is poured on, from hollow- 
 ing and difordering the Earth, and the Cudgel is to 
 be ftirred about, to give the Water ingrefs to the 
 f Earth upon occafion : Then pour on your Earth 
 common cold Water, till it ftand a hand's breadth 
 1 over the Earth : When it has flood eight or ten 
 f hours, loofen the Spigots, and let the Water rather 
 ' dribble, than run into half Tubs, which muft be fet 
 1 under the Taps : This Lixi-vium the Workmen call 
 ' their Raw- liquor; and note, that if it come not 
 c clear at the firfl drawing, you muft pour it on again, 
 ' and after fome little time draw it off, till it come 
 
 * clear, and of the colour of Urine. 
 
 ' If you are curious to know how rich your Li- 
 
 * quor is before boy ling, you may take a Glafs-phial, 
 1 containing a Quart; fill it with the common Water 
 c you ufe, then weigh it exactly ; next fill the fame 
 ' Glafs with your Liquor, and find the difference of 
 ' weight, which compared with the quantity of all 
 
 * your Liquors, will give you a very near guefs, how 
 4 much Salt-peter you are like to make by that boyl- 
 4 ing. 
 
 ' Then pour on again, on the fame Earth, more 
 
 * common Water, that it may bring away what is 
 4 remaining in the Earth of the former Liquor. This 
 
 * fecond Liquor is of no other ufe, but to be poured 
 ' on new Earth, inftead of common Water, becaufe it 
 
 * contains fome quantity of Salt-peter in it. 
 
 When
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 ' When this is done, turn out the ufelcfs infipid 
 
 '* Earth out of the Tubs, which you muft fill with 
 
 ' ucw Earth, and continue this Operation, till you 
 
 * have in the fame manner lixiviated all the Earth : 
 
 * Then fill your Copper with your Liquor, which 
 ** Copper, for one of the Profeflion, muft be about 
 
 * two hundred weight, and fct ftrongly in a Furnace 
 ' of brick- work ; befides, on one fide of your Fur- 
 
 * nace you are to place a Tub full of your Liquor, 
 c which at a Tap below may dribble as faft into the 
 
 * Copper, as the force of the Fire doth wafte your 
 ' Liquor, which Invention is only to fave charges in 
 i Fewel. When you have boy led it up to that height, 
 
 * that a little of it flirted off the finger on a live 
 ' Charcoal, will flafh like Gun-powder (which for 
 ' the moft part falls out to be about two Days and a 
 ' Nights boiling) at what time, upon tryal, a hun- 
 
 * dred weight of the Liquor contains about five and 
 ' thirty pound weight of 'Peter. But the Workmen 
 c feldom make ufe of any further indication, than by 
 
 * finding the Liquor hang like Oyl on the fides of the 
 
 < brafen Scummer, when 'tis dipped into it, which is 
 
 < a fign it is fit to be pafled through the Afhes, which 
 is done in this manner. 
 
 ' You muft prepare two Tubs, fitted after the man- 
 c ner of the firft, where you put your Earth, faving 
 c that at the bottom of thefe Tubs, you muft lay 
 
 * Reeds or Straw a foot high ; over them place loofe 
 
 * boards, pretty near one another; over them, a little 
 
 * more Straw (which is to keep the Afhes from the 
 top, and to give the Liquor room to drein the 
 ' better from them :) Then fill up your Tubs with 
 
 < any fort of Wood-afhes to half a foot of the top ; 
 then pour on the forefaid Liquor, as it comes fcald- 
 
 4 ing
 
 * 
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 ing hot out of the Copper, on the Afhes contained 
 in the firfl Tub } then after a while draw it off 
 at the top j and fo continue putting on and draw- 
 ing off, firft at one Tub of Afhes, then at the other, 
 till your Liquor grow clear, and lofe the thick turbid 
 colour it had when it >went on. 
 
 ' When all the Liquor hath in this manner paft 
 through the Afties of both Tubs, that by this means 
 all its greafy oyl is left behind in the Afhes, you* 
 muft keep it for the fecond boy ling in a Veflel by it 
 felf : in the mean time pour upon your Afhes a fuffi- 
 cient quantity of common Water, very hot, once 
 or twice, to bring away what is remaining of the 
 Liquor in the Afhes. 
 
 * When you begin the fecond boyling, put firft 
 into the Copper the Water that went laft through - 
 your Afhes, and as that wafteth, let your ftrong Li- 
 quor drop into the Copper, out of the Tub above 
 'defcribed, {landing on the ftde of the Furnace, till 
 ' the Liquor in the Copper be ready to filoot or chry- 
 ftalife. 
 
 ' Note, That toward the end of your boylihg, there- 
 -will arife great ftore of Scum and Froth} which ? 
 muft be carefully taken off with a great bralsSctrm- 
 mer, made like a Ladle, full of little holes, and ufu- 
 ally about that time it lets fall fome common Salt 
 to the bottom, which you muft take up with the- 
 faid Scummer, and lay it a/ide for another ufe. 
 
 ' To know when the Liquor is ready to ihoot into 
 Teter, you need but drop a little of it on a knife, or 
 
 any other cold thing that hath a fmooth> liiperfl 
 
 cies, and if it coagulate, .like a drop of tallow, and 
 'do not fall off the knife when it is turned dowr> 
 "ward, which alfo may be judged by its hanging like
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 * oyl to the fides of the Scummer. When the Li- 
 ' quor is brought to this pafs, every hundred weight 
 ' of it contained! about threefcore and ten pounds 
 ( weight of Teter. 
 
 c When you find your Liquor thus ready to fhopt, 
 c you mufl with great Iron Ladles lade it out of ^lie 
 ' Copper into a high narrow Tub for that purpofe, 
 : which the Workmen call their fettling Tub ; and 
 : when the Liquor is grown fo cold, that you can en- 
 
 * dure your finger in it, you fhall find the common or 
 ' cubick Salt begin to gravulate and flick to the fidee 
 
 * of the Tub ; then at the Tap, placed about half a 
 c foot from the bottom, draw off your Liquor into 
 ' deep wooden Trays, or Brafs-pans, and the cooler 
 ( the place is where you let them fland to ihoot in, 
 ' the better and more plentifully will the Salt -peter 
 < be produc'dj but it will be of no good colour till 
 
 * it be refined, but will be part white, part yellow, 
 
 * and fome part of it blackifh. 
 
 - The Salt which flicketh to the fides and bottom 
 ' of the fettling Tub is (as I have faid) of the na- 
 ture of common Salt; and there is fcarce any *Pe- 
 ' ter to be found but is accompanied with it, though 
 ' no doubt fomc of this is drawn out of the Afhes 
 1 by the lecond Liquors : If it be foul, they refine it 
 c by it felf, and about London fell it at good rates to 
 thofe that fait Ncats Tongues, Bacon, and Collar- 
 c Beef; for bcfides a favory taftc, it gives a pleafing red 
 ' colour to mofl Flefh that is faked with it. Plinv 
 4 fays, Nitrum obfonia alba & deteriora rcddit Olera 
 ' 'viridiora, whether Salt-peter doth fo, I have nor 
 4 yet tryed. 
 
 ' When the Liquor hath flood two Days and two 
 
 * Nights in the Pans, that part of the Liquor which .is 
 
 , 
 nor
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 17 j 
 
 * not coagulated, but fwims upon the *Peter, muft be 
 ' carefully poured off, and being mingled with new 
 ' Liquors, muft again pafs the Allies before it be boil- 
 
 * ed, elfe it will grow fo greafy it will never generate 
 
 Salt. 
 
 To Refine 
 
 SALT- PETER. 
 
 FTER you have made your Copper very clean, 
 put in as much Water as you think will dif* 
 ' folve that quantity of Peter you purpofe to Refine; 
 
 * when the Water is very hot caft in the Peter by lit- 
 ' tie and little, ftirring it about with a Ladle, that it 
 
 * may the fooner diflblve ; then increafe the Fire till 
 c your Liquor begin to boil : In the mean time feel 
 
 * with the Scummer, whether there be at the bottom 
 
 * any Salt undiflblv'd, and take it out, for it is Com- 
 
 * mon-Salt, and doth not fo foon diflblve as the Peter ; 
 ' then as the Water boils fcim off the Froth that fwims 
 ' at the top of it as faft as it rifeth ; when it hath 
 
 * boiled to the height that a drop of it will coagu- 
 
 * late on a Plate (as hath been faid above in the ma- 
 ' king of Salt-peter] then caft in by degrees either 
 c a Pint of the ftrongeft Wine-vinegar, or elfe four 
 
 * Ounces of Allum beaten to powder (fome choofc 
 ' burnt Allum) and you (hall obferve a black Scum 
 c to rife on the top of the Liquor, which when you 
 ' have allowed fome time to thicken, you may cafijy 
 4 take off with the Scummer ; repeat this fo often till 
 
 * no more Scum arifes. Some do ufe to throw in a 
 4 Shovel full of Quick-Lime, and fay it makes *Peter 
 
 M m * the
 
 174- The HJSTORTof 
 
 1 the whiter, and Rock the better ; you muft take 
 1 great care all this while the Fire be not too ftrong, 
 
 * for while this is doing, the Liquor will be apt to 
 c boil over, and will not eafily be appealed without 
 
 * your great lofs. 
 
 When this is done, lade cut the Liquor into a 
 ' fettling Tub, and cover hoover with a Cloth, that it 
 4 cool not too foon, arid within an hour or two, a 
 4 thick yellow Pieces will -fall to the bottom of the 
 4 Tub; then quickly draw oft" the Liquor while it is 
 4 hot, into the ihooting Trays or Pans, and do as you, 
 ' did in making 'Peter, faving, that you muft cover the 
 
 * Trays with a Cloth, for then the Liquor will begin 
 
 * to ihoot at the bottom, which will make the 'Peter- 
 Rock into much fairer Chryftals, than othcrwife it 
 would : When no more Vcter will fhbot (which is 
 
 * commonly after two days) pour off the Liquor that 
 
 * fwims at the top, and put the Teter into a Tub with 
 < a hole at the bottom for to drain, and when it is dry, 
 
 * it is fit for ufc. 
 
 ' The Figure of the Chryftals is fexangular, and 
 1 if it hath rightly (hot, is fiftulous and hollow like 
 4 a Pipe. 
 
 ' Before I proceed to tell you, how this darling of 
 ' Nature (the very Bafis and Generation of Nutriment) 
 ' is converted into Gun-powder (the moft fatal In- 
 ' ftrument of Death that ever Mankind was trufted 
 
 * withal) I will crave leave to acquaint you with a few 
 ' Speculations I have of this Salt, which if I could clcar- 
 
 * ly make out, would lead us into the knowledge of 
 many noble Secrets in Nature ; as alfo to a great im- 
 provement in the Art of making Salt-peter. 
 
 ' Firft then you are to obfcrve, that though *Peter 
 
 * go alway in Gun-powder, yet if you fulminate it 
 
 in
 
 the ROYAL S o c i E T y. 175* 
 
 1 in a Crucible, and burn off the volatile part with 
 ' Powder of Coal, Brimftone, Antimony or Meal, 
 there will remain a Salt, and yet fo fixed (very 
 : unlike Common-Salt) that it will endure the force 
 of almoft the ftrongeft Fire you can give it j which 
 being diflblved into Water and Spirit of Nitre drop- 
 ped into ir, till it give over hifllng (which is the 
 fame with the volatile Part that was feparated 
 1 from it in the fulmination) it will be again reduced 
 to Chryftalsof ^Peter^ as it was at firft; which noble 
 e Experiment the World hath already been taught by 
 1 an honourable Member of this Society ; with a train 
 c of fuch important Obfervations, as never before were 
 ' raifed from one Experiment. 
 
 That which I aim at then is, that if the Spirit of 
 ' the volatile Salt of Soot, or of the Urine, Blood, 
 
 * Horns, Hoofs, Hair, Excrements, or indeed any part 
 
 * of Animals (for all abound with fuch a volatile 
 ( Salt fixed, and Oyl as Teter doth) could by the 
 c fame way, or any like it, be reduc'd to Peter or 
 fome Nitrous Salt not much differing from it : It 
 ' would excellently make out a Theory that I am 
 c much delighted with, till I am convinced in it j 
 
 * which is, that the Salt which is found in Vegetables 
 ' and Animals, is but the Nitre which is fo univer- 
 
 * felly diffufed through all the Elements (and muft 
 
 * therefore make a chief Ingredient in their Nutri- 
 ' ment, and by confequence of their Generation) 
 
 * a little altered from its firft Complexion : And that 
 
 * the reafon why Animals that feed on Vegetables 
 c are obliged by Nature to longer meals than thofe 
 ' that feed on other Animals, is, becaufe Animals 
 are fuller of that Salt than Vegetables: And in- 
 
 * deed fuch Animals are but Caterers o.f it for Man ; 
 
 M m 2 and
 
 ThettlSTORT of 
 
 and others whom Nature's bounty gratifies with a 
 moTe lufly and delicious Diet. 
 
 * I confcfs I have been the more confirmed in this 
 fancy, fince I have often feen a Friend of mine, 
 with a Natural and Facile 'E^ft&t'a convert the 
 greater part of *Peter into a Salt fo like the Vola- 
 tile Salt of Urine, that they are fcarce to be diftin- 
 guifhed by fmell or tafte, and yet he adcfs nothing 
 to it that can poflibly be fufpedted to participate of 
 that Nature : But indeed all Volatile Salts are fo 
 alike, that it is not eafy to diftinguifh them in any 
 refpcft. 
 
 THE
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 - 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 Of Making 
 
 GUN-POWDER 
 
 "TP'H E materials of Gun-fowder are Salt-feter y 
 JL Brimftone, and Coal\ the Teter and Brim- 
 
 * ft one muft be both refined if you mean to make 
 1 good < Powder-> and the Coal muft be Withy and 
 c Alder equal parts ; for Withy alone is counted too 
 1 foft, and fome do commend Hazle alone to be as 
 good as the other two. 
 
 < The whole Secret of the Art confifts in the pro- 
 c portion of the Materials, the exad mixture of them, 
 ' that in every theleaft part ofjPrtyder may be found 
 
 * all the Materials in their juft proportion ; then the 
 
 * Corn ing or making of it into Grains; and laftly the 
 ' Drying and Dufting of it. 
 
 * The proportion is very differently fet down by 
 
 * feveral Authors ; Baptifla'Portatclls us the ordina- 
 
 * ry 'Powder is made of four Parts of ^eter, one of 
 ' Sulphur ', and one of Withy Coal : But thebeft Tow- 
 
 * der of 6, or 8 ofPeter, and one a piece of the other, 
 ' which agrees pretty well with Eonfadini a late Ita- 
 ' lian Writer,in his Book of the Art of Shooting flying* 
 
 * where, to make the beftG/m/0-zW^T, he prefer! bes 
 4 feven Parts of Teter^ one of Brimftone-, and of Ha* 
 4 z,el Coal an ounce lefs in every pound : Cardan 
 
 * fays 5 Conjlat ex tribus Halinitri partibus, duabus 
 
 ' Salignt
 
 . The BISTORT of 
 
 ' Saligni Carbonis atque tma Sulphur is, Conventions 
 ' magnis Machinis ; Sed Midiocribus Halinitri par- 
 ' tes decem, Saligni carbonis tres y Sulphur is duas^par- 
 
 * vis vero Halinitri par tes decent } Carbonis ligni nu- 
 ' cis Avellontefine nodis, turn Sulphur is part em unam 
 ' fingularem : Langius appoints three of *Peter, two 
 
 * of Withy Coal, and one of Brimftone : The Eng- 
 ' lijb Author of Fire-works, fays, that the proportions 
 4 in England** make good, indifferent, and ordinary 
 1 'Powder, is 5 , 4> and 3 parts of Teter, to two of 
 Coal, and one Brim/lane. Our Englijh Workmen 
 ' are generally fo curious of their fecret, that I could 
 ' not obtain the proportion of them without a pro- 
 ' niife of Secrecy : But when all is done their fecret 
 ' is not fo much the way to make the bcft 'Powder, 
 ' as the beft way to get moft money by it, by fubftract- 
 
 * ing from the ^Peter, and making up weight with 
 
 * the Coal ; when indeed there is fo great a Latitude, 
 ' that provided the Materials be perfectly mixt, you 
 ' make good 'Powder with any of the proportions 
 
 * above-mention'd 5 but the more *Peter you allow it, 
 it will ftill be the better, till you come to obferve 
 
 * eight Parts. 
 
 c The next thing after the proportion, is the mix- 
 ture, about which mofl of the workmens time and 
 pains is beftowed : For firft in a Horfe-mill with 
 two ftones (like that with which they grind their 
 Materials at the Glafs-houfe] moving upon a Mar- 
 ble bottom, which is edged with boards fet floap- 
 ing, that what flips from under the ftones may flide 
 back again. 
 
 ' They grind the Brimftone and Coal each of them 
 apart by themfelves as fine as poflibly they can ; 
 then they fift each of them apart by themfelves : 
 
 4 The
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 The Brimftone is lifted thorough Tiffany in a Bolt- 
 : ing mill, fuch as the Bakers ufe for Wheat-flour : 
 ' the Coal is fifted thorough Lockram, in a bag made 
 1 like a fhirt fleeve j for the convenience of the 
 
 Work-man it is done in a clofe Bin, with only two 
 ' holes for him to put his arms in, and fhake the bag 
 
 * about. Whatfoever of each material is not fmall 
 ' enough to fift thorough, is brought again to the Mill 
 c to be new ground. 
 
 ' As for the ?W*r,that muft in the Copper be diffol- 
 .* ved in as much water as will juft take it up, and then 
 1 the water muft be boiled away till the 'Peter comes 
 1 to the thicknefs of hafty-pudding. The reafon of 
 1 this operation is becaufe when the Teter is thus foft, 
 ' the other materials will the eafilier incorporate with 
 1 it, and in the next place it will not wear the wooden 
 c peftles fo much when it comes to- the Mill, as when 
 
 * it is hard and dry. 
 
 ' When the Materials are in this readinefs, they 
 
 * are weighed (only the *Peter is weighed before; it is 
 
 * put to diffolve in the Copper) and by proportion 
 c are carried to the mingling Trough, which is made 
 c of boards, like a great Cheft without a cover, being 
 1 about eight foot long, four broad, and three foot high. 
 
 * The Coal is laid in firft, the Brimftone nexr, and the 
 *' *Peter at top of all ; then two men with (hovels ftir 
 ( and mingle them together for an hour, and then 'tis 
 ' ready for the Mill: 
 
 * The Powder-mills are feldom made to move 
 ' with any thing but water : The great water-wheel 
 
 * is made like that of an ordinary water-wheel, ci- 
 '* ther over-ftiot or under- ihot, according to the 
 < quantity of water they have: To the Axis of this 
 
 * wheel, a little \ray within the Mill is fattened a 
 
 ' leflcr
 
 i8o TheHISTORTof 
 
 < letter wheel, called the Spar-wheel, with ftrong 
 4 Cogs, which in their motion round take hold of 
 ' the round ftaves of another wheel of about the 
 4 fame diameter, fet a little way above it, and faftned 
 c to the end of a beam of 1 5 or 1 6 foot long, laid 
 ' parallel to the Horizon, with an iron gudgeon at 
 
 * the other end of ur, to facilitate its motion round : 
 
 * This beam is called the round beam j out of it come 
 a certain number of arms of about nine inches long, 
 ' and three inches broad, which in their going round 
 
 * meet with other lefler arms (called Tapes) coming 
 
 < out of the Peftles (for fo they call certain fmall quar- 
 c ters of Timber placed perpendicular to the Horizon, 
 ' about nine foot long and four inches broad -, they 
 c are fct in a flight frame to keep them fteady) ; by 
 
 * thefe fmall arms the Peftles are lifted up about two 
 ' foot and a half, and then let fall into aftrong wood- 
 ' en Trough fet under them, wherein the Powder is 
 ' put to be pounded. 
 
 4 Every Mill hath two Troughs, and about fixteen 
 
 * Peftles : every Peftle hath faftned to the lower end 
 
 * of it a round piece of Lignum Vita, of about five 
 ' inches long and three and a half diameter; and in 
 ' to the bottom of the Trough, juft where the Pcftle 
 ' is to fall, is let in another piece of Lignum Vit<e>, 
 
 * of the fafhion and bignefs of an ordinary Bowl, 
 ' fplit according to its longed diameter : The Peftles 
 
 * are not lifted up all together, but alternatively, to 
 e make the Powder turn the better in the working ; 
 
 * and for the fame reafon round Troughs are counted 
 ' better than fquarc. 
 
 ' To make excellent Powder, it ought to be 
 c wrought thus thirty hours ; but of late they will 
 c not afford it above eighteen or twenty hours j once 
 
 ' in
 
 the ROYAI^SOCIETY. 181 
 
 in eight hours they ufe to moiften the Powder with 
 a little fair Water ; others, who are more curious, 
 put Water fomething thickned with quick-lime ; 
 others ufe White-wine Vinegar, others Aqua-vita : 
 But if it be not moiflned with fomething once in 
 eight hours, the Powder will grow dry, and in half 
 an hour after it will take fire. As foon as the Pow- 
 der grows dry, you may find it, though at a di 
 fiance, by the noifeof the Mill ; for then the Peftles 
 will rebound from the bottom of the Trough and 
 make a double ftroke. The only danger to the Mill 
 is not from the Trough ; for many times the iron 
 Gudgeons grow hot for want of greafing, and then 
 the Dufl that flies about will be apt to fire, and fo the 
 Mill blows up. 
 
 * From the Mill the Powder is brought to the 
 Corning-houfe, of a middle temper between moid 
 and dry. The way of corning it is with two hair 
 Sieves join'd together, the upper Sieve inclofing 
 fome part of the Hoop of the lower Sieve : The 
 upper Sieve hath holes of the fize you will have 
 the Powder grained at ; the holes of the lower 
 Sieve are much lefler : The upper Sieve they call 
 their corning Sieve, the lower their wet Dufter ; 
 They lay the Powder upon the upper Sieve fome 
 two inches thick; upon that a Piece of heavy 
 wood made like a Trencher, of about eight inches 
 diameter, and two and a half in thicknefs, called a 
 Runner, which when the Sieve is moved, by its 
 weight and motion, forces the Powder thorough the 
 upper Sieve, and that corns it. Then the lower 
 Sieve receives the Powder, and lets the duft go 
 thorough the Bin, over which the Sieve is ftaken, 
 
 c> * 
 
 called the Duftingin. 
 
 N n ' When
 
 The BISTORT: of 
 
 ' When the Powder is thus corned, it is laid about 
 ' an inch and half thick on the drying Sieves, which 
 ' are made of coarfc Canvafs faftned to flight frames 
 ' of Deal about an Ell long, and ibme twenty- inches 
 f broad j and thus it is carried into Stoves to dry. 
 
 ' The Stove is commonly a little Room about' 
 ' eighteen or twenty foot Iqtiare, with ranges oflmall 
 ' Fir poles about two foot one above another, to lay 
 ' the drying Sieves upon, but only on that fide the 
 
 * fire is made. Befides a glafs window to give light, 
 4 there muft be a fmall lover-hole at the top of the 
 ' Room, to let out the fleam, elfe the Powder will 
 4 not only be the longer a drying, but often by therc- 
 1 turn ot the fteam on the Sieves, the top of the Pow- 
 ' dcr will be fo cruftcd that the lower part will not dry. 
 
 * The Room is heated by an Iron about a yard hih 
 1 and half a yard broad, caftin the form of an Arch, 
 c equal to a Semi-quadrant, and placed in the back 
 c of a Chimney, the fore part whereof is like a Fur- 
 ' nace 5 and to avoid danger, opens into another little 
 ' Room apart, called the Stoke-hole. 
 
 * The Powder is brought into the Stove before it 
 ' be heated, and is not taken out again till the Stove 
 
 * be cold j and about eight hours is required to the 
 c drying of it. In hot Countries the Sun is the bcft 
 Stove, and a great deal of danger and charges that 
 
 < way avoided. 
 
 4 After the Powder is dried, it is brought again to 
 
 * the Corning-houfe, where it is again fifted over 
 
 * the Dufting bin in other double Sieves, but without 
 
 < any Runners. Thefe Sieves have both of them 
 
 * fmaller holes than the former : The upper Sieve is 
 ' called the Separatcr, and ferves to divide the great 
 1 corns from the leflcr j the great corns are put by 
 
 them-
 
 the R o Y A L S o c i E T Y. a8 3 
 
 * themfclves, and ferve for Cannon Powder. The 
 c lower Sieve is called the Dry-duller, and retains 
 c the fmalJ corns (which ferve for Mufquet and Piftol) 
 ' and lets fall the duft into the Bin, which is to be 
 c mingled with frefh Materials, and again wrought 
 
 * over in the Mill. 
 
 So that good Powder differs from bad (befides 
 
 * the well working and mingling of the Materials) in 
 ' ha ving more ^Peter and lefs Coal andlaftly, in the 
 < well dufting of it. 
 
 c The laft Work is to put the Powder into Barrels ; 
 c every Barrel is to contain five fcore weight of Pow- 
 f der, and then 'tis ready for^ale. 
 
 Nn i AN
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 Of the Common Pra&ices of 
 
 D Y I N G. 
 
 IT were not incongruous to begin the Hiftory 
 1 with a Retrofpect into the very nature of 
 Light it felf (as to inquire whether the fame be a 
 Motion or elfe a Body j) nor to premife fome Thc- 
 orems about the Sun, Flame, Glow-worms, the 
 Eyes of fome Animals, fhining Woods, Scales 
 of fome Fifhes, the dafhing of the Sea, ftrokes 
 upon the Eyes, the Bo Ionian Slate (called by fome 
 the Magnet of Light) and of other light and lucid 
 Bodies. 
 
 4 It were alfo not improper to confider the very 
 eflentials of Colour and Tranfparencics (as that the 
 moft tranfparent Bediep, if fhaped into many an- 
 gles, prefent the Eye with very many colours j) 
 That bodies having but one fingle fuperficies, have 
 none at all, but are fufcipient of every colour laid 
 
 4 before
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 185- 
 
 * before them 5 That great depths of Air make a 
 1 Blue, and great depths of Water a Greenifh colour $ 
 ' That great depths or thkknefies of coloured Liquors 
 c do all look blackifli (red Wine in a large conical 
 
 * Glafs being of all reddiih colours between Black at 
 ( the top and White at the bottom. 
 
 ' That moft Vegetables, at one time or other, are 
 c greenifh ; and that as many things paffing the Sun 
 v are blackned, fo many others much whitened by 
 
 * the fame : Other things are whitened by acid. 
 
 * Fumes, as red Rofes and raw Silks by the fmoak of 
 ( Brimftone, 
 
 ' Many Metals, as Steel and Silver, become-of 
 
 * various colours, and tarnilh by the Air, and by b- 
 c Yeral Degrees of heat. 
 
 4 We might confider the wonderful variety of co- 
 e lours appearing in Flowers, Feathers; and drawn 
 1 from Metals, their Calces and Vitrifications 5 and of 
 
 * the Colours riling out of tranfparent Liquors artifi-* 
 ' cially mixed. 
 
 ' But thefe things, relating to the attracted nature 
 ' of Colours, being too hard for me,. I wholly de- 
 
 * cline; rather pafllng to name (and but to name). 
 4 fome of the fcveral. forts of Colorations now com- 
 4 monly ufed in Humane affairs, and as vulgar Trades. 
 ' in thefe Nations ; which are thefe ; wa. 
 
 1. * There is a whitening of Wax v and feveral forts 
 ' of Linnen and Cotton Cloths, by the Sun, Air ?) 
 
 * and by reciprocal effufions of Water. 
 
 2. * Colouring of Wood and Leather by Lime 3) 
 ' Salt, andLujuors, as in Staves-, Canes,, and' Marble 
 
 * Leather,
 
 T/jeHISTORT of 
 
 3. * Colouring of Paper, viz. Marbled Paper, by 
 ' diftempering the colours with Ox-gall, and apply- 
 c ing them upon a ftiff gummed Liquor. 
 
 4. ' Colouring, or rather difcolouring the Colours 
 
 * of Silks, Tiffanies, &c. by Brimftone. 
 
 5 . ' Colouring of feveral Iron and Copper-work, 
 
 * into Black, with Oyl 
 
 6. Colouring of Leather into Gold-colour, or 
 1 rather Silver leaves into Gold by Varnifhes, and in 
 ' other cafes by Urine and Sulphur. 
 
 7. Dying of Marble and Alabafter with heat and 
 
 * coloured Oyls. 
 
 8. * Colouring Silver into Brafs with Brimftone or 
 
 < Urine. 
 
 9. ' Colouring the Barrels and Locks of Guns into 
 ' Blue and Purple with the temper of Small-coal 
 
 * heat. 
 
 10. ' Colouring of Glafs (made of Sands, Flints, 
 
 * &c.) as aifo of Chryftals and Earthen Ware, with 
 ' the rufts and folutions of Metals. 
 
 11. ' The colouring of live Hair, as in Toland, 
 ' Horfe and Man's Hair j as alfo the colouring of 
 
 * Furrs. 
 
 1 2. c Enameling and Anealing. 
 
 13. ' Applying Colours, as in the Printing of 
 ' Books and Pictures, and as in making of playing 
 
 * Cards 5 being each of them performed in a feveral 
 
 * way. 
 
 14. ' Gilding and Tinning with Mercury, Block- 
 
 < Tin, Sal-Armoniack. 
 
 15. c Colouring Metals, as Copper with Calamy 
 
 * into Brafs, and with Zink or Spelter into Gold, or 
 
 * into Silver with Arfenick : And of Iron into Cop- 
 r per with Hungarian Vitriol. 
 
 1 6. Ma-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 16. < Mak'ag Painter's Colours by preparing of 
 ' Earth, Chalk, and Slates 5 as in Umber, Oker^Cul- 
 ' ten earth, &c. as aiib oat of Calces of Lead, as 
 ( Cenifi an Minium ; by Sublimates of Mercury and 
 
 Brimftone, as in Vermilion 5 by tinging of white 
 Earths vaSouily, as in Verdcter, and fome of the 
 Lakes; by concrete Juices or F<ecul<e t as in Gam- 
 brugium, Indico, Tinks, Sap-green, and Lakes : 
 As allb by Rufts, as in l^erdegreefe, &c. 
 
 17. ' The applying of theie Colours by the adhefi- 
 on of Ox-gall, as in the Marble Paper aforefaid 1 ; or 
 by Gum-water, as in Limning; or by clammy dry- 
 ing Oyls, ( fuch as are the Oyls of Linfeed, Nuts, 
 Spike, Turpentine, &c.) 
 
 1 8. ' Watering of Tabbies. 
 
 19. ' The laft I fhall name is the colouring of 
 Wool, Linnen, Cotton, Silk, Hair, Feathers, Horn, 
 Leather, and the Threads and Webbs of them with 
 Woods, Roots, Herbs, Seeds, Leaves, Salts, Limes, 
 Lixivium?, Waters, Heats, Fermentations, Macera- 
 tions, and other great variety of Handling : An ac- 
 count of all which is tiiat Hiftory of Dying we in- 
 tend. All that we have hitherto faid being but a 
 kind of remote and fcarce pertinent Introdudioa 
 thereunto. 
 
 * I begin this Hiftory by enumerating all the feve- 
 al Materials and ingredients which 1 underftand. 
 to be or to have been ufed in any of the lail afore- 
 mentioned Colorations, which I {hall reprcfent in 
 various Methods, <vi&. out of the Mineral Family. 
 Theyufe Iron and Steel, or what is made or comes 
 from them, in all true Blacks (called SffOmfb Blacks) 
 though not in Flanders Blacks 5 viz. they uie Cop- 
 peras, Steel-filings, and Slippe, which is the fluff 
 
 * found:
 
 i88 The HISTORTof 
 
 e found in the Troughs of Grind-ftones, whereon 
 c Edge-tools have been ground. They alfo ufe Pew- 
 : tcr for Bow-dye, Scarlet, viz. they diflblve Bars of 
 1 Pewter in the Aqua-fortis they ufe ; and make alfo 
 1 their Dying kettles or Furnace of this Metal. 
 
 ' Litharge is ufed by fome, though acknowledged 
 : by few, tor what necefiary reafon I cannot learn, 
 
 * other than to add weight unto Dyed Silk ; Litharge 
 ' being a Calx of Lead, one of the heavieft and mofl 
 ' colouring Metals. 
 
 ' I apprehend Antimony much ufed to the fame 
 ' purpofe, though we know there be a very tingent 
 
 * Sulphur in their Mineral, which affordeth variety of 
 
 * Colour by the precipitations and other operations 
 
 * upon it. 
 
 ' sfrfenickisufed in Crimfon upon pretence of gi- 
 
 * ving Luftrc, although thofe who pretend not to be 
 
 * wanting in giving Luftre to their Silks, do utterly dif- 
 
 * own the ufe of Arfenick. 
 
 1 Verdcgreafe is ufcd by Linnen Dyers in their 
 ' Yellow and Grecniih Colours, although of itfelf it 
 
 * ilrike not deeper Colour than of pale Straws. 
 
 ' Of Mineral Salts ufed in 'Dying ; the chief is 
 c Allum ; the very true ufe thereof feems to me obfcure 
 
 * enough, notwithstanding all the Narrations I could 
 ' get from Dyers about it : For I doubt, 
 
 i. Whether it be ufed to make common Water 
 
 * a fit Menftruum, wherewith to extract the Tingent 
 ' particles of feveral hard Materials j for I find Al- 
 
 * lum to be ufcd with fuch Materials as fpend eafy 
 4 enough, as Brafil, Logwood, &c. And withal, 
 ' that the Stuffs to be dyed are rirft boy led in Allum- 
 
 * Liquors, and the Allum afterwards (as they fay) 
 
 < cleared from the faid Stuff again, before any Colour 
 
 < at all be apply 'd. 
 
 2. 'Whe-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 2. ' Whether it be ufed tofcour the Sordes, which 
 may interpofe between the Coloranda, and the Dy- 
 ing Stuff $ and fo hinder the due adhefion of the 
 one unto the other : The boy ling of feveral things 
 firft in Allum feeming to tend this way. But I find 
 this work to be done in Cloth, and Rugs, by a due 
 fcouring of the fame in the Fulling-mills with Earth, 
 and in Silk with Soaps, by which they boyl out the 
 Gums and other Sordes y hindring or vitiating the 
 intended Colours. 
 
 3 . ' Whether Allum doth intenerate the Hairs of 
 Wool, and Hair-ftuff, as Grograins, fac. Whereby 
 they may the better receive and imbibe their Co- 
 lours? Unto which opinion I was led by the Dy- 
 ers ; faying, that after their Stuffs were well boyled 
 in Allum, that they then cleared them of the Al- 
 lum again : But we find the moft open bodied Cot- 
 tons and Silks, to have Allum ufed upon them ; as 
 well as the harder Hairs. Nor is Allum ufed ia 
 many Colours, viz. in no Woad or Indico Blues > 
 and yet the Stuffs dyed Blue, are without any pre- 
 vious inteneration quickly tinged ; and that with 
 a flight and fhort immerfion thereof into the Blue- 
 fat. 
 
 4. Whether it contribute to the Colour it felf, as 
 Copperas doth to Galls, in order to make a Black ; 
 or as Juice of Lemons doth to Cocheneel in the 
 Incarnadines ; or as Aqua-fort is impregnated with 
 Pewter, doth in the Bow-Scarlet, changing it from 
 a red Rofe-Crimfon to Flame-Colour. This ufe i* 
 certainly not to be denied to Allum in tome cafes ; 
 but we fee in other cafes, that the fame Colours may 
 be dyed without Allum, as well as with it, though 
 neither fo bright and lively, nor fo laftiHg. 
 
 Oo 5. 'Where-
 
 a 9 o The BISTORT of 
 
 5. * Wherefore, Fifthly, I conclude (as the mod 
 ' probable opinion) that the ufe of Allum is to be a 
 ' JSjnculum between the Cloth and the Colour, as 
 e clammy Oyls and Gum-waters are in Painting and 
 1 Limning? Allum being fuch a thing, whofe parti- 
 ' cles and dculei diflbived with hot Liquors will ftick 
 ' to the Stuffs, and pitch themfelvcs into their Pores ; 
 
 * and fuchalfo, as on which the particles of the dy- 
 ' ing Drugs will alfo catch hold, as we fee the parti- 
 ' cles of Copperas and other chryftalli^zing materials, 
 ' do of Boughs and Twigs in the Veflel, where fuch 
 Chryflallization is made. A fecond ufe I imagine 
 
 * of Allum in Dying, to be the extracting or drying 
 ' up of fomc fuch particles, as could not confift with 
 ' the Colour to be fuperinduced ; for we fee Allum is 
 
 * ufed in the dreffing of Alutas or white Leather, the 
 which it dryeth, as the Salt of Hen-dung doth in Ox- 
 ' hides, and as common Salt doth in prefervation of 
 1 Fleflv meats ; for we know, a Sheep-skin newly flay- 
 *.ed could not be colour'd as Brafvls are, unlefs it 
 ' were firft drefled into Leather with Allum, &c. which 
 ' is neceflary to the Colour, even although the Allum 
 
 * be, as it is, cleared out of the Leather again, before 
 
 * the faid Colouration, with Bran, Yolks of Eggs, frc. 
 
 * Wherefore as Allum, as it were by accident, makes 
 
 * a wet raw Skin to take a bright Colour, by extracting 
 ' fomc impedimental particles out of it ; fo doth it 
 1 alfo out of other materials, though perhaps lefs dif- 
 
 * cernably. 
 
 * Another ufe I fuppofe of Allum, which is to 
 
 * brighten a Colour : For as we fee the fineft and 
 
 * moft glafly materials to make the moil orient 
 1 Colours, as Feathers, Flowers, &c. fo certainly 
 
 * if by boyling Cloth in Allum, it become incrufta- 
 
 * ted
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 1 ted with particles, as it were of Glafs, the tinging 
 ' of them yields more brightnefs, than the tinging of 
 
 * a Scabrous matter (fuch as unallumed Cloth is) can 
 < do. Analogous hereunto I take the ufe of Bran, and 
 Bran-liquors in Dying to be 5 for Bran yielding a 
 ' moft fine Flour (as we fee in the making of white 
 
 * Starch 5) I conceive that this Flour cntring into 
 ' the pores of the Stuff, levigates their Sufer fetes, and 
 
 * fb makes the Colour laid on it, the more beautiful, 
 ' juft as we fee, that all woods, which are to be gild- 
 
 * ed, are firft fmoothned over with white Colours, 
 ' before the Gold be laid on. 
 
 * And indeed all other Woods are filled, not only 
 as to their greater holes and Afperities, withP#7 ^ 
 but alfo their fmaller Scabrities are cured by priming 
 Colours, before the ultimate Colour intended be laid 
 thereon. 
 
