LETTERS FROM THE REV. WM. DERHAM, D.D. 167
Royal Society was the centre of the activities of the latter.
John Evelyn, R. Hook, A. Pittfield, John Ray, Sir I. Newton,
Sir Hans Sloane, Sir C. Wren, John Lock, the Rev. J. Harris,
and many other distinguished men were members and discussed
at their meetings matters relating to botany, zoology, physical
science, etc., etc., and also published papers called Philosophical
Transactions, which contained the results of their researches.
No doubt at times their discussions and papers were of a
puerile nature, and remind one of the paper written by the im-
mortal Mr. Pickwick on "The Tittlebats of the Hampstead
Ponds." This was alleged against the Society in 1751, by that
remarkable and clever charlatan, Dr. J. Hill, who afterwards
called himself "Sir John" ; but however much of truth there
was in his satire, it is unquestionable that many even of the
early researches and discoveries of the Society were of the greatest
service to infant natural science, Darwin and other writers
have taught us that no fresh details accurately observed about
the workings of nature can be too trivial to be of service in build-
ing up scientific knowledge. For this purpose the systematic
observation and accurate recording of matters, which at first
sight appear unimportant, may not unfrequently be a source
of considerable utility to subsequent students of phenomena
in nature.
In spite of the peaceful nature of the Society's objects, their
meetings were not always characterised by that harmony which
is proverbially said to be present in "nests of doves," and we
get glimpses in the following letters of more than one of those
breezes which from time to time ruffled the tranquility of their
meetings, and which no doubt caused great jealousies and heart
burnings among the learned members, some two hundred years
ago.
Some of these letters are not dated ; the one bearing the
earliest date was written on 8th May 1704, and that with the
latest in 1710-1. In addition to the dates an astronomical
symbol is sometimes added. There are in these letters constant
references to different books, etc., and rather than insert as many
footnotes as would be necessary to give the names of their
respective authors, and mention , some details about them, I
have thought it better to give my explanatory notes in a
compact form at the end of each letter.