1865.] Tlie Life of the Second Marquis of Worcester. 537 



THE LIFE OF THE SECOND MAEQUIS OF WOKCESTEK.* 



The work before us is of a twofold character ; it possesses interest 

 both for the historian and for the man of science, and it is difficult to 

 decide in which direction the preponderance of interest lies. In the 

 first half of the work the author has given a history of the life and 

 times of the second Marquis of Worcester, illustrated by a number of 

 private letters (now printed for the first time), which throw much 

 light on the political history of England, during the civil wars of the 

 time of Charles I., and further gives us some insight into the manners, 

 customs, and the tone of thought which prevailed at this period. 

 Next follows a reprint of the celebrated ' Century of Inventions,' 

 upon which the scientific fame of the Marquis is entirely founded ; 

 this is annotated with great care by the author, and is of special 

 interest to those who study the history of science. 



The period comprised within the life of the Marquis was one of 

 the most eventful^ in the annals of England. The accession of the 

 House of Stuart in the person of a king of weak and vacillating 

 character, possessing most extravagant notions of his own preroga- 

 tive, delighting in flattery, easily swayed by favourites, pedantic, most 

 vain of his learning ; in every way unsuited. for exercising the powers 

 of a king : the succession of his son, who possessed many of his own 

 traits of character, was more vacillating perhaps, undoubtedly less 

 sincere, and more determined to uphold the divine right of kings ; 

 the gradually increasing power of the Commons ; the rupture between 

 the Bang and the Parliament ; the civil wars ; the final dominance of 

 the democracy, and the violation of all kingly rights ; the temporary 

 subversion of the monarchical government ; the Restoration — all this 

 occurred during the lifetime of the Marquis. Let us turn to revolu- 

 tions of another kind. The mode of scientific thought, the manner 

 of interrogating nature, was changed during this same period : the 

 physical philosophy of Aristotle, which had obtained for 2,000 

 years, was supplanted by that of Francis Bacon ; but no rights were 

 violated here, the old philosophic dynasty had long been falling 

 into disrepute, and latterly had retained its sway by force alone ; 

 its downfall was hailed with joy ; the new dynasty was welcomed 

 by all, and recommended itself to all ; it came quietly and peaceably, 

 for its founder had forbidden that force should be resorted to 

 for its establishment. f A new light had dawned on the human 

 intellect, a fresh impulse had been given to it, and hereafter it was to 

 flow in hitherto unknown channels. The change was going on before 



* ' The Life, Times, and Scientific Labours of the Second Marquis of Worces- 

 ter ; to which is added a reprint of his "Century of Inventions." ' By Henry Dircks, 

 C.E. London : Bernard Quaritch. 1865. 



f " Dixit Borgia de Expeditions Gallomm in Italiam, eos venisse cum creta in 

 manibus at diversoria notarent. non cum armis ut perrumperent ; itidem et nostra 

 ratio est, ut doctrina nostra animos idoneos et capaces subintret; confutationem 

 enim nullus est usus, ubi de principiis ut ipsis notionibus, atque etiam de formis 

 fleiuonstrationem ilissonthntis."— A r ovit?w Organum. lib. i., aph. 35. 



