The late Marquis’s nephew, then Lord Herbert, being on the Continent, writes from Blois, 18th July, 1674:[B] —“We are again settled here for this summer. In our passage from Aix we saw at Lyons the most curious closets of Monsieur Cervier, which for mathematical Inventions and Machines (all his own handywork) are the most surprising and astonishing, I believe, in the world. His many pretended Perpetual Motions, Hydraulic Dials, various Clocks and Hour-glasses, his Engines of Sympathy and Antipathy; but above all his device to discover the most predominant quality in every spectator, are past my comprehension and conception. These, and a hundred other things there, might be well worthy a journey in this long vacation for one of your experimentators.”
In the 21st volume of the Royal Society’s Transactions, for 1685, Dr. Papin, describes the external appearance, and the performance, of a small hydro-pneumatic fountain, which is represented in an engraving, as being enclosed by a cylindrical glass, under a glass shade. The Doctor states that it might be seen at his house, in operation on his mantel-piece, where Dr. Hook had watched it for half an hour, and other visitors for four hours together. The secret had been communicated to Mr. Boyle, but, with a view to excite the speculations of the ingenious, was not made public; for it was the pleasure of the learned to puzzle each other with such paradoxes.
The Diaries of John Evelyn and of Samuel Pepys offer numerous instances of the possession of similar cabinets of mechanical curiosities.
In the Life of Baron Guilford,[C] we have a fuller notice of scientific society about the same period, of which the following extracts will suffice to give a clear idea. It is evident that, except as relates to the most ancient, approved appliances, then in common use in the mechanical arts, all mechanical improvement beyond these was in its non-age; so much indeed was this the case, that no invention was too simple, and scarcely any too outrageous or absurd, to be esteemed unworthy of being submitted to the attention of the learned.
“His Lordship was no concealed virtuoso; for his diffused acquaintance and manner of conversation, made him known and esteemed, as a professor of most polite arts, and given to scientific inquiries. This brought upon him an importunity to be admitted a member of the Royal Society. But his Lordship never countenanced the proposal; and at length, gave his positive denial. He esteemed it a species of vanity for one, as he was, of a grave profession, to list himself of a society which, at that time, was made very free with by the ridiculers of the town: and he could not discover what advantage of knowledge could come to him that way, which he could not arrive at otherwise.”
Among his acquaintance were “Sir John Werden—very far gone in the mystery of algebra and mathematics.—
“One Mr. Aubrey of Surrey, a professed virtuoso, and always replete with new discoveries.
“One Mr. Weld, a rich philosopher, lived in Bloomsbury. He was single, and his house a sort of knick-knack-atary. Most of the ingenious persons about town, sometimes visited him; and, among the rest, (his Lordship) did suit and service there.
“His Lordship was once invited to a philosophical meal, at the house of Mr. Evelyn at Deptford. The house was low, but elegantly set off with ornaments and quaint mottos at most turns; but, above all, his garden was exquisite, being all boscoresque.
“He had a great value for Sir Jonas Moor, a capital mathematician, knowing well his worth and honesty, ... (he) once invited his Lordship to dine with him in the Tower, and, after dinner, presented Mr. Flamstead ... the star-gazer (who was) invited to come and see him.”