IF it were not that some worthy Persons, no better informed than Mr. Stubbe seems to be, of the Design and Business of the Royal Society, which he hath lately en­deavoured in no less than four ig­norant and railing Pamphlets to wound through the sides of some particular persons, might be in­duced to have a sinister Opinion of that Illustrious Body, established by his Most Excellent Majesty that now is, for the Improvement of Noble and useful Knowledge, I should altogether disdain even to touch such disingenuous and foul papers, as those, which this virulent pen hath of late troubled the Press with, are justly esteemed to be by all truly Generous and Considerate men, both Domesticks and Forainers, who are acquainted with the [Page 2]true State of what he doth most maliciously and undeservedly labour to defame.

Since therefore it is necessary that something should be said for the sake of those, that may, upon the reading of such Libelling Pamphlets, frame to themselves wrong conceptions of that Royal Foundation, so immorally assailed by this petulant writer, I shall endeavour in a short Vindication to represent the true End and Work of that In­stitution, and by doing so, manifest to the World, that this Calumniator hath with all his late Scribling done nothing but filled a great deal of waste paper, with a lively Character of his own perverse, vain, and turbulent Genius revi­ving the Memory of his former wayes, and con­firming the opinion had of him before, of his dis­composed and malitious nature.

I must therefore say, that, if Envy and Malice, and other cursed Motives had not blinded him, he would have been so far from reviling one of the Noblest Establishments that ever was erected by any Prince, that he would have found, as well as all considering and sober men do, that the Aime and Purpose of the Royal Society is not any thing at all of what he taketh so much pains and useth so much craft to insinuate, To espouse or reject this or that sect of Philosophers, or to meddle with Religion, Divinity, Medical Practises; much less to endanger the Religion established in England, the Monarchical Government, the two famous Univer­sities, [Page 3]the Received Education, and the Professi­on on of Physick (all which he goes about in those vile Books, to bear the World in hand they intend to do;) but that their desires and attempts are to in­crease Knowledge, and to discover truth, where­ever it be in Natural, Mechanical and Mathema­tical things, to help Old Inventions, and encou­rage New ones, and all for the raising and enob­ling the Dignity of Humane Nature, and the serv­ing of Mankind.

And since they are perswaded with the Excel­lent Lord Verulam, and many other judicious Mo­derns, that hitherto all sorts of Naturalists have been too hasty in establishing Systems of Natural Philosophy, before they had laid a solid and com­prehensive Foundation to build upon; they have esteemed it a laudable and useful Undertaking to endeavour, that all industrious and sagacious In­quirers of Nature every where may conjoyn their Researches, studies, and labours, to examine what hath been performed hitherto, to retain what will endure the Test, and to add thereunto what they can, in order to the composing a faithful Hi­story of Nature and Art, that may contain a com­petent stock of Observations and Experiments, frequently and carefully made by Intelligent and Cautious men, which may serve for a Magazeen of Materials, of which hereafter, by duly conside­ring the whole, and comparing all the parts toge­ther, may be raised (if possible) such a Systeme of [Page 4]natural Philosophy, as may give a rational Accompt of the Appearances and Effects of Nature, and en­able men to infer from confronted Causes and Ef­fects such consequences, as may conduce to the greater benefit and ampler accommodations of Hu­mane life.

This then being the true Design of this Royal Establishment, and the sole Prospect of those that are ingaged therein, it alone is able to scatter that heap of unsavory talk put together by this vain Writer; wherein tis palpable, that he never would understand the true Ground and End of this Institution, and that in all his Airy and Empty discourses, where he strikes at the. Royal Society, he doth but fight with his own fancy and shadow.

For whosoever is impartial, and will but give himself the leisure to consider the Nature of such a Design, and the happy Effects which its se­rious prosecution may have, such an one will soon conclude, that what ever is said in those Far­dles, as far as it tends to detract from the said So­ciety, contains nothing but spiteful misrepresentati­ons and calumnies, poured out on purpose to try whether something of it Would not stick with Credulous Men, to whom the Actings and Design of the R. Society are not known.

O therwise who is there, I pray, that being in his right wits, can conceive, that such an Institution, and such Studies can tend to undermine the Pro­testant [Page 5]Religion, whose Design, Business, and Glo­ry it is, to encrease Light and Knowledg? Or that it can (as is suggested by this pretended Champion of the Church of England, known to be indifferent to all Religions) introduce Pope­ry, which wants that Latitude of pursuing the sense of the Motto, Nullius in Verba, chosen by this R. Corporation.

Who can believe, that it endangers Monar­chy (which formerly this Railer hath been shrewdly suspected to hate) without calling in question the Prudence of one of the Wisest and most Potent Monarchs in the world; that hath incorporated it by his Royal Charter, and by doing so, encreased his Renown abroad to admiration (witness several English Ambassadors, and other publick Ministers, innumerable Travellers, and abundance of Letters, written from all parts) and added also to his singular Luster at home among all those that know what value to put upon Vir­tue and Knowledge? And how shall this be said without throwing dirt upon those Eminent and Illustrious Prelates, Nobles, Officers of State, and other Loyal and Learned Persons of all sorts, who have Honoured the Register of the Royal So­ciety with the subscription of their Names, after their Royal Founder, his Royal Highness, his Highness Prince Rupert, and one of the Dukes of Brunswick and Luneburg.