 4 The next Mineral Salt is Salt-peter, not ufed by 
 ancient Dyers, and but by few of the modern. And 
 that not till the wonderful ufe of Aqua -fort is (where- 
 of Saltpeter is an ingredient) was obferved in the 
 Bow-fcarlet : Nor is it ufed now, but to brighten 
 Colours by back-boylingthem ; for which ufe j/r&t 
 is more commonly ufed. Lime is much ufed in the 
 working of Blue-fats, being of Lime-done calcined, 
 and called Ca/ke, of which more hereafter. 
 
 c Of the Animal Family are ufed about Dying, 
 Cochineel (if the fame be any part of an Animal) 
 Urine of labouring Men, kept till it be ftale and 
 {linking ; Honey, Yolks of Eggs, and Ox-gall. The 
 three latter fo rarely, and as the conceits of par- 
 ticular Workmen; and for collateral ufes (as to 
 increafe weight, promote fermentation, and to 
 fcour, &c.) that I (hall fay very little more of them 
 O o z 'in
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 in this place, only faying of Urine, that it is ufed to 
 fcour, and help the fermenting and heating of 
 Woad ; it is ufed alfo in the Blue-fars inftead of 
 Lime : It difchargeth the yellow (of which and 
 blue, moft greens are compounded) and therefore 
 is always ufed to fpcnd Weld withal. Laftly, the 
 ftale Urine, or old Mud of pitting places, will 
 colour a well fcoured imall piece of Silver into a 
 Golden colour, and it is with this (and not at all 
 with the Bath- water) wherewith the Boys at Bath 
 colour fingle pence 5 although the generality be- 
 lieve othcrwife. Laftly, it feems to me that Urine 
 agreeth much in irs Nature with Tartarous Lixi- 
 via-, not only becaufe Urine is a Lye made of Ve- 
 getables in the body of Animals j nor becaufe in 
 the Receptacles of Urine, Tartarous ftones are bred 
 like as in Veflels of Wine 5 nor becaufe Urine di 
 charges and abrades Colours as the Lixivia of Tar- 
 tar, or the deliquated Salts of Tartar do 5 but be- 
 caufe Tartar and Sulphur- Lixivia do colour the 
 fuperficies of Silver, as we affirmed of Urine ; and 
 the difference I make between Urine and Tarta- 
 rous- Lixivia is only this, that though the Salts of 
 both of them feem by their effeds in Dying, in a 
 manner the fame ; yet that Urine is made and con- 
 fifls of Salt and Sulphur both. 
 * Before we enter upon the Vegetable materials for 
 Dying, we may interpofe this Advertifement, That 
 there are two forts of Waters ufed by Dyers, viz. 
 River-water and Well-water : By the latter I mean 
 in this place the Pump- water in great Cities and 
 Towns, which is a harfh Water wherewith one can 
 fcarce wafh ones hands, much lefs fcour them clean ; 
 nor will Soap diflblve in it, but remains in rolls and 
 
 ' lumps .
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. igg 
 
 r lamps : moreover, the Flefh boyled in it becomes 
 1 hard and reddifh. The Springs rifing out of large 
 1 covered fpaces {fuch as are great Cities) yield this 
 Water, as having been percolated thorough more 
 ' ground than other Water, and confequently been 
 c diverted of its fatty earthy particles^ and more im- 
 f pregnated with faline fubftances in all the way it 
 ' hath parted. The Dyers ufe this Water in Reds, and 
 ' in other Colours wanting reftringency, and in the 
 ' dying of Materials of the flacker Contextures, as in 
 1 Callico, Fuftian, and the feveral fpecies of Cotton- 
 1 works. This Water is naught for Blues, and makes 
 p Yellows and Greens look rufty . 
 
 * River-water is far more fat and oily, fweeter^ 
 f bears Soap ; that is, Soap diflblves more eafily in it^ 
 : rifing into froth and bubbles, fo as the Water thick- 
 c ens by it. This Water is ufed in moft cafes by Dy- 
 * ers, and muft be had in great quantities for Waflring 
 : and rinfmg their Cloaths after Dying. 
 
 * Water is called by Dyers White Liquor 5 but 
 there is another fort of Liquor called Liquor abfo~ 
 lutely, and that is their Bran-liquor, which is one 
 part of Bran and five of River- water, boyled toge- 
 ther an hour, and put into leaden Citterns to fettle. 
 This Liquor when it turns four is not good $, which- 
 fournefs will be within three or four Days in the 
 Summer-time. Befides the ufes afore-named of 
 this Liquor, I conceive it contributes fomething to 
 the holding of the Colour ; for we know Starch* 
 which is nothing but the flour of Bran, will make 
 a clinging Pafte, the which will conglutinate fomc 
 things, though not every thing ; viz. Paper, though, 
 neither Wood nor Metal?. Now Bran-liquors are 
 ufed to mealy dying Stuff?, fiich as \Mather ^is, being 
 
 * the
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 the Powder or fecula of a Root j fo as the flour 
 of the Bran being joyned with the Mat her y and 
 made clammy and glutinous by boy ling, I doubt not 
 but both flicking upon the villi of the Stuff dyed, 
 the Mather flicks the better by reafon of the ftarchy 
 paflincfsof the Bran-flour joyned with it. 
 
 ' Gums have been ufed by Dyers about Silk, viz. 
 Gum Arabicky Gum %)ragantj Maftick, and San- 
 guts *Draconis. Thefe Gums tend little to the 
 tin&ure of the faid Silk, no more than Gum doth 
 in ordinary writing Ink, which only gives it a con- 
 fidence to flay juft where the Pen delivers it, without 
 running abroad uncertainly : So Gum may give the 
 Silk a glaffinefs, that is, may make it feem finer, as 
 alfo ftiffer ; fo as to make one believe the faid fliff- 
 nefs proceeded from the quantity of Silk clofe wo- 
 ven: And laflly, to increafe weight; for if an 
 ounce of Gum, worth a penny, can be incorporated 
 into a pound of Silk, the faid penny inGumprodu- 
 ceth three Shillings, the price of an Ounce of Silk. 
 Wherefore we mail fpeak of the ufe of each of the 
 faid four Gums, rather when treating of Sifing and 
 Stiffening, than now in aDifcourfeof Dying, where 
 alfo we may fpeak of Honey and Molaflcs. 
 
 ' We refer alfo the Defcriptions of Fullers-earth, 
 Soaps, Linfeed-oyl, and Ox-galls, unto the head of 
 Scouring, rather than to this of Dying. 
 
 * Wines and Aqua-lit* have been ufed by fome 
 particular Artifts; but the ufe of them being nei- 
 ther conflant nor certain, I omit further mention 
 of them. The like I fay of Wheaten-flour and 
 Leaven. 
 
 * Of Cummin-feed^ Ftnugreek-feed^Senna^ andjfga- 
 rick) I have as yet no fatisfaclory account. 
 
 * Ha-
 
 the R o Y A L SOCIETY. 
 
 1 Having fpoken thus far of fome of the Dying 
 
 fluffs, before I engage upon the main, and fpeak 
 
 f more fully of thofe which have been but ftightly 
 
 touched upon already, I {hall more fynoptically'here 
 
 * infert a Catalogue of all Dying Materials, as well 
 ' fuch as I have already treated upon, as fuch as I in- 
 
 * tend hereafter to defcribe. 
 
 < The three peculiar Ingredients for Black are Cop- 
 ' peras, filings of Steel, and Slippe. 
 
 ' The Reftringent binding Materials are Alder Bark, 
 c Pomegranet Pills, Wallnut rinds and roots, Oaken 
 
 * Sapling Bark, and Saw-duft of the fame ; Crab- 
 
 * tree Bark, Galls, and Sumach. 
 
 4 The Salts of Allum, Argol, Salt-peter, Sal-Ar- 
 4 moniack, Pot-afhes, and Stone-Lime, unto which 
 
 * Urine may be enumerated as a liquid Salt. 
 
 4 The Liquors are Well-water, River- water, Wine, 
 
 * AtptA-Wit) Vinegar, Juyce cf Lemon, and Aqua- 
 
 * fortis : There is Honey ufed, and MolafTes. 
 
 ' Ingredients of another Clajjis are Bran, Wheaten- 
 4 flour, Yolks of Eggs, Leaven, Cummin-feed, Fe- 
 
 * nugreek-feed , Agarick, and Senna. 
 
 * Gums are Gum Arabick, ^Dragant) Maflick^ and 
 1 Sanguis 'Draconis. 
 
 * The Smedicks or AbfterfTves are Fuller's-carth, 
 4 Soap, Linfeed-oyl, and Ox-gall. 
 
 'The other Metals and Minerals are Pewter, Ver- 
 
 * degreafe, Antimony, Litharge, and Arfenick. 
 
 ' But the Color antia colorata are of three forts, viz, 
 Blue, Yellow, and Red ; of which Logwood, old 
 
 * Fuftick, and Mather, are the 'Polycarefta in the pre- 
 
 * fent and common practices, being one of each fort. 
 
 * The Blues are Woad,Indico and Logwood: TheYel- 
 < lows are Weld, Wood -wax, and old Fuftick, as alfo 
 
 4 Tur-
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 Turmerick, now feldom ufed : The Reds are Red- 
 ' wood, Brazil, Mather, Cochineel, Safflowrs, Kermes- 
 
 * berries, and Sanders ; the latter of which is feldom 
 
 * ufed, and the Kermes not often. Unto thefc Ar~ 
 ' notto and young Fuftick, making Orange-colours, 
 
 * may be added, as often ufed in thefe times. 
 
 ' In Cloth Dying, wood- foot is of good ufe. 
 ' Having presented this Catalogue, I come now to 
 < give or enlarge the Dcfcription and Application of 
 
 * fome of the chief of them, beginning with Cop- 
 ' pcras. 
 
 ' Copperas is the common thing ufed to dye Blacks 
 withal, and it 13 the fait of the 'Pyrites ftone, where- 
 with old Iron (having been diflolved in it) is incor- 
 porated. The filings of Steel, and fuch fmall parti- 
 cles of Edge-tools as are worn away upon the 
 Grindftone, commonly called Slippe, is ufed to the 
 fame purpofe in Dying of Silks (as we faid before) 
 which I conceive to be rather to increafe the weight 
 than for any other necefllty ; the particles of Cop- 
 peras being not fo heavy and crafs as thefe are : for 
 elfewhy (hould not thefe latter-named Materials be 
 as well ufed about Cloth, as other cheaper fluffs ? 
 8 We obferve, that green Oaken-boards by the affri- 
 ftion of a Saw become black 5 and that a green four 
 Apple cut with a knife, becomes likewife black; 
 and that the white greafe wherewith Coach-wheels 
 are anointed, becomes likewife black, by reafon of 
 the Iron boxes wherewith the Nave is lined, befidcs 
 the uflulation or affriction between the Nave and the 
 Axel-tree. Moreover we obferve, that an Oaken- 
 flick, by a violent affri&ion upon other wood in a 
 Turning-Lath, makes the fame black 
 
 'Prom
 
 < From all which we may obferve, That the whole- 
 f bufinefs of Blacking lies in the Iron, as if the fait of 
 ' the ^P/r/'/^-ftone in Copperas fcrved only to ex- 
 1 traft the fame ; and withal it feems to lie in a kind 
 c of findging and uftulation, fucli as rapid arTridions- 
 c do caufe : For Allum feems to bs of the fame na- 
 c ture with Vitriol ; and yet in no cafe that I know 
 of, is ufed for black colours : And in the black co- 
 lour upon earthen Ware is made with fcalings of* 
 Iron vitrified. Note, That where-ever Copperas is 
 ufed, either Galls, Sumach, Oak Sapling-barks, Al- 
 der-bark, Walnut- rinds, Crabtree-bark, or green Oak 
 faw-duft, muft be ufed with it : All which things 
 Phyficians call Auftere and Stiptick. 
 ' Red- wood muft be chopt into fmall pieces, then' 
 ground in a Mill between two heavy ftones, as corn 
 is. It is ufed alfo in Dying of Cloth and Rugs, and 
 thofe of the Coarfer fort : The colour is extracted 
 with much and long boyling, and that with Galls/ 
 The colour it makes is a kind of Brick-colour Red ; 
 it holdeth much better than Brafil. The Cloth it 
 dyeth is to be boyled with it : Wherefore only fucli 
 matters as are not prejudiced by much boyling are 
 dyed herewith. 
 ' Brafil is chopt and ground like as the Red- wood : 
 
 * It dyeth a Pink-colour or Carnation, imitating the 
 ' colour of Cochineil the neareft : It is ufed with 
 
 * Allum for the ordinary colour it dyerh -, and with 
 c addition of Pot-aihes, when it is ufed for Purples. 
 
 ' Brafil fteept in Water giveth it the colour of Clar- 
 
 * ret-wine, into which a drop or two of Juyce of 
 4 Lemons or Vinegar being put, turneth it into ths 
 ' colour of Canary- Sack; in which particular it a- 
 ' greeth with CochineH. This colour foon flaineth, 
 
 P p 'as
 
 198 The HI STORY of 
 
 * as may appear by the eafy change which fo fmall a 
 ' quantity of acid liquor makes upon it. A drop of 
 1 Spirit of Vitriol turned the infufion of Brafil into a 
 ' purplifh violet- colour, even although it hath been 
 4 made yellow before, by the addition of juycc of 
 ' Lemons or Vinegar; and is the fame effect which 
 ' Pot-afhes alfo produce, as we faid before. 
 
 * Mather is a Root cultivated much in Flanders : 
 
 ' There be of it two forts -, T^tfe- Mather, which is 
 
 * thecoarfeth; and Bale-Mather-, otherwife called 
 
 * Crap- Mather : This Mather u(cd tothebefl advan- 
 
 * tage, dyeth on Cloth a .colour the neareft to our 
 
 * Low-dye, or the new Scarlet; the like whereof 
 ' Safflowr doth in Silk, infomuch as the colours cal- 
 ' led Baftard-Scarlets are dyed with it. This colour 
 
 * indures much boyling, and is ufed both with Allum 
 4 and Argol : it holdeth well. The brightcft colours 
 
 * dyed with this material are made by over-dying the 
 ' fame, and then by difcharging part of it by back- 
 
 * boyling it in Argol. 
 
 ' Mather is ufed with Bran-liquor, inftead of Wliite- 
 
 * liquor, or ordinary Water. 
 
 Cochineil is of feveral forts, viz,. Sifaejler and 
 ' Meftequa : This alfo is ufed with Bran-liquor in Pew- 
 
 * ter-Furnaces, and with Aqua-fortis, in order to the 
 c Scarlet dye. It is the colour whereof the like quan- 
 tity effected! mod in Dying ; and Colours dyed 
 c with it, are faid to be dyed in Grain. Rags dyed 
 ' in the dregs of this colour is called Turn/ok, and 'tis 
 
 * ufed to colour Wines; Cochineil being counted fo 
 far from an unwholefome thing, that it is efteemed a 
 
 * Cordial. Any acid Liquor takes off the intenfe 
 <- Rednefs of this colour, turning it towards an O- 
 
 * range, Flame, or Scarlet colour : With this colour 
 
 'alfo
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 199 
 
 alfo the Spanijh Leather and Flocks are dyed which 
 Ladies ufe. The extrad or fecula hereof makes the 
 fineft Lake. 
 
 Arnotto dyethof it felfan Orange-colour, is ufed 
 with Pot-afhes upon Silk, Linnen, and Cottons, 
 but not upon Gioth, as being not apt to penetrate in- 
 to a thick fubftance. 
 
 ' Weldy called in Latin Luteola j when it is ripe 
 (that is to fay, in the flower) it dyeth (with the help 
 of Pot-afhes) a deep Lemon-colour, like unto Ra~ 
 nunculusj or Broomflower; and either by the fmall- 
 nefs of proportion put into the Liquor, or elfe by 
 the (lighter tindure, it dyeth all Colours between 
 White and the Yellow aforefaid. 
 ' In the ufe of this material, Dyers ufe a crofs, 
 driven down into their Furnace, with a fcrew tp 
 keep it down, fo as the Cloth may have liberty in 
 the fupernatant Liquor, to be turned upon the 
 Winch, and kept out with the ftaves: This weed is 
 much cultivated in Kent, for the ufe of the Lott- 
 don Dyers -, it holdeth Efficiently well but againft 
 Urine and Tartarous Liquors. Painters Pinke is 
 made of it. 
 
 ' Wood-wax, or Genifta Tinttoria (commonly cal- 
 led Grafing-weed hy the Dyers) produces the fame 
 effed with the Luteola , being ufed in greater quan- 
 tides : It is feldom made ufe of as to Silk, Linnen, 
 or Cottons, but only as to coarfe Cloths : It is alfo 
 fet with Pot.aihes or Urine, called by the Dyers 
 Sigge-fufttck 5 of it there be two forts, the young and 
 the old. Fujlick is chopt and ground as the other 
 Woods above-mentioned are. 
 6 The young Fuftick dyeth a kind of Reddifh 
 Orange-colour , the old, a Hair-colour with fevcral 
 P p 2 ' degree*
 
 300 TheHISTORTof 
 
 1 degrees of yeilownefs between : It is ufed with 
 flacked Lime. The colours dyed with old Fiiftick 
 hold cxtreamly, and are not to be difchnrgcd, will 
 
 ' Ipend iJi'ith Salts or without^ and will work hot or 
 
 * cold. 
 
 4 Soot of Wood. Soot contiineth in it fclf both a 
 
 : Colour and Salt ; wherefore there is nothing added 
 
 1 to it to extract its Colour, nor to make it ftrikc up- 
 
 ' on the Stuff to be Dyed ; the natural Colour which 
 
 ' itDyeth of it itfclf, is the Colour of Honey; but 
 
 is the foundation of many other Colours upon 
 
 Wool and Cloth ; for to other things it is not ufed. 
 
 ' Woad is made of a Weed, fown upon ftrong new- 
 
 ' broken Land, perfectly cleared from all ftones and 
 
 ' weeds, cut fcveral times by the top leaves, then 
 
 * ground, or rather chopt with a peculiar Mill for 
 
 * that purpofe ; which being done leveral times, it is 
 
 * is made up in Balls and dryed in the Sun j the dryer 
 4 the year is, the better the Woad. 
 
 4 When it is made up in Balls, it is broken again 
 
 * and laid in heaps, where if it heat too faft, it is 
 
 * fprinkled with ordinary water ; but if it heat too 
 
 * (lowly, then they throw on it a quantity of Lime or 
 ' Urine. But of the perfect cultivating and curing of 
 c Woad, we mall fpeak elfcwhere. 
 
 Englijb Woad is counted the flrongeft, it is com- 
 ' monly tryed by ftaining of white Paper with it, or 
 
 * a white limed Wall, and if the Colour be a French - 
 1 careen it is sood. 
 
 o c? 
 
 4 Woad in u(e is ufed with Pot-afhes commonly 
 ' called Ware, which if it double refin'd, is called 
 c h;.rd Ware (which is much the fame with Kelp) o r 
 
 * Sea-weeds, calcin'd and burnt into the hardnefs of 
 < a ftonc, by reiterated Calcinations. 
 
 Lime
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 301 
 
 c Lime or Calke y which is itrong Lime, is ufed to 
 
 ' accelerate the fermentation of the JVoad^ which by 
 
 * the help of the fame Pot-afhes and warm liquors 
 ' kept always fo, in three or four Days will come to 
 c work like a Kive of Beer, and will have a blue or 
 4 rather greenrfh -froth orflowry upon k, anfweringto 
 
 * the Yeft or the Kive. Now the over quantity of 
 ' Ware, fretting too much upon the Woad, is obtund- 
 ' ed or dulled by throwing in Bran fometimes loofe, 
 fometimes in Bags. 
 
 ' The making and ufing Woad, is one of the moft 
 
 * myfterious, nice, and hazardous operations in Dy- 
 ' ing : It is one of the moft lafting colours that is 
 
 * dyed : An intenfe Woad-Colour is almoft black, 
 
 * that is to fay, of a Damfon-colour 5 this Colour is 
 ' the foundation of fo many others in its degree, that 
 
 * the Dyers have a certain Scale, or number of Stalls, 
 < whereby to compute the lightnefs and deepnefs of 
 c this Colour. 
 
 * Indico is made of a Weed of the fame Nature 
 ' with Woad, but more ftrong ; and whereas Woad 
 ' is the whole fubitance of the Herb, Indico is only 
 
 * a mealy concrete juice or fecula dryed in the Sun, 
 ' fometimes made up in flat Cakes, fometimes into 
 ' round Balls 5 there be fcveral forts of Indico. 
 
 4 Logwood is chopt and ground like other of the 
 
 * Woods above-mentioned _; it maketh a purplifh blue ; 
 ' may be u fed without Allum : It hath been eftcemed 
 f a moft falfe and fading colour ; but now being ufed 
 ' with Galls, is far lefs complained of. 
 
 ob 
 
 General
 
 got TheHISTORTof 
 
 General Observations upon 
 
 D Y I N G. 
 
 * T?IRST, that all the materials (which of themfelves 
 ]i do give Colour) are either Red, Yellow, or 
 
 * Blue, fo that out of them, and the primitive fun- 
 1 damental Colour White, all that great variety which 
 ' we fee in dyed Stuffs doth arife. 
 
 ' a. That few of the Colouring materials (as 
 c Cochineil, Soot, Wood-wax, Woad) are in their 
 ' outward and firft appearance of the fame Colour, 
 c which by the flighteft diftempers and folutions in 
 
 * the wcakeft Afen/trua, the Dye upon Cloth, Silk, 
 &c. 
 
 4 3. That many of the Colouring materials will 
 Vinot yield their Colours without much grinding, 
 
 * fteeping, boyling, fermenting, or corrofion by pow- 
 ' erful Menftrua ; as Red-wood, Weld, Woad, Ar- 
 
 * notto, fyc. 
 
 c 4. That many of the faid Colouring materials 
 ' will of themfelves give no Colouring at all, as Cop- 
 ' pcras, or Galls, or with much difadvantage, unlefs 
 ( the Cloth or other Stuff to be dyed, be as it were 
 
 * firft covered or incruftated with fome other matter, 
 ' though Colour-lefs aforehand, as Mather, Weld, 
 Brafil, withAllum. 
 
 * 5. That fome of the faid Colouring materials 
 ' by the help of other colour-lcfs ingredients, do 
 ' ftrike different Colours from what they would 
 4 alone, and of themfelves ; as Cochineil, Brafil, 
 ' &c. 
 
 < 6. That
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 * 6. That fome Colours, as Mather, Indico, and 
 9 Woad, by reiterated tindures, will at laft become 
 ' black. 
 
 4 7- That although Green be the moft frequent and 
 e common of natural Colours, yet there is no fimple 
 1 ingredient, which is now ufed alone, to dye Green 
 ' with upon any Material - y Sap-green (being the con- 
 ' denfated juice of the Rhamnous Berry) being the 
 ' neareft ; the which is ufed by Country People. 
 
 4 8. There is no black thing in ufe which dyes 
 
 * black, tho* both the Coal and Soot of moft things 
 
 * burnt or fcorched be of that colour 5 and the black- 
 ' er, by how much the matter before it was . burnt 
 
 * was whiter, as in the famous inftan.ce of Ivory 
 ' black. 
 
 ' 9. The tincture of fome Dying Stuffs will fade 
 ' even with lying, or with the Air, or will ftain even 
 ' with Water 5 but very much with Wine, Vinegar, 
 ' Urine? &c. 
 
 ' i o. Some of the Dyers Materials are ufed to bind 
 1 and ftrengthen a Colour, fome to brighten it, fome 
 ' to give luftre to the Stuff, fome to difcharge and take 
 ! off the Colour either in whole or in part, and fome 
 5 out of fraud, to make the Material dyed (if coftly) 
 f to be heavier. 
 
 1 1 . That fome Dying Ingredients or Drugs,.by the 
 coarfenefs of their Bodies, make the thread of the 
 dyed Stuff feem coarfers and fome by fhrinking 
 them, fmaller, and fome by levigating their Afperi- 
 ties, finer. 
 
 '12. Many of the fame Colours are dyed uponfe- 
 veral Stuffs with feveral Materials 5 as Red-wood is 
 ufed in Cloth, not in Silks 5 Arnotto in Silks, not 
 in Cloth 5 and may be dyed at feveral prices. 
 
 * 1 3. That
 
 304- The HISTORT of 
 
 c 1 3. That Scowering and Wafhing of Stuffs to be 
 ' dyed, is to be done with fpecial Materials ; as fome- 
 ' times with Ox-galls, fometimes with Fullers-earth, 
 
 * fometimes with Soap : This latter being pernicious 
 ' in fome cafes, where Pot-aihes will (lain or alter the 
 ' colour. 
 
 '14. Where great quantities of Stuffs are to be- 
 ' dyed together, or where they are to be done wiih 
 
 * great fpeed, and where the pieces are very Ion?, 
 ' broad, thick, or othcnvifc, they are to be diffe- 
 ' rently handled, both in rcfpcct to the Yeflels and 
 ' Ingredients. 
 
 ' 15. In fome Colours and Stuffs the tingent LU 
 c quor muft be boyling ; in other cafes blood-warm j 
 
 * in fome it may be cold. 
 
 * 1 6. Some tingent Liquors are fitted for ufe by 
 
 * long keeping ; and in fome the vertue wears away 
 ' by the fame; 
 
 c 17. Some Colours or Stuffs arc beft dyed by re- 
 c iterated Dippings ever into the fame Liquor at feve- 
 ' ral diftances of time j and fome by continuing lon- r 
 4 ger, and others Idler whiles therein. 
 
 1 1 8. In fome cafes the matter of the Veffel where - 
 ' in the Liquors are heated, and the Tinctures prepared, 
 ' muft be regarded ; as the Kettles muft be Pewter for 
 
 * Bow-dye. 
 
 ' 19. There is little reckoning made how much 
 
 * Liquor is ufed in proportion to the dying Drugs ; 
 ' the Liquor being rather adjuftcd to the bulk of the 
 ' Stuff, as the Veffels are to the breadth of the fame : 
 
 * The quantity of dying Drugs being proportioned 
 
 * to the Colour higher or lower, and to the Stuffs 
 4 both 5 as likewifc the Salts are to dying Drugs. 
 
 it -'... 
 
 4 Con-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 30? 
 
 e Concerning the weight which Colours give to 
 Silk (for in them 'tis moft taken notice of, as being 
 fold by weight, and being a Commodity of great 
 price) k is obferved, That one pound of raw Silk 
 lofeth four ounces by wafhing out the Gums and 
 natural Sordes. 
 
 ' That die fame fcowred Silk may be raifed to 
 above thirty ounces from the remaining twelve, if 
 it be dyed black with fome Materials. 
 
 c The reaion why Black colour may be moil heavy 
 dyed, being becaufe all gravitating Drugs may be 
 dyed black, being all of colours lighter than it : 
 whereas perhaps there are few or no Materials where- 
 with to increafe the weight of Silk, which will con- 
 fifr. with fair light colours ; fuch as will, having been 
 ufed, as white Arfenick to Incarnadives. Of a thing 
 truly ufeful in Dying, efpecially of Blacks, nothing 
 increafes weight fo much as Galls, by reafon where- 
 of black Silks are restored to as much weight as they 
 loft by wafhing out their Gum : Nor is it counted ex- 
 traordinary, that Blacks fhould gain about four or 
 fix ounces in the Dying upon each pound. 
 
 c Next to Galls, old Fuflick increafes the weight 
 about i 5 in 12. 
 
 1 Mather about one ounce, 
 
 * Weld half an ounce. 
 
 ' The Blue-far, in deep Blues of the fifth ftall, 
 gives no conftderable weight. 
 
 c Neither doth Logwood, Cochineil, norArnotto: 
 Nor doth Copperas itfelf, where Galls are not. 
 
 c I conceive much light would be given to the 
 Philofophyof Dying, by careful Experiments of the 
 weight added by each Drug or Salt in Dying of every 
 colour, 
 
 * Slifp
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 * Slipp adds much to the weight, and giveth a deep- 
 er Black than Copperas itfelf j which is a good excufe 
 for the Dyers tnat ufe it. 
 
 ' I have hitherto but mentioned the feveral Colo- 
 rations ufcd in Humane Affairs, enumerated the fe- 
 veral Materials ufcd in one of them, namely, Dy- 
 ing ; and imperfectly defcribed the feveral ufes and 
 applications of them in Dying. I have alfo let 
 down fome general Obfervations relating to that 
 whole Trade. It remains now that we defcribe the 
 feveral Vcffels, Tools, and Utenfils ufed in the fame : 
 And particularly to mew how any Colour afligned 
 may be fuperinduccd upon any kind of Material, as 
 Wool, Linnen, Hair, Feathers, Cotton or Silk : 
 And with what Advantages or Difadvantages of Laft- 
 ing, Brightnefs, Cheapneis, and Variety, &c. each 
 may be performed. But this being infinite, and al- 
 moft untcachablc by words, as being incomparably 
 more difficult, than how to imitate and compofe any 
 Colour afligned, out of the few, ufually furnifhing 
 a Painter's Palat 5 I leave the whole to the further 
 confidcration of this Learned Society. 
 
 THE
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 307 
 
 HISTORY^ 
 
 Of the Generation and Ordering of 
 
 GREEN OYSTERS, 
 
 Commonly called 
 
 Colchefter - Oyfters. 
 
 * TN the Month of May the Qyflers caft their Spawn 
 J. (which the Dredgers call their Spat)} it is like 
 
 ' to a drop of Candle, and about the bignefs of an 
 
 * half- penny. 
 
 ' The Spat cleaves to Stones, old Oyfler-fhelis, 
 ' pieces of Wood, and fuch like things, at the bottom 
 
 * of the Sea, which they call Cultch. 
 
 ' *Tis probably conjeftur'd, that the Spat in twenty 
 4 four hours begins to have a Shell. 
 
 c In the Month of May the Dredgers (by the Law 
 c of the Admiralty Court) have liberty to catch all 
 4 manner of Qyfters^ of what fize foever. 
 
 * When they have taken them, with a knife they 
 c gently raife the fmall brood from the Cultch, and 
 4 then they throw the Cultch in again, to preferve 
 
 * the ground for the future, unlefs they be fo newlji 
 
 * Spat that they cannot be fafely fevered from the 
 
 * Cultch 3 in that cafe they are permitted to take the 
 
 * ftone or fhell, &c. that the Spat is upon, one fhell 
 4 having many times twenty Spats,
 
 3 o8 TheHISTORTof 
 
 e After the Month of May it is Felony to carry a- 
 ' way the Cultch, and puniihable to take any other 
 ' Oyftersy unlefs it be thole of ilze (that is to fay) a- 
 ' bout the bigncfs of an half Crown piece, or when 
 4 the two fhells being (hut, a fair fhilling will rattle' 
 ' between them. 
 
 * The places where thcfe Oyfters are chiefly catcli'd, 
 ' are called \\\z f Pont-Burnham, Maiden^ and Colne- 
 Waters ; the latter taking its name from the River 
 
 * of Colne, whith paflcth by Colne-Chefter, gives the 
 
 * name to that Town, and runs into a Creek of the 
 ' Sea at a place called the Hythe^ being the Suburbs 
 
 * of the Town. 
 
 * This Brood, and other Oyfters, they carry to 
 
 * Creeks of the Sea at Brickel-Sea, Merfiy, Langno, 
 
 * Frmgrego> W r i e venho, Tolesbury, and Salt-coafe, and 
 
 * and there throw them into the Channel, which they 
 ' call their Beds or Layers, where they grow and fat- 
 
 * ten, and in two or three years the fmalleft Brood will 
 ' be Qyftersvi the fize aforefaid. 
 
 * Thofe Oyjters which they would have green, they 
 
 * put into Pits about three foot deep, in the Salt- 
 
 * Marfhes, which are overflowed only at Spring-tides, 
 
 * to which they have Sluices, and let out the Salt- 
 c water until it is about a foot and half deep. 
 
 ' Thefe Pits from fome quality in the Soil co-opc- 
 
 * rating with the heat of the Sun, will become grcen r 
 
 * and communicate their colour to the Oyfa s that 
 are put into them in four or five day-', though they 
 
 * commonly let them continue there fix \V:ck, or 
 
 * two Months, in which time they will be of a dark 
 ' green* 
 
 * To prow that the Sun operates ir '!v preening, 
 4 Tolesburji Pits will green only in Suniin-'-n but \\.\t 
 
 ' the
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 309 
 
 f the Earth hath the greater power, Brickel-SeaPits 
 c green both Winter and Summer : and for a further 
 
 * proof, a Pit within a foot of a greening Pit will not 
 c green ; and thole that did green very well, will in 
 1 time lofe their quality. 
 
 ' The Oyfters when the Tide comes in, lie with 
 ' their hollow fhell downwards, and when it goes 
 ' out they turn on the other fide ,- they remove not 
 c from their place unlefs in cold weather, to cover 
 
 * themfelves in the Oufe. 
 
 * The reafon of the fcarcity of Oyfters, and confe- 
 
 * quently of their dearnefs, is, becaufe they are of late 
 ' years bought up by the 'Dutch. 
 
 ' There are great penalties by the Admiralty-Court, 
 
 c laid upon thofe that filh out of thofe grounds which 
 
 * the Court appoints, or that deflroy the Cultch, or 
 ' that take any Oyfters that are not of fize, or that do 
 ' not tread under their feet, or throw upon the more, 
 ' a Fifh which they call a Five-finger, refembiing a 
 
 * Spur-rowel, becaufe that filh gets into the Oyfters 
 4 when they gape, and fucks them out. 
 
 ' The reafon why fuch a penalty is fet upon any 
 that mall deftroy the Cultch, is becaufe they find 
 that if that be taken away, the Oufe will increafe,- 
 and then Mufcles and Cockles will breed there, and 
 deftroy the Oyfters, they having not whereon to 
 ftick their Spat. 
 
 * The Oyfters are fick after they have Spat j but in - 
 
 * June mb-July they begin to mend, and in Augnft 
 < they are perfectly well : 1\\zMale-Oyfter is black- 
 ' fick, having a black Subftance in the Fin 5 the Fe- 
 ' male white-fick (as they term it) having a milky Sub- 
 
 * fiance in the Fin. They are fait in the Pits, falter 
 
 * in the Layers, but falteftat Sea. 
 
 In
 
 3 10 TheHISTORTof 
 
 In compofing Hiflories after this manner, they re- 
 folveto proceed, till they have not only obtain'd an 
 Account of all the great and moft fubftantial Trades, 
 but alfo of all the \& Works, and Private Productions, 
 which are confm'd to fome particular Soyls, or Cor* 
 porations, or Families. As this Stock fhall increafe, 
 they purpofe to make it of General ufe, either by 
 continuing PryMtagthe moft remarkable of them, or 
 by freely expofing them to the view of all, that de- 
 fire fuch Informations ; provided, that at the fame 
 time they receive fome, they will alfo communicate 
 others : And they have allured grounds of confi- 
 dence, that when this attempt fhall be compleated, 
 it will be found to bring innumerable benefits to all 
 practical Arts: When all the fecrets of Manufactures 
 lhall be difcover'd, their Materials defcrib'd, their 
 Inftruments figur'd, their 'Products reprefcnted : It 
 will foon be determin'd, how far they themfelvcs 
 may be promoted, and what new confequences may 
 thence be deduc'd. Hereby we fhall fee whether all 
 the parts of the moft obvious Crafts have been 
 brought to perfection ; and whether they may not 
 aflift each other, more than has been hitherto endca- 
 vour'd: Hereby we fhall difcern the compafs, the 
 power, the changes, the degrees, the ages of them 
 all 5 and fpeedily underftand, whether their effects 
 have been large enough, and the ways ^of producing 
 them fufficiently compendious. In fhort, by this help 
 the worft Artificers will be well inftruded, by con- 
 fidering the Methods, and Tools of the beft : And the 
 grcateft Inventors will be exceedingly inlighten'd 5 
 becaufe they will have in their view the labours of 
 many men, many places, and many times, where- 
 with to compare their own. This js die fureft, and 
 
 moft
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 311 
 
 moft effectual means, to inlarge the Inventions : whofe 
 Nature isfuch, that it is apt to increafe, not only by 
 mens beholding the Works of greater, but of equal, 
 nay of lefs Wits than themfelves. 
 
 In the whole progrefs of this Narration^ I have been Sett. XL. 
 cautious to forbear commending the labours of any The Conclu- 
 Private Fellows of the Society. For this, I need not ' 
 make any Apology to them 5 feeing it would have 
 been an inconfider'able Honour, to be prais'd by fo 
 mean a Writer : But now I mult break this Law, 
 in the particular cafe of Dr. Qhriftopher Wren : For 
 doing fo, I will not alledge the excufe of my Friend- 
 fhip to him ; though that perhaps were fufficient ; 
 and it might well be allow'd me to take this occafton 
 of Publilhing it : But I only do it on the meer confi- 
 deration of Juftice : For in turning over the Regijters 
 of the Society, I perceived that many excellent things, 
 whofe firft Invention ought to be afcrib'd to him, were 
 cafually omitted : This moves me to do him right 
 by himfelf, and to give this feparate Account of his. 
 indcavours, in promoting the Defign of the Royal 
 Society > in the fmall time wherein he has had the op- 
 portunity of attending it. 
 
 The firft inftance I fhall mention, to which he may 
 lay peculiar claim, is the TDoftrine of Motion, which 
 is the moft confiderable of all others, for eftablifhing 
 the firft ^Principles of ^Phil&fophy^ by Geometrical 
 Ttemonft rat ions. This T>es Cartes had before begun, 
 having taken up fome Experiments of this kind upoiv 
 Conjecture, and made them the firft Foundation of 
 his whole Sjffem of Nature : But fome of his Con- 
 clufions feeming very queftionable, becaufe they 
 were only deriv'd from the grofs Trials of Balls 
 
 meeting
 
 3 ix The HfSTO. T of 
 
 meeting one another at Tenn,?, and Billiards : Dr. 
 Wren produc'd before the Society, an Inft rumen t to 
 rcprcfent the effects of all forts of Impulfes, made be- 
 tween two hard globous Br cither of equal, or 
 of different bignefs, audfwiftnefs, following or meet- 
 ing each other, or the one moving, the other at reft. 
 From thefe varieties arofe many unexpected effects ; 
 of all which he demonftrated the true Theories^ after 
 they had been conrirm'd by many hundreds of Ex- 
 periments in that Injirurnent. Thele he propos'd as 
 the Principles of all ^Demonstrations in Natural Thi- 
 lofophy : Nor can it fcem ftrangc, that thefe Elements 
 Ihquld be of fuch Univcrfal ufe ; if we confidcr that 
 Generation* Corruption-! Alteration, and all the Vicif- 
 fitudes of Nature* are nothing elfe but the effects 
 arifing from the meeting of little Bodies, of differing 
 Figures, Magnitudes, and Velocities. 
 
