370 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
that I do not like her at all, nor did I hear her say anything that was 
worth hearing, but that she was full of admiration, all admiration. Several 
fine experiments were shown her of colours, loadstones, microscopes, and 
of liquors; among others, of one that did while she was there turn a piece 
of roasted mutton into pure blood, which was very rare. After they had 
shown her many experiments, and she cried still she was full of admiration, 
she departed, being led out and in by several Lords that were there; among 
others, Lord George Barkeley and Earl of Carlisle, and a very pretty young 
man, the Duke of Somerset.”—Vol. iii., p. 229. 
John Evelyn, in his Diary,* thus alludes to this visit :— 
“To London to wait on the Duchess of Newcastle (who was a mighty 
pretender of learning, poetrie, and philosophie, and had in both publish’d 
divers bookes) to the Royal Society, whither she came in greate pomp, and 
being receiv’d by our Lord President at the dore of our meeting roome, 
the mace, &c., carried before him, had several experiments showed to her. 
I conducted her Grace to her coach, and return’d home.” 
Some account of this remarkable woman, of whom so little is 
now known, may not be unacceptable. Margaret, the second wife 
of William Cavendish, first Duke of Newcastle (one of the most 
able generals and distinguished patriots of the times of Charles I. 
and II.), was born about the end of the reign of James I., married 
the Duke (then Marquis) of Newcastle in 1645, and died in 1673. 
Walpolet furnishes a notice of the Duchess’ numerous works, 
which he states “ fill many folios”; and Granger} says, “If her 
merit as an author were to be estimated from the quantity of 
her works, she would have the precedence of all female writers 
ancient or modern. There are no less than thirteen folios of her 
writing, ten of which are in print: they consist chiefly of poems 
and plays.” Dr. Bireh§ gives us a list of the “ fine experiments” 
provided for the Duchess’ delectation :— 
“The Duchess of Newcastle coming in, the experiments appointed for 
her entertainment were made :—First, that of weighing the air, which was 
done with a glass receiver of the capacity of nine gallons and three pints, 
which being exhausted and put into a scale and then opened and the air let 
in weighed thereupon one ounce and seventy-one carats more than it did 
when exhausted. Next were made several experiments of mixing colours. 
Then two cold liquors by mixture made hot. Then the experiment of 
making water bubble up in the rarefying engine by drawing out the air. 
* ‘Memoirs,’ vol. i., p. 404. + ‘Royal and Noble Authors,’ yol. iii., p. 145. 
t ‘Biographical History of England,’ vol. v., p. 263. 
g ‘History of the Royal Society,’ vol. ii., p. 177. 
