

THE NEW SCIENCE AND COMEDY 73 



reason to denounce him, declares, ' ' I would rather be a Trumpeter 

 to liTMonster, and call the Rabble to see a calf with six Legs, than 

 such a Blockhead." These opinions are not the offspring of envy, 

 for Sir Nicholas has aroused no jealousy save among those philoso- ^, 

 phers at Gresham College. "The College indeed refus'd him; ^ 

 they envy'd him". 24 



The occasion of this general contempt becomes obvious when 

 the virtuoso is revealed in his laboratory, "a spacious Room, where 

 all his Instruments and fine Knick-knacks are". 25 These "fine 

 Knick-knacks" include microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, 

 barometers, "pneumatick Engynes", "stentrophonical Tubes", 

 fragments of dead insects scattered about, and special colonies of 

 live ones in a corner. Into this room Shadwell has collected all 

 the new laboratory apparatus of the Royal Society which he knew, 

 just as he combined all its interests in this virtuoso. When the 

 scene opens Sir Nicholas is in the midst of one of his ridiculous 

 experiments; he is learning to swim by lying on the table and 

 imitating the actions of a frog in a dish of water in front of him. 

 "A most compendious method", announces Sir Formal, "that in 

 a fortnight, has advanced him to be the best swimmer of Europe. 

 Nay, it were possible to swim with any fish of his inches." But it 

 suddenly occurs to Longvil to enquire, "Have you ever tried in 

 the Water, Sir?" 



Sir Nicholas, "No, Sir, But I swim most excellently on land". 



Bruce, Do you intend to practice in the Water, Sir ? 



Sir Nicholas, Never, Sir, I hate Water. I never come upon 

 the Water, Sir. 



Longvil, Then there will be no use of swimming. 



Sir Nicholas, I content myself with the speculative Part of 

 Swimming. I care not for the practick. I seldom bring any 

 thing to Use ; 'tis not my Way. Knowledge is my ultimate End". 26 



This quip at the close is the sharpest criticism that was. ever 

 launched at the devotees of the new experimental science. Again 

 and again the question of immediate use was asked; and there the 

 defense was weakest. The microscope and the telescope had re- 



24 Ibid. (Lady Gimcrack). 



* Ibid. Act II, sc. 1. 



28 The Virtuoso, Act II, sc. 1. 