 The Secoad Work which he has advanc'd, is the 
 Hiftory of S"afins : which will be of admirable be- 
 nefit to Mankind, if it mall be conftantly purfued, 
 and dcriv'd do Vn to Pofterity. His propofal therefore 
 was, to comprehend a Ttiary of Wind, Weather, 
 and other conditions of the Air* as to Heat, Cold, 
 and Weight ; and alfo a General TSefcription of the 
 Year, whether contagious or healthful to .Men or 
 Beafls 5 with an Account of Epidemical 'Difeafes, of 
 ; Blafts, Mill-dews, and other accidents, belonging 
 -to Grain, Cattle, Fifh, Fowl, and Infects. And 
 becaufe the difficulty of a conftant Obfervation of 
 the dir, by Night and Day, feem'd invincible, he 
 therefore devis'd a Clock to be annex'd to a Weathcr- 
 Cock, which mov'd ,a Rundlc cover'd with Paper, 
 upon which the Clock mov'd a Black-lead-Pencil ; 
 fo that the Obferver by the Traces of the Pencil on 
 
 the
 
 R Y A L S C I E t Y. 315 
 
 the 1 Paper, might certainly conclude, what Winds 
 had blown in his abfence, for twelve hours fpace : 
 After a like manner he contriv'd a Thermometer to be 
 its own Regifler : And becaufe the ufual Thermometers 
 were not found to give a true meafure of the exten- 
 fion of the Air, by reafon that the accidental gravi- 
 ty of the liquor, as it lay higher or lower in the Glaff, 
 weigh unequally on the Air, and gave it a farther 
 contraction or extension, over and above that which 
 Was produc'd by heat and cold 5 therefore he inven- 
 ted a Circular Thermometer, in which the liquor oc- 
 .cafions no fallacy, but remains always in one height 
 moving the whole Injlmmenty like a Wheel on its 
 Axis. 
 
 He has contriv'd an Inftrument to meafure the 
 quantities of Rain that falls : This as foon as it is 
 full, will pour out itfelf, and at the year's end dif- 
 cover how much Rain has fallen on fuch a fpace of 
 Land, or other hard fuperficies, in order to thzTheory 
 of Vapours^ Rivers, Seas, &c. 
 
 He has devis'd many fubtil ways for the eafier 
 finding the gravity of the Atmoffhere, the degrees of 
 drought and moifture, and many of its other acci- 
 dents. Amongft thefeln/truments there are Balances 
 which are ufeful to other purpofes, that fhew the weight 
 of the Air by their fpontaneous inclination. 
 
 Amongft the new Difcoveris of the 'Pendulum, 
 theie are to be attributed to him, that the 'Pendulum 
 in its motion from reft to reft > that is, in one defcent 
 and afcent, moves unequally in equal times, accord- 
 ing to a line of fines : That it would continue to 
 move either in Circular, or Eliftical Motions ; and 
 fuch Vibrations would have the fame Periods with 
 thofe that are reciprocal 5 and that by a complication 
 
 Rr o
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 of feveral 'Pendulums depending one upon another, 
 there might be reprefentcd motions like the planeta- 
 ry Helical Motions, or more intricate : And yet that 
 thefe ^Pendulums would difcovcr without confufion 
 (as the ^Planets do) three or four feveral Motions, act- 
 ing upon one Body with differing 'Periods ; and that 
 there may be produc'd a Natural ftandard for Mea- 
 iure from the 'Pendulum for vulgar ufe, 
 
 He has invented many ways to make jQftronomtcal 
 Observations more accurate and eafy : He has fitted 
 and hung Quadrants, Sextants^nd Radii, morecom- 
 modioully than formerly : He has made two Tele- 
 fcopcs, to open with a joynt like a Seftor, by which 
 Obfcrvers may infallibly take a diftance to half mi- 
 nutes, and find no difference in the fame Obfcrvation 
 reiterated feveral times ; nor can any warping or luxa- 
 tion of the Inftrument hinder the truth of it. 
 
 He has added many forts of Retes, Screws, and 
 other devifes to Telefcopes, for taking fmall diftances 
 and apparent Diameters to Seconds. He has made 
 apertures to take in more or lefs light, as the Obferver 
 pleafes, by opening and {hutting like the Pupil of the 
 Eye, the better to fit Glafles to Crepufculine Obfervatt- 
 ons : He has added much to the Theory of 'Dioptrics ; 
 much to the Manufacture it felf of grinding good 
 Glafles. He has attempted, and not without fuccefs, 
 the making of Glafles of other forms than Spherical : 
 He has exactly meafured and delineated the Spheres 
 of the Humours in the Eye, whofe proportions one to 
 another were only guefs'd at before. This accurate 
 difcuflion produc'd the Reafon> why we fec r thirigs 
 erected, and that Reflection conduces as much to ^7- 
 flan as Refraffion. 
 
 He
 
 tie R 6 Y A L S C I E T Y. 
 
 *** ' 
 He difcours'd to them a natural andeafy Theory of 
 
 Refraffion, which exactly anfwcr'd every Experiment. 
 He fully demonflrated all ^Dioptrics in a few Propofi- 
 tions, fhewing not only (as in Kepler's ^Dioptrics] the 
 common Properties of Glafies, but the Proportions by 
 which the individual Rays cut the Axis, and each 
 other ; upon which the Charges (as they are ufually 
 called) of Telefcopes, or the Proportion of the Eye- 
 glaiTes and Apertures are demonflrably difcover'd. 
 
 He has made conftant Obfervations on Saturn > and 
 a Theory of. that 'Planet) truly anfwering all Obfer- 
 vationS) before the printed Difcourfe of Hugonius on- 
 that Subject appeared. 
 
 Ht has efiay'd to make a true Selenography by mea- 
 jfure j the World having nothing yet but Pictures, ra- 
 ther than Surveys and Maps of the Moon- He has 
 flated the Theory of the Moon's Libration, as far as his 
 Observations could carry him. He has compos'd a 
 Lunar Globe* reprefcnting not only the Spots, and va- 
 rious degrees of whitenefs upon the Surface, but the 
 Hills, Eminencies,and Cavities moulded in folid Work. 
 The Globe thus faihioned into a true Model of the 
 Moon, as you turn it to the Light, reprefents all the 
 Menflrual phafes, with the variety of Appearances 
 that happen from the Shadows of the Mountains and 
 Valleys. He has made Maps of the *RleiAdes> and 
 other Telefcoptcal Stars 5 and proposed Methods to de- 
 termine the great doubt of the Earth's motion or reft, 
 by the fmall Stars about the Pole to be feen in large? 
 Telefcopes. 
 
 In order ^Navigation ^has carefully purfu'd ma- 
 ny Magnet ical Experiments; of which this is one of 
 the nobleft and moft fruitful Speculation: . A large Te- 
 rella is plac'd in the midft of a Plane Board; with a hole 
 
 Rr 2 into
 
 The HI STO R T of 
 
 into which the Terella is half immers'd, till it be like a 
 Globe-, with the *Poles in the Horizon. Then is tho 
 Plane dufted over with fteel-filings equally from a Sieve : 
 The Duft by the Magnet ical virtue is immediately fi- 
 gur'd into Furrows that bend like a fort of Helix, pro- 
 ceeding as it were out of one^FW^, and returning into 
 the other : And the whole Plane is thus figur'd like the 
 Circles of a 'Planifphere. 
 
 It being a Queftion amongft the Problems of Na- 
 vigation, very well worth revolving, to what Mecha- 
 nical powers the Sailing (againft the wind efpecially) 
 was reducible ; he fhew'd it to be a Wedge : And he 
 demonstrated how a tranfient Force upon an oblique 
 Plane, would caufc the motion of the Plane againfl 
 the firft Mover. And he made an Inftrnment, that 
 Mechanically produc'd the lame effect, and Ihew'd die 
 reafon of Sailing to all Winds. 
 
 The Geometrical Mechanics of Rowing, he fhcw'd 
 t be a VetJis on a moving or cedent Fulcrum. For 
 this end he made Instruments, to find what the expan- 
 iion of Body was towards the hindrance of Motion in 
 a Liquid Medium \ and what degree of impediment 
 was produc'd, by what degree of expansion : With 
 other things that are the ncceflary Elements for laying 
 down the Geometry of Sailing, Swimming, Rowing^ 
 Flying, and the Fabricks of Ships. 
 
 He has invented a very curious and exceeding fpeedy 
 way of Etching* He has ftarted fcveral things to- 
 wards the emendation of Water-works. He has made 
 Inflruments of Refpiration, and for draining the breath 
 from fuliginous vapours, to try whether the fame 
 breath fo purify'd will ferve again. 
 
 He was the firft Inventer of drawing Pictures by 
 Microfcopicai Glaffes* He has found out perpetual, at 
 
 leafl
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 317 
 
 leaft long-liv'd Lamps, and Regifters of Furnaces, 
 and the like, for keeping a perpetual Temper, in or- 
 der to various ufes 5 as hatching of Eggs, Inle&s, pro- 
 duction of Plants, Chymical Preparations, imita- 
 ting Nature in producing Foflils and Minerals, keep- 
 ing the Motion of Watches equal, in order to Longi- 
 tudes and Agronomical ufes y and infinite other advan- 
 tages. 
 
 He was the fir ft Author of the Noble Anatomical 
 Experiment of Injecting Liquors into the Veins of 
 Animals: An 'Experiment now vulgarly known ; but 
 long fince exhibited to the Meetings tt. Ox ford* and 
 thence carried by fome Germans* and publifh'd abroad. 
 By this Operation divers Creatures were immediately 
 purg'd, vomited, intoxicated, kill'd, or reviv'd, ac- 
 cording to the quality of the Liquor injeded. Hence 
 arofe many new Experiments, and chiefly that of 
 Transfujing Blood* which the Society has profccuted 
 in fundry Inftances, that will probably end in extra- 
 ordinary Succefs. 
 
 This is afhort account of the principal 'Difcoveries 
 which Dr. Wren has prefented or fuggefted to this 
 Affembly. I know very well, that fome of them he 
 did only ftart and defign j and that they have been 
 fince carry'd on to perfection, by the induftry of o- 
 ther hands, I purpofe not to rob them of their mare 
 in the honour : Yet it is reafonable, that the origi- 
 nal Invention mould be afcrib'd to the true Author \ 
 rather than the Finifhers. Nor do I fear that this will 
 be thought too much, which 1 have faid concerning 
 him : For there is a peculiar reverence due to fo much 
 excellence, cover'd with fo much modefly. And it is 
 not Flattery but Honefty, to give him his juft praife j 
 yrho is fo far from ufurping the fame of other men, 
 
 that
 
 that he endeavours with all care to conceal his 
 own. 
 
 I have now performed my Tromife, and drawn out 
 of the Papers of the Society, an Epitome of the chief 
 Works they have conceiv'd in their Minds, or reduced 
 into Practice. If any fhall yet think they have not 
 ufefully employ'd their time, I fhall be apt to fufped, 
 that they underftand not what is meant by a diligent 
 and profitable labouring about Nature. There are 
 indeed fome men who will flill condemn them for 
 being idle, unlefs they immediately profefs to have 
 found out the Squaring the Circle, or die 'Philofo^ 
 fhers Stone* or fome oiher fuch mighty Nothings. 
 But if thefe are not fatisfied with what the Society has 
 done, they are only to blame the extravagance of their 
 own Expectations. I confefs, I cannot boaft of fuch 
 pompous c Difco'veries : They promife no Wonders, 
 nor endeavour after them : Their Progrcfs has been 
 equal, and firm, by natural degrees, and thorough 
 fmall things, as well as great : They go leifurably on ; 
 but their flownefs is not caus'd by their idlenefs, but 
 care. They have contriv'd in their thoughts, and cou- 
 ragioufly begun an At L tempt, which all Ages had 
 defpair'd of. It is therefore fit that they alone, and 
 not others, who refute to partake of their burden, 
 fhould be Judges by what fteps, and what pace, they 
 ought to proceed. 
 
 Such men are then to be intreated not to interrupt 
 their Labours with impertinent rebukes; they are to 
 remember, that the Subject of their Studies is as large 
 as the Univerfe : and that in fo vaft an Enterprift, 
 many intervals and difappointments mufl be reckon'd 
 upon. Though they do not behold that the Society 
 has already fill'd the world with perfeff Sciences ; 
 
 yet 
 i
 
 ibe ROYAL SOCIETY. 319 
 
 yet they are to be informed, that the nature of their 
 Work required that they ftiould firft begin with imme- 
 thodical Collections and mdigefled Experime nts, be- 
 fore they go on to finifhand compofe them into Arts. 
 In which Method they may well be juftified, fee- 
 ing they have the Almighty Creator himfelf for an 
 Example: For he at firft produced a confus'd and 
 fcatter'd Light j and referv'd it to be the Work of 
 another day, to gather and fafhion it into beautiful 
 Bodies, 
 
 The End of the Second Tart.

 
 Cm] 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 ;. ' 
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 The THIRD PART. 
 
 H O U G H it be certain, that the promoting Seft. I 
 of Experiments according to this Idea, ^ 
 cannot injure the Virtue, or Wifdom of^. 
 
 , * i c * + , J tf)l * 
 
 men s minds, or their former Arts, and p a rt. 
 
 mechanical Practices, or their eftablifh'd 
 ways of life 3 yet the perfect innocence of this defign, 
 has not been able to free it from the cavil of the Idle, 
 and the Malicious ; nor from the jealoufies of private 
 Interefts. Thefe groundlefs prejudices of the particu- 
 lar ^rofeffionSj and Ranks of Men, I am now intl>e 
 laft Place to remove ; and to fhew that there is no 
 Foundation for them : To fufped the Change, which 
 can be made by this Inftitiition, or the new things it 
 is likely to produce. 
 
 That it will probably be the Original of many 
 new things, I am fo far from denying, that I chear- 
 fully acknowledge it. Nor am I frighted at that, 
 \vhichiswont to be objected in this Cafe, the hazard 
 of Alteration? and Novelty. For if all things that are 
 
 S f new
 
 The HfSTORTof 
 
 new be deftructi've, all the feveral means, and de- 
 grees, by which Mankind has rifen to this perfection 
 of Arts, were to be condemn'd. If to be the Au- 
 thor of new things, be a crime ; how will the firfl 
 Civilizersof Men, and Makers of Laws, and Foun- 
 ders of Governments efcape ? Whatever now delights 
 us in the Works of Nature, that excels the rudencfs 
 of the firft Creation, is New. Whatever we lee in 
 Cities, or Houfcs, above the firft wildnefs of Fields, 
 and meanefs of Cottages, and nakednefs of Men, had 
 its time, when this imputation of Novelty might as 
 well have been laid to its charge. It is not therefore 
 an offence, to profefs the introduction of New things, 
 unlels that which is introduc'd prove pernicious in it 
 fclf j or cannot be brought in, without the extirpation 
 of others, that are better. 
 
 A.n&\.\\z Experimental Know ledge, will not expofe 
 us to thefe dangers, I am next to declare, in a uni- 
 verfai Apology for its i mentions, and effects. This 
 was the Third Portion, which I at firft referv'd, for 
 the Conclufion of my Difcourfc. Yet cafting my 
 eyes back, I find, that I have already on feveral oc- 
 cafions prevented myfelf ; and faid many things as 
 I came along, which would have been more proper 
 for this place. But I defire that my Reader would 
 interpret this to have proceeded from the Nature 
 of my Subject, of which it is hard to write a plain 
 titftory, without falling fometimes unawares into its 
 'Praife. And now I will proceed to a fuller, and more 
 iblcmn defence : Jjn which, I will try to prove, that 
 the incrcafe of Experiments will be fo far from hurt- 
 ing, that it will be many ways advantageous, above 
 other Studies, to the wonted Courfes of Education ; 
 to the Principles, and Inftruftion of the minds of 
 
 * Men
 
 the ROYAI. SOCIETY, 313 
 
 Men in general j to the Chrijlian Religion \ to the 
 Church of England* to all Manual Trades ; tofhy- / 
 Jtc ; to the Nobility, and Gentry ; and the univerial / 
 Intereft of the whole Kingdom^ 
 
 In all which ^Particulars* I hope I ftiall reprefent 
 this Model to be inoffenfive to all the various ways of 
 Jiving, already in ufe : And thereby I fhall fecure all 
 the ancient 'Proprietors in their Rights : A work as 
 neceflary to be done, in raifing a new 'Philofophy* as 
 we fee it is in building a new London. 
 
 The firft Prejudice I am to wipe away, concerns the Seft. II. 
 ufual ways of Education. For it is an obvious doubt, Exptrintintt 
 whether fo great a change in Works* and Opinions, 
 may not havefome fatal confequence, on all the for- 
 mer Methods of Teaching* which have been long fet- 
 tled, and approval by much Cuftom. And here ma- 
 ny good Men of fevere, and ancient manners, may 
 feem to have reafon, when they urge againft us ; that 
 the Courfes of Training up of Youth, ought to be 
 ilill the fame 5 that if they be fubverted, or multiply'd, 
 much confufion will follow -, and that this our uni- 
 yerfal Inquiry into things hitherto unqueftion'd, can 
 never be made, without difturbing fuch eftablifh'd 
 Rule sot T^ifcipline, and Inftruttion. 
 
 For a General Anfi&er to this, it might fufficc to 
 declare, that in this Inftitution, Men are not ingag'd 
 in thefe Studies, till theCourfeof Education be fatty 
 com pleated : That the Art of Experiments is not 
 thrufl into the hands of Boys, or fct up to be per- 
 form'd by : Beginners in the School ; but in an Af- 
 fcmbly of Men of Ripe years : Wl o while they be- 
 gin a new Method ^of Knowledge, which iliali con- 
 ilft of Works, and is therefore moft proper for Men : 
 
 S f x They
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 They ftill leave to Learners, and Children, the old 
 talkative Arts which bcft fit the younger Age. From 
 hence it muft follow, that all the various manners of 
 Education, will remain undifturb'd ; bccaule the prac- 
 tices of them, and the labours of this, arc not appoint- 
 ed to meet in the fame Age, or'Perfons. But if this 
 will not fatisfy our Adversaries, 1 ct us proceed to con- 
 fidcr the different Parts of Education: and then we 
 fhall be able to make the furer Conjectures, what man- 
 ner of Influence new Experiments^J\\\ have upon it. 
 
 Education confifts in divers Rules, and Practices, 
 whereby men are furniih'd for all the ievcral Courfes of 
 Life, to which they may apply themfelves. Of thcfe 
 preparatory Arts, Ibme concern the Body, fome the 
 Mind. Thole of the Body have no relation to my pre- 
 fent Argument : Of thofe of the Mind* fome intend the 
 Purity and Ornament of Speech : Some the Knowledge 
 of the Actions of former, and prefent Times : Some 
 the Government and Virtue of our Lives : Some the 
 7V/^/J0;/ofReafonmg: Some the Skill in the motions 
 and meafures of the Heavens-, and the Earth y and all 
 this great Frame of Vifible things. 
 
 Grammar , Firft then I will make no fcruple to acquit Expert- 
 and Rheto- mental ^Philofophy, from having any ill effects on the 
 ufual Arts, whereby we are taught the Purity, and E- 
 legance of Languages. Whatever Difcoveries fhall 
 appear to us afrefh, out of the hidden things of Na- 
 ture, the fame words, and the fame ways of Exprefli- 
 on will remain. Or if, perhaps, by this means, any 
 change fhall be made herein ; it can be only for the 
 better ; by fupplying mcns Tongues with very many 
 new things, tobenam'd, and adorn'd, and defcrib'd 
 in their difcourfe. 
 
 Nor
 
 the R o Y A L S o c i E T Y. 
 
 Nor can there be any more jealoufy concerning Moral Pti- 
 the Moral, and ^Political Rules of ordering mens lives : hfopfy- 
 But they may ftill have the fame influence, and autho- 
 rity, and may be prop^s'd to our imitation, by the 
 fame precepts and arguments of perfuafion. 
 
 It is alfo as manifeft, that the Art of teaching the Hi/lory. 
 Actions of former Ages, can from hence receive no 
 damage, or alteration. This cannot be otherwife 5 
 feeing the Subjects of Natural and Civil Hiflory do 
 not crofs each other j nor does the New Thilofo/hy of 
 Nature, more interfere with the Hiftories of Men and 
 Government, than the Old, of which this doubt was 
 never rais'd. 
 
 Thus far then we are fecure. Thefe great, and 
 fundamental Parts of Education, the Inftruments of 
 mens Exprefling, and Ruling their own minds, and 
 Searching into the Actions of others, will beunalter'd, , 
 whatever new changes of Opinions may arife about 
 Natural Things. Let us next go on to confider the 
 Arts of 'Dcmonftration, and Argumentation, in which 
 confifts one of the moft weighty Parts of youthful' 
 Studies. 
 
 Firft for all the Mathematical Sciences, they will 
 ftill remain the fame, and ftill continue to be learn'd, matics - 
 and taught, in the fame Syflems^ and Methods as be- 
 fore. Nothing that can now be difcover'd will fub- 
 vert, but rather confirm what is already well built 
 on thofe immoveable principles. As they came down 
 to us without detriment, through all the corrupt Times 
 of Learning ; fo they will certainly now continue 
 uncorrupt) at this prefent, when Learning is reftor'd. 
 
 Seeing;
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 Seeing they could not be deftroy'd in the Ignorant 
 Ages, they will be in no fear, at this time, by this In- 
 Jiitution, which deilgns not only to inlarge them, but 
 to promote the fame rigid way of Conclusion, in all 
 other Natural things, which only the Mathematics 
 have hitherto maintain 'd. 
 
 Metapbyfics >fow then, this whole controverfy is reduc'dto the 
 alteration, which the Logic ', and 'Phyjics of the Anci- 
 ents, may receive by this change. As for their Me- 
 taphyfics, they fcarcc defervc to have a place allow'd 
 them in this confideration. 
 
 Nor does that prevail with me, which the Lovers 
 of that Cloudy Knowledge are wont to boaft, that it 
 is an excellent initrument to refine, and make fubtil 
 the minds of men. For there may be a greater Ex- 
 ccfs in the fubtilty of mcnsjgjts, than in their thick- 
 ncfs : As we fee thole threads, which are of too fine 
 a fpinning, are found to be more ufelefs, than thofc 
 which are home-fpun, and grofs. 
 
 Logic is the Art of Conceiving, Arguing^.^ Method. 
 And notwithstanding all the progrels which may hap- 
 pen in Natural Knowledge^ all the feveral parts of 
 Reafoning, which it teaches in all manner of bufmefs, 
 will continue the fame : The operations, and power 
 of the Mind will ftill be the fame: They will ftill bt 
 fubjecl: to the fame errors : They will ftill ufc the fame 
 degrees of Arguing from particular things, to Tropofi- 
 tions a.\\&Conclufions ; and therefore they will flill re- 
 quire the fame means, and exercifes indirection. It is 
 not the complaint of the promoters of Experiment s y 
 that men have been wanting to themfeives, in regula- 
 ting, difpoflng, or judging of their own thoughts. 
 Nay, they rather condemn them, for being wholly 
 
 im-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 imploy'd about ti\z productions of their own Minds , 
 and neglecting all the works of Nature, that are with- 
 out them. It cannot therefore be fufpccled that 
 thefe Inquifiti've Men-, Ihould bufy themfelves about 
 altering ihc^rt ofT>ifcourfe^ wherein they judge that 
 mankind has been already rather too curious than 
 negligent. 
 
 The laft Part that I fhall mention, of the Learning 
 that is taught, is the Syftem of Natural Thilofofhy. 
 And it is in this alone, that I can allow, there will 
 be any alteration made, by this reformation of Know- 
 ledge* But yet the change will be fo advantageous, 
 that I have no reafon to difiemble it. I grant indeed 
 that the greateft part of the former Body of *Phyfics, 
 may hereby chance to fall to the ground. But to 
 what fum will the damage amount ? What can we 
 lofe, but only fome few definitions and idle queftions, 
 and empty difputations ? Of which I may fay, as one 
 did of Metaphors, Toterimus viv ere fine illis. Per- 
 haps there will be no more ufe of Twenty, or Thirty 
 obfcure Terms, fuch as Matter, and Form, 'Pri'vation^ 
 Entelichia, and the like. But to fupply their want, 
 an infinite variety of Inventions, Motions, and Opera- 
 tions^ will fucceed in the place of words. The beau- 
 tiful Bofom of Nature will be exposed to our -view : 
 We fhall enter into its Garden, and tafte of it Fruit s., 
 and fatisfy our felves with its plenty : Inftead of idle 
 talking, and wandring under its fruitlefs fhadows, as 
 the Teripeteticsdid in their firft inftiuuion, aud their 
 Succeflbrs have done ever fince. 
 
 Thus
 
 TbeHISTORTof 
 
 Sea. III. Thus far I have briefly examined the influence of 
 Experiments new Experiments, or all the chief Parts of Education* 
 "MS to g tbe ^nd a ^ ter al1 t ^ lc Innovation^, of which they can be 
 Univerfities. fufpe&ed, we find nothing will be indangcr'd, but 
 only the *Phyfics of Antiquity : wherein we ahb be- 
 hold, that many things of greater concernment, will 
 arife, to fupply the place of what ihall be cut away. 
 By this difcourfc, I hope, 1 have faid enough, to ma- 
 nifeft the innocence of this 'Dejjgn in refpect of all 
 the prcfcnt Schools of Learning} and cfpecrally our 
 own Univerjtties. And it was but juft, that we ftiould 
 have this tendernefs, for the intcreft of thofe magni- 
 ficent Seats of humane Knowledge * and divine, to 
 which the Natural ^Philofophy of our Nation, cannot 
 be injurious without horrible ingratitudes feeing in 
 them it has been principally cherifh'd, and revivM. 
 From hence the greateft part of out Modern Inven- 
 tions have dcducM their Original- It is true, fuch 
 Experimental Studies are largely difpers'd at this time : 
 But they firft came forth thence, as the Colonies 
 of old did from Rome: and therefore as thofe did, 
 they fhould rather intend the flrength, than the de- 
 ftrudion of their Mother Cities. 
 
 I confefs there have not been wanting fome for- 
 ward Afferters of new 'Philofophy^ who have not us'd 
 any kind of Moderation towards them : But have 
 prefently concluded, that nothing can be well done in 
 neuu ^DifcoverieSi unlcfs all the ancient Arts be firft 
 rcjc&cd, and their Nurferies abolifh'd. But the 
 rafhnefs of thele mcns proceedings, has rather pre- 
 ^_ judic'd, than advanc'd, what they make (hew to 
 promote. They have come as furioufly to the purg- 
 " mgof'Phibfifty, as our Modern Zealots did to the 
 
 Refer-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Reformation of Religion. And the one Party is as 
 juftly to be condemned, as the other. Nothing will 
 fuffice either of them, but an utter "Deflrufiion* Root 
 and Branchy of whatever has the face of Antiquity. 
 But as the Univerfities have withftood the fiercenefs of 
 the one's Zeal without Knowledge 5 fo there is no 
 doubt, but they will alfo prevail againft the Violence 
 of the other's pretences to Knowledge without 
 dence. 
 
 But now after I have {hewn that all the receiv'd Se &- IV" 
 Forms of Education will be fafe, I fhali make no Scruple 
 to add my Conjecture, that it could be no hindrance to 
 the minds of Men, if befides thofe courfcs of Studies tal 
 which are now follow'd, there were alfo trial made on - 
 of fome other more practical Ways, to prepare their 
 Minds for the World, and the Bufinefles of human 
 Life. It is not enough to urge againft this, that the 
 multiplicity of Methods would hinder and confound 
 the Spirits of young Men ; for it is apparent that no- 
 thing more fupprefles the Genius of Learners-^ than 
 the Formality ', and the Confinement of the Precepts, 
 by which they are inftrufted. To this purpoie I 
 will venture to propofe to the Confederation of wife 
 Men, whether this way o{ Teaching by Traffice and 
 Experiments, would not at leaft be as beneficial, as 
 the other by Univerfal Rules : Whether it were not 
 as profitable to apply the Eyes, and the Hands of 
 Children, to fee, and to touch all the feveral kinds of 
 fenfible Things* as to oblige them to learn, and remem- 
 "ber the difficult 'Doftrines of general Arts ? In a 
 word, Whether a Mechanical Education would not 
 excel the Methodical ? 
 
 " Tt * This
 
 3.30 The BISTORT of 
 
 This certainly is no new Device : For it was that 
 which Tlato intended, when he enjoin'd his Scholars 
 to begin \v\thGcometry, whereby, without qucftion, 
 he defign'd, that his tpijeiffcs fhould firft handle Ma- 
 terial Things, and grow familiar to vifible Objects, 
 before they cntcrM on the rctir'd Speculations of other 
 more abftracted Sciences. 
 
 According to this Counfcl of the Father of Thilo* 
 fophfrs, it would not be amifs, if before young Scho- 
 lars be far engag'd in the beaten Tracks of the Schools, 
 the Myfteries of Manual Arts, the Names of their 
 Inftruments, the Secrets of their Operations, the Effects 
 of Natural Caufcs, the feveral kinds of Beafts, of 
 Birds, of F/fhes, of <Plants y of Stones^ of Minerals^ 
 of Earths, of fPaters, and all their common Virtues 
 and Qualities, were propofed to be the Subjects of 
 their firft Thoughts and Obfervations. It may be here 
 fuggeflcd, That the vaft Number of fuch Particulars 
 will foon overwhelm their tender Minds, before they 
 are well eftablifh'd by Time, and Ufe. But on the 
 contrary it is evident, that the Memories of Touth are 
 fitter to retain fuch fenfiblc Images, than thofe of a 
 fuller Age. It is Memory that has moft Vigour in 
 Children, and Judgment in Men : Which if rightly 
 confider'd, will confirm what I faid, that perhaps we 
 take a prepofterous Courfe in Education, by teaching 
 General Rules, before 'Particular Things : And that 
 therein we have not a fufficient Regard to the differ- 
 ent Advantages of Touth and Manhood. We load 
 the Minds of Children with Doctrines, and Precepts, 
 to apprehend which they are moft unfit, by reafonof 
 the weaknefs of their Underftandings ; whereas they 
 might with more Profit be exercis'd in the Consideration 
 of vifibk and fenfible T kings \ of whofelmpreffions 
 
 they
 
 the R O T A L S O C IE T T. 
 
 they are moft capable, becaufe of the Strength of 
 their Memories, and the Perfection of their Senfes. 
 
 The firft Years of Men being thus freed from any 
 Apprehensions of Mifchief by new Experiments : I Experiment* 
 will now proceed more boldly to bring them in zwMm-toapraftkal 
 the Throngs, and Crowds of humane Bufinefs ; and to Life. 
 declare to all Profeifions, and practical Lives, that they 
 can receive no ill Impreflions from them, but that they 
 will be the moft beneficial and proper Studies, for 
 their Preparation and Direction* And to this Purpofe, 
 I will treat of their ufefulnefs, both in refpect of Mens 
 public Practice, and the private Government of their 
 own Minds. 
 
 As to the firft, it has been an old Complaint, that Experiments 
 has been long manag'd by Men of Bufinefs, againft many 'faefromtto 
 fans of Knowledge, that our Thoughts are thereby ^^ ther\orts\f 
 fected with fuch Conceptions as make them more unfit Learning. 
 for Action, than they would have been, if they were 
 wholly left to the force of their own Nature. The 
 common Accufations againft Learning are fuch as 
 thefe ; That it inclines Men to be unfettled, and con- 
 tentious ; That it takes up more of their Time, thaa 
 Men of Bufmefs ought to beftow ; That it makes them 
 Romantic i and fubject to frame more perfect Images 
 of Things, than the Things themfelves will bear ; That 
 it renders them overweening, unchangeable, and ob- 
 ftinatej That thereby Men become averfe from a 
 practical Courfe, aad unable to bear the Difficulties of 
 Action 5 That it employs them about Things, which 
 are no where in ufe in the World 5 and, that it draws 
 them to neglect and contemn their own prcfcnt Times, 
 by doting on the paft. But now I will maintain, that 
 4n every one of thefe Dangers Experimental Know* 
 
 Tt a ledge
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 ledge is lefs to be fufpcfted than any other; That in 
 moft of them (if not all) it is abfolutely innocent, 
 nay, That it contains the beft Remedies for the Di- 
 ftcmpen-, which iomc other forts of Lcaraing arc 
 thought to bring with them. 
 
 Seft. VI. The firft Objection againft Knowledge^ of which I 
 0*? -fa/* fhall take notice in the active part of Life, is this, That 
 againft " lt makes Men too plentiful in their Thoughts j too in- 
 Lsaming, vcntivc, and cavilling in their Arguments-, andfo ra- 
 That it t }* icr teaches them to be witty in Objecting* than rea- 
 ^ * n Rtfitowg* an ^ diligent m 'Performing. I confels 
 the Ancient 'Philofophy will hardly be able to vindi- 
 cate it felf from this Charge : For its chief Purpoie is 
 to enlarge the Fancy, and to fill the Head with the 
 Matter and Artifice of Difcourfe. But this cannot any 
 way touch the Art c f Experiments : That confiils not 
 in Topics of Reafoning, but of Working : That indeed 
 is full of doubting and inquiry, and will fcarce be 
 brought to fettle its Affent ; but it is fuch a doubting 
 as proceeds on Trials, and not on Arguments : That 
 d'ocs neither pradife nor cherilh this humour of Dif- 
 puting, which breaks the force of Things by the 
 iubtilty of Words ; as Seneca was faid to do by his 
 Style : It weakens M ens Arms, and flackensall the Si- 
 news of Action : For fo it commonly happens, that 
 luch earned Difputers evaporate all the rfrcngth of 
 their Minds in arguing, queftioning, and debating - y 
 and tire themfelves out before they come to the 
 Traffic?. 
 
 Se&. VII. j ne next Accufation is, That fo many intricate 
 kat'inakes P at ^ s > an< ^ fpacious Windings of Learning* will require 
 P too much naorc time than can be ipar'd by Men of active and 
 
 bu ( y
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 333; 
 
 bufy Lives. The Belief of this has always made a 1 ^ 
 wide Divorce between Men of Knowledge and Action* 
 while both have thought, that they muft either be 
 wholly Scholar S) or wholly Men ofujittefij and that 
 an Excellence in both theie Courfes, can never beob- 
 tain'd by human Wit. 'Tis true indeed, there is no 
 Knowledge or Science that can be acquitted from be- 
 ing too large, if their Trofejjorshwe not the Difcre- 
 lion to know how far to proceed, and what Modera- 
 tion is to be us'd in every Study. There is in the 
 leaft Art enough Matter, about which if Men fhall re- 
 folveto trouble their Brains all their Lives, one J)//^- 
 ftion and ^Difficulty will perpetually beget another, 
 and fo (as one of the Ancients fays) Ipjatraffatio, & 
 quteflio quotidie ex fe gignet aliquid^ quod cum deji~ 
 diofa delecJatione 'veftiges. 
 
 To' this Danger perhaps Experiments may feem 
 mod expos'd,, by reafon of the infinite multitude of 
 particulars, and innumerable variations of Inquiries, 
 that may be made. But the Royal Society has prevent- 
 ed this Mifchief, by the Number and Succeffion of thofe 
 thatfhall undertake the, Work. They require not the 
 whole time of any of their Me mbers y except only of 
 their Curators : From the reft they expect no more ^ 
 but what their Bujinefs^ nay even their very Recreati- 
 ons xan fpare.-, It is the Continuance and Perpetuity of 
 fuch Thilofophical Labour s, to which they principally 
 truft ; which will both allow a fufficient Relaxation 
 to all the particular Labourers, and will alfo give good 
 aflurance of the happy Ififue of their Work at the lafl : 
 For though that be true, which the Great Phyfician la- 
 ments, That Art is long, and Life is (hort , yet ma- 
 ny Lives of iludious and induflrious Men in, one Age-t 
 and the Succeilion of many Lives of fuch Men in all 
 
 futuia.
 
 future Ages, will undoubtedly prove as long as Art 
 itfelf. 
 
 Tfe'/Iv?' They ^ artner ^ c & againft Learning, That it 
 Otitffitn makes our Minds too Lofty and Romantic^ and inclines 
 rW /> them to form more perfect Imaginations of the Mat- 
 maketait tcrs we are to practife than the Matters themfelves 
 mantle w *^ ^ X3ir ' * cannot deny but a meer contemplative 
 Man is obnoxious to this Error : He converfes chiefly 
 in hisdofer, with the Heads and Notions of Things, 
 and fo difcerns not their Bottoms near and diftinctly 
 enough : And thence he is fubject to overlook the lit- 
 tle Circumftanccs, on which all human Actions de- 
 pend. He is ftill reducing all Things to ftanding^ZV 
 Etrtnes ; and therefore mult needs be liable to neglect 
 the Opportunities, to fet upon Bufinefs too foon, or too 
 late j to putthofe Things together in his Mind, which 
 have no agreement in Nature. But this above all is 
 his greateft Danger, that thinking it ftill becomes him to 
 go out of the ordinary Way, and to refine and heigh- 
 ten the Conceptions of the Vulgar, he will be ready 
 to difdain all the natural and eafy ways of 'Praflice, 
 and to believe that nothing ought to be done, though 
 never fo common, but by fome device of Art, and 
 trick of unufual Wifdom. 
 
 From thefe Inconvcniencies the Experimenter is fe- 
 cure: He invents not what he does out of himfelf; 
 but gathers it from the Footfteps and Progrefs of Na- 
 ture. He looks on every Thing (landing equal to it, 
 and not as from a higher Ground : He labours about 
 the plain and undigested Objects of his Senfes, without 
 confidering them as they are joyn'd into common 
 Notions. He has an Opportunity of underftanding 
 -the moft natural Ways by which all Things are pro- 
 
 duc'd.
 
 the ROYALSOCIETY. 
 
 duc'd. He clearly beholds all the fccret Accidents and 
 Turnings, Advantages and Failings of Nature. He 
 endeavours rather to know, than to admire ; and looks 
 upon Admiration, not as the End, but the Imperfecti- 
 on of our Knowledge. 
 
 The' next hindrance of ^ffion, is an obftinacy of Seft. IX. 
 Refolution, and a want of 'Dexterity to change our ap- The fourth' 
 prehenfions of Things according to Occaflons, This 2^/ ? - / / //> 
 is the more deftructivc, becaufe it carries with it the ma ^ es Men 
 moft fofelmn appearance of JVifdom. There is fcarce prefumptu- 
 any thing that renders a Man fo ufelcfs, as a perverfe y ? and ob ~ 
 flicking to the fame things in all times, becaufe hehas-' </7 
 fometimes found them to have been in Seafbn. But 
 now in this, there is fcarce any Comparifon to be made, 
 between him who is only a t kinking Man, and a Man 
 of Experience. Thcfirft does commonly eftablifh his 
 conftant Rules, by which he will be guided : The la- 
 ter makes none of his Opinions irrevocable. The one, 
 if he miftakes, receives his Errors from his Under ft and- 
 ing 5 the other only from his Senfes ; and fo he may 
 correct, and alter them with more eafe. The one fixes 
 his Opinion as foon s - the other doubts as long as he 
 can. The one chiefly ftrives to be unmovable in his 
 Mind; the other to enlarge, and amend his Know- 
 ledge : And from hence the one is inclined to be pre- 
 fnmptuousy the other modeft in his Judgment^ 
 
 The next Pretence, on which Men of Learning are Sett. X. 
 wont to be vilified, is, that they ufe to be fo much Tbefitb Ob- 
 affected with the pleafant Mufmgs of their own^f^^ 
 Thoughts, as to abhor the Roughnefs, and Toyl of j raw s Men 
 Bujinefs. This Accufation, I confefs, is not ahoge- of from Bu- 
 The folitary Imaginations of Spe-J >ne fe' 
 
 dilative
 
 TbeHISTORTof 
 
 dilative Men are of all other the moft eafy : There a 
 Man meets with little ftubbornnefs of Matter : He may 
 choofe his Subject where he likes ; he may fafhion and 
 turn it as hepleafes : Whereas when he comes abroad 
 into the World, he mud endure more Cont-adittion : 
 More'DifficuIties are to be overcome ; and he cannot 
 always follow his own Genius : So that it is not to be 
 wonder'd, that fo many great Wits have difpis'd the 
 labour of a practical Courie -, and have rather cholen 
 tofhut themlelves up from the Noife and Preferments 
 of the World? to converfe in the Shadow with the 
 pleafant^;W//#/072Jof their own Fancies. 
 
