THE NEW SCIENCE 7 



as are deduced from legitimate Experiments, the Truth of such 

 Experiments be demonstrated". 27 This is certainly a most ambiti 

 ous program with which to begin, and yet there is something vali 

 ant and attractive about it. May one not call this the intellectual 

 Magna Charta of the seventeenth century ! 



This band of philosophers had thus early set for themselves the 

 task of founding a system of philosophy, not for England, nor for 

 Scotland, nor Ireland, nor the Pope, nor the Protestants, but for 

 mankind. 28 Men were admitted to membership "of different Re 

 ligions, Countries, and Professions of Life". When Charles II 

 learned that a Tradesman had contributed a paper to the Society, he 

 sent a note of congratulation to the members and urged them to 

 admit as many such men as possible. "On the 20th November, 

 1663, the Royal Society consisted of 131 Fellows, of whom 18 were 

 Noblemen, 22 Baronets and Knights, 47 Esquires, 32 Doctors, 2 

 Bachelors of Divinity, 2 Masters of Arts, and 8 Strangers, or 

 Foreign Members." 29 This enumeration has certain elements of 

 interest. A clear majority are gentlemen of leisure, who must de 

 pend upon an innate or acquired devotion to scientific research in 

 order to save their efforts from mere dilettanteism. Then a goodly 

 number are physicians whose work ought, at least, to be of a seri 

 ous character. That Bachelors of Divinity belong is noteworthy 

 in the light of subsequent charges of atheism levelled at the mem 

 bers of this scientific organization. 



The early historian of the Royal Society, himself a member, 

 has given an interesting description of the ideal philosopher. 

 "First, he should have the industry, activity, and Inquisitive 

 Humour of the Dutch, French, Scatch, and English in laying the 

 groundwork, the heap of Experiments. And then he should have 

 added the cold, and circumspect, and wary disposition of the 

 Italians and Spaniards, in meditating upon them, before he fully 

 brings them into speculation". 80 This is, of course, a composite 

 character combining the chief qualities of all the leading European 

 nations as then known. From our standpoint, with a knowledge 

 of the later accomplishments in science of these peoples, this early 



27 Hooke, Robert, MS. Papers, quoted by Weld, History of R. S. p. 146. 



28 Sprat, Thomas, Hist, of R. S. p. 63. 



29 Manuscript List of Fellows of Royal Society; Brit. Museum MSS. 4442. 

 80 Sprat, Thomas, History of the Royal Society, p. 64. 



