100 THE NEW SCIENCE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE 



evidence that this profession was attaining respect. Both the good 

 and the bad physicians lay claim to the new science, but here the 

 true representative is successful. 



This is the last representation of the new science in comedy so 

 far as this investigation has gone. There remain the casual refer- 

 ences to the new interest and activity, which can at best be only 

 indicated. Such allusions will naturally be found for the most part 

 as figures of speech. Chemistry has furnished many ; (Bellamour) 

 "A little of thy Chemistry, Tom, may extract gold from that 

 dirt".^^^ (Malwit) "Thy Chemistry has from that one Virtue ex- 

 tracted all the rest".^^^ (Setter) "Sublimate, if you please, Sir, I 

 think my achievements deserve the epithet ".^^^ (Camillo) " 'Tis 

 the very quintessence and extract of it. (Vidette) I do not like 

 your Chemical preparations of love".^-* Astronomy is likewise a 

 familiar source of allusion. (Angelica) "What a bustle did you 

 keep against the last invisible eclipse ".^-^ (Cynthia) "You have 

 looked through the wrong end of the perspective".^^® (Lady Froth- 

 well) "Well, I swear, Mr. Brisk, you understand astronomy like an 

 old Egyptian, (Brisk) Not comparable to your Ladyship; you are 

 the very Cynthia of the skies, and queen of stars. (Lady Froth well) 

 That's because I have no light but what's by reflection from you, 

 who are the sun. (Brisk) You have eclipsed me quite". Nondes- 

 cript references occur, usually as compliments; (Lord Formal) 

 "Your Ladyship's eyes are two loadstones that attract the admira- 

 tion of our whole sex".^^^ (Young Pedant) "Logick is in learning, 

 what the compass is in navigation. It is the guide by which our 

 reason steers in the pursuit of true philosophy ".^-^ (Valentine) 

 ' ' She is harder to be understood than a piece of Egyptian antiquity 

 or an Irish manuscript". (Sir Paul Plyant) "I am provoked in- 

 to a fermentation". (Bellamore) "A Fool is a vacuum in Na- 



"i Fielding, Love in Several Masques, Act III, sc. 10. 



^ Fielding, The Temple Beau, Act I, sc. 1. 



^^ Congreve, Love for Love, Act IV, bc. 21. 



*^ Fielding, Love in Several Masques, Act III, sc. 10. 



"" Fielding, The Temple Beau, Act I, sc. 1. 



*-" Congreve, Love for Love, Act IV, sc. 21. 



127 Congreve, Double Dealer, Act II, sc. 4. 



"«Durfey, Madam Fickle, Act II. 



