The History of the Royal Society of London/Chapter 11
Upon the reading of these last Directions, Mr. Rook the Author of them being dead, I cannot forbear saying something of that excellent Man, which his incomparable Modesty would not have permitted me to write, if he had been living. He was indeed a Man of a profound Judgment, a vast Comprehension, prodigious Memory, solid Experience. His Skill in the Mathematicks was reverenc'd, by all the Lovers of those Studies; and his Perfection in many other Sorts of Learning deserves no less Admiration. But above all, his Knowledge had a right Influence on the Temper of his Mind, which had all the Humility, Goodness, Calmness, Strength, and Sincerity of a sound and unaffected Philosopher. This is spoken, not of one who liv'd long ago, in praising of whom it were easie to feign and to exceed the Truth, where no Man's Memory could confute me: but of one who is lately dead, who has many of his Acquaintance still living, that are able to confirm this Testimony, and to join with me, in delivering down his Name to Posterity, with this just Character of his Virtues. He died in the year sixty two, shortly after the Establishment of the Royal Society, whose Institution he had zealously promoted. And it was a deplorable Accident in his Death; that he deceas'd the very night which he had for some years expected, wherein to finish his accurate Observations on the Satellites of Jupiter: however this Treasure will not be lost, for the Society has refer'd it to some of the best Astronomers of Europe, to bring his Beginnings to Conclusion.
Sect. XXXI.
Their Proposals and Recommendations.To many of these Queries they have already receiv'd good Returns, and Satisfaction; and more such Accounts are daily expected from all Coasts. Besides these, there have been several great and profitable Attempts, relating to the Good of Mankind, or the English Nation, propounded to them by many publick Bodies, and private Persons; which they have again recommended, to be examin'd apart, by diverse of their own Number, and by other men of Ability and Integrity, who have accepted of their Recommendations of this kind: The principal that I find recorded in their Registers, are these.
They have propounded the composing a Catalogue of all Trades, Works, and Manufactures, wherein men are employ'd; in order to the collecting each of their Histories, by taking notice of all the physical Receipts, or Secrets, the Instruments, Tools, and Engines, the Manual Operations or Slights, the Cheats, and ill Practices, the Goodness, Baseness, and different Value of Materials, and whatever else belongs to the Operations of all Trades.
They have recommended the making a Catalogue, of all the Kinds of natural Things to be found in England. This is already in a very good Forwardness: And for its better completing, many Expedients for the preserving, drying and embalming of all living Creatures have been prosecuted.
They have suggested the making a perfect Survey, Map, and Tables, of all the fix'd Stars within the Zodiac, both visible to the naked Eye, and discoverable by a six-foot Telescope, with a large Aperture; towards the observing the apparent Places of the Planets, with a Telescope, both by Sea and Land. This has been approv'd, and begun, several of the Fellows having their Portions of the Heavens allotted to them.
They have recommended the advancing of the Manufacture of Tapestry: the improving of Silk-making: the propagating of Saffron: the melting of Lead-Oar with Pit-coal: the making Iron with Sea-coal: the using of the Dust of black Lead instead of Oil in Clocks: the making Trials on English Earths, to see if they will not yield so fine a Substance as China, for the perfecting of the Potter's Art.
They have propounded and undertaken the comparing of several Soils and Clays, for the better making of Bricks and Tiles: the Way of turning Water into Earth; the observing of the Growth of Pebbles in Waters: the making exact Experiments in the large Florentine Loadstone: the Consideration of the Bononian Stone: the examining of the Nature of petrifying Springs: the using an Umbrella Anchor, to stay a Sip in a Storm: the Way of finding the Longitude of Places by the Moon: the Observation of the Tides about Lundy, the Southwest of Ireland, the Bermudas, and diverse parts of Scotland: and in other Seas and Rivers, where the ebbing and flowing is found to be irregular.
They have started, and begun to practise, the Propagation of Potatoes; the planting of Verjuice Grapes in England; the chymical Examination of French and English Wines; the gradual Observation of the Growth of Plants, from the first Spot of Life; the increasing of Timber, and the planting of Fruit-Trees, which they have done by spreading the Plants into many Parts of the Nation, and by publishing a large Account of the best Ways of their Cultivation.
They have propounded, and attempted with great Effect, the making Experiments with Tobacco Oil; the anatomising of all amphibious Creatures, and examining their Lungs; the observing the Manner of the Circulation of the Blood in Fishes; the Ways of transporting Fish from one place to another for Breed; the collecting Observations on the Plague; the examining of all the several ways to breed Bees; the altering the Taste of the Flesh of Animals, by altering their Food; the Probability of making Wine out of Sugar-Canes: Which last I will set down as one Example.