 And this perhaps is the reafon why the moft extra* 
 ordinary Men of Arts in all Ages, are generally ob- 
 ferv'd to be the greareft Humour ijts: They are fo full 
 of the fweetnefs of their own Conceptions, that they 
 become Morofe, when they are drawn from them, they 
 cannot eafily make their Minds dudil and pliable to 
 others Tempers, and fo they appear untractable, and 
 unskilful in Confer fat ion. 
 
 From this Ifhall alfo free fazExperimentalThilo- 
 fophtr. The Satisfaction that he finds, is not imagina- 
 ry, but real: It is drawn from Things that are not out 
 of the World, but in it : It does not carry him farther 
 off, but brings him nearer to ^Practice. 'Tis true, 
 that Knowledge which is only founded on Thoughts 
 and Words, has feldom any other end, but the breed^ 
 ing and increasing of more Thoughts and Words : But 
 that which is built on Works (as his will be) will na- 
 turaliy deJiretodiicovcr T to augment, t&apply, to com* 
 nninicate it felf by more JVorks. 
 
 Nor can it be thought, that his Mind will be made 
 to languifh by this plealiire of Obfervation, and to 
 Jbave any Averfion from the difficulty and tedioufnefs 
 
 of
 
 the R o Y A L S o c r E T Y. 337 
 
 of human Affairs;' feeing his way of Observation it felf 
 is fo laborious. It is a good Precept, which is wont to 
 be given in refped of all forts of Exercifes y that they 
 ftiould be at leaft as hard and toilfome,. as that Art 
 which we ilrive to gain by them. And by this Rule 
 Experiments are an excellent preparation towards any 
 habit or faculty of Life whatfoever. For what Thing, 
 which can be effected by mortal Tnduftry^ can feem im- 
 poflible to him who has been ingag'd in thefe Studies^ 
 which require fuch an indefatigable Watchfulnefs ? 
 What can overcome his Diligence, who has been able 
 to fuftain with Patience the Efcapes* the 'Delays, the 
 Labyrinths of Nature ; whom the Repetition of fo 
 many Labours, fo many Failings, with which he meets, 
 and fo long attendance could not tire? 
 
 ANOTHER principal Mifchief to be avoided, is the Se6l. XT. 
 Conformity of our Aftions to Times paft, and not the Thefexth 
 prefent. This Extravagance is generally imputed to ^>#/** 
 fludious Men ; and they cannot be wholly acquitted make? Mm 
 from it. For while they continue heaping up in their regard the 
 Memories the Cuftoms of paft Ages, they fall infenfi- Times pa/j 9 
 bly to imitate them, without any manner of Care how 
 fuitable they arc to Times and Things. The Grounds of 
 this Miftake will be worth our difcovering, becaufe 
 in Mens Opinions it does fo much Prejudice to the 
 Learned part of the World. In the ancient Authors 
 which they turn over, they find Defcriptions of Ver^ 
 tucs more 'perfect then indeed they were: TheG0- 
 vernmetits are reprefented better, and the Ways of 
 Life pleafanter than they deferv'd. Upon this, thefe 
 ookifi wife Men ftrait compare what they read with 
 what they fee : And here beholding nothing fo heroi- 
 cally -tranfcendent, becaufc they are able to mark all 
 
 U u the
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 the Sfots, as well as Beauties of every Thing, that is 
 fo clofe to their Sight, they prefently begin to difpife 
 their own Times, to exalt the paft, to contemn the 
 Virtues, and aggravate the Vices of their Country j not 
 endeavouring to amend them, but by fuch Examples as 
 arc now impracticable, by reafon of the Alteration of 
 Men and Manners. 
 
 For this Defect, Experiments arc a foveraign Cure : 
 They give us a perfect Sight of what is before us ; 
 they bring us home to our felves ; they make us live 
 in England, and not in Athens or Sparta, at this pre- 
 fent time, and not three thoufand Years ago: Though 
 they permit us to reflect on what has been done in for- 
 mer Ages ; yet they make us chiefly to regard and con- 
 template the Things that are in our View. This cer- 
 tainly is conformable to the *Defign of Nature it felf ; 
 which though it has fram'd our Bodies in that man- 
 ner, that we may eafily upon occafion turn about to 
 look behind us 5 yet it has plac'd the Eyes, the chief 
 Inftruments of Qbfer'vation^ not in our Backs, but in 
 our Foreheads. 
 
 Se&. XII. THE laft Failing which is wont to be imputed to 
 }fa b Learned Men, is want of Ufe, and fear of T raft ice, and 
 That it bin- a converfing with Things in their Studies, which they 
 ders Ufe. meet with no where elfe. It may now perhaps be 
 thought that an Experimenter is as inclinable to thcfe 
 Weaknefies, as he that only contemplates ; becaufc 
 they both keep out of the way, in the Shadow j the 
 one in \\\^Library, arguing, objecting, defending, conclu- 
 ding with himfelf j the other in his fforkhoufe^vithfuch 
 Tools and Materials, whereof many perhaps are not 
 publickly in ufe. Let us then confider which of them 
 is molt to be blam'd for converfmg with Matters un- 
 like
 
 -% > ft f\ TV* f i 3b W , - 
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 339 
 
 like thofe that we meet with in Civil Affairs ? And 
 which moft abounds with Fear s and ^Doubts-) and mi- 
 ftaken in Ideas of Things. 
 
 It cannot be denied, but the Men of Reading do 
 very much bufy themfelves about fuch Conceptions* 
 which are no where to be found out of their own 
 Chambers. The Senfe, the Cuff om,. the Tract ice, the 
 Judgment of the World, is quite a different Thing 
 from what they imagine it to be in private. And 
 therefore it is no wonder, if when they come abroad 
 into Bufinefs, the fight of Men, the Tumult and Noife 
 of Cities, and the very brightnefs of Day it felf af- 
 fright them : Like that Rhetorician* who having been 
 us'd to declaim in the fhade of a School, when he came 
 to plead a true Caufe in the open Air, defir'd the 
 Judges to remove their Seat under fome Roof, becaufe 
 the Light offended him. 
 
 But now on the other fide, the Men of 'Works and 
 'Experiments perhaps do not always handle the very 
 fame Subjects that are acted on the Stage of the World* 
 yet they are fuch as have a very great refemblance to 
 them. It is Matter-* a vifible and fenfible Matter* which 
 is the Object of their Labours: And the fame is alfo us'd 
 by Men of practical Lives. This Likenefs of their Im- 
 ployments will foon make the one excel in the other. 
 For it is far eafier for him who has been converfant 
 in one fort of Works* to apply himfelf to any other; 
 than for him who has only thought much, to turn a 
 Man of 'Practice : As he that can paint the Face of a 
 Man or a Lion, will much fooner come to draw any 
 other Creature, than he who has all the Rules of 
 Limning in his Head, but never yet us'd his Hand to 
 lay on a Colour. 
 
 And as for the Terrors and Mifappirekenfions which 
 U u z com-
 
 340 The BISTORT of 
 
 commonly confound weaker Minds, and make Mens 
 Hearts to fail and boggle at Trifles ; there is fo little 
 hope of having them remov'd by Speculation alone, 
 that it is evident they were firft produc'd by the moil 
 contemplative Men amongft the Ancients '> and chiefly 
 prevailed of late Years, when that way of Learning 
 flourifhed. The *Poets began of old to impofe the De- 
 ceit. They to make all Things look more venerable 
 than they, were, devis'd a thoufand falfe Chimaras ; on : 
 every Field, River, Grove, and Cave they beftow'd a 
 Fantafm of their own making: With thefe they a- 
 maz'd the World 5 thefc they cloath'd with what 
 Shapes they pleas'dj by thefe they pretended, that 
 all Wars, and Counfels, and Adions of Men were 
 adminiftred. And in the modern Ages thefe Fanta- 
 ftical Forms were reviv'd and poffefs'd Chrift endow, in .- 
 the very height of the Schoolmen* time : An infinite 
 Number ofFaries haunted every Houfe; all Churches 
 were fill'd v\\\\Appar it ion s ; Men began to be fright- 
 ed from their Cradles, which Fright continued to their 
 Graves, and their Names alfo were made the Caufcs of 
 fearing others. All which Abufcs if thofe acute Thi- 
 lofbphers did not promote, yet they were never able 
 to overcome ; nay, even not fo much as King Qberon 
 and hisinvifible Army. 
 
 But from the time in which the real 'Philofophy has 
 appear'd, there is fcarce any whifper remaining of 
 fuch Horrors ; Every Man is unfhakcn at thofe Talcs 
 at which his Anceflors trembled : The Courfe of Things 
 goes quietly along in its own true Channel of Natu- 
 ral Caufes and Effects. For this we are beholden to 
 Experiments ; which though they have not yet com- 
 pleated the Difcovery of the true World, yet they have 
 already vanquifh'd thofe wild Inhabitants of the falfe 
 
 Worlds
 
 the R o y A L So c i E T y. 
 
 Worlds, that us'd to aftonifh the Minds of Men. A 
 Blefling for which we ought to be thankful, if we re- 
 member, .that it is one of the greateft Curfes that 
 God pronounces on the Wicked, that they fhallfear 
 where no fear is. 
 
 From what I have faid may be gathered, That Ex- 
 perimentalT?hilofophy will prevent Mens (pending the 
 fbrength of their Thoughts about 'Difputes, by turning 
 them to Works : That it may well be attended by the 
 united Labours of many, without wholly devouring 
 the time of thofe that labour: That it will cure our 
 Minds o romantic Swelling by fhewing all Things fa- 
 miliarly to them, juft as large as they are: That it 
 will free them &om c Per r verJity, by not permitting., 
 them to be too peremptory in their Conclusions : That ' 
 it accufloms our Hands to Things which have a near 
 refemblance to the bufinefs of Life; and, that it 
 draws away the Shadows which either inlarge or dar- 
 ken human Affairs. And indeed of the ufual Titles 
 by which Men of Bufinefs are wont to be diftin- 
 guifh'd, the Crafty-, the Formal, and the 'Prudent*-, 
 the Crafty may anfwer to the Empyric\\\ ^Philofophy^ 
 that is, he is iuch a one who has a great Collection of 
 particular Experit*M$x& knows not how to ufc them 
 but to bafe and low Ends. The Formal Mm may be 
 compar'd to the meer Speculative *Philofopher : For he 
 vainly reduces every Thing to grave and folemn gene- 
 ral RuteJ, without Difcretion, or mature Deliberation. 
 And.laftfy, the Trudent Man is like him who pro- 
 ceeds on a conftant and folid courfe of Experiments. 
 The one in Civil Life neither wholly rejects the Wif- 
 dom of Ancient or Modern times : The other in *P ki- 
 lo fopky has the fame reverence for former Ages, and re- 
 gard for the prefent. The. one does not reft upon 
 
 empty
 
 34* 
 
 Se&. XIII. 
 Expert- 
 
 ^" 
 
 Minds. 
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 -empty Tnidence y but defigns it for Action : The other 
 does the fame with his Difcoveries : Upon a juft, fe- 
 vere, and deliberate Examination of Things, they both 
 raife their OhfirUUtfOMS, which they do not fuflfcr to 
 lie idle, but ufe them to dired the Attions, and fup- 
 ply the Wants of human Life. 
 
 BESIDES what I have faid of the help which Expe- 
 riments will bring to our public 'Duties, and civil 
 ^flions, 1 promib'd to add fomething concerning the 
 Afliftance that they arc able to give towards the Ma- 
 nngement of the private Motions, and Taffions of our 
 Minds : Of this I need fay the lefs, becaufe there is 
 amongft \ht3Pbibfipbers a particular Science appoint- 
 ed for this Purpofe, to prcfcribc Rules for calming our 
 ^AffcfticnS) and conquering our Vites. However, I 
 will not wholly pafs it over in Silence : but I will try 
 in few Words to make appear, that the real 'Philofo- 
 fhy will fupply our Thoughts with excellent Medi- 
 cines againft their own Extravagancies, and will 
 Icrve in fome fort, for the fame ends, which the Moral 
 profeflcs to accompliih. 
 
 If we fhall caft an Eye on all the Tempejls which 
 arile within our Breafts, and confider the Caufes, and 
 .Remedies of all the violent *DeJireSj malicious Envies^ 
 imtemperatc Joys, and irregular Griefs, by which 
 the Lives of moft Men become miferahle, or guilty ; 
 we fhall find, that they are chiefly produc'd by Idle- 
 nefs, and may be moil naturally cur'd by c Di t verfion. 
 Whatever Art fhall be able to bufy the Minds of Men, 
 with a conftant courfe of innocent JTorks, or to fill 
 them with as vigorous and pleai'ant Images, as thole 
 ill Impreffions, by which they are deluded 5 it will 
 -ccrwiiily have a furer cffeft in the compofing and 
 
 purifying
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 343 
 
 purifying of their Thoughts, than all the rigid Pre- 
 cepts of the Stoical, or the empty Diftin&ions of the 
 'Peripatetic Moral jfis: 
 
 Now then it is requir'd in that Study, which fhall 
 attempt, according to the force of Nature, to cure 
 the Difeafes of the Mind, that it keep it from Idleneft, 
 by full and earneft Employments-^ and that it pofiefs 
 it with innocent, various, lafling, and even fcnfible 
 ^Delights. 
 
 How active and induftrious the Art of Experiments 
 ought to be, may be concluded from the whole te- 
 nour of my Difcourfe : wherein I have often prov'd, 
 that it can never be finifh'd by the perpetual Labours 
 of any one Man, nay fcarce by the luccellive force of 
 the greateft, Affembly. 
 
 That therefore being taken for granted, that it will 
 afford eternal Employments : It is alfo as true, that it's 
 Labours will contain the moft affecting, and the moft 
 diverting 'Delights : And that thence it has Power 
 enough to free the Minds of Men from their Vanities 
 and Intemperance, by that very way which the great- 
 eft Epicure has no reafon to reject, by oppofing Plca- 
 fure againft Pleafure. 
 
 And I dare challange all the corrupt Arts of our 
 Senfes, or the Devices of voluptuous Wits, to pro- 
 vide fuller, more changable, or nearer Objects, for 
 the Contentment of Mens Minds. It were indeed 
 to be wim'd, that fevere Virtue itfelf, attended only 
 by its own Authority, were powerful enough to efta- 
 blifh its Dominion. But it cannot be fo. The Corrupti- 
 ons, and Infirmities of Human Nature.fand in need of 
 all manner of Allurements, to draw us to Good, and 
 quiet Manners. I will therefore propofe for this 
 End this Courfe.of Study, which will not affright us 
 
 with
 
 The HIST OR? of 
 
 with rigid Precepts, or four Looks, or peevifli Com- 
 mands, but confifts of fenfible *Pleafnrc, and befides 
 
 .will be moft 1 aft ing m its Satisfaction, and innocent 
 in its Remembrance. 
 
 VfhttRapture s can the moft voluptuouslAzn fancy, 
 to which thefe are not equal? Can they relifh no- 
 thing but the *Pleafurcs of their Senfes? They may 
 here enjoy them without Guilt or Remorfe. Are they 
 affrighted at the Difficulties of Knowledge? Here 
 they may meet with a Study, that as well fits the 
 moft negligent Minds, as the moft induftfious. This 
 confifts of Ib many Works, and thofe fo obvious, and 
 
 .facil, that the moft laborious will never find Caufeto 
 be idle, and the moft idle may ftill have fomething 
 to do with the greateft eafe. In this they need not 
 weary themfelves by fearching for Matter : whatever 
 they feel, or fee, will afford them Obfiri'ations. In 
 this -there is no tedious Preparation requir'd to fit 
 them for fuch Endeavours : as foon as they have the 
 
 , ufe of their Hands, and Eyes, and common Senfe, they 
 are fufficiently furnifh'd to undertake them. Though 
 we cannot comprehend the Arts of Men without 
 many previous Studies, yet fuch is the Indulgence 
 of Nature, that it has from the Beginning, out of 
 its own Store, fufficiently provided every Man with 
 all Things, that are needful for the understanding of 
 itfelf. 
 
 Thus neither the fenfual MM, has any occafionto 
 
 contemn Experiments as unplcafant, nor the idle as 
 
 , burdcnfomc, or intolerable, nor the virtuous as un- 
 worthy of his Labours. And the fame Influence they 
 may have on all other moral Imperfections of human 
 Nature. What room can there be for low and little 
 
 .Things in a Mind to ufefully and fuccefsfully employ M ? 
 
 What
 
 the R o Y A L SOCIETY. 
 
 *D if quiets can torment that Man, who 
 has fo much Glory before him, for which there are 
 only requir'd the delightful Works of his Hands? 
 What dark or melancholy Paffions can overftiadow 
 his Heart, whofe Senfes are always full of fo many 
 various ^Productions, of which the leaft Progrefs, and 
 Succefs, will affect him with an innocent Joy ? What 
 Anger, Envy, Hatred, or Revenge, can long torment 
 his Breaft, whom not only the greateft, and nobleft 
 Objects, but every Sand, every Pebble, every Grafs, 
 every Earth, every Fly can divert ? To whom the 
 return of every Seafon, every Month, every Day, do 
 fuggeft a Circle of mod pleafant Operations ? If the 
 Antients prefcrib'd it as a fufficient Remedy againft 
 fuch violent TaJJions, only to repeat the Alphabet 
 over ; whereby there was Leifure given to the Mind> 
 to recover itfelf from any fudden Fury : Then how 
 much more effectual Medicines, againft the fame 2)/- 
 flemperSy may be fctch'd from the whole Alphabet of 
 Nature, which reprefents itfelf to our Confederation, 
 in fo many infinite Volumes! 
 
 I will now proceed to the weightieft, and moft Se& 
 folemn Part of my whole Undertaking ; to make a 
 Defence of the Royal Society ', and this new Expert- 
 mental Learning, inRefped of the Chriftian Faith. 
 I am not ignorant, in what a flippery Place I now 
 ftand j and what a tender Matter I am enter'd upon. 
 I know that it is almoft impoflible without Offence, 
 to fpeak of things of this Nature, in which all Man* 
 kind, each Country, and now almoft every Family, 
 do fo widely difagree among themfelves. I cannot 
 expect that what I {hall fay will efcape Mifinterpreta- 
 tion, though it bs fpoken with the greateft Sim- 
 
 X x plicity,
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 plicity, ani Submiflion, while I behold that moft 
 Wen do rather value thcmfclvcs, and others, on the 
 little Differences of Religion, than the main Subftance 
 itlelf $ and while the \Villof God is To variouQy di- 
 flrac-led, that \vhatappears LO be Tiety to fome Chri* 
 
 Jfians, is abhorr'd as the greatefE Supei'ftition and He- 
 
 "cefy by others.. 
 
 However to fmooth my Way as much as I can,, and 
 so prepare all our fevcral Spiritual Interefls y to read 
 this Part with fome tolerable Moderation* I do here, 
 in the beginning, mod finccrcly declare, that if this 
 Dcfignfhouldin the leaftdiminifh the Reverence that 
 is due to the 'Doctrine of Jefus Chrift, it were fo far 
 
 from defer ving frOteS/ffth that it ought to be ab- 
 ftorr'd by all the ^Politic and ^Prudent* as well as by 
 the devout Part of Chriftcndom. And this, Lprofd's, 
 I think tliey were bound to do, not only from a juft 
 Dread of the Being, the fforfbipj tke Omnipotence, 
 the Love of Go/tj all which are to be held in the 
 highcft Veneration, but alia out of a Regard to the 
 Peace and Profperity of Men. In iMatters that con^ 
 ccrn our Opinions of another TV&rld, the lead Altera- 
 tions are of wonderful Hazard. How mifchievous then 
 would that Enterprise be, whofe EfFcifls would aboliih 
 the Command of Confc'ience, the Belief of a Future 
 Life ; or any of thofe Heavenly 'Doctrines, by which 
 not only the Eternal' Condition of Men is fecur'd, 
 but their Natural ReafotL, and their Temporal Safety 
 advanc'd ? \Vhocver fhall impioufly attempt to fubvert 
 the Authority of die 'Divine f Po--^er, on falfc Preten- 
 ces to better Knowledge, he will unleutle theftrongeft 
 Foundations of our Plopes :' he will make a terrible 
 Confufion in all the Orlices and Opinions of Men : he 
 jwill deftroy the moft prevailing Argument to Virtue : 
 
 he
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 34,7 
 
 lie will remove all Human Aft ions, from their firmeft 
 Center : he will even deprive himielf of the Prero- 
 gative of his Immortal Soul*, and will have the fame 
 Succefs that the Ancient Fables make thofe to have 
 had, who contended with their God, of whom they 
 report, that many were immediately turn'd into 
 Beafts. 
 
 With thefe Apprehenfions I come to examine the 
 Objections, which I am now to fatisfy : and having 
 calmly compared the Arguments of fome devout Men 
 againft Knowledge, and chiefly that of Experiments ; 
 I muft pronounce them both to be altogether inof- 
 fenfive. I did before affirm, that the Royal Society 
 is abundantly cautious, not to intermeddle in Spiritual 
 Things : But that being only a general Plea, and the 
 Queftion not lying fo much on what they do at pre- 
 ient, as upon the probable Effects of their Enterprize, 
 I will bring it to the Teft through the chref Parts of 
 Chriftianity -> and fhcw that it will be found as much 
 averfe from Atheifm^ in its Ifliie and Coniequences, as 
 k was in its orginal Purpofe. 
 
 The publick Declaration of the Chrijlian Religion*' 
 is to propofe to Mankind an infallible "Way to Sftlva- 
 tion. Towards the Performance of this happy End, 
 befides faz^Principles of Natural Religion, which con- 
 lifts in the Acknowledgment and Worlhip of a 'Deity, 
 it has'OrTer'd us the Merits of a glorious Saviour: 
 By him, and \i\s Apo flies Miniftry, it has given usfuf- 
 ficient Examples, and T>o5trines, to acquaint us with 
 Tirjine Things, and carry us to Heaven. In every one 
 of thefe, the Experiments of Natural Things, do nei- 
 ther darken our Eyes, nor deceive our Minds, nor de- 
 prave- our Hearts. 
 
 . 'io itww 
 X x a Brft,
 
 348 
 
 \ Tt 
 
 Sea. XV. - Fjrfl^ there can be nojuft Rcafon afllgu'd, why an 
 wlK"de- S Experimwter Hiould be prone to deny the Eflence, 
 Jiroy the Do- a ^d Properties of God, the imiverfal Sovereignty of 
 tfrine of the his 'Dominion, and his Providence over the Creation. 
 Godhead. j^ e j ias before him the very fame Argument to con- 
 firm his Judgment in all thefe ; with which he himfclf 
 is wont to be abundantly fatisfy'd, when he meets 
 with it in any of his ^Philofopbical Inquiries. In every 
 thing that he tries, he believes, that this is enough for 
 him to reft on > if he finds, that not only his own, but 
 the univerfal Obfervations of Men of all Times and 
 Places, without any mutual Confpiracy, haveconfent- 
 ed in the fame Conclujion. How can he then refrain 
 from embracing this common Truth, which is wit- 
 nefs'd by the unanimous Approbation of aU Countries^ 
 the Agreement of Nat ions , and the fecret Acknow- 
 ledgment of every Man's Breaft ? 
 
 Tis true, his Employment is about materialThings. 
 But this is fo far from drawing him to oppofe invi- 
 fible Beings ', that it rather puts his Thouglits into aa 
 excellent good Capacity to believe them. In every 
 Work of Nature that he handles, he knows that there 
 is not only a grofs Subftance, which prefents itfelf 
 to alt Mens Eyes ; but an infinite Subtilty of Tarts, 
 which come not into the lharpeft Senle. So that what 
 the Scripture relates of the Purity of God* of the 
 Spirituality of his Nature* and that of Angels, and 
 the Souls of Men, cannot feem incredible to him> when 
 he perceives the numberlefs Particles that move in 
 every Man's Blood, and the prodigious Streams that 
 continually flow unfeen from every Body . Having 
 found that his own Senfes have been fo far afllft- 
 ed by the Inftntments of Art, he may fooner ad- 
 mit.
 
 the R o Y A L S o e IE T Y: 
 
 mit, that his Mind ou^ht to be rais'd higher, by a 
 heavenly Light, in thofe things wherein his Senfes 
 do fall fhort. If (as the Afoflle fays) the invisible things 
 of G^are manifefted by the vifible ; then how much 
 ftrenger Arguments has he for his Belief, in the eter- 
 nal fewer and Godhead, from the vaft Number of 
 Creatures, that are inviftble to others, but are exposM 
 to his View by the help of his Experiments ? 
 
 Thus he is prepar'dto admit a 'Deity, and to 
 brace the Confequences of that ConceiTIon. He \^ Experiments. 
 alfo from his Experiment szs well furnifh'd with not 
 gitments to adore it: He has always before his 
 the Beauty, Contrivance^ and Order of God's Works : 
 From hence he will learn to ferve him with all Reve- 
 rence, who in all that he has made, confulted Orna~ 
 went-, as well as Ufe. 
 
 From hence he will beft underftand the infinite Di- 
 ftance between himfelf and his Creator-, when he- 
 finds that all things were produced by him : Whereas * 
 he by all his Study, can fcarce imitate the leaft Effects, 
 nor haften, or retard the common Courfe of Nature.- 
 This will teach him to w0r/fc//> that Wifdom-, by which- 
 all things arefo eafily fuflain'd, when he has look/d: 
 more familiarly into them, and beheld the Chances- 
 and .Alterations, to which they are expofed. Hence 
 he will be led to admire the wonderful Contrivance; 
 of- the Creation ; and fo to apply, and direcl: his 
 Praifes aright; which, no doubt, when they are o- 
 fer'dupto//^ww, from the Mouth of one, who hns- 
 weH ftudied what he commends, will be more fuita- 
 ble to the Divine Nature, than the blind Applaufes > 
 of the Ignorant. This was the firft Service that Adam; 
 performed to his Creator y when he obey'd him in mu- 
 
 flring ;
 
 The HISTORY of 
 
 firing, and naming, and looking into the Nature of all 
 the Creatures. This had been the only Religion, if 
 Man had continued innocent in c Paradifi j -> and had not 
 wanted a Redemption. Of this the Scripture itfelf 
 makes fo much Ufe, that if any devout Manfhallre- 
 j eel all NaturalThilofophy, he may blot Genefis, and 
 7^, andthcy/rf/w.r, and ifome other Books out of the 
 Canon of die Bible. God never yet left himfelf with- 
 out Witncfs in die World: And it is obfervable, that 
 he has commonly chofen the dark and ignorant Ages % 
 wherein to work Miracles 5 but feldoni or never the 
 Times when Natural Knowledge prevail'd : For he 
 knew there was not fo much need to make ufe of ex- 
 traordinary Signs, when Men were diligent in the 
 Works of his Hands, and attentive on the Imprcflions 
 of his Foot-fteps in his Creatures. 
 - It is almoft a proverbial Speech, that themoft Learn, 
 ed Ages are flill the mofl Atheiftical, and the Ignorant 
 moft Devout. Whoever devis'd this Diftinc'tion at 
 firft, the true *Piety is little beholden to him for it ^ 
 for inftead of obeying the Jewifb Law, which for- 
 bids us to offer up to God a Sacrifice that has a Blc- 
 mifh, he has beftow'd the mod excellent of all the 
 Race of Men on the Devil - y and has only afllgn'd to 
 Religion thofc Men and thole Times, which have the 
 greateft Blcmifh of Human Nature-) even a Defect in 
 their Knowledge and Under Jtanding. 
 
 If there can be found any Colour for this Obferva* 
 tion, that the Light of Reafon fliould produce a Spiri- 
 tual'Darknefs 5 it can only then hold good, when the 
 Knowledge of Men, and not that of Nature , abounds. 
 Whether the firft be true, or no, let the 'Politicians 
 confider : But of the fecond, this is a fufficicnt Con- 
 -xi&ion, that in moft Countries God has been wor- 
 
 fhipp'd
 
 t*he ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 fnipp'd in a Form proportionable to that kind of Natti- 
 ral Thilofophy in which they excell'd. In Terjia where 
 the Skill of the Heavenly Mot ions fak began, they had . 
 their Temples on the Tops of Hills, and open to the 
 Air. In JELgypt they had the belt Opportunities of flu- 
 dying the Nature of living Creature s > by reafon of 
 that variety which their River and their Land pro- 
 duc'd. And their Religious Myfleries were contain'd 
 \\\HieroglypbickS) which were moft of them borrow M 
 from Beafts. And why mould Natural T hilofophy be 
 now condemn'd for contempt of all ^Divinity* when 
 of old it did rather incline them to Super ft ition-> which 
 is the other extreme ? It is true indeed, by that Know- 
 ledge which they had of many Creatures, they were 
 drawn to adore them ; but that was only becauie 
 it was imperfeft: If they had underftood them 
 throughly, they had never done.it : Sostrue is that Say- 
 ing of my Lord Bacon, That by a little Knowledge of 
 Nature Men become Atheijts ; but a great deal ret urns 
 them back again to a found and religious Mind. In 
 brief, if we rightly apprehend the Matter, it will be 
 found that it is not only Sottifhnefs, but Prophanefs, 
 for Men to cry out againft the undcrftanding of Na- 
 ture; for that being nothing clfe but the Inllru- 
 mcnt of God, whereby he gives Being and Action 
 to Things, the Knowledge of it deferves fo little to be 
 cftecm'd impious, that it ought rather to be reckon'd 
 as 'Divine. 
 
 But the chief Part of our Religion, on which the Se ^ xVII. 
 Certainty of all the reft depends, is the Evangelical Experiment: 
 ^Doclrine of Salvation by Jefus Chrift. In this there ?' prejudi- 
 is nothing from which he that converfes much with Na- ^^ r / nf e O f 
 tnre, can be thought to be more averfe than others : //,, 
 
 nay,
 
 nay, to which he may not be concluded to be more 
 inclinable, on this very Account ; feeing it has all 
 been prov'dto him his own Way. Had not the appear- 
 ance otChrift been ftrengthcn'd by undeniable Signs of 
 Almighty Tower , no Age nor Place had been oblig'd 
 to believe his Meflage. And thefc Miracles with which 
 he afierted the Truths that he taught ( if 1 might 
 be allow'd this Boldnefs in a Matter fo facred) I would 
 even venture to call 'Divine Experiments of his God- 
 bend. 
 
 What then can there be in all this ^Dottrine^ at 
 which a real and impartial Inquirer into natural 
 Things-, fhould be offended ? Does he demand a 
 Tcftimony from Heaven ? He has it : He reads Effects 
 produced, that did exceed all mortal Skill and Force : 
 And of this he himfelf is a better Judge than others: 
 Fortounderftand aright what is Supernatural, it is a 
 good Step firft to know what is according to Nature. 
 
 Does he require that this fhould be tcflified, not 
 by Men of Craft or Speculation ; but rather by Men of 
 Honefyj Trades, zn&BuJinefs ? The Apoftles were 
 fuch. Will he not confent to any Man's Opinions^ un- 
 lefs he fees the Operations of his Hands agree with 
 them ? Chrift himielf requires no more of any of his 
 Followers : For he commanded his ^Difciples not to 
 believe him, but the Works that he did. Docs he think 
 that it is the moft honourable Labour to ftudy the Be- 
 nefit of Mankind? to help their Infirmities ? tofupply 
 their Wants? toeafe their Burdens? He here may be- 
 hold the whole 'Doftrine of Future. Happinefs intro- 
 duc'd by the fame Means ; by feeding the Hungry, by 
 curing the Lame, and by opening the Eyes of the 
 Blind : All which may be call'd 'Philofophical Works, 
 perform'dby an Almighty Hand. 
 
 What
 
 tie ROYAL. SOCIETY. 3 $ 3 
 
 AY hat then can hinder him from loving and admi- 
 f ing this Saviour, whofe'De/jgn is fo comfortable to 
 his own, but his Ability fo much greater ? What Jea- 
 loufy can he have of an Impofture in this Meffids .? 
 Who though his *Doftrine was fo pure and venerable, 
 though his Life wasfo blamelefs, though he had the 
 Power of Heaven and Earth in his Hands, though he 
 knew the Thoughts of Men, and might have touched 
 and mov'd them as he pleas'd ; did yet not rely on his 
 f Dotfrine, on his Life, ontheirrefiftible Afliitance of 
 Angels^ or on his own 'Divinity alone j but ftoop'd 
 to convince Men by their Senjes^ and by the very 
 fame Courfe by which they receive all their Natural 
 Knowledge. 
 ^^ . 
 
 T H E laft Ttotfrinal Part of our Religion I fliall XVllI. 
 mention, confifts of thofe 'Doffrines which have been *&"""*& 
 long fince deduced by Confequences from the Scrip- Tfonwibt^ 
 ture, and are now fettled in the Body of that 'Divinityj Doftrine of 
 which was deliver'd down to us by the 'Primitive tj: ; e 
 Church, and which the generality QtiChriflendom em- tlve 
 braces. It may here be fuggeftcd, that the fenfible 
 Knowledge of Things may in time abolifh moft of 
 thefe, by infinuating into Mens Minds that they can- 
 not ftand before the Impartiality of 'Philofophical In- 
 quifitions. But this Surmife has no manner of Founda- 
 tion. Thefe Superstructures are of two Sorts: Either 
 thofe of which a Man may have a clear A pprehenfioii 
 in his Thoughts, upon a rational Account, and which 
 are intelligible to any ordinary Reader 5 or elfe fuch 
 as exceed the common Meafures of our Reafon and 
 Senfts. There will be no Fear that an Experimenter 
 fhould rejed: the firft, feeing they may be concciv'd 
 by the meancft Capacity, and have that Stamp upon 
 
 Y y them,
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 them, which he for the moft part efteems the Chat-a- 
 fter of Truth-* that they are vulgar. But now to- 
 wards the confenting to the laft, there is nothing bet- 
 ter than to believe them in grofs 5 and for this he is 
 as well prcpar'd as any other Thilofopher. If we fup- 
 pofe him lufriciently convinced of the Authority of 
 the Deliverer, (as I have already fhewn he may be) 
 he cannot be fufpe&cd for difa vowing his Word r 
 though never fo myftical, or for refifting the Voice 
 ofhimwhofe Arm he has found to be Omnipotent. 
 This Submiftion of his Judgment he may make, not- 
 withftanding the Severity of his Inquiries ; and the 
 moft fubtil fpeculative Man in the World can do no 
 more. After all his acute Arguings in 'Divinity, he 
 can never render any one Point, which is the proper 
 Object of Faith j to be plain, and equal, andexprcfli- 
 ble to our Reafon. What good can he then do ? feeing 
 he is not able to make it any way fitter for our Faith* 
 by all his Tranjcendental Notions, than it was before 
 on the bare Account of the wondrous Works of the 
 Author. 
 
 This is the Place in which the 'Peripatetic Thilo- 
 fophy has long triumphed ; but I cannot imagine on 
 what Right. Thefpiritual and fupernatural Part of Chri^ 
 flianity nofPhilo fophy can reach 5 and in the plain things 
 there is no need of any at all ; 'fo that it is excluded 
 on both Accounts. In fome 'Doctrines \t is ufelefs, by 
 reafon of therr Sublimity 5 in others, becaufe of their 
 Commonnefs. How fmall Afliftance it brings, maybe 
 feen in thole very Points in which its Empire feems 
 moft to be plac'd, in God's 'Decrees, his Immateriality, 
 his Eternity > and the holy Myftery of the Trinity : 
 in all which we are only brought into a more learn- 
 ed Daiknefs by it 5 and in which unfathomable 
 
 Depths 

 
 Me ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Depths a plain Believing is at laft acknowledged \yj 
 all to be our only Refuge. The Truth is, notwith- 
 ilanding the great Stir they have made about Religi- 
 m> if we had only followed their Light, we had ftill 
 worfhipp'd the Creator and Redeemer of the World 
 under the fame Title by which their Predeceffors did 
 formerly at Athens, as the unknown God. 
 
 This 1 have urg'd fo far, becaufel am confident that 
 the reducing of Chriftianlty to one particular Seel: of 
 *Philofophy, and confining it to that, is one of the mofl 
 deflrudive Engines that ever was manag'd againft it. 
 Of this the Church of Rome, for her Share, has already - 
 found the ill Effects : And the Danger is apparent : For 
 by this means the Benefit of Religion will become very 
 narrow, feeing where Reafon takes Place, it will only 
 convince them who are of the fame Opinions in Thilo- 
 fophy with thofe that convert them : Andalfo, (that 
 which is worfe) if ever by any Fate of Times, or Change 
 of Governments, or Succeffion of new Arts, that Se& 
 (hall chance to be quite broken, ihe^Dofitrine of Chrifty 
 relying upon it, were inevitably ruin'd, unlefs God 
 were pleas'd to fupport it a fupernatural Way, or to 
 reftore it again by new Miracles. Religion ought not 
 to be the Subject of *D if put at ions : It fliould not ftand 
 in need of any Devifes of Reafon : It fhould in this be 
 like the temporal Laws of all Countries, towards the 
 obeying of which there is no need of Syllogifms or 
 ^Dijlinftions*-, nothing elfe is neceflary but a bare Pro- 
 mulgation, a common Apprehenfion, and Senfe 
 enough to underftand the Grammatical Meaning of 
 ordinary Words. Nor ought Thilofophers to regret 
 this Divorce -, feeing they have almoft deftroy'd 
 themfelves, by keeping ChriJIianity fo long under 
 their Guard ; by fetching Religion out of the Church 
 
 Y y 2 and
 
 The H I ST OJiT of 
 
 ?nj carrying it Captive into the Sc-Loo!s> they have 
 madeitfufFerEanifhment from its proper Place: And 
 they have withal thereby very much corrupted the 
 Subftance of their own Knowledge i They have done 
 ss the < Phi!ift'mes\wfe\'L\^ 'on. the ^; who by the 
 time Action depiiv'd the People of GW of their /W/-' 
 > and alfo brought a Plague amongft themfelv-es.. 
 
