118 THE NEW SCIENCE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE 



blunt his power of discrimination, so that he was led to scoff at the 

 whole new movement. ' ' There is a great difference ' ', said Shaf tes- 

 bury wisely, "between seeking how to raise a laugh from every 

 thing, and seeking in everything what justly may be laughed at. 

 For nothing is ridiculous except what is deformed ; nor is anything 

 proof against raillery except what is handsome and just". 40 Here 

 was Butler's defect and this greatly nullified the influence of his 

 satire. The new science was destined to increase; Butler's power 

 was sure to decrease. 



In other satiric verse of this early period the new science finds 

 only incidental expression. In Charles II 's Court was a group of 

 scoffers who sharpened their wits against men and manners, but 

 they were almost wholly engrossed with politics and society. The 

 leader of this "mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease" was John 

 Wilmot, Earl of Rochester. His attitude is typical. To him it is 

 folly to leave the pleasures of society for useless, or at most al 

 truistic, studies. 



"Nature's as lame in making a true fop, 

 As a philosopher; the very top, 

 And dignity of folly we attain 

 By studious search and labor of the brain, 

 By observation, counsel, and deep thought". 41 

 This flippant treatment is found generally. The Earl of Dorset 

 ridicules Boyle's study of light in this fashion, 

 "So have I seen in larder dark 

 Of Veal a lucid loin; 

 Replete with many a brilliant spark, 

 As wise philosophers remark, 

 At once both stink and shine". 42 



Lord Buckhurst, in his burlesque on Sir Robert Howard's Duel 

 of the Stags, describes in mock heroic style a fight between two 

 crabs. But whether they fought with proboscis, or horns, or 



"Some Greshamite perhaps, with help of glass, 

 And poring long upon't, may chance to guess." 43 



40 Characteristics, vol. 1, p. 85. 



41 Artimisia in Town to Cloe in the Country. 



42 On the Countess of Dorchester, 1680. 

 "The Duel of the Crabs. 



