and Progrefs of theHoyal Society nf LoiuIoh. 33 



Other experiments were exprefsly ordered b\' the voice of the* 

 whole fociety, and were intriifted in the perform aftce, not to* 

 fingle perfons, but to committees noniinntcd for the occafion'.' 

 For iirjuiry concerning thingri at a diilance, they had, very 

 earlvjbcjjun a correfpondcnce with the inqiiiiitive and enlight- 

 ened in ;unio(t every dilfcrent part of the world. At many expe- 

 riments in the parks, in ihc royal gardens, and on the Thames,' 

 the king himfelf zealoiifly anilled in perfon. Mr. Ilujgcns^ 

 the famous j^hilofophcr in Flanders, received, focjii after the 

 inititution of this focicty, its frequent allillance, and com- 

 municated to it all his difcovcrieS and inveatir.ns^ in parti- 

 cular, that noble one of the firft application of the motion of 

 pendulums to clocks and watclics. The pliilofophers of Flo*-,' 

 rencc, and efpeciallv the grand duke's brother, prince Leoi' 

 pold, entered "into friendiv corrcfjiondence with the Efiglifli' 

 philofophors, and acquainted theui with every new obfcrva- 

 tion that ,was made on nature in Icaly. The (jt-riftans no 

 Cjoncr iieard of this inrtitution than they fent many of their' 

 books to be fubmitted to its cenfure, and contributed tike-' 

 \Vife prtfcnts of various new inftruments of their invention. 

 Tli'e .'travellers, phvficians, furgeons, anatoniifts, '&c. of 

 France, were peculiarly early and frank in their communi-' 

 catlo'ijs to it. The Academy of Arts and Sciences at Paris 

 was foon after embodied in imitation of this fociety : and the 

 example of the Englilh was quickly, n)ore or Icfs, tbliowedia 

 almod every country (jf Europe in favour of the phyfical fci- 

 ences and the ufeful arts. 



The experiment* which king Charles the fccond was the 

 nioll attentive to, related ehielly to chcmilirv and mechanics. 

 He would often amufe himfelf at Whitehall in the execution 

 of curious mechanical works. He had alfo in his palace a 

 fmall laboratory for chemical operations. He made allrono- 

 niieal oljfervatioiis, upon various occafions, ill Saint JamcsV 

 Park. He was exceedingly curious in directing the inquiries' 

 of the fociety to every thing that concerned the improvement 

 6f tlic art of ftjip-building. He attended and dirctr^ed dif- 

 ferent experinients at the Tower of London, as well as at 

 ^^''liitehall, to afcertain the forces of projectiles, with their 

 variations in difilv-ent circumftances. 



In tluir early meelinirs, the members of the fociety were 

 at great jjains to diftinguini what objects were the worthieft 

 of their firft inquiries. Some were direfted to examine all 

 *' trealifes and defcripiions" of the natural and artificial pro- 

 d"i(5lions of foreign countries : others were commilfioued to 

 difcourfc with feamen, travellers, tradcfmen, and merchants, 

 by wliom ihofe coimtrics and their prodaftionshad been per- 



Vot.XI, C fonaily 