 Sect XIX. T H u s far I truft it will be confefsM, that Experi- 
 Expgrimenti fens are unblamcable. But yet there is much more 
 
 !/ *t D //- bcliind,of which many pious Men are wont to cxpreis 
 dertbe rra- ' . ' . ,1 t i n n i i 
 
 ///^ /jR^- their (ealoufy. ror though tliey mall be brought 
 
 S&icn*. to allow, that all thefc 'Doflrjnes, which I have- 
 named, may feem to remain fafe amidfl the Studies 
 of Natural Things : Yet they ftill whifper, that they 
 may chance by degrees, to make the Sincerity of De- 
 votion appear ridiculous, and to bring the Strictncfs 
 of holy Life out.of.Ealhion: And .that- fo^ they will 
 iiloatly, and by Piece-meals, demolrih Religion-, which 
 they dare not openly encounter. I will therefore- 
 next endeavour the Removal of thcf? Scruples, though 
 J, furliciently underlhmd, that it is a very difficult 
 Work, to confute fuch popular and plaufible Errors> 
 which have the Pretence of the Caufe of God to con- 
 n-rrn thcir 
 
 The chief Subftancc of real and fobcr 'Piety, is 
 ccntain'd in the devout Obfervation of all thofe \\'ays 
 whereby GW.has been pleas'd to nun i fell his Will j 
 2nd in a right .Separation of our Minds from theLuuV 
 2-nd Defircs of the World. The moft remarkable Means, 
 whereby he has made known his Pleafure, are thofe 
 which have been fix'd and reveald in his IVord, or 
 elfe the extraordinary Signs> of his Authority, and 
 Command. 
 
 Con,.
 
 R o Y A L S o c i E T Y. 
 
 Concerning our Acknowledgment of his reveal* d 
 the Scripture.^ \ have already fpoken. And 
 our Obedience to the latter, con fifts chiefly of two 
 Kinds j an humble SubmifTion to ^Divine ^Prophecies, 
 andia careful Obfervance of all remarkable Providen- 
 ces. In both which Experimental Thilofophy may 
 well be juftify'd. It may perhaps correct fomc E'xcefics 
 which are incident to them : But it declares no Enmity 
 a'gainft the things themfelvcs. 
 
 The Sum of all the whole ^Doftrine of Prophecies ' 
 is this, that the great Creator of the World has the 
 Prerogative- of forefecing, appointing, and predict- 
 ing all future Events : That he has often, in former 
 Ages, made- ufe of this Power, by the Vifions and 
 Raptures of holy Men infpir'd from above ; that his 
 infinite Wifdom has ftill the like Ability to do the fame , -, 
 that whenever fuch Predictions - are accompanied ! 
 with undeniable Teftimonies of their being fent frorm 
 Hea-ven r t\\zy ought to be peferr'd before all humane 
 Laws. 
 
 The true Foundation of divine *P*rodigies y is much ? 
 of the fame Nature with the other : It relies on thefe - 
 SuppofitionSj-that all the Creatures are .fubjecl: to God's 
 Wordy by which they were made ; that he can alter 
 tkeir Courfes, exalt or deftroy their Natures,- and 1 
 move them to different Ends from their own, accord-' 
 ing to his Pleafure j that this he has often done r 
 heretofore; that {till his Arm. is not weakned, ! nor 
 the fame Omnipotence diminiftYd 5 that ftill he may 
 change the wonted Law of the Cr eat ton, and difpofe- 
 of the Beings and Motions of all Things, without 
 controul 5 and that when this is done, it is with a pe- 
 culiar Defign of punifhing, or rewarding, or fore- 
 warning Mankind,,
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 To the Belief and Afiertion of thcfe 'Doctrines, we 
 are oblig'd by the very end of Religion itfelf. But yet 
 their counterfeit Colours have feduc'd many virtuous 
 Minds into manifold Mifchiefs. 
 
 The Miftakes about Prophecies may arife either 
 from our abufing of the old, or a'vain fetting up of new. 
 We err in the firft, when we tranflate the ancient 
 'Prophecies from thofe Times and Countries, which 
 they did properly regard, to others, which they do 
 not concern. And we offend in the fecond, when 
 we admit of new Prophetical Spirits in this Age, 
 without the uncontroulablc Tokens of Heavenly Au- 
 thority. 
 
 We are guilty of falfc Interpretations of 'Pro videnc es 
 and Wonders, when we either make thofc to be Mira- 
 cles that are none, or when we put a falfe Senfe on 
 thofc that are real ; when we make general Events to 
 have a private Afpcct, or particular Accidents to have 
 fomc univerfal Signification. Though both thefc may 
 fecm at firft to have the ftricteft Appearance of Reli- 
 gion, yet they are the greateft Ufurpations on the Secrets 
 of die Almighty, and unpardonable Preemptions on 
 his high 'Prerogatives of Tunijhment and Regard. 
 
 Seft. XX. AND now if a moderating of thefe Extravagancies 
 Experiments muft be eftcem'd Prophanenefs, Iprofefs, I cannot ab- 
 ivillnttd*- {Ql^^ExPerimentalThilofopher. It muft be grant- 
 
 Jtroy the , , ,, i r *i i i- 
 
 Doftrine of ec *> tnat n e will be very fcrupulous, in believing all 
 Precedes, manner of Commentaries on 'Prophetical Vifions, in 
 and Prodi- giving Liberty to new 'Predictions^ and in affigning 
 the Caufes, and marking out the Paths of God's Judg- 
 ments amongft his Creatures. 
 
 He cannot fuddenly conclude all extraordinary E- 
 vcnts to be the immediate Finger of GW, becaule he 
 
 familiarly
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 35-9 
 
 familiarly beholds the inward Workings of Things ; 
 and thence perceives that many Effe&s, which ufe to 
 affright the Ignorant '; are brought forth by the com- 
 mon Inftruments of Nature- He cannot be fuddenly 
 inclined to pafs Cenfure on Mens eternal Condition, 
 from any Temporal Judgment t that may befal them ; 
 becaufc his long Converfc with ail Matters, Times, 
 and Places, has taught him the Truth of what the 
 Scripture fays, that all things happen alike to all. 
 He cannot blindly confent to all Imaginations of de- 
 vout Men, about future Contingencies ; feeing he is 
 fo rigid in examining all particular Matters of Fad : 
 he cannot be forward to afient to Spiritual Raptures 
 and Revelations, becaufe he is truly acquainted with 
 the Tempers of Mens Bodies, the Conpofition of their 
 Blood, and the Power of Fancy ; and fo better un- 
 derflands the Difference between *Difeafes and Infpi* 
 rations. 
 
 But in all this he commits nothing that is irreli- 
 gious. 'Tis true, to deny that God has heretofore 
 warn'd the World of what was to come, is to contra- 
 dict the very Godhead itfelf ; but to reject the Senfe, 
 which any private Man fhall fatten to it, is not to dif- 
 dain the Word of God, but the Opinions of Men like 
 ourfelves. To declare againft the Poflibility, that new 
 'Prophets may be fent from Heaven, is to insinuate 
 that the fame infinite Wifdom, which once mew'd 
 itfelf that Way, is 119 w at an end. But to (light all 
 Pretenders that come without the help of Miracles, 
 is not a Contempt of the Spirit, but a juft Circumfpe- 
 &ion, that the Reafon of Men be not over-reaeh'd. 
 To deny that God direfts the Courfe of human Things, 
 is Stupidity ; but to hearken to every 'Prodigy, that 
 Men frame againft their Enemies, or for themfelves, 
 
 is
 
 _ The HIS TO R T of 
 
 is not to reverence the fewer of God, but to make 
 that ferve the Pailions, and Imcccib, and Revenges 
 of Men. 
 
 It is a dangerous Miftakc, into -which many good 
 Men falls that -we neglect the 'Dominion of God over 
 the IVorld, if we do not diicovcr, in every Turn of 
 human Actions, many fupernatural Trovidenees and 
 miraculous -Events. Whereas it is enough for the 
 Honour of his Government, that he guides the whole 
 Creation, in its wonted Courfe ofCa/t/es and Effects : 
 As it makes as much for the Reputation of a Prince's 
 Wiidom, that he can rule his Subjects peaceably, by 
 his known and (landing Laws, as that he is often 
 forc'd to make ufeof extraordinary Juftice to punifh, 
 or reward. 
 
 Let us then imagine our 'Philosopher to have all 
 flownefs of Belief, and rigour of Trial, which by 
 fome is mifcalled a blindnefs of Mind, and hardncfs 
 of Heart. Let us fuppofethat he is moft unwilling to 
 grant that any thing exceeds the Force of Nature, but 
 v here a full Evidence convinces him. Let it be al- 
 low 'd, that he is always alarm'd, and ready on his 
 Guard, at the Noife of any miraculous Event j left 
 his judgment fhould be furpriz'd by the Difguifes ot 
 Faith. But docs he by this diminilh the Authority 
 of ancient Miracles ? Or docs he not rather confirm 
 them the more, by confining their Number, and taking 
 care that every Fallhood ihould not mingle with 
 them ? Can he by this undermine Cbrjftianity, which 
 cloes not now {land in need of fuch extraordinary 
 Teftimonics from Heaven ? or do not they rather in- 
 -danger it,-, who flill venture all its Truths on fo ha- 
 zardous a Chance ? Who requires a Continuance of 
 
 ' Signs,
 
 the R o Y A L S o c i E T Y. 361 
 
 Signs and Wonders, as if the Works of our Saviour" 
 and his Apoftles had not been fufficient : Who ought to" 
 be efteem'd the mofl carnally minded, the Enthufi- 
 aft, that pollutes his Religion with his own Paflions, 
 or \hz Experimenter, that will not ufe it to flatter and 
 obey his own Defires, but to fubdue them ? Who is to 
 be thought the greateft Enemy of the Gofpel, he 
 that loads Mens Faiths by fo many improbableThings, 
 as will go near to make the Reality itfelf fufpefted, 
 or he that only admits a few Arguments, to confirm 
 the Evangelical'Dottrines, but then chufes thofe that 
 are unqueftionable ? It cannot be an ungodly purpofe -^ 
 to ftrive to aboliih all Holy Cheats, which are of fa- 
 tal Confequence, both to the Deceivers, and thofe 
 that are deceived : To the Deceivers, becaufe they 
 muft needs bt Hypocrites, having the Artifice in their 
 keeping : To the Deceived, becaufe if their Eyes fhali 
 be ever open'd, and they chance to find, that they 
 have been deluded in any one thing, they will be apt 
 not only to rejed that, but even to defpife the very 
 ywJ&rthemfelves, which they had before been taught 
 by thofe Deluders. 
 
 It were indeed to be confefs'd, that this Severity of 
 Cenjure on Religious Things, were to be condemn'd 
 in Experimenters, if while they deny any Wonders 
 that are falfely attributed to the True God, they fhould 
 approve thofe of Idols or falfe 'Deities. But that is 
 not objected againft them. They make no Compa- 
 rifon between his Power, and the Works of any o- 
 thers, but only between the feveral ways of his own 
 manifesting himfelf. Thus if they lefifen one Heap, 
 yet ftill they increafe the other : In the main they 1 - 
 diminifh nothing of his Right. If they take from the 
 ^Prodigies, they add to the ordinary Works of the 
 
 Z z fame
 
 ^ TheHISTORT of 
 
 fame Author. And thofe ordinary Works themfelves, 
 they do almoft raife to the height of Wonder s^ by the 
 exaft Difcovery which they make of their Excellen- 
 cies : While the Enthufiafts goes near to bringdown 
 the Price of the true and primitive Miracles^ by 
 fuch a vaft, and fuch a negligent augmenting of their 
 Number. 
 
 Seft. XXI. BY this I hope it appears, that this inquiring, this 
 
 On thisac- f crU p U i O us, this incredulous Temper, is not the Dif- 
 
 "hnents *ar< S race ^> ut tnc Honour of Experiments. And there- 
 
 fitfor the fore I will declare them to be the mod feafonable 
 
 prefent Tem- Study, for the prefent Temper of our Nation. This 
 
 ur wild amufin^ Mens Minds with Trodines, and Con* 
 
 , * j 11 & i 
 
 ceits of Providences^ has been one ot the molt con- 
 
 liderable Caufes of thofe fpiritual Diftraftions, of 
 _which our Country has long been the Theatre. This 
 is a Vanity to which the English feem to have been 
 always fubjed above others. There is fcarce any 
 Modern Hiftorian> that relates our Foreign Wars, but 
 he has this Objection againft the 'Difpojition of our 
 Countrymen, that they us'd to order their Affairs of 
 the greateft Importance, according to fome obfcure 
 Omens , or e Pr*cdiftions, that pafs'd about amongft 
 them, on little or no Foundations. And at this time, 
 efpecially this laft Year, this gloomy, and ill-boding 
 humour has prevail'd. So that it is now the fittcft Sea- 
 fon for Experiments to arife, to teach us a Wifdom, 
 which fprings from the depths ofKnowMge, to fhake 
 off the Shadows, and tafcatter the Mitts, which fill 
 the Minds of Men with a vain Confternation. This 
 is a Work well-becoming the moft Chriftjan *ProfeJJion. 
 For the moft apparent Erfecl, which attended the 
 Faffion of C^r//?, was the putting of an eternal filence 
 
 on
 
 tie ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 on all the falfe Oracles, and diffemblcd Infpirations of 
 ancient Times. 
 
 There have been, 'tis true, fome peculiar Occafioiis 
 wherein GWwas pleafed to convince the World from 
 Heaven in a vifible manner. But if we confider the 
 Arguments that us'd to move him to it, we may con- 
 clude that fuch wonderful Signs are not often now to be 
 expected. 
 
 He has either done it in Times of grofs Ignorance, 
 or in the beginning of a new way of Religion* or for 
 the peculiar Punifhment of fome prevailing Wicked- 
 nefs : Upon the account of the two firft, we have no 
 reafon to expect Wonders in this Age : Becaufe all forts 
 of Knowledge do fo much abound ; and becaufe we 
 have a Religion already eftablifh'd, againft which the 
 Gates of Hell fhall never prevail. 
 
 The third time has been, when God has taken to 
 himfelf, the TLxemplary *Punijhment of fome heinous 
 Sin. From this indeed our Age is no more exempted, 
 than it is free from thofe Vices that are wont to pro- 
 voke the 'DMne Vengeance. This then we confefs, 
 that even at this prefent God may declare himfelf a- 
 gainft the Iniquities of Men, by the fupernatural Tokens 
 of his Difpleafure : But yet the Interpretation of fuch 
 Punifhments ought to be handled with the greatefl 
 Tendernefs. For as it is faid of the laft and general 
 Judgment, that no Man knows the time when it fhall 
 happen-, fo we may alfo affirm of thefe particular 
 Judgment S 9 That there is no Man who underftands 
 the Circumftances, or Occafions of their Infliction, 
 but they are one of the deepeft parts of GW'sunfearch- 
 able Councils. 
 
 Whenever therefore a heavy Calamity falls from 
 Heaven on our Nation, an univerfal Repentance is re- 
 
 Z z 2 quir'd ,-
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 quir'd -, but all particular Applications of private 
 except to their own Hearts, is to be forborn. Every 
 Man muft bewail his own Tranfgreffions, which have 
 increas'd the 'Piiblick Mini/try. But he muft not be 
 too ha fly in affigning the Caufcs of 'Plagues ; or Fires, 
 or Inundations > to the Sins of other Men. Whoever 
 thinks that way to repent, by condemning the Mifcar- 
 riages of thofe Parties that differ from his own, and 
 by reproving them as the Authors of fuch Mifchiefs, 
 he is grofly miilaken : For that is not to repent, but 
 to make a Satire : That is not an Adi of Humiliation, 
 but the grcatefl Spiritual Tride. 
 
 It is indeed aDifgraceto the Reafon and Honour of 
 Mankind, that every fantaftical Humour tfl fhould pre- 
 fume to interpret all \\\tfecret Ordinances^ Heaven-, 
 and to expound the Times, and Seafons, and Fates 
 of Empires, though he be never fo ignorant of the 
 very common Works of Nature that lie under his 
 Feet. There can be nothing more injurious than 
 this, to Mens publick or private Peace. This with- 
 draws our Obedience from the true Image of God, 
 the rightful Sovereign, and makes us depend on the 
 vain Images of his Power, which are fram'd by our 
 own Imaginations : This weakens the Conftancy of 
 human Actions : This affects Men with Fears, Doubts, 
 Jrrefolutions, and Terrors. It is ufually obferv'd, 
 that fuch Trefaging, and TropheticalTimes, do com- 
 monly fore- run great 'Deflruttions and Revolutions 
 of human Affairs. And that it fhould be fo is na- 
 tural enough, though the Trefages and 'Prodigies 
 themfelves did fignify no fuch Events. For this me- 
 lanchoty, this frightful, this Aftrological humour dif- 
 arms Mens Hearts, it breaks their Courage, it con- 
 founds their Councils, it makes them help to bring 
 
 fuch
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 fuch Calamities on themfelves : Firft, they fancy that 
 fuch ill Accidents mufl come to pafs ; and fo they 
 render themfelves fit Subjects to be wrought upon ; 
 and very often become the Injtniments^ to bring thofe 
 Effects about, which they fondly imagin'd were ine- 
 vitably threaten'd them from Heaven. 
 
 T H E laft Accufation concerns that which is neccfia- Se #- XXII. 
 ry to a holy Life, the mortifying of our Earthly <De- % 
 fires. And here the Men of a retir'd and fevere Devo- a \ t 
 tion are the loudefl : For they tell us, that we cannot fication* 
 conquer and defpife the World while we ftudy it 
 fo much : that we cannot have fufficient leifure to 
 reflect on another Life, while we are fo taken up a- 
 bout the Curiofities of this j that we cannot be ftrict 
 enough in correcting the Irregularities of our own 
 Thoughts, while we give them fo much liberty to 
 wander, and fo pleafant a Road wherein to travel ; 
 and that it is in vain to ftrive after the 'Purity and 
 Holinefsof our Minds, while we fufFer them to fpend 
 fo much Time on the Labours of our Senfes. This 
 Objection appears at firft fight fomewhat terrible : But 
 I come the more boldly to anfvver it, becaufe there 
 are involv'd in the fame Indictment, all the moft 
 innocent Arts, and civil Attions of Men, which 
 muft either ftand or fall with Experiments in this 
 Trial. 
 
 Firil then I will alledge, that if this fort of Study ^ 
 fhould be acknowledge not to be proper, for the 
 promoting of the feverer Offices of Chriftidnity-, yet 
 it would fufficiently rccompence for that, by the Af- 
 fiftance it may bring to fome other kinds of Chrijtian 
 Virtues : If it mail not fill our Minds with the moft 
 mortifying Images, which may rife from the Terrors 
 
 of
 
 y66 The H I ST RT of 
 
 of God's Juftice, yet it will make amends for that, by 
 inclining us to adore his Goodnefs* If it fits us not fo 
 well for the Secrecy of a Clofet, it makes us fervice- 
 able to the florid. If it (hall not feem to contribute 
 towards Godly Sorrow, or Contrition, it will give us 
 more Opportunities of Charity, Affability, Friend- 
 fhip, and Generojlty, which arc all of them *Divzne 
 Graces, as well as Faith, and Repentance. 
 
 It is a great Error to think that Religion does only 
 confift in one fort of *Duties. It is' as various as the 
 Difpofitions, the Qualities, the Conditions of Men : 
 With fome, the fevere, the ftrid, the rctir'd are beft : 
 with others, the bountiful, the affable, the cheer- 
 ful, the friendly : Of both which kinds I will not 
 fay whether is" to be preferr'd: But this is true, that 
 while the firfl arc chiefly limited to the regulating 
 of our own Hearts, the influence of the laft extends 
 much farther ; to fpread the lame of the G off el in 
 the World ; to make it appear lovely in the Eyes of 
 all Beholders 5 and to allure them to fubmit to the 
 honourablenefs, the gentlencfs, the eafinefs of its 
 Yoke. And this methinks is evident in our Saviour's 
 Life : For whenever he intended to convert any to 
 "his Faith, he did it by (ome \\Rb\e good Work, in the 
 fight of the Multitude. But he never gain'd any 
 ^Difciple by the Conflicts which he was pleas'd to 
 undergo in his own Mind; for he perform'd his 
 Faft, and his Agony alone, mtheWildernefs, and the 
 Garden. 
 
 In the next place I will affirm, That it is improba- 
 ble that even the hardeft and moft rigorous parts of 
 Mortification itfelf fhould be injur'd by thefe Studies 
 more than others > feeing many Duties of which it is 
 ompos'd, do bear fome refcmWance to the Qualifi- 
 cations
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 367 
 
 cations that are requifite in ExperimentalThilofophers. 
 The fpi ritual Repentance is a careful furvey of our for- 
 mer Errors, and a Refolution of amendment. The' 
 fpiritual Humility is an Obfervation of our Defects, 
 and a lowly Senie of our own Weaknefs. And the 
 Experimenter for his part muft have fome Qualities 
 that anfwer to thefe : He mufl judge aright of him- 
 felf 5 he muft mifdoubtthe beft of his ov/n Thoughts ; - 
 he muft be fenfible of his own Ignorance, if ever he 
 will attempt to purge and renew his Reafon : So that 
 if that be true, which is commonly obferv'd, that Men 
 are wont to prove fuch kinds of Chriftians as they were 
 Men before ; and that Converfton does not deftroy, 
 but only exalt our Tempers ; it may well be conclu- " 
 ded, that the doubtful, the fcrupulous, the diligent 
 Obferver of Nature, is nearer to make a modeft, a 
 fevere, a meek, an humble Chriftian, than the Man of 
 Speculative Science, who has better thoughts of him* 
 felf and his own Knowledge. 
 
 But I need not take fo great a Compafs in this Vin- 
 dication, when it may be fairly maintained, that the 
 true and unfeigned Mortification is not at all inconfift- 
 ent with Mens confulting of their Happinefs in this 
 World, or being employed about earthly Affairs. The 
 honeft purfuit of the Conveniencies, Decencies, and 
 Ornaments of a mortal Condition, by juft and regu- 
 lar ways, is by no means contradictory to the moft real 
 and fevere Duties of a Chriftian. It is true indeed, 
 the irregular Profecution of fuch Things is an offence 
 to Religion : but fo it is alfo to right Reafon^ and Na- 
 ture itfelf. 
 
 It is a wrong Conception of the State of Grace, if 
 Men believe, that when they enter upon it, they 
 muft prefently caft away all the Thoughts and Defires 
 
 of"
 
 The HISTORT of 
 
 'of Humanity. If this were fo, tofanctify oqi 
 were not to renew, but to dcftroy them. vVhen we 
 are commanded to put off the old Man, we arc not 
 enjoin'd to renounce our Faculties of Reafon. When 
 we are bidden not to think our own Thoughts, it is not 
 intended that we fliould forbear all Natural Actions 
 and Inclinations. Such Scriptures as thefeare to be 
 underftood in a moderate Senfe : By fuch Expreillons 
 the Irregularity of the L/?, and not the Natural T)e- 
 Jire is condcmn'd ; the *Piety and Innocence of our 
 Lives, and not the utter Change of our Eft at ^ is re- 
 commended. Seeing the Law of Reafon intends the 
 Happincfs and Security of Mankind in this Life ; and 
 the Chriftian Religion puriues the fame Ends, both in 
 this and a future Life j they are fo far from being op- 
 pofite one to another, that Religion may properly be 
 itiled the beft and the noblcft Part, the Perfection and 
 the Crown of the Law of Nature. 
 
 I will therefore firfl demand, whether it be not 
 lawful for the flrifteft Chriftian to provide for the 
 Ncceflities of this Life? This Requeft is modeft c- 
 nough : For if they deny it, they will reduce Man- 
 kind into a Condition which is literally worfe than that 
 of the Beafts that periih ; feeing to them it is natural 
 to feek out for all the ways of their own Prefervation. 
 I will go on to ask them, whether it be a Breach of 
 the La\JuofChriftianity y to labour for the Advantages 
 of Living, which arc enjoy 'd by others ? If this be re- 
 fus'd me, we {hall not deprive it of that Honour which 
 now juftly belongs to it, that there is little Civility at 
 prelent amongft Men without the Pale of the Chriftian 
 Church. 
 
 But, in few Word?, let them tell me, whether it be 
 indiCpenfably neccflary for us to be always thinking 
 
 of
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 36^ 
 
 of heavenly Things ? If fo, how far fhort were the ve^~ 
 ry Apoftles of this Character of Santtity^ which thefc 
 Men would prefcribe us? What Traffick, what Com- 
 merce, what Government, what fecular Employment 
 could be allowed ? Where ftiould we at lafl make an 
 end of refining ? What would become of all the Men 
 of Trade them/elves, of whom this Age has fhcwn f o 
 many Pretenders to thepureft Religion. 
 
 Let it only therefore be granted, that we are Men^ 
 and not Angels : Let it be confefs'd, that there may be 
 znExcefs, as well as T)efeff, in Men's Opinions of 
 Holinefs : And then I will make no fcruple to fay, that 
 the *Philofopher defiles not his Mind when he labours 
 in fat Works, of Natures that the Diverfton they give 
 him, will fland with the greateft Conflancy, and the 
 Delight of purfuing them, with the Truth and Reality 
 of Religion. * But to fay no more, How can it be ima- 
 gin'd to be a fmful and carnal Thing, to confider the 
 Objects of our Senfes 5 when God, the moft.Jpiritual 
 Being, did make them all ? Since they firft were con- 
 ceiv'd in his unfpotted Mind, why may they not inno- 
 cently enter into ours ? For if there be any Pollution 
 which neceffarily flows from thinking of them, it might 
 as well be concluded to flick on the Author 3 ?& on the^ 
 Souls of them that only obfervc them. 
 
 AND now having infilled fo long on the Parts of the . XXIII. 
 
 Chriftian Religion in General, it will be lefs needful Experiments 
 
 that I fhould be large in vindicating this 'De/ign from"*' ~!f" 
 
 r i i T i >TT / /-rous to the 
 
 the Imputation of being prejudicial to the Church of church of 
 
 England : For this has the fame Intereft with that, and EnglancU 
 difFers in nothing from its primitive Pattern, but only 
 in the addition of fome Circumflances, which make it 
 fit for this Age, and this Tlace: And therefore they 
 
 A a a will -
 
 37 o The H I ST '0 RT of 
 
 *- will both be ftrengthen'd by the fame Benefits, and 
 \vcaken'd by the fame Mifchiefs. 
 
 What I have then to add concerning our Church, 
 fiiallbecompriz'd in thefe Particulars : That it can ne- 
 ver be prejudiced by the Light of Reafon, nor by the 
 Improvements of Knowledge, nor by the Advancement 
 ^of the Works of Mens Hands. 
 
 For the proof of the Firft, it will be fufficient to 
 confider its True*DeJign, what Opinions it principally 
 encounters, and by what Arguments it ought to defend 
 Jtfelf. 
 
 The true and certain Intereft of our Church is to de- 
 rive its 7)ocJrine from the plain and unqucftion'd parts 
 ofthcfPvrJfifGvd, and to keep itfelf in a due Sub- 
 mifllon to the Civil Magiftratr. The Extremes which 
 it oppofes, are implicit Faith, and Enthitjiafm : And it 
 is a great Miftake, if Men think it cannot be main- 
 tain'd againft thefe, but by the mutual Arguments of 
 its Enemies ; that it cannot withftand the Separatifts, 
 but by the Authority oftheChurch of Rome ; nor dif- 
 fent from the Church of Rome, but on the Tenents of 
 the Separates. The Grounds on which it proceeds 
 are different from both ; and they arc no other but the 
 Rights of the Civil Toiler, the Imitation of the firft 
 uncorrupt Churches, and the Scripture expounded by 
 Reafon : From whence may be concluded, that we 
 cannot makeWar againft ^^^without undermining 
 our own Strength, feeing it is the conftant Weapon 
 we ought to employ. 
 
 From this I will fartherurge,Thatthe Church of Eng- 
 land v\\\ not only be fafe amidft the Confequences of 
 a Rational Age, but amidft all the Improvements of 
 Knowledge* and the Subversion of old Opinions 
 about Nature -, and Introduction of new ways of rea- 
 
 foning
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 571 
 
 foiling thereon. This will be evident, when we be- 
 hold the Agreement that is between the prefent 'De- 
 Jign of the Royal Society, and that of our Church in its 
 Beginning. They both may lay equal claim to the 
 word Reformation ; the one having compafs'd it in 
 Religion, the other purposing it in 'Philofophy. They 
 both have taken a like courfe to bring this about; each 
 of them parting by the corrupt Copies, and referring 
 themfelves to thejterfetf Originals for their Inftrucli 
 on ; the one to the Scripture* the other to the large 
 Volume of the Creatures. They are both unjuftly 
 accus'dby their Enemies of the fame Crimes, of hav- 
 ing forfaken the Ancient Traditions ? and ventured on 
 Novelties. They both fuppofe alike, that their Ance- 
 Jtors mighr err ; and yet retain a fufficient Reverence 
 for them. They both follow the great Precept of the 
 Apoftle, of 'trying all Things. Such is the Harmony 
 between their Inter 'efts and Tempers. It cannot there- 
 fore be fufpeded, that the Church of England^ that " 
 arofe on the fame Method, though in different Works ; 
 that heroically pafs'd through the fame Difficulties, 
 that relies on the fame Sovereign's Authority* fhould 
 look with jealous Eyes on this Attempt ; which makes 
 no change in the Principles of Mens Confciences, but 
 chiefly aims at the Increafe of Inventions about the 
 Works of their Hands. 
 
 This was the laft Particular in this Subjed which I 
 undertook to make good ; That our^tor^can never 
 be impair'd by the Growth of the ufeful Arts of Life. 
 But now I come nearer to it, I find that I may fafely 
 omit it : For the thing itfelf is fo manifeft, that there 
 can be no ground of raifing a Queflion about it. If 
 our Church fhould be an Enemy to Commerce, Intel- 
 ligence, Difcovery, Navigation, or any fort vtMecha- 
 
 A a a z nics t
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 riics ; how could it be fit for theprefent Geniusof this 
 Nation ? What greater Advantage could its Adverfa- 
 rics have againft it ? How fhotild we be able to recon- 
 cile thcfe tv/o Titles, which fo iuftly belong to one 
 King, of ^Defender of the Faith, and Matron of Ex- 
 perimental Knowledge. 
 
 But in this I am not only encourag'd to promife, that 
 our Church will be out of all danger ; but to recom- 
 mend this Enterprise to it, as that which will become 
 its other Excellencies, and is moft worthy of its *Pro- 
 tecJion. And I ihall moft humbly reprefent to its Con- 
 fideration, that this is not only an honourable Work, 
 _but even a ncceflary 'Duty, to which it is oblig'd by 
 Natural Affection. The prefent inquiring Temper of 
 i\\\$Age was at firft produc'd by the Liberty of Judg- 
 ing, and Searching, and Reafoning, which wasus'd in 
 the firft Reformation. Though I cannot carry the In- 
 ftitution of the Royal Society many Years back, yet 
 the Seeds of it were fown in King Ediuard 'the Sixth's 
 and Queen Elizabeth's Reign : And ever fince that 
 time Experimental Learning has ftill retain'dfome vi- 
 tal Heat, though it wanted the Opportunities of ripen- 
 ing itfelf, which now it enjoys. The Church of Eng- 
 land therefore may juftly be ftyl'd the Mother of this 
 fort of Knowledge 5 and fo the Care of its Nourijh- 
 ment and Trofperity peculiarly lies upon it. 
 
 And indeed this is an Honour which fecms referv'd 
 for it alone. For all the fevcral forts of Enthnfiafts, 
 I fear, there cannot much help be expected towards iucii 
 Works,'u\\ theylliall have left off to abhor them under 
 the Title of vain ^Philofophy. 
 
 The Reformed Churches of other Countries, though 
 they have given us many Men, who have been emi- 
 in this way, yet are not in a Condition to pro- 
 mote
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 373 
 
 mote it by themfelves : For either they have net the " 
 Encouragement of the Magiftrate j or thofe that have, 
 are cut fo fhort in their Revenue, that they have fcarce 
 enough to fupport the Dccence of their own publick 
 Worfhip. 
 
 The Church of Rome has indeed of late look'd more 
 favourably upon it. They will now condemn no Man 
 for aflerting the Antipodes : The Severity with which 
 they handled Galileo, feems now very much abated : 
 They now 'permit their Jefuits to beftow fome La- 
 bours about Natural Observations, for which they 
 have great Advantages by their Travels, and their 
 Clergy may juftly claim fome ihare in this Honour, as 
 long as the immortal Names of Merfennus and Gaf- 
 ftndus fhall live. 
 
 But ftill it is a queftion, whether that Church does 
 not rather connive at, than really intend its Progrefs. 
 They have indeed feiz'd on fome parts of New 'Philo 
 fophy 3 but perhaps it is only with the fame Policy 
 that we often fee great Monarch s ufe, in retaining fome 
 Out-Province of their Empire -, who, though they find 
 that the Benefit does not countervail the Charge of 
 the keeping it, yet will not wholly quit their Intereft 
 in it, left their Neighbours fhould get Poffeflion, and,. 
 fortify it againft them. Thus it is likely they have che- 
 rifli'd fome Experiments, not out of Zeal to the con- 
 tinuance of fuch Studies* but that the 'Protejlants 
 might not carry away all the Glory, and thence withal 
 get new Strength to oppofe them. 
 
 This Undertaking therefore is wholly caft on the 
 Church of England y which can have no jealoufy of 
 itsEffeds, to which Ignorance is not a Support, but 
 an Enemy j which aims not at the Captivity, but the 
 Freedom of Mens Minds j which is lately return 'd to 
 
 a prof-
 
 374- The BISTORT of 
 
 xa profperous Condition, and having fuffer'd with the 
 Crown in its Misfortunes, does now partake of the 
 happy Fruits of its Re fl oration. 
 
 Nor will Experimental 'Philofophy be unthankfu 
 for the Aftiftance it lhall receive : For it will enabl c 
 us to provide beforehand, againft any Alterations i n 
 *~ Religious Affairs, which this^f may produce. If we 
 compare the Changes to which Religion has been al- 
 ways fubjeft, with the prefent face of Things, we may 
 iafely conclude, That whatever Viciffitude fhall happen 
 about it in our time, it will probably neither be to the 
 Advantage of implicit Faith, norofEnthuJiafm, but of 
 Reafon. The Fierccnefs of 'violent Inspirations is in 
 good meafure departed : The Remains of it will be 
 ioon chas'd out of the World, by the remembrance ot 
 the terrible Footfteps it has every where left behind it. 
 And though the Church of Rome ft ill preferves its 
 Pomp, yet the real Authority of that too is apparently 
 decaying. It firft got, by degrees, into Temporal 'Pow- 
 er, by the means of its Spiritual ; but now it only 
 upholds fome Shadow of the Spiritual, by the Strength 
 of the Temporal 'Dominion it has obtain'd. 
 
 This is tne prefent State of Chriflendom. It is now 
 
 impoiliblc to fpread the fame Clouds over the World 
 
 ^ again : The univerfal Difpofttion of this Age is bent 
 
 upon a rational Religion: And therefore I renew my 
 
 affectionate Requcft, that the Church of England would 
 
 provide to have the chief Share in its firft Adventure; 
 
 that it would pcrfift, as it has begun, to incourage Ex- 
 
 perimentS)W\\\ch will be to our Church as the British 
 
 Oak is to our Empire^ an Ornament, and Defence to the 
 
 Soil wherein it is planted. 
 
 Thus I have finifh'd what I intended concerning 
 Religion: wherein I deiire it might not be thought 
 
 that
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 that I have defended every particular Searcher into 
 Nature. That could not be juflly expeded from me ; 
 for there is no Man that makes an Apology for any ge- 
 neral way, who will take upon him to make good all 
 the Actions of ail private Men who profefs it. It is 
 enough for my Purpofe.if itfhall be granted, that how- 
 ever fome Experimenters may be inclinable to Irreli- 
 gion ; yet this rather proceeds from their own Genius , 
 than from any Corruption that could be contracted 
 from thefe Studies 5 and that if the fame Men had pro- 
 fefs'd Thy fie ^ or Law, or even 'Divinity itfelf, they 
 would have been in like manner difaffected towards 
 heavenly Things. 
 
 I cannot deny, but that fome ThilofopherSy by their 
 Carelefihefsof a future Eftate, have brought a Difcre- 
 diton Knowledge itfelf : But what Condition of Men 
 is free from fuch Accufations ? Or why muft we (trait 
 believe that their Impiety proceeds from their ^Philo- 
 fophy ? It is eafy for Men to fall into grofs Errors, and 
 to miflake the wrong Caufes for the true, in the Judg- 
 ment which they make of others Opinions and Inclina- 
 tions : When they behold them addicted to fuch or 
 fuch Vices, and to have withal fome good Qualities, 
 in which they themfelves do not excel, they prefently 
 are apt to imagine the&z^toarife from \hegood, and 
 fo condemn both together ; whereas perhaps it fprung 
 from fome other hidden Caufe, of which they took 
 no notice. 
 
 But let it be a true Qbfervation, That many Modern "" 
 Naturalifts have been negligent in the Worship of 
 God 5 yet perhaps they have been driven on this Pro- 
 phanenefs by the late extravagant Exccfies of Enthu- 
 Jiafm. The infinite Pretences to Inspiration, and 
 immediate Communion with God, that have abounded _ 
 
 in
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 in this Age, have carry 'd feveral Men of Wit fo far, 
 as to rejed the whole Matter; who would not have 
 been fo exorbitant, if the others had kept within 
 more moderate Bounds. This is natural enough to be 
 luppos'd; forfo it has commonly happen'd, that the 
 greateft Degrees of all contrary Opinions have met in 
 the fame Age > and have ftill heightened and incrcas'd 
 each other. 
 
 From hence it may be gather'd, That the way to 
 reduce a real and fbber Senfe of Religion, is not by 
 endeavouring to caft a Veil of Darkncfs again over the 
 Minds of Men ; but chiefly by allaying the Violence 
 of fpiritual Madnefs : and that the one Extreme 
 will decrcafc proportionably to the lefs'ning of the 
 other. 
 
 - It is apparent to all, That the Influence which 
 Chriflianity once obtained on Mens Minds, is prodigi- 
 oufly decay'd. The Generality viChriftendom is now 
 well-nigh arriv'd at that fatal Condition, which did 
 immediately precede the Dcftruftion of theWorlhips 
 of the ancient World ; when the Face of Religion in 
 their public Affemblies, was quite different from that 
 Apprehenfion which Men had concerning it in private : 
 In publick they obferv'd its Rules with much Solemni- 
 ty, but in private regarded it not at all. It is difficult 
 to declare by what Means and Degrees we are come to 
 this dangerous Point: But this is certain, that the 
 Spiritual Vices of this Age have well-nigh contributed 
 as much towards it, as the Carnal: Andfor thefc, the 
 mod efficacious Remedy that Man of himfelfcan ufe, 
 is not fo much the fublime part of 'Divinity as its 
 intelligible, and natural, and practicable 'Doflrines. 
 The Medicines for Religious 'Diflempers muft be 
 changeable according to the ^Difeafes : And in this 
 
 we
 
 the R o Y A L SOCIETY. 377 
 
 may imitate Chr'ifl himfelf in his Method of heal- 
 ing Mens Bodies : Some Cures he performed by his 
 Voice, fome by Prayer, but fome by the touch of his 
 Hands, and even by his Spittle mingled with Earth. 
 In a grofs and fenfual Age^ the deepefl My ft cries of 
 our Religion may be proper to purify the Stupidity of 
 Mens Spirits ; but there muft be an Application of quite 
 different and more fenfible Prefcriptions, in a fubtile, 
 refined, and enthufiaftical Time. 
 
