SCIENCE IN EARLY ENGLAND. 741 



danger, he may walk at the bottom of the sea or other water. Such 

 engines as these were of old, and are made even in our days. All of 

 them, excepting only that instrument of flying, which I never saw, nor 

 know any who hath seen it, with an infinite number of other inven- 

 tions, are possible, such as the making of bridges over rivers without 

 pillars or supporters." 



As my intention is by no means to trace the early history of science 

 in general, but merely to record what was done by English writers 

 between definite limits of time, I have of course to omit all reference 

 to the work of Geber, Albertus Magnus, Raymond Lully, and others. 

 It is only too evident that in these seven centuries science would have 

 fared very badly had its development been left to Englishmen alone; 

 but a noble recompense for this neglect has been made since by a long 

 line of busy workers from the days of Boyle and Hooke down to our 

 own time. 



