404 ON THE SCOPE AND INFLUENCE OF THE 



" ty projwsed * M In another letter, to Mr Hartlib, who like 

 himself was an early and zealous promoter of the Royal Socie- 

 ty, Dr Beale thus rapturously expresses his feeling of the plea- 

 sure which Boyle's experimental labours were calculated to 

 afford to the followers of Lord Bacon. " To those that have 

 " been tired and wearied, as I have been in the several ways 

 " of former philosophers ; to those who have condescended to 

 " take deep notice of the insufficiency of conjectures, and un- 

 " grounded ratiocinations, and who have submitted their pa- 

 " tience to the severity of Lord Bacon's inquisitions, here are 

 " offered such pleasing refreshments, as give us the relish of 

 " that Virgilian simplicity, which was so highly admired by 

 *' Scaliger in these verses : 



" Tale tuum carmen nobis, divine poeta, 



" Quale sopor fessis in gramine, quale per a; stum 



*' Dulcis aquae saliente sitim restinguere rivo f." 



They who have overlooked or disregarded the proofs of the 

 connection between what Bacon enjoined, and Boyle perform- 

 ed, are not likely to have recognized any traces of the lights 

 held out by the former, in the philosophy of Newton. Yet it 

 appears undeniable, that the latter was guided by principles 

 which Bacon alone had taught ; and that his philosophy derives 

 its imperishable character from his rigid adherence to them. 

 To begin with the examination and comparison of phenomena 

 in order to rise to the knowledge of general truths, and to pro- 

 ceed 



* Boyle's Works, vol. vi. p. 405. 



f This letter is printed in the Life of Boyi.e, prefixed to his works, p. 63. — " Dr 

 Beale was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1662. Several of his papers 

 are printed in the Transactions. He was a man of excellent parts, and great 

 public spirit; and the character which his friend Mr Hartlib gav of him was, 

 that there was no man in the island who could be made more universally use- 

 ful."-— Birch's Hist, of the Royal Society, vol. iv. p. 235. 