 Such is the prefent Humour of the World ; and fuch 
 muft be the Courfe of its Cure. Men muft now be told, 
 that as Religion is a heavenly Thing-, fo it is not utterly 
 averfe from making ufeof the Rules of Human 'Pru- 
 dence : They muft be informed, that the true Holme fs 
 is a Seventy over our felves, and not others : They 
 muft be inftructed, that it is not the beft Service that 
 can be done to Chriftianity^ to placets chief Pre- 
 cepts fo much out of the Way, as to make them unfit 
 for Men of Bufmefs. They muft remember, that the 
 chief of the Apoflles became allTkings to all Men, 
 that he might gain fome. But above all, there muft be 
 Caution given, that Men do not ftrive to make them- 
 felves, and their own Opinions, ador'd, while they on- 
 ly feem zealous for the Honour of God. This is a Fault 
 which is very incident to Men of 'Devotion ; for when 
 they have once form'd in themfelves a perfect Model 
 of the Will of God, and have long confirm'd their 
 Minds by continual thinking upon it, they are apt to 
 contemn ail others that agree not v/ith them in fome 
 Particulars. Upon this, they have ftrait the reproach- 
 ful Term of Atheifts to caft upon them j which tho* 
 it be a Title that ought only to be employ'4 againft 
 the bold and infolent Defiers of Heaven in their Words 
 and Aft ions? yet it is too frequently us'd to exprefs 
 
 B b b the ^
 
 $78 The BISTORT of 
 
 -the Malice of any eager and cenforious Spirit, that 
 has the Confidence to object it. 
 
 ^ This, and all other the like 'Principles of Unchari- 
 tablenefs, are to be oppos'd byaflerting the Duties of 
 the Law of Natttre> by the ufe of paft and prefent 
 Times, by the Analogy of human things, by Moral 
 Virtue, by the Offices of Society ', by the Contempla- 
 tion of God's <vijible Works, and iuch eafy and ra- 
 tional Arguments. Next to the Succour of 'Divine 
 ^Power-t this is the moft probable way to preferve the 
 Chriftian Faith amongft us; if GWhas not in his 
 Wrath refolved to tranfplant it into fome other quar- 
 ter of the Earthy which has not fo much neglected 
 his Goodnefs. This indeed were a Revolution, 
 which cannot be thought on without Horror. The 
 Subverfion of all Europe would attend it. The Depar- 
 ture of the Chriftian 'Profeffion would be accompani- 
 ed with as frightful Effects, as thofe which follow'd 
 on the Death of its Founder - 3 when the Heavens 
 were darken'd, the Temple ihook, the Vail was rent, 
 the Earth trembled, and the 'Philofopher had reafon to 
 cry out, That either Nature izas diffolving, or the 
 God of Nature dying. 
 
 . XXIV. I will now enter on the next Member of my 
 hxpenmenti r Qn to con f lc [ cr the Purpofe of the Royal Society, and 
 advantage- J , , , . VC . ,, v CM 
 
 ous to Ma- tne probable Effects of tiXpenments^ in reipect or all 
 
 nual Arts, the Manual Trades which have been heretofore found 
 out and adorn'd. And I will difpatch this Argument 
 in the Refolution of thefe four Queftions. 
 
 Whether the Mechanic Arts are ftill improveable 
 by human Jnduftry : 
 
 Whether it be likely, that they may be advanced by 
 any others, befides the Mechanic Artifts themfelves ? 
 
 Whe-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Whether there be any ground of hope from Expert- 
 ments, towards this Work ? 
 
 And whether if fuch Arts fhall hereby happen to 
 multiply, they will not ruin thofe Tttfc&tthat are al- 
 ready fettled. 
 
 If in thefe Particulars I fhall anfwer my Readers 
 Doubts, I truft it will be granted me, that it is not a 
 vain or impoflible Defign, to endeavour the increafe 
 of Mechanic Contrivances ; that the Enterprize is 
 proper for a mixt Affembly > that the Courfe which 
 they obferve towards it will be effectual ; and that 
 the increafe of fuch Operations will be inoffenlive to 
 others of the fame kind, that have been formerly di 
 cover'd. 
 
 Before I examine thefe feveral Heads apart, perhaps 
 it will not be an impertinent Labour, to take one gene- 
 ral Survey of the principal Degrees and Occasions, by 
 which the feveral Manufactures have rifen, which 
 beautify the face of the Earth, and have brought forth 
 fo much Pleafure and Plenty amongft Men. 
 
 The firft of all human Race, . when they were 
 difpers'd into feveral Lands, were at firft fuftain'd by 
 the Fruits of the Earthy which fell to their Share. 
 Thefe at firft they cherifh'd, and us'd, not by any Rules 
 of Art) but by that natural Sagacity, which teaches 
 all Men to endeavour their own Prefervation. For 
 the peaceable Enjoyment of thefe, they combined in- 
 to Families, and little Leagues, which were the Begin- 
 nings of Civil Government. But finding that all 
 Places did not bring forth all Things for Cloathing, 
 Food, and Defence, they either violently feiz'd on 
 what their Neighbours poflefs'd^ or clfe they fairly a- 
 greed on a mutual Exchange 'of the Productions of 
 their Soils. This Traffick was at firft made in Kind ; 
 
 Bbb 2 and
 
 3 8o TbeHISTORTof 
 
 and the Fruits that were thus bartcr'd, were either 
 fpent, or planted in other Grounds. By this means 
 Mankind was maintain'd 5 and feveral Earths were 
 furnifh'd by Labour, with what Nature beftow'd not 
 upon them. Por this Commutation of their Fruits, 
 and of the rude Effects of their firft Induftry, they 
 began to devife the Conveniencies of Carriage^ Land 
 and Water ; and to make it ftill eafier, and larger, 
 they agreed on fome common Things, to be the uni- 
 verfal Standard of Value and *Price -, whence arofe the 
 ufe of Money. 
 
 This was the firft Original of Trade, which from a 
 narrow Commerce between the Hills, the Valleys, the 
 Woods, the Plains, and the Rivers that border J d one 
 upon another, is fince extended to the whole Com- 
 pafs of the Earth. For in courfe of Time, the fmall 
 Clans, and natural Commonwealths were devoured 
 by the Strength of the greater; orelfe fome of the 
 wifer Men reduc'd the rude Multitude into one Place, 
 and perfwaded them to live quietly under the Laws. 
 From thence Mankind began to have the face of Civili- 
 ty, which arofe at firft, by that which is the beft Means 
 of prefer ving it now, by thcgreatnefs and enlargement 
 of 'Dominion. 
 
 The firft, all the Differences of Living, and the 
 Advantages of Strength and Empire, did fliew them- 
 felves. Then fome took on them to Rule, fome to 
 Aflift, or Council thofe that Rul'd, and fome were 
 forc'dto be fubj eft to their Power. Thus the Riches 
 and 'Dominion that were at firft in common, were 
 unequally divided : The Great, the Wife, or the 
 Strong, obtain'd a principal Share j and either pcrfua- 
 ded, or conftrain'd all the reft to ferve them with 
 their Bodies. Thenc e fprung all the Arts of Conveni- 
 ence
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 381 
 
 ence and *Pleafure, while the one part of Men would. 
 not be content to live according to the firft Plainnefs 
 of Nature : And the other were compel I'd to work 
 with their Hands, for the Eafe and Pleafure of their 
 Mafters Lives, and the Support of their own. From 
 thefe Beginnings the Inventions of *Peace and War, the 
 Delights of Cities and Talaces, the Delicacies of Food, 
 the Curiofities vtCloatking, the Varieties of Recreati- 
 ons took their Rife : And thefe have ftill continued to 
 increafe, either by fome cafual Difcoveries, or by Luxu- 
 ry, or elfe as Men have, been driven by fome new Ne- 
 ceilities, to pafs on farther to attempt new ways of 
 maintaining themfelves. 
 
 THIS is the mo& natural Method of the Foundation Seft.XXV. 
 and Progrefs of Manual Arts. And they may ftill be ^f; T// ^?' 
 advanced to a higher Perfection, than they have yet 
 obtain'd, either by the Difcovery of new Matter, to 
 imploy Mens Hands, or by a new Tranfplantationo> 
 the fame Matter, or by handling the old Subjects of 
 Manufactures after a new way, in the fame Places. 
 
 And firft, we have reafon to expect, that there may 
 ftill arife new Matter to be manag'd by Human Art 
 and diligence ; and that from the parts of the Earth 
 that are yet unknown, or from the new difcover'd 
 America^ or from our own Seas and Land, that have 
 been long fearch'd into, and inhabited. 
 
 If ever any more Countries, which are now hidden &% 
 from us, mall be reveal'd, it is not to be queftion'd, 
 but there will be alfo opened to our Observation, very 
 many kinds of living Creatures, of Minerals, of 
 Tlants, nay, of Handicrafts, with which we have 
 been hitherto unacquainted. This may well be expect- 
 ed, if we remember, that there was never yet any 
 
 Lrtnd
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 Land difcover'd, which has not given us divers 
 new forts of .Animals, and Fruits of different Fea- 
 tures and Shapes, and Virtues from our own, or has 
 not fupplied us with fome new artificial Engine? and 
 Contrivance. 
 
 And that our 'Difcoveries may dill be inlarg'd to 
 farther Countries, it is a good Proof, that fo many 
 fpacious Shores and Mountains, and Promontories, ap- 
 pear to our Southern and Northern Sailors ; of which 
 we have yet no Account, but only fuch as could be ta- 
 ken by a remote Profpect at Sea. From whence, and 
 from the Figure of the Earth, it may be concluded, 
 that almoft as much fpace of Ground remains ftill in 
 the <Dark, as was fully known in the times of the Af- 
 Jyrwn or *Perfian Monarchy. So that without affu- 
 ming the vain prophctick Spirit, which I lately con- 
 demn'd, we may foretel, that the 'Difco'very of ano- 
 ther new World is flill behind. 
 
 To accomplish this, there is only wanting the In- 
 vention of Longitude, which cannot now be far off, 
 feeing it is generally allow'd to be feafible, feeing fo 
 many Rewards are ready to be heap'd on the Inven- 
 tors ; and ( I will alfo add) feeing the Royal Society 
 has taken it into its peculiar care. This, if it mall 
 be once accomplifh'd, will make well-nigh as much 
 alteration in the World, as the In vent ion of the Nee- 
 dle did before : And then our Pofterity may outgo us, 
 as much as we can travel farther than the Antients ; 
 whofe *Demy Gods and Heroes did efteem it one of 
 their chief Exploits, to make a Journey as far as the 
 'Pillars of Hercules. Whoever ihall think this to be 
 a defperate Bufinefs, they can only uie the fame Argu- 
 ments, wherewith Columbus was at firft made ridicu- 
 lous, if he had been difcourag'd by the Raillery of 
 
 his
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 383 
 
 his Adverfaries, by the Judgment of moft Aflronomers 
 of his time, and even by the Intreaties of his own 
 Companions ; but three Days before he had a fight of 
 Land, we had loft the Knowledge of half the World 
 at once. 
 
 AND as for the new difcover'd America^ 'tis true, . XXVI. 
 that has not been altogether ufelefs to the Mechanic Mtcfamts 
 Arts : But ftill we may guefs, that much more of its JS^ 
 Bounty is to come, if we confider, that it has not yet ter from 
 been fhewn above two hundred Tears ; which is fcarce America. 
 enough time to travel it over, defcribe, and meafure 
 it, much lefs to pierce into all its Secrets. Befides this, 
 a good part of this Space was fpent in the Conquefi 
 and fettling the Spanifh Government, which is a Sea- 
 fon improper for 'Thilofophical 'Difcoveries. To this 
 maybe added, that the chief Defign of the Spaniards 
 thither, has been the Tranfportation of Bullion -, which 
 being fo profitable, they may well be thought to have 
 overfeen many other of its Native Riches. But above 
 all,.let us reflect on the Temper of the Spaniards them- 
 lelves : They fuffer no Strangers to arrive there : they 
 permit not the Natives to know more than becomes 
 their Slaves. And how unfit the Spanifh humour is to 
 improve Manufactures^ in a Country fo diftant as the 
 W eft-Indies j we may learn by their Practice in Spain 
 itfelf, where they commonly difdain to exercife any 
 Manual Crafts, and permit the Profit of them to be 
 carried away by Strangers. 
 
 From all this we may make this Conclnjion, That 
 if ever that vaft Tract of Ground (hall come to be 
 more familiar \& Europe, either by a free Traders by 
 Gonqueft, or by any other Revolution in its Civil Af- 
 fairs, America will appear quite a new Thing to us s 
 
 and
 
 384- TheHISTORTof 
 
 and many furnifli us with an abundance of Rarities, 
 both Natural and Artificial 5 of which we have been al- 
 moft as much depriv'd by its prefent Majters, as if it 
 had ftill remain'd a part of the unknown JVcrld. 
 
 XXVII. BUT laftly, to come nearer home, we have no ground 
 to ^ e ^P air > ^ uc ver y mucn more Matter* which has 
 ^X** y et unhandled, may ftill be brought to light, 
 even in the moft civil and moft peopled Countries ; 
 whofe Lands have been thoroughly meafur'd by the 
 Hands of the moft exact Surveyors * whofe under- 
 ground Riches have been accurately pry'd into 5 whofe 
 Cities, Iflands, Rivers, and Provinces, have been de- 
 fcrib'd by the Labours of Geographers. It is not to be 
 doubted, but ft ill there may be an infinite number of 
 Creatures over our Heads, round about us, and under 
 our Feet, in the large Space of thev^/>, in the Caverns 
 of the Earth* in the Bowels of Mountains* in the 
 Bottom of Seas, and in the Shades of For eft s^ which 
 have hitherto efcap'd all mortal Senfts. In this the 
 Microfcope alone is enough to filcnce all Oppofers. 
 Before that was invented, the chief help that was given 
 to the Eyes by Glaffes, was only to ftrengthen the 
 dim Sight of old Age ; but now by the means of that 
 excellent Injtrument* we have a far greater Number of 
 different kinds of Things reveal'd to us, than were 
 contained in the vifiblc Univerfe before ; and even this 
 is not yet brought to ^Perfection : The chief Labours 
 that are publifh'd in this way, have been the Obferva- 
 tions of fome Fellows of the Royal Society* nor have 
 they as yet apply'd it to all Subjects, nor tried it in alJ 
 Materials and Figures of Glafs. 
 
 To the Eyes therefore there may ftill be given a 
 vaft addition of Objects : ' And proportionably to 
 
 all
 
 fte- ROYAL So c IE T Y; 
 
 ail the other Seflfes, This Mr. Hook has undertaken to 
 make cur, that Tafting, Touching^ SmeLling,*n&Hear+ 
 / c *are asim-proveableasthe Sight ;.and from his ex 
 ceilent ffivrfcrmauce s in the .one,, we may well rely on 
 his Trornife in. all the.reft. 
 
 The nextEncreafe of. Manual Arts which is proba- XXVIII, 
 bJeto iucceed, may happen by the farther Transplant- Mechanics 
 ing and Communicating of thefeveral Natural Com-^^nf-' 
 wodttiesotztt Nations * tO'Othery//rf,and other Soils > plantation^. 
 and other ways of Cultivation. That this is not yet 
 finiih'd, is evident, in that there is no Land fo well fur- 
 niih'd as to produce, ail the various forts of Things, 
 which its:Ground and Temperature is capable, to re* 
 ceive ; and alfo, because many of them oft fertile Coun- 
 tries contain large Spaces that are utterly Barren. 
 
 This ftforkfhen may be farther advanc'd, by three 
 kinds of Endeavours. 
 
 Thefirfkby 'Tranfplant ing out of one Land into/, 
 another, of the fame Situation in refpeftof tbc Hea- 
 vens. This may be try'd by conveying the Eaftern 
 Spices, ando'herufeful Vegetables, into our. Weftern 
 "Plantations. Nor can it be imagin'd, why they fhould 
 thrive in one Indies, and not in theother ; why the 
 Sot/ mould not be as good where the Sun fets, as - 
 where it rifes 5 feeing there are parts of both, .which 
 He under the fame Influence of that, and the other Ce~ 
 kftial Bodies, to whofe kindly Heat and .Neighbour- 
 hood, the Oriental Nat ions ^.iz fuppos'd to owe their 
 Advantages. This alfo may be attempted in our- 
 Northern Climates : As for Inftance, the Flax, of. 
 which we fland fo much in need,may profper mire/and*-' 
 in many vaft Trads of Ground, now only poflefied by > 
 -wild BeafiS) or Tories almoft as wild, , 
 
 C.cc. Tlie
 
 -TbeHr.STO.RTof- 
 
 The fccond Advancement of this Work may be accom- 
 plifivd, by carrying and tranfplanting living Creatures 
 and Vegetables from one Climate to another. This 
 will be very beneficial, though it wili be performed 
 with a various Succefs. Sometimes the Soil and the 
 Air being chang'd, will give a new Force to the new 
 Guefts ; as the Arabian Horfc, by mingling with our 
 Breed-, produces a more ferviceable Race than cither 
 of them (ingle. And fometimes the Alteration will 
 be for the worfe ; as the Vine of France brought into 
 England, and the Horfes and 'Dogs of England into 
 France > both of which arc found to degenerate ex- 
 ceedingly : Their Soil and their Sun, it feems, being 
 fitter to produce Things of 'Pleafnre and 'Delight ; 
 and our Air and our Earth being more proper to beget 
 Valour and Strength. 
 
 Th c third way of Communication to be try'd, is by 
 removing the 'Plants and the Productions of the fame 
 Country from one part of it into another ; and by 
 pradtifing every where all the forts of Husbandry, 
 which are us'd in fome Places with Succefs. That this 
 is not enough perfected even in England* is manifeft 
 to every one that beholds the Kentijb Orchards, and 
 the Her e ford fair e Hedges 5 which feem to upbraid 
 the lazinefs of other Countries, whofe High-ways are 
 only fenc'd with Thorns and Briars, or at the bcftwith 
 Hazel ; while theirs are beautify 'd with Apples, Pears, 
 and Cherries. 
 
 Now then, in every one of thefe Tranfplantations<> 
 the chief Progrcfs that has hitherto been made, has been 
 rather for the Collection of Curiofities to adorn Cabi- 
 nets and Gm/tftf, than for the Solidity of Thilofophi- 
 cal c Difco ! veries : Yet there may be a prodigious Ad- 
 vantage made in them all, both for the one end and 
 
 the
 
 X A L SOCIETY. 
 
 the other. ' AixHn this it will be found, as in many 
 other Things, that if Men only intend a little Curiofity 
 and ^Delight') they will reap not much more by their 
 Pains : Bjiti if they regard real Ufe, not only the 'Profit, 
 but a greater 'Delight will alfo follow thereon. 
 
 'And for Our Encouragement -> whatever Attempts of 
 this Nature have fucceedcd, they have redounded to 
 the great Advantage of the Undertakers. The Orange 
 of China being of late brought into Portugal, has 
 drawn a great Re-venue every Year from London alone. 
 The Vine of the Rhine taking Root in the Canaries, 
 has produc'd afar more delicious ]uice, and has made 
 the Rocks and the Sun-burnt Aihes of thofe Iflands, 
 one of the richeft Spots of Ground m:\he- World. 
 And I will alfo inftance in that which is now in a good 
 Iot;wardnefs ; Virginia has already given Silk for the 
 Cioathing of our King , and it may happen hereafter 
 to .give Cloaths to a great part of mj>9$diM avail: 
 Treafure.to our Kings *, if the Silk-worms In-all thrive 
 there (of which there feems to be no doubt) the Profit 
 \fji\\ be ine^preflible. We may guefs at it, by conft- 
 dering what -Numbers of Caravans, and how many 
 great Cities in *Perfia are maintained by that Manttfa- 
 ffure, alone, and what mighty Cuftoms it yearly brings* 
 into the Sophfs Revenue. 
 
 ' 
 BUT if boththefe Helps Ihould chance to fail ; if ; XXIX, 
 
 nothing new mould ever come into our Hands j and \$." m "j 
 
 r , ~ imprcveabls 
 
 there could be no farther Alteration made by Tranf- /, y the old 
 planting ; yet we may ftill take Comfort, and rely on Matter of 
 the old Matter itfelf, on which all our prefent Arts Arts - 
 have been devifed. This certainly will take away all 
 diftruft in this Bufmefs : For it may be obferv'd, that 
 the greateft part of all our New Inventions have not 
 
 Ccc 2 been
 
 88 TheHISTORTtf 
 
 been raifcd from Subje&s before untouch'd (though 
 they alfo have given us very many) but from the moft 
 fiudicd and moft familiar Things, that have been al- 
 ways in Mens Hands and Eyes. For this 1 fhall only 
 inftance in T Tinting, in the Circulation of the Bloody 
 in Mr. Boyle's Engine for the fucking out of Air, in the 
 making of Guns, in the Microscopical 'G/affes, and in 
 the Tcndulum Clocks of Hugenius. What might we 
 have belie v'd to be perfect, if not the Art of Mens 
 ^Communicating their Thoughts one to another ? What 
 was nearer to them than their Blood, by which their 
 Life fubfifts ? And what more ready to be found out 
 than it-s Motion ? In what Subject had the Wit of Ar- 
 tificers been more fhcwn, than in the variety of Clocks 
 and IV ate hes ? What Thing was more in Mens View 
 than<r/*//, through which, inthefe Countries, the very 
 Light itfelfis admitted, whereby wedifcern all Things 
 elfe? What more natural to us than the Air we 
 breath, with which we form every word to exprcfs 
 other Things? What \v as more ftudied than the Art 
 of Fighting ? \V hat little Stratagem, or Fortification, 
 or Weapon^ could one have thought to have been con- 
 ceal'd from the Greeks and Romans, who wcrefo curi- 
 ous in the 2)>/?///>we of War ? And yet in all thcfe 
 the moft obvious Things, the greateft Changes have 
 been made by late ^D if co-v cries 5 which cannot but 
 convince us, that many more are ftill to come from 
 Things that are as common, if we fhall not be wanting 
 to ourfeJves. 
 
 . XXX. AND this we have good reafon to truft will beef- 
 Mechanics felted, if this Mechanic Genius y which now prevails in 
 ^f^/;^thefe Parts of Chriftendom, fhall happen to fprcad 
 ingofCivi- wider amongft ourfelves, and other Civil Nations -, 
 toy. or
 
 the ROYAL S o c i T. T Y. 
 
 or if by fomegood Fate-itfhall pafs farther on to other 
 Countries that were yet never fully civiliz'd. We now 
 behold much of the Northern Coafts of Europe and 
 Afia> and almoft all^r/V, to continue in the rude State 
 of Nature : I wifh I had not an Inftance nearer Home, 
 and that I did not find fome Parts of our own Monar- 
 chy in as bad a Condition. But why may' \vcnot fup- 
 pofe, that all thefe may in courfe of Time be brought 
 to layafidethe untam'd Wildnefsof their prefent Man- 
 ners ? Whyfhould we ufe them fo cruelly as to believe, 
 that the Goodnefs of their Creator has not alfo appoint- 
 ed them their Seafon of polite and happy Life, as well 
 as us \ Is this more unlikely to happen, than the Change 
 that has been made in the World thefe laft feventeen 
 hundred Years ? This has been fo remarkable, that if 
 Ariftotle, and 'Plato, znA'DemoJthenes, fhould now 
 arife in Greece again, they would ftand amaz'd at the 
 horrible Devastation of that which was the Mother of 
 Arts. And if C<efar and Tacitus Ihould return to 
 Life, they would fcarce believe this Britain* and Qaul, 
 and Germany-^ to be the fame which they defcrib'd : 
 They would now behold them cover'd over with Ci- 
 ties and Palaces, which were then over-run with Fo- 
 rejts and Thickets : They would fee all manner of 
 Arts flourilhing in thefe Countries, where the chief 
 Art that was praftis'd in, their Time, was that barba- 
 rous one tf painting their Bodies, to make them look 
 more terrible in Battle. 
 
 This then being imagined, that there may fome 
 lucky Tide of Civility flow into thofe Lands* which 
 are yet favage, there will a double Improvement 
 thence arife, both in refpeft of ourfelves and them : 
 For even the prefent skilful Parts of Mankind, will be 
 thereby made more skilful '; and the other will not 
 
 only
 
 The H I ST RT of 
 
 only increafe thofe Arts which we {hall beftow upon 
 them, but will alfo venture on new Searches themfelvcs. 
 
 If any {hall doubt of the firft oftheic Advantages, 
 let them confider that the fpreading of Knowledge 
 wider, does bigct a higher and a clearer Genius' fa- 
 thofe that enjoy 'd it before. 
 
 But the chief Benefit will arife from the New Con- 
 certs ? for they will not only receive from us our Old 
 Arts, but in their firft Vigour will proceed to new ones 
 that were not thought of before. This is rcafonablc 
 enough to be granted: For feeing they come frelh 
 and unwearied* and the Thoughts of Men being moft 
 violent in the firft opening of their Fancies ; it is pro- 
 bable they willfoon pafsovcr thofe Difficulties about 
 which thefe People, that have been long Civil, are al- 
 ready tir'd. To this Purpofe 1 might give as many 
 Examples as there have been different ^Periods of civi- 
 lizing '> that thofe Nations which have been taught, 
 haveprov'd wiler and more dextrous than their Teach- 
 ers. The Greeks took their rirft Hints from the Eaft > 
 but out- did them in Mu$c 9 'm Statuary, in Graving* 
 in Limning, in Navigation, in Horfemanjhij), in 
 Husbandry ', as much as the Egyptians QtAflyrians 
 exceed their unskilful Anceftors in Architetture->Aftro- 
 w;#y,or Geometry. The Germans, the French, the 
 BntajnSy the Spaniards, the modern Italians^ had 
 their Light from the Romans 5 but furpafs'd them in 
 moft of their own Arts* and well nigh doubled the 
 ancient Stock ^Trades delivered to their keeping, 
 
 $. XXXI. So then, the whole *Prize is not yet taken out of 
 
 our Hands : The Mechanic Invention is not q\iite worn 
 
 "Jble'by otfars away , nor will be, as long as new Subjects may be 
 
 tefidcs difcovered, as long as our old Materials may be altcr'd 
 
 Trcdefmen, Of
 
 the R o Y A L S o c r E T ir. 391 
 
 or improv'd, and as long as there remains any Comer 
 of the World without Civility. Let us next obfervc, 
 whether Men of different ways of Life are capable of 
 performing any Thing towards it, befides the Artifi- 
 cers themfelves. This will quickly appear undeni- 
 able, if we willbeconvinc'd by Inftances-,foi it is evi- 
 dent, that diverfe forts of Manufactures have been 
 given us by Men who were not bred up in Trades 
 that refembled thofe which they difcovered. I ihall 
 mention Three; that tfTrinting, Towder^ and the 
 Bow- f Dye. The admirable Art of Compojlng Let- 
 ters, was fo far from being flatted by a Man of Learn- 
 ing^ that it was the Device of a Soldier ; And 'Powder 
 (to make Recompence) was invented by a Monk y whofc 
 courfe of Life was moft averfe from handling the Ma- 
 terials of War. The ancient Tyrian ^Purple was 
 brought to light by a Fifher ; and if ever it fhall be re- 
 cover'd,it is likely to be done by fome fuch Accident. 
 The Scarlet of the Moderns 'is a very beautiful Colour ; 
 and it was the Production of a Chjmiftj and not of a 
 
 And indeed the Inftances of this kind are fo nume- 
 rous, that I dare in general affirm, That thofe Men 
 who are not peculiarly converfant about any one fort of 
 Art S? may often find out their Rarities and Curiofities 
 fooner, than thofe who have their Minds confin'd 
 wholly to them. If we weigh the Reafons why this is 
 probable, it will not be found fo much a ^Paradox, as 
 perhaps it fecms at the firft Reading. The Trade fmen 
 themfelves, having had their Hands direded from their 
 Youth in the fame Methods ofWorking-, cannot when 
 they pleafe fo eafily alter their Cuftom, and turn them- 
 felves into new Roads of Pradice. Befides this, they 
 chiefly labour for prefent Livelihood, and therefore 
 
 cannot
 
 The HISTORT of 
 
 cannot defer their Expectations fo long, as is con*- 
 tnonly rcquifite for the ripening of any ne r JJ Contri- 
 vance. But especially having long handled their In* 
 ftruments in the fame Fafhion, and regarded their Ma- 
 terials with the fame Thoughts, they are not apt to be 
 furpriz'd much with them, nor to have aay extraordi- 
 nary Fancies, QI Raptures about them. 
 
 Thefe are the ufual Defeds of the Artificers them- 
 felves : Whereas the Men of freer Lives, have all the 
 contrary Advantages : They do not approach thole 
 Trades, as their dull and unavoidable, and perpetual 
 Employments, but as their 'Diver/ions : They come 
 to try thofe Operations, in which they arc not very 
 exacl:, and fo will be more frequently fubjeft to com- 
 mit Errors in their Proceeding : Which very Faults and 
 Wandrings, will often guide them into new Light, and 
 new Conceptions :. And laftly, there is alfo fome Privi- 
 lege to be allow'd to the Generojlty of their Spirits, 
 which have not been fubdu'd, and clogg'M by any con- 
 ftant Toil, as the others. Invention is an Herozc'Thing, 
 and plac'd above the reach of a low and vulgar Genius: 
 It requires an aclive, a bold, a nimble, a reftlefs 
 Mind: A thoufand Difficulties mufl be contemn'd, 
 with which a mean Heart would be broken ; many 
 Attempts muft be made to no Purpofe; much Trea- 
 y#r^muft fometimes be fcatter'd without any Return; 
 much Violence and Vigour of Thoughts mufl attend it 9 
 fome Irregularities and Excefles muftbe granted it, that 
 would hardly be pardon'd by the fevere Rules of 
 
 rudence. All which may perfuade us, that a large 
 and au unbounded Mind is likely to be the Auttor of 
 greater 'ProduEtions, than the calm, obfcuie, andfet- 
 terM Endeavours of the Mechanics themfelves: And 
 that as in \bzGeneration.of Childre.n ) .\ho>& are ufual ly 
 
 obferv'd 
 
 p
 
 OYAL SOCIETY. 393 
 
 obferved to be mod fprightly, that are the ftolen Fruits 
 of an unlawful Bed; fo in the Generations of the 
 Brains, thofe are often the moft vigorous and witty, 
 which Men beget on other Arts, and not on their 
 own. 
 
 THIS came feafonably in, to flop the undeferv'd XXXII, 
 Clamours, which perhaps in this humorous Are* fbrae/T^f"" 
 
 o- j r n i r & r bejtimprova- 
 
 1 radejmen may raiie againlt the Royal Society ', for en- tie by Expe- 
 tring within the Compafs of their Territories. Where- 'meats. 
 fore I proceed to my third Particular, which I have 
 aim'd at in the two former, that the fureft Increafe 
 remaining to be made in Manual Arts, is to be per- 
 form' d by the conduct of Experimental 'Philosophy. 
 This will appear undeniable when we ihall have found, 
 that all other Cauies offuch Inventions are, defective } 
 and that for this very Reafon, becaufe the Trials of 
 Arty have been fo little united with the plain Labours 
 of Mens Hands. 
 
 I have already given this Account of the former Arts 
 that we ufe, that the greatefl Part of them has been 
 produc'd, either by Luxury, or Chance, or Necsjjity > 
 all which muft be confefs'd to be mean and ignoble Cau- 
 fes of the Rational Mechanics. 
 
 The firft of thefe has been, that Vanity and Intem- 
 perance of Life, which the delights of Veace^ and 
 greatnefs of Empire have always introduc'd. This 
 has been the Original of very many extravagant Inven- 
 tions of Tleafure > to whofe 'Promotion^ it is not re- 
 quifite that we mould give any help, feeing they are 
 already too exceffive. And indeed, if we confider 
 the vaft Number of the Arts of Luxury ', compar'd to 
 the found, and the fubftantial ones of ufe ; we mall 
 find that the Wit of Men has been as much defective in 
 
 D d d the
 
 594- The BISTORT of 
 
 the one, as redundant in the other. It has been the 
 conftant Errors of Mens Labours in all Ages, that they 
 haveftili directed them to improve thoic of *Pleafure-> 
 more than thofe of 'Profit. How many, and how ex- 
 travagant, have been the Ornaments about Coaches ? 
 And how few Invent ions, about new Frames for Coach- 
 es, of about Carts, and T loughs ? What prodigious Ex- 
 pence has been thrown away, about the Fafhions of 
 Cloaths ? But how little endeavours have there been 
 to invent new Materials for Cloathing, or to perfect 
 thofe we have ? The Furniture and Magnificence of 
 Houfes, is rifen to a wonderful Beauty within our Me- 
 mory : But few or none have throughly ftudied the 
 well-ordering of Timber, the hardning of Sfonc, the 
 improvement of Mortar, and the making of better 
 Bricks. The like may be fhewn in all the reft : where- 
 in the folid Inventions are wont to be overwhelmed by 
 Gawdinefs and Superfluity \ which Vanity has been 
 caus'd by this, that the Artifls have chiefly been guided 
 by the Fancies of the Rich, or the Young, or of vain 
 Humorijts, and not by the Rules and Judgments of 
 Men of Knowledge. 
 
 The fecond occafion that has given help to the In- 
 creafe of Mechanics has been Chance : For in all Ages, 
 by fome cafual Accidents, thofe Things have been re- 
 veal'd, which either Men did not think of, or elle fought 
 for in vain. But of this the Benevolence is irregular, 
 and moft uncertain : This indeed can fcarce be ftyl'd 
 the IVorkcti a Man. The Hart defer ves as much praife 
 of Invention, for lighting on the Herb, that cures it ; 
 as the Man who blindly (tumbles on any profitable 
 Work, without Foreilghtor Confederation. 
 
 Thelaft that I fhall alledge is NeceJJity. This has 
 given rife to many great Enterprises 5 and like the 
 
 crud
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 cruel Step-mother of Hercules, has driven Men upon 
 Heroic Actions, not out of any tender ArTeftion, but 
 hard Ufage. Nor has it only been an excellent Miftrefs 
 to particular Men, but even to whole States and King- 
 doms, ; for which reafon fome have prefcrr'd a Barren 
 Soil, for the Seat of an Imperial City-, before a Fruit- 
 ful; becaufe thereby the Inhabitants being compell'd 
 to take Pains, and to live induftrioufly, will be fecure 
 from the dangerous Inchantmcnts of ^Plenty and Eafe ; 
 which are fatal to the Beginnings of all Common- 
 wealths. Yet the Defects of this fevere Author of 
 great Works^ are very many. It often indeed enga- 
 ges Men in brave Attempts, but feldom carries them 
 on to finifh what they begin : It labours at firfl for 
 want QiEread--) and that being obtain'd it commonly 
 gives over : It rather fharpens than enlarges Mens 
 Wits ; it fooner puts them upon fmall Shift s, than 
 great ^Defigns ; it feldom rifes to high or magnanimous 
 Things ; for the fame neceflity which makes Men in- 
 ventive, does commonly deprefs and fetter their /#- 
 mentions. 
 
 And now thefe principal Caufes of Mechanic T^ifco^ 
 veries being found for the greateft part to be either cor- 
 rupt or weak : It is but juft, that Reafon itfelf mould 
 interpofe, and have fome Place allow'd it in thofe 
 Arts, which ought to be the chief Works of Reafon. 
 It is a fhame to the Dignity of human Nature itfelf, 
 that cither Mens Lufts fhould tempt them, or their 
 Neceflities drive them, or blind Fortune mould lead 
 them in the dark, into thofe Things in which confifts 
 the chief 'Prerogative of their Condition. What 
 greater 'Privilege have Men to boaft of than this; that 
 they have the Pow'r of ufing, directing, changing, or 
 advancing all the reft of the Creatures ? This is the 
 D d d 2 f Domi~
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 ^Dominion which Gtf^/hasgiven us over the Works of 
 his Hands. And if we will either anlwcr the Expec- 
 tations of Heaven? or defcrve fo high an Honour, we 
 ought rather to manage this ^Dominion by 'Dili- 
 gence and Counftl) than by Chance, or Lit.\;r y, or 
 Compulsion. 
 
 It is impofllble for us to adminifter this *Pff&er a- 
 right, unlefs we prefer the Light of Men of Knowledge <, 
 to be a conftant Overfeer and Director of the Induftry 
 and Works of thofc that l.ibour. The Benefits are vail, 
 that will appear upon this Conjunction. By this means 
 the Inventions of Chance will be fpread into all their 
 various Ufes, and multiply'd into many new Advan- 
 tages : By this the ^Productions of NeceJJtty will be am- 
 plify 'd and compleated : By this thofe of Luxury and 
 Wantonnefs may be reduc'd to fome folid Ends: 
 By this may be rais'd almoft as certain a Method to in- 
 vent new Mechanics, as now any particular Mechanics 
 can praftifc, to produce their own Operations ; by 
 this the weak Minds of the Artifls themfelves will be 
 ftrcngthcn'd, their low Conceptions advanc'd, and the 
 Obfcurity of their Shops enlighten'd : By this their 
 Thoughts will be diredted to better Injtruments and 
 Materials 5 by this their c Poi;erty^\\\\^. aflifted, and 
 they will be enabled to attempt morecoftly Trials 5 
 by this that will be amended, which has been hither- 
 to the Misfortune of fuch Invent ion s> that they have 
 commonly fallen into Mens Hands, who underftand 
 not their Natures, Ufes, or Improvements : By this 
 the Conceptions of Men of Knowledge, which are 
 wont to loar too high, will be made to defccnd into 
 the materially or Id > and the flegmatick Imaginations 
 of M en of Trade, which ufe to grovel too much on the 
 Ground, will be exalted. 
 
 It
 
 ROYAL SOCIETY. 397 
 
 It was faid of 'CMl Government by Tlato, that then 
 the World will be beft rul'd, when either Tbilofo- 
 fhers fhall be chofen Kings, or Kings ftiall have Thi- 
 lofophicallAm^. And 1 will affirm the like of Thilo- 
 fophy, it will then attain to Perfection, when either the 
 Mechanic Labourers fhall have ^Philofofhical Heads^ 
 or the Thilofbphersft&\\ have Mechanical Hands ^ for 
 the proof of this I ^eed only propofe one Inftance, 
 with which I am furnifh'd by Antiquity ; and it is of 
 Archimedes ; by this Example alone, we may at once 
 chaftifethe (loth of all Ages fince his time, and con- 
 fute the prefent Contemners of Mechanic Knowledge. 
 This Great Man was one of the firft who apply 'd his 
 Skill, in the Mathematics and Thyfics^ to the Practices 
 and Motions of Manual Trades. And in thefe his Sue* 
 cefs was fo prodigious, that the true Contrivances of 
 his Hands did exceed all \hz fabulous Strength, which 
 cither the ancient Stories ; or modern Romances have 
 beftow'd on their Heroes. The Weights he mov'd 
 were fo vaft, and the Engines he fram'd had fuch dread- 
 ful Effects, that his Force could neither be refitted by 
 Seas, or Mountains, or Fleets, or Armies, which are 
 the greateft Powers of Nature and Men. He alone 
 fuftahfd the Burden of his falling Country; he alone 
 kept the Romans at a Bay, to whom the whole World 
 was to yield. And perhaps he had come off victori- 
 ous at laft, if he had not contended with the fatal 
 Valour of Marcellus : Amongft all whofe Exploits, 
 thefe are recorded as the two greateft, that he firffc 
 fhew'd that Hannibal might be fubdu'd ; and that 
 he vanquifh'd Sjracnfe, though it was defended by- 
 Archimedes. 
 