Again, who can affirm without a front of Brass, [Page 6] cation of Youth? Whereas it is evident, that they intermeddle not with any such thing; but if they should have any influence upon it, it can be none other, but to render it more Manly, and more Polite, in regard that this Society consists of many of the best Extraction and Breeding, No­blemen, Gentlemen, Travellers, Persons that have studied Men, and conversed with Things; Know­ing in the most Solid and moil Useful parts of Knowledge; such as are the mixt Mathematiques, Natural Philosophy, Chymistry, Anatomy, Phy­sick, Mechanical Arts, and Practices: Of which persons there are no such Deserters, as this Male­volent Writer goes about most falsly to per­swade.

Who can truly say, that this Society is prejudi­cial to the two great Ʋniversities of this King­dom; considering that it cannot be denyed, that the afore-mentioned Sciences and Studies, which are the work of the Royal Society, are both high­ly Noble, and exceeding necessary for the seve­ral Professions of the World? And though per­haps they be not the chief business of those Il­lustrious Nurseries of all Learning, where the Youth of the Kingdom is fitted for the service of the Church and State, yet they are counte­nanced there, and pursued within their walls by some of their most worthy Members, as far as other Stu­dies and Exercises, concerning Languages, Logick, History, Divinity, Law, &c. will permit. It is [Page 7]evident that the Royal Society is so far from de­rogating any thing from them in that Learning, which they are chiefly addicted to, that the same is by them supposed, or rather implyed, and made good use of, as being very necessary rightly to apprehend and to compare things that are exa­mined, and performed amongst them. Besides that the Experimental Operations, insisted upon by that Company, are a further improvement of some of the Academical Studies, and an Applica­tion of them to publick uses.

Again, who can rationally esteem? that that So­ciety is detrimental to the Profession of Physick, which is built upon, and can by no surer way be advanced, than by good Observations and Experi­ments; he being certainly the ablest Physitian that hath improved himself by the Noblest and Certainest of them? And as to the Practice of Physick, that Society doth not at all interfere with it; they neither pretending to judge of Di­seases, nor setting Rules for it, nor prescribing or administring Medicines, but only doing what they may, upon occasion, to encrease the stock Medical, by discovering more and more of the Se­crets of Nature; which as it tends to enlarge the Power and Empire of Man over other Crea­tures, so it may particularly contribute to suggest to Physitians (of whom many very eminent for Learn­ing and Practice, are of the chief inquirers, con­stantly remaining in this Society) a more ample [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8]matter both to preserve, and to recover the Health of Man; for the doing of which none will be ma­ligned by any but him that is an Enemy to Man­kind.

And as the Fellows of the Royal Society make it their business to render themselves, as much as in them is, serviceable to all; so they do not as­sume to themselves any Discoveries or Inventions of others. And if any such should, by this or that particular Member, perhaps less knowing in the History of such things, be attributed to them, pos­sibly out of an excess of Affection, which may be accompanied even with a belief of the Truth, as to what is thus ascribed; yet is the Society so just, as not to own any thing more than is their due: and their Modesty is such, to my know­ledge, that the Body it self pretends hitherto to no more but this; That they have begun to re­move some rubbish; to lay in some Materials (and those yet unhewn and unapproved) and to put some things in order for the Building, by making Tryals and Observations of several kinds in pub­lick, by encouraging and directing some of their number to do the like in private; and by exami­ning, improving, and carrying on of some things, which others had set upon before them, either at home or abroad. And therefore as none, not the very Spirit of Calumny, nay, even Mr. Stubbe himself, can possibly have the impudence to blame their Designe, as it is above declared; so [Page 9]none can justly charge them with any Arrogance; since they, as a Body, assume nothing to them­selves, but what hath been just now related, and specified.

To which, I think, I have right to add, that they need nor be very solicitous to give particular satisfaction to Impertinent and Captious Inqui­rers into their proceedings, in regard they are a Body made up of meet Volunteers, that have en­gaged themselves generously and freely to promote the Designe above-mentioned, and therefore have no obligation at all to give an account to any, but His Sacred Majesty their Founder and Patron, of their performances, which they have hitherto carried on at the Expence of their own purse, and hope to continue (notwithstanding the dis­mall Auguryes of this Scrich-owle) for the increase of the Honour of this Great Nation, and the gene­ral benefit of Mankind.

And this, I think, may suffice, both to inform all Candid Men of the Truth, and with all to shame (if he be not past shame) this Hectoring Writer, for having so groundlessly and uncivilly attacqued many of the most Noble, and the most Intelligent and Vertuous of his own Country-men; who certainly will be ashamed to own such a Ranter for an English man, for all the shew he makes of petulant wit, and scraps of crabbed learning.

If he should say, That I have passed by the Ar­guments, he hath produced to support his Preten­ces; [Page]I shall boldly answer, that I had no reason to value them, or to trouble the Reader with a Re­hearsal and particular Refutation of them (which perhaps will be done so as to make his heart ake, by those whom he hath particularly assailed) con­sidering that the things, represented by me, being onely weighed, whatever he hath alledged will fall to the ground of it self, as being propped up by nothing, but Malice, Envy, Calumnies, vain Surmises, and Crafty Mis-representations of the Un­dertaking and Actions of that Society I am plead­ing for; which hath the Applause of Discreet and Intelligent men, both at home and abroad, as hath been already represented, and can be made out by Scores of Letters from divers of the most emi­nent Persons in Learning and those forementioned Studies, that are in Europe: Which gives me suffi­cient ground to hope and ominate, that this Royal Establishment will thrive and flourish, notwithstand­ing the mischievous project for its destruction, ai­med at by this Mercenary and Vile Rhapsodist. However, the rest abundantly satisfyed in their good intentions, and endeavours, stopping the mouths of all such malignant Calumniators as him­self, with that Heroick saying,

And that other, ‘Virtutem videant intabescánt (que) reticta.’