THE CONFLICT OF OLD AND NEW IDEAS 33 



The vulgar error that "a Dove or Pigeon hath no gall" seemed to 

 him repugnant to experience, for "anatomical enquiry discovereth 

 in them a gall". 23 Furthermore, he had made experiments with 

 glow-worms; he had tested distilled waters; he was familiar with 

 and approved Helvelius's selenography; 24 he was acquainted with 

 the conflicting theories of magnetism as pronounced by Descartes 

 ("whether these effluviums do fly by striated Atoms and winding 

 particles as Renatus Descartes conceiveth" 25 ) and by Sir Kenelm 

 Digby ("or glide by streams attracted from either Pole and Hemis 

 phere unto the Equator as Sir Kenelm Digby excellently declar- 

 eth" 26 ). To his judgment there was sufficient proof for the ac 

 ceptance of that curious theory, likewise listened to with much 

 respect by the Royal Society that music had great power over 

 Tarantulas. The citation will serve as an illustration of how strong 

 "the two great pillars of truth, experience and reason," must be 

 to support belief. "Som doubt many have of the Tarantula, or 

 poisonous spider of Cabbria, and that magical cure of the bite 

 thereof by Musick. But since we observe that many attest it from 

 experience ; since the learned Kircherius hath positively averred it, 

 and set down songs and tunes solemnly used for it ; since some also 

 affirm the Tarantula itself will dance upon certain strooks whereby 

 they set their instruments against its poison; we shall not at all 

 question it". 27 



There is reason for surprise that Sir Thomas Browne was not 

 elected Fellow of the Royal Society, for he was much respected 

 among the new scientists, as proved by their request that he should 

 write for them an account of Iceland whither he had travelled. 28 

 For years, also, he was actively interested in antiquarian researches 

 in England. The results of his investigations are found in The 

 Urn Burial, Brampton Urns, and many of his miscellaneous tracts. 

 In all of this effort he was helping in the work of reconstructing the 

 natural history of the world. 



From the foregoing discussion it is evident that Sir Thomas 



28 Ibid. p. 317, 318. 

 "Ibid, vol. II, p. 99. 



25 Ibid. vol. II, p. 398. 



26 Vulgar Errors, vol. II, p. 218. 

 "Ibid. vol. II, p. 106. 



28 An Account of Island, alias Iceland, at the Request of the Royal Society. 