 THUS
 
 The HISTORTof 
 
 . XXXIII. THUS far I hope the way is clear as I go : I have 
 
 The Invert- f omc Confidence that I have fufficiently prov'd, that 
 tion of new r <r j n-i j c 
 
 Mtchanicks the Invention of Trade may Itill proceed tarther, and 
 
 will not in- that by the help of Men of free Lives, and by this 
 jurttbeold. cour f e of Experiments. But yet the main 'Difficulty 
 continues unremov'd. This arifes from the fulpicions 
 oftheTr^^/wfwthcmfelves : They are generally in- 
 feftcd with the narrowneis that is natural to Corpora- 
 tions, which are wont to refill: all new Comers, as pro- 
 fefs'd Enemies to their 'Privileges: And by thefc in- 
 tcrefted Men it may be objected, That the growth of 
 new Invent ions zri&new Artificers, will infallibly 
 reduce all the old ones to Poverty and Decay. 
 
 But to take off thefe Fear s in this Particular, they 
 are to be inform'd, that there are two forts of Experi- 
 ments which the Royal Society attempts in Mechanical 
 Matters. The firft will be employ 'd about the revi- 
 fing, changing, and correcting of the old Mechanics 
 themfelves : The fecond, about inventing of New. In 
 the firft of thefe they can have no ground of Jealoufy; 
 feeing they are not intended to bring others over their 
 Heads, but only to beautify and fatten thofe which 
 they already enjoy. And even this is a Work fo ne- 
 ceflary to be done, that if there were not a continual 
 Reparation made in them, they would foon languifh, 
 and infenfibly confume away into Barbarifm : For the 
 Arts of Mens Hands are fubjefttothc fame Infirmity 
 with Empire^ the bed Art of their Minds, of which it 
 is truly obferv'd, that whenever it comes to ftandftill, 
 and ceafes to advance, it will foon go back and decrcafe. 
 Hence it appears, that one part of Experiments, 
 and that a very confiderable part, is free from their 
 Cavils, Let us then go on to the other kinds, which 
 
 Pur-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Purpofe the ftriking out of new Mechanics : Ofthefe 
 I will alfo aflert the Innocence, in refpeft of their 
 Predeceflbrs. In few Words, the Old Arts are fo 
 far from being endanger'd by the New, that they 
 themfelves will receive a proportionable Increafe, as 
 the New fhall arife. The Warmth and Vigour which 
 attends new 'Dtftaverief, is feldom wont to confine 
 itfelf to its own Sphere, but is commonly extended 
 farther to the Ornament of its Neighbours. This is 
 apparent in the Degree by which all Nations ufe to at- 
 tain to a higher Civility. The ordinary Method 
 wherein this happens, is the Introduction of fome one 
 or two New Arts : For they appearing with great Ac- 
 tivity in the Beginning, do not only eftablifh them- 
 felves 5 but alfo by ftirring and inflaming Mens 
 Minds, by difgracing the lazinefs of other Artisans, . 
 and provoking them to an Emulation, they are 
 wont to bring an univerfal Light and Beauty on 
 thofe Inventions into whofe Company they aret 
 brought. 
 
 It is faid of the Moral Virtue s> that they havefuch a 
 mutual Dependance, that no Man can attain to *Per- 
 fecJion in any one of them, without fome Degree of 
 the other. And this alfo is certain in the Mechanic 
 Arts : The Connexion between them is fo clofe, that 
 they generally ufe to increafe in the fame Meafure 
 There is no Time, nor great City, which perfectly ex- 
 cels in any one of them, butit is thereby made moreca- 
 pable of admitting the reft, or of advancing them 
 higher if they were admitted before. 
 
 It is true indeed, the increafe of Tradefmeftiszn In- 
 jury to others, that are bred up in particular Trades? 
 where there is no greater Employment than they can 
 maft.er: But there can never be art overcharge of 
 
 Trade*
 
 400 TheHISTORTof 
 
 Trades themfelves. That Country is ftill the richcft 
 and moft powerful, which entertains moft Manufa- 
 ctures. The Hands of Men employ 'd arc true Riches ; 
 the faving of thofe Hands by Inventions of Art, and 
 applying them to other PP'orkSy will increafe thofe 
 Riches. Where this is done, there will never a fuffi- 
 cient Matter for Profit be wanting ; for if there be not 
 vent for their Produ&ions at Home, we fhall have it 
 Abroad ; but where the Ways of Life are few, the 
 Fountains of Profit will be poflefs'd by few ; and fo 
 all the reft muft live in Idlenefs, on which inevitably 
 enfues Beggary > whence it is manifeft, that 'Poverty 
 is caus'd by the fewnefs of Trades, and not by the 
 multitude. 
 
 Nor is it enough to overthrow this, to tell us, that 
 by this addition of Labourers all Things will become 
 dearer, becaufe more muft be maintained : For the high 
 rate of Things is an Argument of the Flourifhing, 
 and the cheapnefs of the Scarcity of Money, and ill 
 peopling of all Countries. The firft is a fign of many 
 Inhabitants, which are true Greatnefs: The fecond is 
 only a fitSubjed for 'Poetsto defcribe, and to compare 
 to \hs\xGoldenAge 5 for where all Things are without 
 jPrice or Value y they will be without Arts or Empire, 
 or Strength. 
 
 I will explain all this by a familiar and domeftic In* 
 fiance. It is probable that there are in England a 
 hundred times more Trades than the Saxons or the 
 ^Danes found here in their Invafions ; and withal the 
 particular Traders live now more plentifully, and the 
 whole Nation is wonderfully ftronger than before. 
 This alfo may be feen in every particular City : The 
 greater it is, the more kinds of Artificers it contains ; 
 whofe Neighbourhood and Number is fo far from be-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 401 
 
 ing an hindrance to each others Gain, that ftill the 
 Tradejmen of moft populous Towns are wealthier 
 than thofe who profefs the fame Crafts in Country 
 Mercats. 
 
 In England it has of late been a univerfal Murmur, 
 that Trade decays 5 but the contrary is evident, from 
 the perpetual Advancement of the Cuftoms. Whence 
 then arifes the Complaint ? From hence, that Traders 
 have multiplied above the proportionable Increafe of 
 Trades : By this Means all the old Ways of Gain are 
 over-ftock'd, which would foon be prevented by a 
 conftant Addition of new. 
 
 The want of a right apprehending this, has always 
 made the Englijb averfe from admitting of new Inven- 
 tions* and fhorter Ways of Labour, and from natural- 
 lizing new People : both which are the fatal Miftakes 
 that have made the Hollanders exceed us in Riches and 
 Trafic : they receive all Trojetfs and all 'People, an d 
 have few or no *Poor : We have kept them out an d 
 fupprefs*d them, for the Sake of the Toor, whom we 
 thereby do certainly make the poorer. 
 
 And here there is fuggefled to me a juftOccafion of 
 lamenting the ill Treatment which has been moft com- 
 monly given to Inventors, not only here in England? 
 but in all Ages and Countries. Nor do they only meet 
 with rough Ufage from thofe that envy their Honour ^ 
 but even from the Artificers themfelves, for whole 
 Sakes they labour : while thofe that add fome fmall 
 Matters to things begun, are ufually enrich'd thereby ; 
 the ^Difcoverers themfelves have feldom found any 
 other Entertainment than Contempt and Impoverifh- 
 ment. The Effeds of their Induftry are wont to 
 be decry'd while they live : the Fruits of their Stu- 
 dies are frequently alienated from their Children ; 
 
 E e e the
 
 401 The HISTORTof 
 
 the little Tradesmen confpire againft them, and en- 
 deavour to flop the Springs from whence they them- 
 felves receive Nourifhment : The common Titles with 
 which they are wont to be defam'd, are thole of Cheats 
 and 'Projectors. I cannot deny but many iiich do of- 
 ten mingle thcmfelves in the noble Throng of great 
 Inquirers : as of old there were fome that imitated 
 Thilofophers only in Beard and Aufterity : So I grant 
 at this time there may falfe Experimenters and Inven- 
 tors arifc, who will ftrive to make themfelves admir'd 
 by the loud talking of Mathematical Engines^ and 
 Glaffes, and Tools , and by founding in every Place 
 fuch goodly Words i&Chymiflry, and Agriculture, and 
 Mechanics. But though the Folly of fuch ^Pretenders 
 cannot be avoided, we muft not therefore reject the 
 fober and the judicious Observers. It is better fome- 
 timcs to indure Vanities, than out of too much Nice- 
 nefs to lofe any real Invention. We ought to do with 
 f Philofophical Works, as Minifters of State with Int e /- 
 ligence. It is the wifeft Courfe to give Incouragement 
 to all, leaft by mewing ourfelves too fcrupulous of be- 
 ing impos'd on by Falfioods, we chance to be depriv'd 
 of the Knowledge of fome important Truths. 
 
 The next T articular which I refolvM to handle, is 
 the Advantage of Experiments in refpeft of *PhyJic. 
 On this I intended to dilate in many Words, both be- 
 caufe of the great weight of the Subject \ which con- 
 cerns the very Welfare and Health of our Lives, and 
 alfo becaufe it would afford me abundant matter for 
 Difcourfe ; for certainly it were eafy to prove that 
 there may flill a vaft Progrefs be made in the true 
 Art of Medicine, if either we confider the imper- 
 fection of the Met hod of the ancient 'Phyficians ; or if 
 we obferve the Nature of *DiJeafes, which alter and
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 multiply upon us every Age j or if we refleft on the 
 Cures themfelves, and how little the Invention of 
 new ones has hitherto been regarded. 
 
 But as I was entring on this Subject, I perceiv'd that 
 I might fafely omit it, feeing it is already better per- 
 form^ by Mr. Boyle, in his Book of the Ufefulnefs of 
 Experiment alThilofophy. I will therefore withdraw 
 my Pen from this matter, which this noble Gentleman 
 has manag'd in the beft and moft powerful Way, by 
 ufing not only the Force of Reafon, but the Convic- 
 tion of particular Inftances. 
 
 AND now with fo good an Omen as this Gentleman's" f-XXXIV. 
 Example, who has notdifdain'dto adorn the Honour ^proplrS^- 
 of his Family with the Studies of Nature ; I will go dypr the 
 on to recommend them to the Gentry and Nobility of Gentlemen 
 om Nat ion. And I am the more cncourag'd to make tf our ' 
 this Addrefs, becaufe 1 behold that what I would advife **' 
 is already in goodmeafure accomplifh'd 3 fothat Ifhall 
 not only have an Occafion to exhort them to proceed, 
 but to commend them alfo, for their prefent Zeal to- 
 wards thefe Endeavours. 
 
 In this indeed I have much reafon to applaud the 
 generous Breeding which has been given to the Expe- 
 rimental Knowledge of this Age and Country, above 
 the bale and contemptible Education of the Opinions 
 of all former Setts : for now ^Philofophy being ad- 
 mitted into our Exchange^ our Church, our'Pa/aces, 
 and our Court, has begun to keep the beft Company, 
 and refine itsFafhion an d Appearance, and to become 
 the Employment of the Rich, and the Great, inftead 
 of being the Subject of their Scorn : Whereas it was 
 of old for the moft part only the Study of the Sullen 
 and the Poor, who thought it the graveft Part of^ 
 
 E e e 2 Science )
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 Science, to contemn the ufe of Mankind, and to differ 
 in Habit and Manners from all others, whom they 
 flighted as Madmen and Fools. From this arrogant 
 Sordidnefs of fuch 'Principles, there could not be ex- 
 peeled any Magnificent Works, but only ill-natur'd 
 and contentious 'Dottrines. Whatever the *Poets lay 
 of the Moral Wifdoni) that it thrives beft in 'Poverty ; 
 it is certain the Natural cannot : for in fuch mean and 
 narrow Conditions, Men perhaps may learn todefpife 
 the World, but never to know it. 
 
 Now then, I will proceed not fo much to exhort, 
 as to confirm the Gentlemen of our Nation, in the 
 profecution of this Art, to which their ^Purfes and 
 their generous Labours arc moil neceflary. And for 
 their incouragement in this way, I will briefly lay be- 
 fore them the Privileges they have for fuch Inqui- 
 ries, above all the Gentry of our Neighbour Nations, 
 and above all the Nobility of former Ages in this 
 Kingdom. 
 
 One principal Help that they enjoy, for the pro- 
 moting of thcfe Studies of Peace, is the prefent Con- 
 flit ut ion of the Inter eft of our Government. The 
 chief Defign of the Antient Engljfh was the Glory of 
 fpreading their Victories on the Continent : but this 
 was a magnanimous Miflake : for by their very Con- 
 quejfs, if they had maintain'd them, this IJland had 
 been ruin'd, and had only become a Province to a 
 greater Empire. But now it is rightly underftood, that 
 the Englifb Greatnefs will never be fupported or increa- 
 fed in this Age by any other Wars but thofe at Sea : and 
 for thefe the Service of the Multitude is fitter than of 
 Gentlemen. This we have beheld pra&is'd thefe 
 lafl twenty Years, wherein our Naval Strength has 
 more than trebled itfelf : for though fame few Gen- 
 tlemen
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 405- 
 
 tlemen have ftill mingled themfelves in thofc gallant 
 Adions 5 yet the Grofs of our Fleets have confifted of 
 common Men, and of Mariners who are bred up in 
 the rude Toils of fuch a Life. 
 
 As ti&sObfenvatitin may raife us. to the greater ad- 
 miration of their Valour, that fudiMagnantmityftiould 
 be found amongft the mcaneft of the People $ fo it 
 fhould alfo fuggeft to our Gentlemen, who by this 
 means are at liberty from the Employments of greateft 
 Danger, that they ought to undertake thefe, which 
 will give them as great, though a fecurer Honour. Nor 
 will it be a Difgrace to them, that the fighting for their 
 Country is caft on Men of lower Ranks, if in the mean 
 time they fhall ftrive to enlighten and adorn, while the 
 other defend it : for the fame is ordain'd by Nature it- 
 felfin the Order and Offices of her Works > theHea* 
 *venly Bodies appear to move quietly above, to give. 
 Light, and to cherifh the World with a gentle Influence ; 
 while the Inflruments of War and Offence are taken 
 out of the Bowels of the Earth. 
 
 For the Improvement of thefe j&'ts of peaceable 
 Fame-, they have indeed another Privilege, which can 
 fcarce be equalled by any Kingdom in Europe j and 
 that is, the Convenience and Benefit of being fcatter'd 
 in the Country. And in truth, the ufualCourfeof Life , 
 of the Englifh Gentlemen is fo well plac'd between the 
 troublefome Noife of pompous Magnificence, and the 
 Bafenefs of avaricious Sordidnefs ; that the true Hap- 
 pinefs of living according to the Rules and Pleafures 
 of uncorrupt Nature -, is more in their power than 
 any others. To them, in this way of Life, there can 
 nothing offer itfelf which may not be turn'd to a 'Phi* 
 lofophical Ufe. Their Country Seats being removM 
 from the Tumults of Cities, give them the beft Oppor- 
 tunity^
 
 4 o<J The HIS TORT of 
 
 tunity, and Freedom of Qbfervations. Their Hof- 
 pitality, and familiar Way of converging with their 
 Neighbourhood will always fupply them with Intelli- 
 gence. The Leifure which their Retirements afford 
 them, is fo great, that either they muft fpend their 
 Thoughts about fuch Attempts, or in more chargeable 
 and leisinnocent'Di'vert/fements. If they will confider 
 the Heavens and the Motions of the Stars, they have 
 there a quieter Hemisphere, and a clearer Air for that 
 Purpofe. If they will obferve the Generations, Breed- 
 ings, Difeafes, and Cures of living Creatures > their 
 Stables, their Stalls, their Kennels, their Parks, their 
 Ponds, will give them eternal Matter of Inquiry. If 
 they would fatisfy their Minds with the advancing of 
 Fruits? the beautifying, the ripening, the bettering 
 of ^Plants j their Paftures, their Orchards, their Groves, 
 their Gardens, their Nurferies, will furniih them with 
 perpetual Contemplations. They may not only make 
 their Bujinefs, but their very Sports moft ferviceabie to 
 Experimental Knowledge. For that if it be rightly 
 educated, will ftand in need of fuch Recreations as 
 much as the Gentlemen themfelves, from their hunting, 
 hawking, fifhing, and fowling, that is able to receive 
 as much folid Profit as they Delight. 
 
 On both thefe Accounts the Englifb Gentry has the 
 Advantage of thofe of France, Spain, Italy, or Ger- 
 many ; who are generally either fhut up in Towns, and 
 dream away their Lives in the Diverfions of Cities ; or 
 elfe are engag'd to follow their ^Pr/wwWills to foreign 
 Wars. 
 
 Nor do they only excel other Nations in fuch Op- 
 portunities, but our own Nobility of all former Times. 
 Firfr,, they are now far more numerous, and fo more 
 may be fpar'd from the civil Bufinefs of their Coun- 
 try.
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 407 
 
 try. Befides this, they are now bred up and live in a 
 quite different Fafhion. The Courfe of their Anceftors 
 Lives was grave and referv'd : they conversed with 
 few, but their own Servants} and feldom travell'd 
 farther than their own Lands : This way ferv'd well 
 enough to keep up their State and their 'Port ; but not 
 to help their Underflandings. For the Formalities of 
 Life do often counterfeit Wifdom, but never beget it. 
 Whereas now they are engaged in freer Roads of Edu- 
 cation ; now the vaft Diftance between them and other 
 Orders of Men is no more obferv'd ; now their G?- 
 verfation is large and general; now the World is 
 become more aEti<ve and induftrious ; now more of 
 them have feen the Ufe and Manners of Men, and 
 more apply themfelves to Trafc and Bufinefs than 
 ever. 
 
 This Alteration has been caus'd in our Memory, 
 either by fo many Families being advanc'd to the 
 highefl Degrees of Nobility for their excelling in the 
 Arts of the Gown > or by their frequent Intermarri- 
 ages with Citizens ; or by the Travels of the King, and 
 the Royal Family 5 or elfe by the Civil War itfelf, 
 which is always wont to be the crueleft Tyrant* or 
 the beft Reformer ; either utterly to lay waft, or to ci- 
 vilize, and beautify, and ripen the Arts of all Countries. 
 jAnd ftill we have reafon to expeft, that this Change 
 will proceed farther for the better, if our Gentlemen 
 fhall more condefcend to engage in Commerce, and to- _ 
 regard the 'Philofophy of Nature.^ 
 
 Thefirft of thefefince the Kings return, has been 
 earry'd on with great Vigour by the Foundation of 
 the Royal Company-, to which as to the Twin-Sifter of 
 the Royal Society, we have reafon as we go along to 
 wifh all ^Profperity. In both thefe Infiitutions begun 
 
 toge*-
 
 4-o8 TheHISTORTof 
 
 together, our King has imitated the two moft famous 
 Works of the wifeft of ancient Kings ; who at the 
 fame time fent to Ophir for Gold, and compos'd a 
 Natural Hiftory from the Cedar to the Shrub. 
 
 Nor ought our Gentry to be averfe from the promo- 
 ting of Trade, out of any little Jcaloufy, that thereby 
 they fhall debafe themfelves, and corrupt their Blood: 
 For they are to know, that Trafic and Commerce have 
 given Mankind a higher Degree than any Title of No- 
 bility y even that of Civility m& Humanity itfelf. And 
 at this time efpecially above all others, they have no 
 reafon to defpife 7V^* as below them, when it has fo 
 great an influence on the very Government of the 
 World. In former Ages indeed this was not fo re- 
 markable. The Seats of Empire and Trade were fcl- 
 dom or never the fame. Tyre, and Sydon, and Cades 
 and Marseilles had more Trafic, but lefs Command 
 than Pome, or Athens, or Sparta, or Macedon. But 
 now it is quite otherwife. It is now moft certain that 
 in thofe Coafts, whither the greatest Trade fhall con- 
 ftantly flow, the greateft Riches and Tower will be e- 
 ftablifh'd. The Caufe of this Difference between the 
 ancientTimes and our own, is hard to be difcovcr'd : 
 perhaps it is this, that formerly the greateft Part of the 
 //^r/^liv'd rudely on their own Natural ^Productions : 
 but now fo many Nations being civiliz'd, and living 
 fplendidly, there is a far greater Confumption of all 
 foreign Commodities ; and fo the Gain of Trade is be- 
 come great enough to over-balance all other Strength: 
 Whether this be the Reafon or no, it matters not ; but 
 the Obfcrvation is true. And this we ice is fufficiently 
 known to all our Neighbours, who are earncflly bent 
 upon the advancing of Commerce, as the bcft mians not 
 only to enrich particular Merchants, but to enlarge the 
 Empire. The
 
 the R a Y A L So c i E T r. 409. 
 
 The next Thing to be recommended tothcGentle- 
 men of England has a near Kindred with the other; 
 and that is the 'Philofopky of Nature and Arts. For the 
 want of fuch an eafy Courfe of Studies, fo many of 
 them have mifcarried in their firft Years, and have ever 
 after abhorr'd all manner offofrer Works. Whatelfe 
 do fignify the univerfal Complaints of thofe who di- 
 rect the Education of great Men's Children ? Why da 
 they find them fo hard to be fix'd to any manner of 
 Knowledge ? Their Teachers indeed are wont to im- 
 pute it to the delicacy of their Breeding, and to their ^ 
 Mother's fondnefs : But the chief Caufe of the Mif- 
 chief lies deeper : They fill their Heads with difficult 
 and unintelligible Notions^ which neither afford them 
 Pleafure in Learning, nor Profit in remembring them ; 
 they chiefly inftrud them in fuch Arts, which are made 
 for the beaten Tracts of Profeflions, and not for Gen- 
 tlemen. Whereas their Minds ihould be charm'd by 
 the allurements offweeter and v&wzplaufible Studies > 
 and for this purpofe Experiments are the fitteft : 
 Their Objects they may feel and behold, their 'Pro- 
 duttions are moft popular ; their Methodic intelli- 
 gible, and equal -to their Capacities 5 fo that in them 
 they may foon become their own Teachers. 
 
 Nor are they to contemn them for their Tlainnefs, 
 and the homely Matters about which they are often 
 employed. If they fhall think fcorn to foul their Fin- 
 gers about them on this Account, let them call their 
 Eyes back on the Original Nobility of all Countries. 
 And if that be true, that every Thing is prcferv'd and 
 reftor'd by the fame Means which did beget it at firft 5 
 they may then be taught, that their prefent Honour 
 cannot be maintain'd by intemperate 'Pteafhres, or 
 the gawdy Shews of Pomp, but by true Labours, and 
 
 F f f ' />*-
 
 The HfSTORT of 
 
 induflrious Virtue : Let them reflect upon thofe great 
 Men who firft made the Name of Nobility venerable ; 
 and they fliall find that amidft the Government of 
 Nations, the Difpatch of Armies, and Noilcof Victo- 
 ries, Ibme of them difdain'd not to ^ork with a Spade, 
 TO dig the Earthy and to cultivate with triumphing 
 Hands the Vine and the Olive. Thcfe indeed wore times, 
 of which it were \vell if we had more Footfteps than 
 in ancient Authors. Then the Minds of Men .were 
 innocent and ftrong,. and bountiful as the Earth in 
 which they labour'd. Then the Vices of human Na- 
 ture were not their Pride, but their Scorn.. Then 
 Virtue was itlelf neither adulterated by the talfc Idols 
 of Goodnefs ; nor pufT'd up by the empty Forms of 
 Greatnefs ; As fince it has been in Ibme Countries 
 of Europe, which arc arriv'd at that corruption of 
 Manners, that perhaps fome fcvere Moralijts will 
 think it had been more needful for me to perfuade 
 the Men of this Age to continue Men, than, to turn 
 'Philosophers. 
 
 But in this Hiftory I will forbear all farther Com* 
 plaint s^ which were acceptable to the humour of 
 this time, even in our divine and moral Works, in. 
 which they are neccilary. I therefore return to that 
 which I undertook, to the agrceablcnefs of this de- 
 fign to all Conditions and 'Degrees of our Nobility. I f 
 they require fuch Studies as arc proportionable to the 
 greatnefsof their Titles j they have here thofc Things 
 to confider, from whence even they thcmfclves fetch 
 the Diflindions of their Gentility. The Minerals, the 
 Plants, the Stones, the Planets, the Animals, they 
 bearinthcir^frmr, arc the chief Injlruments' of He- 
 raldry, by which thofe Houfes are exalted above thofe 
 fthc Vulgar : And it is a fhame for them. to boaft 
 
 of.
 
 the R O Y A L S C I E T Y. 4,1 1 
 
 of 'the bearing of thofe Creatures they do not imder- 
 ftand. If they value the Antiquity of Families, and 
 long Race of 'Pedigrees ; what can be more worthy 
 their Consideration, than all the diverfe Lineages of 
 Nature ? Thefe have more proof of their ancient De 
 fcent than any of them can fhcw : For they have all 
 continued down in a right Line, from Caufi to Ejfeff, 
 from the Creation to this Day. If they (hall confine 
 themfelves to the Country , they have this for their 
 cheap Diverfion. If they return to the City, this will 
 afford them in every Shop occafions to inform their 
 Judgments, and not to devour their Eftates. If they 
 go forth torfub lie Service* to the leading of Armies or 
 Navies, they have this for their perpetual Counfel- 
 lor, and very often for their Preferver. There arc 
 fo many natural and mechanical Things to be accu- 
 rately obfervM by the greatelt, Captains, as the Ad- 
 vantages of different Arms and Ammunitions, the 
 Pafifages of Rivers, the Streights of Mountains, the 
 Courfe of Tides, the Signs of Weather, the Air, the 
 Sun, the Wind, and the like ; that though I will not 
 determine the Knowledge of Nature to be abfolutely 
 neceflary to the great Office of a General ; yet I may 
 venture to affirm, that it will often prove a wonderful 
 Afliftance and Ornament to the courfe of Glory which 
 he purfues. 
 
 All Htfloriesztc full of Examples of the great Ac- 
 cidents which have happen'd by the ignorance of 
 chief Commanders in natural Motions and Effects ; 
 of thele I will only inftance in three : The firft is of 
 C<efar himfelf, who had conquer'd more Countries 
 thanmofl Travellers have feen, and gain'd more 2W:- 
 ties than others have read of; yet he had like to have 
 -put a Period to all his Victories ', by the want of an 
 
 F f f 2 exaft
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 exact Skill in one of the commoneft Works of Na- 
 ture. This he himfelf relates in his fecond PafTage 
 into Britain--) when his Army was fo difmay'd at the 
 ebbing of the Sea from their Fleet, believing it to be 
 a Stratagem of their Enemies, that fcarce the Courage 
 and Conduct ofCtefar, could hinder them from being 
 terrify*d to their own Overthrow, which had been a 
 fatal Misfortune to the Britains, as well as Romans ; 
 becaufe from his victorious Arms, wefirft received. the 
 dawn of Civil Arts. The next infhnce of this kind, 
 is the Mifchancc which befel the Chriftian Army in 
 Egypt, in the time of the Holy Wars: Their Strength 
 was great and irreftftibie, if they had only underftood, 
 that which every Egyptian could have taught them, 
 the Courfc, and the Time of the overflowing of the 
 Nile. For the want of that (lender Knowledge, the 
 braveft Men of all Chriflendom were led up to the 
 Neck in the River, and were forc'd to yield to their 
 Enemies Conditions without ftriking a Stroke. This 
 was oecafion'd by the Stupidity of the Cardinal who 
 commanded them j if he had been lefs skilful in the 
 Schoolmen^ and more in Nature* that dreadful Di- 
 fafter had never happcn'd. My third Example of this 
 kind is to be found in the Roman Hi ft or y : The Roman 
 Army was juft ready to join Battle with one of their 
 Enemies ; the Sign was given for their Onfet ; their 
 Force was equal ; a terrible Combat had like to have 
 enfu'd -) when on a fudden the Sun was Eclipsd ; of 
 this the Romans were warn'd the Day before. But 
 this furpriz'd the other with fo great Affright, that 
 they were immediately vmquifb'd. So that not the 
 braveft Men, nor the greateft Army? northebeft Pro- 
 vifions of War got the Victory ; but that Party which 
 had the bcft tMtural Thilofbpker on its fide. 
 
 To
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 To this Addrefs which I have made to our Nobility^- XXXV. 
 and Gentry y I will add, as an Appendix, another Bene- Expfriments 
 fit of Experiments, which perhaps- it- will fcarce te'Tdal te our 
 come me to name amidft fo many Matters of greater Wits and 
 Weight; and that is, that their Difcoveries will be very 
 ferviceable to -the WitsrtXA Writers of this, and ail 
 future Ages. But this I am provok'd to mention by 
 the Confideration of the prefent Genius of the Eng- 
 lifh Nation ; wherein the Study of Wit, and Humour 
 of Writing prevails fo much; that there are very few 
 Conditions, or Degrees, or Ages of Men who are free 
 from its Infection. I will therefore declare to all thofe 
 whom this Spirit lias poflefs'd, that there is in the 
 Works of 'Nature 'an inexhaustible. Treafute of Fancy 
 and Invent ion, which will be reveal'd.proportionably 
 to the increafe of their Knowledge. 
 
 To this purpofe I muft premife, that it is requir'd in 
 thebeft, and moft delightful Wit 5 that it be founded 
 on fuch Images which are generally known, and are 
 able to bring a ftrong and a fenfible Imprefllon on the 
 Mind. The feveral Subjects from which it has been 
 rais'd in all times, are the Fables and Religions of the 
 Antients, the civil Hiftories of all Countries, the 
 Cuftoms of Nations, the Bible ^ the Sciences and Man- 
 ners of Men, the feveral Arts of their Hands, and the 
 Works of Nature. In all thefe> where there may be 
 a refemblance of one thing to another, as there may 
 be in all, there is a fufficient Foundation for Witi 
 This in all its kinds has its Increafes, Heights, ,and De- 
 cays, as well as all other human Things : Let us then 
 examine what Parts of it are already exhauftcd, and 
 what remain new and untouched, and are ftill likely 
 to be- farther advanced* 
 
 The
 
 414- Tie HISTORIC 
 
 T he Wit of the Fables and Religions of the autient 
 JVorld is well-nigh coniumed $ they have already 
 ferv'd the *Poets long enough, and it is now high time to 
 difmifs them, efpccially feeing they Jiave this peculiar 
 Imperfection, that they were only Fictions at firil : 
 \\ hercas Tr/^A is never fo well cxprefs'd or ampliiy'd, 
 as by thofe Ornaments which are true and real in 
 themfclvcs. 
 
 ThcWit which is rais'd from Civil Hijlories, and 
 the Cuftoms of Countries, is folid and Jailing: The 
 Similitudes it affords are fubftantial, and equal to the 
 Minds of Men, being drawn from them fclves and their 
 ownAdions. Of this the witticft Nations have al- 
 ways made the greatcft nle ; their Writings being 
 adorn'd with a Wit that was free of their own Cities^ 
 conftfting of Examples, and Apothegms, and 'Pro- 
 verbs, dcriv'd from their Anccflors. This I allcdge, 
 bccaufc this kind is fcarce yet begun in the Englijh 
 Language ; though our own Civil Hiftory abounds as 
 much as any other, with great Examples and memo- 
 rable Events, which may fcrve for the Ornament of 
 Comparifon. 
 
 The Manners, and Tempers, and Extravagances of 
 Men arc a (landing and eternal Foundation of Wit : 
 This if it be gather 'd from particular Objer nations, is 
 call'd Humour; and the more particular they arc, 
 they are ftill the pleafantcr. In this kind I may well 
 affirm that our Nation excels all others, as our *Dra- 
 viatic 'Poetry may witne/s. 
 
 The Wii that may be borrowed from the Bible is 
 magnificent, and, as all the other Trca lures of Know- 
 ledge it contains, inexhauftiblc. This may be us'd and 
 allow'd without any danger of ProphanenelF. The An- 
 fient Heathens did the fame ; they made their ^Divine 
 
 Ceremonies
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Ceremonies the chief Subjects of their Fancies - y by 
 that means their Religions had a more awful imprefli- 
 on, became more popular, and laftcd longer in force 
 than elfe they would have done ; and why may not 
 Chriftianity admit the fame thing, if it be pra&is'd 
 with Sobriety and Reverence ? What Irreligion can 
 there be in applying fome Scripture- Expreffions ^Na- 
 tural Things If Why are not the one rather exalted 
 and purify 'd, than the other denTd by fuch Applica- 
 tions ? The very EntkufiaftsthemfelvtRi who are wont 
 to dart at fuch Wit as Athe'tftical, and more guilty of 
 its Excefles than any other fort of Men : For whatever 
 they alledge out of the Hiflorical, ^Prophetical, or 
 Evangelical Writings, and apply it to themfelves, . 
 their Enemies, or their Country, though they call it the 
 Mind of God, yet it is nothing elfe but Scripture-Com- 
 garjfonand Similitude, 
 
 The Sciences of Mens- Brains are none of the beft 
 materials for this kind of Wit. Very few have hap- 
 pily fucceeded in Logical, Metaphyjical, Grammati- 
 cal* nay even fcarce in Mathematical Comparifons ; . 
 and the reafon is, becaufe they are mod of th<m con- 
 vcrfant about Things removM from the Senfes,"and fo 
 cannot furprize the Fancy\vith very obvious, or quick* . 
 or fenfible Delights. . 
 
 The Wit that is founded on- the^frts -of Mens Hands, . 
 is mafculine and durable : Itconfiils of Images that are 
 generally obferv'd, and fuch vifible Things which are 
 familiar to MensHands. This therefore I will reckon - 
 as-thefirft fort, which is ftill improvable by tlie Ad- 
 vancement of Experiments: 
 
 And to this I will add the Works of Nature, .which - 
 are one of the beft and mod fruitful Soils for the 
 growth of Wit. It is apparent, that the Defed of- 
 *- tha-
 
 The H I ST RT vf 
 
 \\\tAntients in natural Knowledge <> did alib ftrengthen 
 their Fancies: Thofe few Things which they knew, 
 tliey ufed fo much, and applied fo often, that they even 
 almoft wore them away by their uftng. The Swcet- 
 nefs of Flowers, and Fruits, and Herbs, they had quite 
 dcvour'd ; they had tir'd out the Sun, and Moon, and 
 Stars with their Similitudes, more than they fancy 
 them to be wearied by their daily Journey round the 
 Heavens. 
 
 It is now therefore feafonablc for natural Kno*jj~ 
 ledger -come forth, and to give us the Understanding 
 of new ffrtuesand Vitalities of Things, which may 
 relieve their Fellow- Creatures, that have long born the 
 Burden alone, and have long been vex'd by the Imagi- 
 nations ofPoets. This charitable Afliftancc Experi- 
 ments will foon bcftow. The Companions which 
 thefe may afford, will bcintellible to all, becaufe they 
 proceed from Things that enter into all Mcns Scnfcs. 
 Thcfe will make rhe moft vigorous imprcfllons on 
 Mcns Fancies, becaufe they do even touch their Eyes, 
 and are neareft to their Nature. Of thefe the Vari- 
 ety will be infinite, for the Particulars are fo from 
 whence they may be deduced : Thefe may be always 
 newandunfullied, feeing there is fuch a vaft Number 
 of Natural and Mechanical Things^ not yet fully 
 known or improved, and by Confequence not yet fuf- 
 ficiently applied. 
 
 The ufe of Experiments to this Purpofe is evident, 
 by the wonderful Advantage that my Lord Bacon 
 recciv'd from them. This excellent Writer was 
 abundantly recompenc'd for his noble Labours in that 
 ^Philofophy, by a^vaft Trcafurc of admirable Imagm*- 
 tions which it afforded him, wherewith to expreis 
 .and adorn his Thoughts about other Matters. Cut I 
 
 will
 
 the R o Y A L SOCIETY, 417 
 
 will not confine this Obfer-vation to one finglc Author, 
 though he was one of the firft and moil artificial Ma- 
 nagers of this way of Wit. I will venture to declare 
 in general of the Englifh Tongue, that as it contains a 
 greater Stock of natural and mechanical 'Difcoveries* 
 To it is alfo more enrich'd with beautiful Conceptions* 
 and inimitable Similitude '/, gather'dfrom the Arts of 
 Men's Hands and the Works of Nature, than ever any 
 other Language could produce. 
 
 And now 1 hope what I have here faid will prevail 
 fomething with the Wits and Railleurs of this dge, to 
 reconcile their Opinions and Difcourfes totheleJV- 
 dies : for now they may Behold that their Intereft is 
 united with that of the Royal Society ; and that if 
 they fhall decry the promoting of Experiments, they 
 will deprive themfelves of the moft fertil Subject of 
 Fancy : and indeed it has been with refpect to thefe 
 terrible Men, that I have made this long Digreflion. 
 I acknowledge that we ought to have a great Dread of 
 their Power : I confefs I believe that new Thilofophy 
 need not (as Cafar) fear the pale or the melancholly, 
 as much as the humorous and the merry : For they 
 perhaps by making it ridiculous becaufe it is new, and 
 becaufe they themfelves are unwilling to take pains 
 about it, may do it more Injury than all the Argu- 
 ments ofourfevereand frowning and dogmatical Ad- 
 verfaries. 
 
 But to gain their good Will, I muft acquaint them, 
 that the Family of the Railleurs is deriv'd from the 
 fame Original with the ^hilofophers. The Founder 
 of'PhiloJbphy is confefs'd by all to be Socrates ; and he 
 alfo was the famous Author of all Irony. They ought 
 therefore to be tender in this matter, wherein the 
 Honour of their common 'Parent is concerned : it be- 
 
 G g g comes
 
 4i8 The HISTORT of 
 
 comes them to remember that it is the Fault, and not 
 the Excellence of Wit to defile its own Neft, and not 
 to fpare its own Friends and Relations, for the Sake of 
 a Jeft. 
 
 The truth is, the Extremes of Raillery are more 
 offcnfive than thofe of Stupidity : It is a Work of 
 fuch a tender and fubtil Spirit, that it cannot be de- 
 cently perform'd by all Pretenders to it ; nor docs it 
 always agree well with the Temper of our Nation ; 
 which as it has a greater Courage than to fuffer 'Derifion, 
 fo it has a firmer Virtue than to be wholly taken up a- 
 bout deriding of others. Such Men are therefore to 
 know, that all things are capable of abufe from the 
 fame Topicks by which they may be commended - y they 
 are to confidcr, that Laughter is the eafteft and the flcn- 
 dereft Fruit of Wit 5 they are to underfland, that it 
 proceeds from the Obfervation of the ^Deformity of 
 things ; but that there is a nobler and more mafculine 
 Pleaiurc, which is rais'd from beholding their Order 
 and Beauty : From thence they may conclude, how 
 great the Difference is between them and the real 'Phi- 
 lofophers--) for while Nature has only form'd them to 
 be pleas'd with its Irregularities and Monfters, it has 
 given the other the Delight of knowing and ftudying 
 its moft beautiful Works. 
 
