136 



DISCOVERY 



CH. 



experimental philosophy which Bacon wished to see 

 pursued, had no endowment from King or country, and 

 even now the subvention which it receives annually from 

 the State for its own requirements amounts to only a 

 thousand pounds towards the cost of scientific publica- 

 tions, together with the use of its rooms at Burlington 

 House. 



The experimental method of research represented the 

 spirit in which the Royal Society was founded and became 

 an organised association with a Royal Charter in 1662. 

 No subject was considered too trivial for study by 

 observation and experiment ; and advantage was taken 

 of every opportunity of advancing knowledge. Among 

 the subjects brought forward at one of the earliest 

 meetings of the Society were : 



Experiments with wires of severall matters of ye same size, 

 silver, copper, iron, &c., to see what weight will breake them. 

 Experiment concerning the force that presseth the aire into 

 lesse dimensions ; and it was found that twelve ounces did 

 contract 1/24 part of Aire. Experiment .to show how much 

 aire a man's lungs may hold, by sucking up water into a separating 

 glasse after the lungs have been well emptied of Aire. Experi- 

 ment of Animal engrafting, and in particular of making a Cock 

 spur grow on a Cock's head. Whether there bee any such thing 

 as sexes in trees and other plants ; some instances were brought 

 of Palme trees, plum trees, hollies, Ash trees, Quinces, pionies, 

 &c., wherein a difference was said to be found, either in there 

 bearing of fruit or in their hardness and softness, or in medical 

 operations. 



At that time and later some of the foremost men of 

 letters exercised their powers of wit and ridicule and 

 sarcasm upon the men who were devoting their time 

 to the patient investigation of Nature. None of the 

 common people, and few of the writers and scholars, 

 could understand why valuable time should be given 

 up to the study of " beasts, fishes, birds, snails, 



