96 THE NEW SCIENCE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE 



Gainlove, Which System f Why, the the- 

 Lady Science, The Copernican I suppose you mean. 

 Gainlove, The Copernican. 



Lady Science, For the other is egregiously repugnant to Rea 

 son, and the usual Operations of Nature But pray, Sir, have 

 you any skill in Judicial Astrology I think it absolutely neces 

 sary for one who has a Family, to be a considerable Proficient 

 in that useful Science. 

 Gainlove, Absolutely. 



Lady Science, Then without question you can erect Schemes, 

 and calculate Nativities, Sir You are acquainted with the Con 

 junctions and Oppositions of the Planets, their Houses and 

 Signs There is the Bull, the Bear, the Ram, the Crab 

 Gainlove, Ay, Madam, and the Crocodile, the Elephant, the 

 Whale- 

 Lady Science, Well, Sir, I have but one thing more to ask you, 

 and you shall be conducted to your Bride Do you think it 

 ever possible to find out the Longitude, Sir? it is such a vast 

 Profundity, that I fear 'tis beyond the reach of any Man to 

 fathom it. 



Gainlove, A vast Profundity. 



Lady Science, A Man of abundance of Learning ! he still saith 

 as I do". 109 



So far has this virtuoso gone into the toils of the scientific humor, 

 that she applies the test even in matrimony. 



Nearly all the varied interests of the new philosophers are repre 

 sented here. Lady Science no longer doubts the existence of a 

 vacuum, "for the Skulls of the young Girls and Fops of this Age, 

 are Demonstrations sufficient. " 110 She knows all the systems of 

 philosophy from Socrates to Whiston ; she discourses on Astronomy 

 and Philosophy in curtain lectures. 111 The scope of her interest 

 has extended to every scientific apparatus. When she repents of 

 her philosophical humor she declares; "I will destroy all my 

 Globes, Quadrants, Spheres, Prisms, Microscopes, and Magick-Lan- 

 thorns 1 11 throw out all my Lumber of Load-Stones, Pebbles, and 

 Petrified Shells, to pave my Door I '11 convert my Air-Pumps into 



109 The Humours of Oxford, Act IV, sc. 2. 



110 Ibid. Act I, sc. 1. 



111 Ibid. 