 In plain Terms, a univerfal Abufe of every thing, 
 though it may tickle the Fancy never fo much, is in- 
 human Madnefs -, as one of the Antients well ex- 
 prefles it, who calls fuch Mirth humanis Bacchari re- 
 bus. If all things were made the Subjects of fuch Hu- 
 mour, all worthy defigns would foon be laugh'd out of 
 the World 5 and for our prefent Sport, our Tofterity 
 would become barbarous. All good Enterprifes ought 
 tofindAfliftance when they are begun, Applaufe when 
 2 they
 
 the ROYAL Soc I-.II.T ?. 
 
 they fucceed, and even Pity and Praife if they fail. 
 The true Raillery fhould be a Defence for good and 
 vertuous Works, and fhould only intend the Derifion of 
 extravagant, and the Difgrace of vile and diihonourable 
 
 Things. This kind of Wit ought to have the Nature 
 
 ~ <~f 
 
 of Salty to which it is ufually compared; which pre- 
 ferves and keeps iweet the good and found Parts of all 
 Bodies, and only frets, dries up, and deilroys thofe Hu- 
 mours which putrify and corrupt. 
 
 This pleafant but unprofitable fort of Men being Sett. 
 thus didnifs'd with this fair Admonition* it now fol^^Y 111 ; 
 
 IIOTM IT i /-IT Experiments 
 
 lows in the lalt Plpce, that I examine the univerfal In- a dvantagi- ' 
 
 tereft of the Englifb Nation, and confider what Effect 00; /0 /*/- 
 the Works of the Royal Society are like to have upon*/T#? f our 
 it, by what means their Labours may ferve toencreafe atm ' 
 our Advantages, and correct our Imperfections. In 
 the Entrance of this Subject there are fo many things 
 prefented to my Thoughts, which are worthy to be 
 declared to my Countrymen, that I rather think it 
 ought to be largely managed by itfelf, than to be hud- 
 dled up in the end of this Treatife : and certainly 
 there is fcarce any matter that more deferves to be 
 handled by the beft of our Englifi Wits, than the 
 Interefl of their Country. I do therefore take the 
 Freedom to recommend it to their Hands ; and to be- 
 feech them to raife their Thoughts from (lighter Bufi- 
 neffes, from unmanly Flatteries, or Vanities oL0ve, or 
 ufelefs Burlefque^ to this grave and this noble Argu- 
 ment 5 and to remember that if Themijlodes was in the 
 right, when he preferr'd the making of a fmall City 
 great before the play ing on a Fiddle, then certainly it is 
 the braved Employment for a worthy Mind, to en- 
 deavour to make a great Kingdom greater. 
 
 G gg 2 There
 
 4 zo TheHISTORTof 
 
 There are very many Things in the natural Genius 
 of the Englifh, which qualify them above any other 
 for a governing Nation. The Situation of our Coun- 
 try is moil: advantagious for Command: Its native Pro- 
 ductions are moftferviceable for Strength and Empire : 
 The Difpofition of the People is bold inDangcrs, fe- 
 vcre in Difcipline, valiant in Arms, virtuous in" Lite, re- 
 lenting to the Afflicted, and merciful in Conqueft. 
 The unfortunate Divifions by which our Force has been 
 of late diftractcd, are but of one or two Ages growth j 
 the Vices to which we are fubject are not natural to 
 our Soil, but imported hither from foreign Countries : 
 The Engljjh Generofity, Fidelity, Magnanimity, Mo- 
 defty, Integrity, they owe to themlelves ; their Luxury, 
 theirDebauchery,their Divifions, their fpiritualSchifms, 
 they have received from abroad. 
 
 And now what can be a greater Work than the Ma- 
 nagement of all thefe matters ? Here the Writer might 
 have occafion of doing right to the Honour of his 
 Country, and yet reproving its Faults with a juft Cen- 
 fure : he might explain the Wcakncfles and Advan- 
 tages of our Kingdom : he might remove the one, and 
 confirm the other : he might compare the Actions of 
 our Ancejfors with the Manners of this Time, and fhew 
 by what degrees this Diflblution of Goodnefs crept in : 
 he might with a generous and tender Hand, apply him- 
 felf to the Cure of Religious ^iflempers : he might 
 with irreilftable Arguments attempt to amend what is 
 aniils, reftore the^eW, and by the Power of domeftick 
 Examples reduce us back to the antient Sincerity 
 of dealing* and innocence of Life, and union of In- 
 terefts. 
 
 TheDefire of feeing thisWork performed fits fo much 
 on my Mind, that I cannot but once more reprefent it 
 
 to
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 to the Confideration of the many Eloquent and Judi- 
 cious Authors, with whom our Nation is now more 
 abundantly furnim'd than ever. But if neither the Ne- 
 ceflity nor Ufefulnefs of the Subject, nor the Benefit 
 of their native, Land will prevail with them to fetupon 
 it ; it is my purpofe to excite them by another way, 
 which will indeed be hazardous to my own Reputation, 
 yet perhaps may take effeft. I will try the fame Strata- 
 gem which I have often feen unskilful Singers ufe, to 
 make thofe who have excellent Voices fhew their Art : 
 for as they by ill Singing fome excellent Tune are wont 
 to provoke the others wjing* when no Perfuafions 
 could move them ; fo do I intend at my firft Leifure, 
 by ill handling of this noble Subjett Y \& ftirup Men of 
 greater Abilities to employ their Skill and their Judg- 
 ment about it. 
 
 Having thus taken this Task on myfelf, it will not 
 be needful here to infift long upon it before hand : I 
 will only in a few Words declare, that it is the true Con- 
 cernment of England \.Q fecure itfelf from the Domi- 
 nion of Str anger s> both Ecclefiaftical and Temporal ; 
 to advance its Induflry in peaceful Arts - 3 to increafe 
 its ^People ; to improve its own Manufactures , to in- 
 troduce the foreign, of which our Soil is capable,- to 
 make ufe of the two Kingdoms that are joined with it 
 under the fame Monarch, for thofe Productions which, 
 grow not at Home ; to obtain a Union of Mind, botli - 
 in Civil and Spiritual Matters ; and to preferve the 
 antient lorm of Government. 
 
 Of all thefe I will only touch upon thofe Parts of 
 our Inter eft which have -reference to the Defign of the 
 Royal Society. 
 
 The firft thing that ought to be improv'd in the 
 Englijh Nation,, is their Indiiflry. This, it is true, has
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 of late Years been marvelloufly advanc'd ; as may be 
 fhewn by the enlarging of Trafa the fpreading of 
 many Fruits, the Plantations of Trees, and the great 
 Improvement of Manual Arts. But it is evident, that 
 it may ftill admit of farther Warmth and Activity ; as 
 we may conclude, by the Want of Employment for 
 younger Brothers, and many other Conditions of Men ; 
 and by the number of our Poor, whom Idlenefs and 
 not Infrmities do impoveriih. The way to compafs 
 this, is not alone by Atts of 'Parliament, and good 
 Law 5 whofe Force will loon be evaded by prefent 
 Craft and Interpretation, or elfe will be antiquated 
 by Time. This perhaps our Country has found above 
 all others : if our Labourers \\^<\ been as diligent as our 
 l*4W-gtVtr*>t we had prov'd the mod laborious Nati- 
 on under Heaven. But the true Method of increa- 
 fing Indujlry y is by that Courfe which the Royal Soci- 
 ety has begun in 'Philofophy, by Works and Endea- 
 vours, and not by the Prcfcriptions of Words t or Ta- 
 per Commands. 
 
 There is nothing whofc promoting is fo eafy as jD/- 
 ligencet when it is once let on foot. This does not 
 only propagate Works but Workers ; though at firfl 
 it may begin on Necejfity, yet it will afterwards pro- 
 cced upon 'Pleafitre : So that the farther it goes, the 
 fwiftcr it advances, bccaufe willing Works arc fooncr 
 perform'd than thofe to which we are compell'd. This I 
 will demonftrate by an Inflance which 1 have already 
 allcdg'd, and it is of the Hollanders : for we may fetch 
 Examples of Virtue from our own Countrymen, but of 
 Induflry from them. At firft they were as lazy as the 
 worft of ours: their Hands were unus'd to labour ; 
 their manner of Life was much like that of the antient 
 Britain* > their Coafts lay dclolate to the Sea, with- 
 out
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 413 
 
 out Banks, or Towns, or Ships, or Harbours : and 
 when the Roman Emperor gather'd Cockles there, per- 
 haps there was little elfe worth gathering. But when by 
 the number of their People they were forc'd to look 
 abroad, to trade, to fifh, IQ labour in Mechanics; they 
 foon found the Sweetnefs as well as the Toil of their 
 ^Diligence : their Succefles and Riches ftill added new 
 Heat to their Minds ; and thus they have continued 
 improving, till they have not only difgrac'd but terrify 'd 
 their Neighbours by their Indujiry. Nor will it fuf- 
 fice to tell us, that they owe this Activity to the Form of 
 their Government. That Suppofition may prefently 
 be confuted by the Example of France* the mofl abfo- 
 lute Monarchy of Chriflendom : There it is apparent 
 by the prodigious Toils of their People, both upon 
 the Earth, and in their Shops, that ^Diligence may 
 thrive in a Kingdom as well as a Commonwealth. 
 
 And if ever the Englifh will attain to the Maftery 
 of Commerce-, not only in ^Difcourfe^ but Reality r , they 
 muft begin it by their Labour 'S, as well as by theu* 
 Swords : they muft do it by awakening their Minds, 
 by rouzing themfelves from this Lethargy, by Atfion, 
 by Trials-, by Working : Unlefs this be done, they 
 will in vain be Victorious : at the end of their JVars 
 they will cool again, and lofe all the Fruits of their Va- 
 lour- The Arts of Peace, and their Improvements,muil: 
 proceed in equal Steps with the Succefs of their Arms : 
 The Works of our Citizens, our Plough-men, our 
 Gardeners, our Wood-men, our Fifhers, our Diggers ia 
 Mines, muft be equally advanced with the Triumphs 
 of our fleets , or elfe their Blood will be ftied in vain : 
 they will foon return to the fame Poverty, and want of 
 Trade, which they ftrove to avoid. For as Tully pro- 
 feffes, tieminem 'video eloquent em faff urn effe vifto*- 
 
 rid :
 
 4-14 'The HISTORY 
 
 ria : So will I affirm, that wejhall never be made 
 Induftrious by Vittory alone. 
 
 The fecond Thing to be corrected in the Englifh 
 .Humour, is an Inclination to every Novc It v and Va- 
 nity of foreign Countries, and a Contempt of the good 
 things of our own. This Fondnefs is the ufual Fault of 
 young Travellers** but it has alfo ill Effects on Men of 
 full Age : For this they are wont to al ledge the Excufe 
 of good Breeding. But if we could not ftudy or under- 
 fland our own Country, without the Imputation of ill 
 Manners, good Breeding were the moil pernicious 
 thing in the World. For there was never yet any Nati- 
 on great, which only admir'd the Cuftoms of other 
 People, and wholly made them the Pattern of their Imi- 
 tation. This wandring and affccled Humour Experi- 
 ments will lefien above all other Studies: they will 
 employ our Thoughts about our native Conveniences: 
 they will make us intend our Minds on what is contain- 
 ed within our own Seas : and by confidering and hand- 
 ling them more, will alfo make them more worthy of 
 our Confederation. 
 
 The third Imperfection is on the other Extreme, 
 and that is a narrownefs of Mind ^ and a pusillanimous 
 confning our Thoughts to ourfclves, without regard- 
 ing any thing that is foreign, or believing that any 
 of their jfrtsor Cuftoms may be preferr'd before our 
 own . This indeed is a Perverfenefs, of which the En- 
 glifb are not wholly to be acquitted : it being proper 
 to I/lands, and to fuch Countries that are divided from 
 the reft of the JVorld. This will be cur'd by the ef- 
 fectual T^emonft rat ions that the Society will give of 
 the Benefit of a univcrfal Correfpondence and Commu- 
 nication. And this, according to their Method, will 
 be done without falling into the other Vice of afFe6l- 
 
 ing
 
 tbe R o A L SOCIETY. 
 
 ing foreign Habits j and Manners, and Geftures. In 
 thefe the Englifh need not be beholden to others ; but 
 in their Fruits, in their Manufactures, in their Engines, 
 in their Works in Gold, and Silver, and Brafs, and Iroiy 
 we may follow their Practice, and emulate their CurU 
 ofities without Affectation. 
 
 There is one Inftance which will mew how our Re- 
 fpect to outlandifh Things is to be regulated. To de- 
 pend on the French for every little Fafhion of Cloaths, 
 and to equal their Nobility in their way of Life, is nei- 
 ther for our Honour nor Profit. For the difference 
 between their Gentry and ours, and their Commonal- 
 ty and ours, is fo great, that the fame Manners will not 
 be decent in us, which become them well enough. 
 But to learn horn than their Skit/ in Horfemanfhip and 
 Arms, their Building? their Cultivation of Fruits, the 
 Tarfimony and Indiiflry of their Tradefmen? is com- 
 mendable ; for in thefe Things we are defective, and 
 they excel. It is therefore the Admiration of foreign 
 Extravagancies^ and not the Imitation of their Excel" 
 lencies that is to be condemn'd. If we will rather ob- 
 ftinately be content with our own Store, than borrow 
 what is good from Abroad j we flatter our felves with 
 the fame foolifh Imaginations, that all Countries had, 
 while they were barbarous. To them their Acorns 
 and their Cottages were at firft the utmoft Ends of 
 their Ambition. They knew no more, nor afpir'd to 
 any farther Addition ; but as foon as a new Lightfprung 
 forth amongft them, they defpis'd themfelves and 
 their former Condition ; and then they fail began to 
 underftand their Wants^ when they perceiv'd how 
 they might be fupply'd. As long as we find that 
 all parts of our Country are not Ingenious, Inventive, 
 and Induftrious alike, we cannot prefume that we 
 
 H hh have
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 have already got beyond all poflibility of Amendment 
 by others Patterns. As long as we behold any City or 
 frovince, or Family > or Street of our Neighbours, 
 exceed the word of ours, I will not fay the beft in Ea- 
 finefs of Life* or Pleafantnels or Smoothneis of Man- 
 ners, we have no reafon to arrogate too much to our 
 felves ; but we rather fhould conceive it to be a lefs 
 difgrace to tread in their Footfteps^ than to want their 
 Perfections. As long as there remains any room for 
 our moft civil ^People to grow more Civil, the Intro- 
 duction of foreign Inventions is not only pardonable, 
 but neceffary j for fuch is the Nature of Civility, that 
 as it increafes, it (till requires more Arts, though it 
 contents itfclf with kfs Forms of living. 
 
 The fourth Mifchief by which the Greatnefs of the 
 Englifh is fupprefs'd, is a want of Union otlnterefts and 
 Affections. This is originally caus'dby a natural Re- 
 fervednefs, to which our Temper is inclin'd j but it 
 has been heighten'd by our Civil'Differences, and Re- 
 ligious ^Diflr actions. For the fwectning of fuch Diffen- 
 ttons, it is not beft at firft to meet and converfe about 
 Affairs of State, or fpiritual Controversies. For thofe 
 did firft occafion our Animojities y and the more they 
 are rubb'd, the rawer they will prove. But the mofl 
 effectual Remedy to be us'd, is, firft to aflcmble about 
 fome calm and indifferent Things, efpecially Experi- 
 ments. In them there can be no caufe of mutual Ex- 
 afperatwns: In them they may agree, or dillent with- 
 out Fattion or Ficrcenefs 5 and fo from enduring each 
 others Company > they may rife to a bearing of each 
 others Opinions ; from thence to an exchange of good 
 Offices 5 from thence to real Friendjhip : Till at laft 
 by fuch a gentle and eafy Method, our feveral /;/-
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY. 417 
 
 may come to fufferone another, with 
 the fame Peaccablenefs as Men of different Trades live 
 one by another in the fame Street. 
 
 Nor is it the leaft. Commendation the Royal Society 
 deferves, that defigning a Union of Mcns Hands and 
 Reafons, it has proceeded fo far in uniting the dffe- 
 flions-, for there we behold an tmufual Sight to the 
 Englijb Nation, that Men of difagreeing Parties, and 
 ways of Life, have forgotten to hate, and have met 
 in the unanimous Advancement of the fame Works. 
 There the Soldier ', the Tradesman, the Merchant^ the 
 Scholar, the Gentleman, the Courtier , the 'Divine, the 
 TresbyterUn, the *Papift, the Independant, and thofe 
 of Orthodox Judgment, have laid aiide their Names of 
 Diflindtion, and calmly confpir'd in a mutual Agree- 
 ment of Labours and ^Deftres: A Bleifing which feems 
 even to have exceeded that Evangelical Promife, That 
 the Lion and the Lamb (hall lie down together > for 
 here they do not only endure each others Prefence 
 without Violence~or Fear, but they work and think 
 in Company, and confer their help to each others In- 
 ventions. 
 
 THE laft part of vhz general Inter eft of our Nation, XXXIX. 
 
 in which I will furvey the influence of Experiments, *P* m "*- 
 ' r\t j 7 > i ^~, i t tai Anaw- 
 
 is Obedience to the Civil Government ; and we ought i e d ge w/ y/ 
 to be very watchful that they prove not oflfenfive to not binder 
 the Supreme 'Power -, for feeing the King has honoured 
 them with his RoyalTatronage, it is but juft that the 
 'Prerogatives of his Crown Ihould be no lofers by their 
 Increafe. It is indeed a common Accusation, which is 
 wont to be made againftall manner of Knowledge, by 
 tliofe who have it not, that it renders Men mutinous, 
 arrogant, and incapable of Superiors ; but if this be 
 
 H h h 2 admitted,
 
 The BISTORT of 
 
 admitted, we fliall afperfe human Nature and Govern- 
 ment with the greateft Calumny. This were to affirm, 
 that Men cannot exercife their Reafon without being 
 Factious and Unruly ; and that Civil Government will 
 be infupportable to all but ignorant Men and Fools ; 
 which is Ib for from being true, that it were cafy to 
 prove that thofe Nations which are void of all Arts and 
 Knowledge^ cannot be properly faid to pay a right 
 Obedience to their Sovereigns 5 but that the Subje- 
 dion under which they live, rather deferves to be 
 flyl'd the Stupidity and Slavery of Beafts, than a jufl 
 and a manly Submiffion. 
 
 But to limit this Queftion to the particular kind of 
 Knowledge, which is now under debate, it is certain 
 that the Skill of Nature ought fo little to be fufpecled 
 for making Men perverfe and ungovernable, that it is 
 the beft Prefervative againft 'Difobedience. One of 
 the principal Caufes of this is a milguidcd Confidence^ 
 and oppofing the pretended Dictates of God againft 
 the Commands of the Sovereign- This I have alrea- 
 dy fhewn, that thefe Labours will moderate and reform 
 by abolifhing or retraining the Fury of Enthufiafm. 
 Another is idle Poverty, which drives Men into Su!- 
 lennefs, Melancholy, Difcontent, and at laft into refi- 
 ftance of lawful Authority. To this Experiments will 
 afford a certain Cure; they will take away all pre- 
 tence of Idlenefs, by a conftant courfc of pleafant En- 
 deavours j they will employ Men about profitable 
 Works, as well [as delightful ; by thePleafure of their 
 ^Difcoveries they will wear off the Roughnefs, and 
 fweetenthe humorous Peevillinefs of Mind, whereby 
 many arc fowr'd into Rebellion. 
 
 But the moil fruitful Parent of Sedition is ^Pride, 
 and a lofty conceit of Mens own Wifdom ; whereby 
 
 they
 
 the R o Y A L SOCIETY. 
 
 they prefently imagine themfelves fufficient to direcl: 
 and cenfure all the Actions of their Governors. And 
 here that is true in Civil Affairs^ which I have already 
 quoted out of my Lord Bacon concerning 'Divine : A 
 little Knowledge is fubjcct to make Men headflrong, 
 infolent, and untradable ; but a great deal has a quite 
 contrary EfFeft, inclining them to befubmiflive to their 
 Better s> and obedient to the Sovereign Tower. 
 
 The Science that is acquir'd by 'Djfpufativtti teaches 
 Men to cavil well, and to find fault with accurate 
 Subtilty ; it gives them a fearlefs Confidence of their 
 own Judgments ; it leads them from contending in 
 Sport, to Oppofttions in earneft ; it makes them be- 
 lieve that every thing is to be handled for and againft, 
 in the State, as well as in the Schools. But the un- 
 feign'd and laborious *Phtlofophy gives no Countenance 
 to the vain Dotages of private 'Politicians; that bends 
 its *Difcifles to regard the Benefit of Mankind, and 
 not the Difquiet ; that by the Moderation it prefcribes 
 to our Thoughts about NaturalT kings y will alfotake 
 away all fharpnels and violence about Civil 5 the 
 Work of that is fo vaft, that it cannot be perform'd 
 without the A ill (lance of the Prince jit will not there- 
 fore undermine his Authority whofe Aid it implores , 
 that prefcribes a better way to beflow our time, than 
 in contending about little Differences, in which both 
 the Conquerors and the Conquered have always rea- 
 fon to repent of their Succefs 5 that ihews us the diffi- 
 culty of ordering the very Motions of fenfelefs and 
 irrational Things ; and therefore how much harder it 
 is to rule the reftlefs Minds of Men s that teaches Men 
 Humility, and acquaints them with their own Errors ; 
 and fo removes ail overweening Haughtinefs of Mind, 
 and fwelling Imaginations, that they are better abk 
 
 to
 
 to manage Kingdoms than thofe who poflefs them. 
 This, without queftion, is the chief Root of all theun- 
 cafinefs of Subjects to their Princes. The World 
 would be better govern'd, if fo many did not pre- 
 fume that they arc fit to fuftain the Cares of Govern- 
 ment. Tranigrcflion of the Law is Idolatry : The 
 Reafon of Mens contemning all Jurifdtft** and 
 Tower, proceeds from their idolizing their own Wit? 
 they make their own Prudence omnipotent ; they 
 fuppofethemfclvcs/w/rf///^; they fet up their own 
 Pfmifffi f <, and worfhip them. But this vain Idolatry 
 will inevitably fall before Eperimental Knowledge ; 
 which as it is an Enemy to all manner of falfc Super- 
 flit ions, fo efpecially to that of Mens adoring them- 
 fetoes, and their own Fancies. 
 
 Sett. XL. I H AV E nowatlaft brought my Reader by a tedi- 
 The Conelu- QUS Compafs, to the end of our Journey : And here 
 genera^Rc-^ dcfire m to 1^ back, and to make a Reflection 
 commenda- on the Matters of which I have treated." In the firft 
 tionofth'u part of my Difcourfe I have alledg'd the Caufes by 
 which thefe Studies were fupprcis'd in all former 
 <dges ; which have been Interefts of Serfs 7 the Violence 
 of Difputations, the plaufiblc Arts of Speech, the Re- 
 ligious ControverfieS) the 'Dogmatical Opinions, the!?V 
 'verty of the Undertakers, and the want of a continu- 
 al Race of Experimenters. In the fecond I have fhew'd 
 by what Steps the Royal Society arofc, what it has pro- 
 pos'd to attempt, what Courfe it has taken to make 
 its Observations univerfal and perpetual ; what Afll- 
 ftancc has been afforded it to that Pur pole, and about 
 what Particulars it has been converfnnt. In the third I 
 have try'd to free it from the falfc Scandals of Igno- 
 rance, and the Prejudices of fcvcrai ways of Life, and 
 
 to
 
 the R o Y A L S o e i E T y. 
 
 to prove that its Effeds will more immediately refer 
 to our own Country. 
 
 My Reader now beholds an Aflernbly fettled of 
 many eminent Men of all Qualities, who have engag'd 
 to beftow their Labours on a defign fopublick, and fo 
 free from all Sufpicion of mean or private Intereft. 
 What Foundation they have within themfelves, for 
 defraying the Expence of their Trials and Intelli- 
 gence, may be guefs'd by their Number,, which at thi$ 
 prefent amounts very near to two Hundred-, as ap- 
 pears by this following Catalogue^ which I haverang'd 
 Atyhafatically* 
 
 The JQngs Majefty, Founder and Patron. 
 His Royal Highnefs the flufe of Yor^ 
 His Highnefs Prince Qtypert. 
 His Highnefs Ferdinand Albert, Duke of 
 'ck. and Lunenburgh. 
 
 The 'Duke of Albemarle, the Earl of Aihbury, the 
 Earl of Argile, the Lord Afoley, the Lord Annefly y 
 Mr. Ajhmole, Sir Robert Atkins, Mr. Auftm, Monfl 
 Auz,out-> Mr. Awbrey* 
 
 The 'Duke oiBuckingham-fat Lor&George Berkeley, 
 the Lord Brereton, Mr.Bagnal y Mr. Bains, Mr. Wil- 
 liam Balle, Mr. Ifaac Barrow, Dr< George Bate, Dr. 
 Bathurft&i. BealJAQitf.Beaufort de Frajars, Sir John 
 Birkenheady Mr. Blunt, Mr.B0yl,Mr.Br00k,'Dr.Brucey < 
 Monf. Bullialdus, Mr. Burnei, Sir Edward Byfhe. 
 
 The Lord Archbijbop of Canterbury ; the Earl of 
 Clarendon, Lord Chancellor of England ; the Earl of 
 the Earl of Craford and Lindfay, the Lord 
 > Mr.Carkefe, Mr. Carter et 
 
 Dr,
 
 43% The HTSTORT of 
 
 Vt.Charleton,$\rWmJloneChurchill,S\rJohnClaytou, 
 SuClifordCHfton, Mr. GeorgeCoc k,S\r Richard Cor- 
 bet, Dr. Cofton,Dr. Cox, Mr. Thomas Cox,Mr. 'Daniel 
 Cox, Mr. Creed, Mr. Crijpe, Sir y^ Clutter. 
 The Marqtiefs ot e Dorchefter,\\\t Earl o&DevonJhire, 
 the Earl ofDor/et, Montftfalde'Damas, Sir George 
 Ent, Mr. Ellife, Mr. 7<?;/ Evelyn, Sir Francis Fane, 
 Monf. /? Febvre, Sir John Finch, Mr. Henry Ford, Sir 
 BernhardGafcoigne, Mr. Jofefh Glanvile, Dr. G///^ 
 y2>, Mr. William Go dolphin, Mr. Graunt. 
 
 The Lord Hatton, Mr.Haak, Mr. William Ham- 
 mond, Mr. William Harrington, Sir EdwardHarley y 
 Sir RobertHarley, M r.Harley, Dr. Henjhaw, Monf. 
 He ve lilts, Mr. slbraham Hilt, Mr. /&*r, Dr. Holder, 
 Mr. //<?0 ^, Mr. Charles Howard, Monf. Huygens. 
 
 Mr. Richard Jones , the Earl otKincardin, Sir ^;/- 
 drew King, Mr. Edmund King, the Earl of Lindfey, 
 the Lord Bifhop of London, Mr. Lake, Sir ///> 
 Leighton, Mr. James Long, Sir y^/;w Lowther, 
 Mr. Lowther, Monf. Hugnes de Lyonne. 
 
 The Earl ofManchefter, Monf. Nicholas Merc at or, 
 Dr. Af0r*, Dr. Jafper Needham, Dr.Needbam, Mr. 
 Thomas Neile y Mr. William Neile, Mr. Nelthorp, 
 Mr. Newbttrgb, Sir Thomas Nott, the Earl otTefer- 
 burgh, Mr. ( Pac6er, Mr. Sam tie I 'Parker, Sir 7?^rr 
 !P^, Dr. 70&* Tearfon, DT.Te/l, SuWtlliam Ter- 
 fall, Sir !P^^r ?^r, Mr. ?W<r y^, Monf. y^/>, 
 Sir. William Tortman, Mr. Francis Totter, Mr. ?V 
 ^O, Dr. Tower, Sir RichardTowle, Mr. ^/^.r, 
 
 The Lord Robert \rLor ^d 'Privy Seal, the Lord Bifhop 
 ofRocheJter, Mr. Rolf, Mr. Rycaut, the Earl of <5W- 
 ^/V/^, the Lord Vifcount Stafford, the Lord Stermont, 
 Mr. Schroter,S\r James Shaen,\\r.Skippon, ^'u Nicho- 
 las Slaney, Mr. //<?^/r)' Slings by, Mr. Smethwick, Mr. 
 
 Edward
 
 the |l O Y A L S C I E T Y. 433 
 
 Edward Smith, Dr. George Smith, Monf. S or bier e, 
 SIT Robert Southwell, Mr. Alexander Stanhope > Mr. 
 Thomas Stanley. 
 
 The Earl of Tweedale* Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir John 
 Talbot, Dr. Terne, Mr. Thomas Thyn, Dr. Thrujtotij 
 SirSamuelTuke, Sir Theodore deVaux, Mr. Vermuy- 
 den, Monf. 7/rf<w VoJJius. 
 
 The Lord Bifhop of Winchejler, Mr, Waller -, Dr. 
 #W//J, Mr. Waterhoufe, Dr.fWnflfpr, Mr.Jofefh 
 Williamfon-i Dr. Willis, Mr. Francis Willoughby, Mr. 
 Wind, Mr. Winthorf, Mr. Woodford^ Mr. Matthew 
 Wren, Vi.Thomas Wren, Sir Oyr/7 Wyche,S\^Teter- 
 Wyche, Mr. Wylde, the Lord Archbifhop of 2?>r^, the 
 Lord lefter. 
 
 The prefent Council are thefe that follow : 
 William Lord Vifcount Erounc ^*r,Prefident; which 
 Office has been annually renew'd to him by Election, 
 out of the true Judgment which the Society has made 
 of his great Abilities in all Natural, and efpecially 
 Mathematical Knowledge. 
 
 Mr. William Aerskin&t* Teter Ball,*Dr. Timothy 
 Clerk ,Mr. 'DanielColwall^. Croon, the Lord Bifhop 
 of Exeter, Dr. Jonathan Goddard, Mr. Henry How~ 
 ard of Nor folk, Mr. Hen/haw, Mr. Hoskins, Sir 7?<?- 
 ^f r Moray, Sir Anthony Morgan, Dr. Merret, the 
 Earl of Northampton, Sir ?W .^/7^, Mr. O/<&0- 
 ^rg/j, Sir William Tetty, Dr. ^/^, Dr. Wilkins y 
 Dr. Chrijtofhef Wren. 
 
 In this number perhaps there may fome be found, 
 whofe Employments will not give them leave to pro- 
 mote thefe Studies with their own Hands. But it 
 being their Part to contribute jointly towards the 
 Charge, and to pafs Judgment on what others (hall 
 
 I i i
 
 4.3* The fffSTORTof 
 
 try 5 they will appear to be well nigh as ufeful as thofe 
 that labour ', to the main End of this Enterprise. 
 
 "Whatever Revenue they fhall raife by this or any 
 other means, they intend thereby to make an Eftabh'fti* 
 ment for their Curators. To this Office they have al- 
 ready admitted fom e of their Fellows > whom they will 
 employ according to their Studies and Sufficiencet: 
 Some fhall be fent to travel abroad to fearch for ^Difco- 
 veries-, fome fhall conftantly remain in London y and 
 reprefent their Ob few at ions to the weekly Affemblies.- 
 
 The Places of their Residence they have appointed 
 to be two : one a College^ which they defign to build 
 in London , to fervefor tixi\t Meetings^ their Labow- 
 ries, their Repojitory y their Library -, and the Lodgings 
 for their Curators : The other the College at Chelfea> 
 which the King has beftow'd on them ; where they 
 have a large Incloiure to ferve for all Experiments of 
 Gardening and Agriculture ; and by the neighbourhood 
 of the River they have excellent Opportunity of ma- 
 king all Trials that belong to the Water. 
 
 And now as I have fpoken of a Society that prefers 
 Works before Words, fo it becomes their Hiflory to - 
 endeavour after real Fruits and EffeEts. I will there- 
 fore conclude, by recommending again this Underta-- 
 khtg to the Englifi Nation ; to the braveft Teople, 
 the mofrgenerous Defign ; to the mod zealous Lovers 
 tf Liberty > the furcft Way to ranfom the Minds of 
 all Mankind from Slavery. 
 
 The Priviledgesthat our AT/^'sDominions enjoy for 
 this -End, appear to be equall'd by no other Country. 
 The Men that we have now living to employ, arc ex- 
 cellemly farnifh'd with all manner of Abilities : Their 
 Method is already fettled, andplac'd out of the reach pf 
 Calumny or Contradiction, 
 
 The,
 
 ike ROYAL SOCIETY. 
 
 The Work itfelf indeed is vaft, and almoft incom- 
 prehenfible, when it is confider'd in Grofs : But they 
 have made it feafible and eafy, by diftributing the 
 Burden. They have fhewn to the World this great 
 Secret, That Thilofophy ought not only to be attend- 
 ed by a felcct Company of refnd Spirits. As they 
 defire that its ^reductions fhould be vulgar, fo they 
 alfo declare, that they may be promoted by vulgar 
 Hands. They exact no extraordinary Preparations 
 of Learning ; to have found Senfes and Truth, is with 
 them a fumcient Qualification. Here is enough Bufi- 
 nefs for Minds of all Sizes : And fo boundlefs is the 
 Variety of thefe Studies, that here is alfo enough De- 
 light to recompence the Labours of them all, from the 
 >moft ordinary Capacities, to the higheft and moft fearch- 
 ing Wits. 
 
 Here firft they may take a plain View of all parti- 
 cular Things, their Kinds, their Order, their Figure, 
 their Place, their Motion : and even this naked Pro- 
 .fpect cannot but fill their Thoughts with much Satisfac- 
 tion, feeing it was the firft Pleafure which the Scripture 
 relates God himfelf to have taken at the Creation > and 
 that not only once, but at the end of every Day's 
 Work, when he fa w all that he had made, and ap- 
 prov'd it to be good. From this they may proceed 
 to furvey the Difference of their Cempofition, their 
 Effects, the Inftruments of their Beings and Lives, 
 the Subtilty and Structure, the Decay and Supply of 
 their Parts ; wherein how large is the fpace of their De- 
 light, fceingthe very Shape of a Mite, and the Sting of 
 a Bee appears fo prodigious. From hence they may go 
 to apply Things together, to make them -work one 
 upon another, to imitate their Productions to help 
 their Defects, and with the nobleil Duty to aflift Na- 
 
 1 ii 2 tuw,
 
 TheHISTORTof 
 
 ture, our common Mother, in her Operations? from 
 hence to all the works of Mens hands, the divers Arti- 
 fices of fcveral Ages, the various Materials, the im- 
 provement of Trades, the advancement of Alanitfac- 
 turcs ; in which laft alone there is to be found ib great 
 Content, that many mighty Princes of the former and 
 prefent Times, amidft the pleasures of Government, 
 which are no doubt the highefl in the World, have 
 ftrivcn to excel in fome Manual Arts. 
 
 In this fpacious Field their Obfirvations may wan- 
 der, and in this whatever they (hall meet with, they 
 may call their own. Here they will not only enjoy 
 the cold contentment of Learning, but that which is 
 far greater, of *D if cover ing. Many things that have 
 been hitherto hidden, will arife and expofe themfelvcs 
 to their view \ many Methods of advancing what we 
 have already, will come in their way 5 nay, even ma- 
 ny of the loft Rarities of Antiquity will be hereby 
 reftor'd. Of thefe a great quantity has been over- 
 whelmM in the ruins of Time ; and they will fooner 
 be retriev'd by our labouring anew in the material 
 Subjects whence they firft arole, than by our plodding 
 cverlaflingly on the antient Writings. Their Inven- 
 tions may be fooneft regained the fame way by which 
 their Medals and Coins have been found ; of which 
 the greatcft part has been recover'd, not by thofe who 
 fought for them on purpofc in old Rubbifh, but by 
 digging up Fbundations to raife new Buildings* and by 
 plowing the Ground to fow new Seed. 
 
 This is the Work we propofe to be encotirag'd, 
 which at once regards the difcovering of new Secrets, 
 and the purifying and repairing all the profitable 
 Things of Antiquity. The Supply that is needful to 
 finifli ir, will neither impovcrifh Families, nor ex- 
 
 hauft
 
 the ROYAL SOCIETY, 437 
 
 hauft a mighty Income. So near is Mankind to its 
 Happinefs, that fo great an Attempt may be plentifully 
 endow'd by a fmall part of what is fpent on any one 
 fmgleLuft,or extravagant Vaniry of the Time. So mo- 
 derate is the Society in their deiircs of Afllftance, that 
 as much Charity as is beftow'd in England in one Year, 
 for the relief of particular Poverty and Difeafcs, were 
 enough for ever to fuftain a 'Defign, which endeavours 
 to give Aid againft all the Infirmities and Wants of hu- 
 man Nature. 
 
 If now this Enterprise (hall chance to fail for want, 
 of ^Patronage and Revemie, the World will not only 
 be fruftfated of their prefent Expectations, but will 
 have juft ground to defpair of any future Labour s, to- 
 wards the increafe of the 'Praflical'Philofophy. If our 
 *Poflerity fhall find, that an Inftitution fo vigorously 
 begun, and fo ftrengthen'd by many fignal Advanta- 
 ges, could not fupport itfelf; they will have rcafon 
 in all times to conclude, That the long barrennefs of 
 Knowledge was '*iot caus'd by the corrupt Method 
 which was taken, but by the Nature of the Tbi*g\t- 
 felf. This will be the laft great Endeavour that will 
 be made in this way, if this fhall prove ineffectual ; 
 and fo we fhall not only be guilty of our own Igno- 
 rance-) but of the Errors of all thofe that come after 
 us. 
 
 But if (as I rather believe and prefage) our Nati- 
 on fhall lay hold of this Opportunity, to defcrve 
 the applauie of Mankind, the force of this Example 
 will be irrefiftibly prevalent in all Countries round 
 about us ; the State of Chriftendom will foon obtain a 
 new Face : while this Halcyon Knowledge is breeding, 
 all Tempefts will ceafej the Oppofitions and Conten- 
 tious Wrangl ings of Science, falfly focalTd, will foon 
 
 vanilh
 
 v:mii!i away ; the peaceable calmnefs of 'Mens Judg- 
 ments will have admirable influence on their Man- 
 ners ; the fincerity of their Understandings will appear 
 in their Actions ; their Opinions will be lefs violent 
 and dogmatical, but more certain ; they -will only be 
 Gods one to another, and not Wolves ; the value of 
 their Arts will be efteemed by the great Things they 
 perform, and not by thofe they fpeak : While the old 
 fhilofophy could only at the Deft pretend to the Portion 
 of Nepthali, to give goodly words, the New will have 
 the Bleflings Qfjofeph the younger and the belov'dSon; 
 It /hall be like a fruitful Rough, even a fruitful 
 Bough by a Well whofe Branches run over the 
 Wall : .It Jhall have the BleJJings of Heaven a- 
 bovej the Bleffings of the 'Deep that lies under ^ 
 the Bleffings of the Breajis and of the Womb : 
 While the Old .could only beftow on us fome barren 
 Terms and Notions, the New fhall impart to us the 
 Uies of all the Creatures, and (hall enrich us with all 
 the Benefits of Fruitfulnefs and T/efity. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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