THE CONFLICT OF OLD AND NEW IDEAS 47 



coveries will be very serviceable to the Wits and Writers of this, 

 and all future Ages There is in Nature such an inexhausti 

 ble treasure of Fancy, and Imagination, which will be revealed pro 

 portionately to the increase of their Knowledge". 89 



The Bishop is particularly anxious to secure the good will of 

 the "Wits and Railleurs", for these, he thinks, can do more in 

 jury to the new cause than all the other detractors. His plea runs 

 thus: 'In the material of experiments and consequent discoveries 

 lies 'the most fertile subject of Fancy'. This new material is 

 sorely needed, because the old virtues and qualities of things 'have 

 long borne the burden alone, and have bin vex'd by the imagination 

 of the Poets'. The imagery of the new science 'will make the 

 most vigorous impression on Men's Fancies, because they do even 

 touch their Eyes, and are nearest to their Nature. Of these the 

 Variety will be infinite, for the particulars are so, from whence 

 they may be deduced. They may be always new and unsullied, 

 seeing there is such a vast number of Natural and Mechanical 

 things, not yet fully known or improv'd, and by consequence not 

 yet sufficiently apply 'd'. 90 Furthermore, he declares that "the 

 English Tongue, as it contains a greater stock of Natural and 

 Mechanical Discoveries, so it is also more enrich 'd with beautiful 

 Conceptions, and inimitable Similitudes gather 'd from the Arts 

 of Man's hands, and the works of Nature, than ever any Language 

 could produce". 91 And, finally, as an example of what the new 

 scientific study of nature will do for the style of a literary man, 

 Sprat cites Sir Francis Bacon. "The use of Experiments to this 

 purpose is evident by the wonderful advantage that my Lord 

 Bacon received from them. This excellent Writer was abund 

 antly recompensed for his noble Labours in that Philosophy, by a 

 vast treasure of admirable Imaginations which it afforded him, 

 wherewith to express and adorn his thoughts about other mat 

 ters". 92 



This appeal is strong and sensible, and later writers have dem- 



89 Ibid. p. 417. 



90 History of the Royal Society, p. 416. 



91 Ibid. p. 417. 



92 Ibid. p. 416. 



