THE NEW PHILOSOPHY 9 



pintes of water, one six, another eight pintes and three quarters, etc. 

 Here was observed the variety of whistles or tones, which ye water 

 made at the severall hights, in falling out of the glasse again. 



"Mr. Evelyn's Experiment was brought in of animal engrafting, 

 and in particular of making cock spurs grow on a cock's head." 



I have already stated that each lecture at Gresham College was a 

 double number, delivered in the morning in Latin and later in the day 

 in English. Likewise each meeting of the Royal Society consisted of 

 two events. The most enthusiastic and convivial portion of the mem- 

 bership constituted a dinner group, which met at a tavern once a week 

 to eat and drink, to discourse, and to experiment for about three hours, 

 later to join the fellows of the Royal Society in regular meeting for an 

 additional three or four hours of the New Philosophy. As nearly as I 

 can make out, these enthusiasts put in at least a seven hour day, which 

 certainly speaks volumes for the drawing power of the new learning. 

 The meeting day varied from Wednesday to Thursday and back again, 

 finally settling down permanently in 1710 to Thursday. The union of 

 worldly-minded men and of scientifically-minded men in the prosecu- 

 tion of the new philosophy was a peculiarly English institution. It was 

 facilitated by the remoteness of the English universities from London 

 and by their special college type of organization, which readily per- 

 mitted the New Philosophy to grow up largely independent of Oxford 

 and Cambridge. On the continent the new learning was able rather 

 promptly to get at least one foot in the universities. Professor Lorenz 

 recently told me about an interesting experience at the University of 

 Ley den. About 1710 the Professor of Natural Philosophy who had 

 been presenting the subject by the old book-method of Aristotle was 

 succeeded by a new professor who evidently had novel ideas about 

 science. He not only performed experiments before his hearers, but he 

 filled up some of the rooms with all sorts of brass and glass affairs, he 

 cut holes in the shutters and bored holes and drove nails in the floors 

 and ceilings and was guilty of many other irregular acts. The janitor 

 or caretaker of the building put in a protest and demanded that his pay 

 be increased if he were expected to care for a building in which so much 

 extra work was put upon him. The janitor probably secretly concluded 

 that it was no part of his contract to serve as the keeper of a lunatic. 

 The archives of the university show that the janitor's demand was met 

 by the authorities. While the revolution in method was very sudden, 

 Professor Lorenz told me that the transition in manner was quite 

 gradual. The professor still continued to adorn himself in impressive 

 professional garments, just as if he were teaching Latin or Greek. Ex- 

 perimental demonstrations performed by a professor in conventional 

 professorial dress must have made an extraordinary picture. 



