114 THE NEW SCIENCE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE 



' ' He had been long t 'wards Mathematics, 



Optics, philosophy, and statics, 



Magic, horoscopy, astrology. 



And was old dog at physiology. ' ' ^* 

 Here is a quack who has taken over the interests of the true 

 science also. He has made all the new discoveries in the moon, 

 has located the seas, lakes and mountains there ;^^ he "cures warts 

 and corns, with application of medicines to the imagination";^^ 

 he has studied maggots in cheese, mites in vinegar and wood;^'' 

 he is an antiquarian, learned in "hieroglyphics mute of birds" on 

 the oriental obelisk ;^^ he is a star-gazer like Galileo and the other 

 astronomers;^^ and, in general, he professes a universal knowl- 

 edge.^" And yet he could not tell the "natural cause" why no 

 painter ever draws a full moon on a sign but always the half.^^ 

 Here is a type characteristic of the writers of comedy; in other 

 words, here is an exploitation of a humor. 



This work of exploitation is thoroughly done; almost nothing 

 escapes. The vortex theory of Descartes,-^ the new atomic theory 

 in physiology,^^ transfusion of blood,"* the stentrophonic tube,^^ 

 botanical study,^^ the use of pendulum watches," "Napier's 

 bones ",^^ mathematical calculations,^^ sympathetic powder,^" the 

 collection of "monstrous births",^^ chemistry,^^ "bottled 



"Part II, c. 3, 1. 205. 



«Ibid. 251-71. 



Mlbid. 287. 



"Ibid. 317-23. 



"Ibid. 403-412. 



"Ibid. 413. 



s'lbid. 397. 



=iPart II, c. 3, 1. 783. 



22 Ibid. 871. 



»Ibid. 1121. 



"Ibid. 1229-52. 



26 Pt. Ill, c. 1, 1. 251-2. 



"Ibid. 328-9, 



"Ibid. 449. 



28 Pt. Ill, c. 2, 1. 409. 



20 Pt. I, c. 1, 1. 119-26. 



soPt. I, c. 2, 1. 223-8. 



»> Pt. II, c. 1, 63-7. 



»2pt. II, c. 1, 423-6. 



