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they reach the top。 But if I may speak of the objects I have had
more or less definitely in view since I began the ascent of my
hillock； they are briefly these： To promote the increase of natural
knowledge and to forward the application of scientific methods of
investigation to all the problems of life to the best of my
ability； in the conviction which has grown with my growth and
strengthened with my strength； that there is no alleviation for the
sufferings of mankind except veracity of thought and of action； and
the resolute facing of the world as it is when the garment of make…
believe by which pious hands have hidden its uglier features is
stripped off。
It is with this intent that I have subordinated any reasonable； or
unreasonable； ambition for scientific fame which I may have
permitted myself to entertain to other ends； to the popularization
of science； to the development and organisation of scientific
education； to the endless series of battles and skirmishes over
evolution； and to untiring opposition to that ecclesiastical
spirit；＇17＇ that clericalism； which in England； as everywhere else；
and to whatever denomination it may belong； is the deadly enemy of
science。
In striving for the attainment of these objects； I have been but
one among many； and I shall be well content to be remembered； or
even not remembered； as such。 Circumstances； among which I am
proud to reckon the devoted kindness of many friends； have led to
my occupation of various prominent positions； among which the
Presidency of the Royal Society is the highest。 It would be mock
modesty on my part； with these and other scientific honours which
have been bestowed upon me； to pretend that I have not succeeded in
the career which I have followed； rather because I was driven into
it than of my own free will； but I am afraid I should not count
even these things as marks of success if I could not hope that I
had somewhat helped that movement of opinion which has been called
the New Reformation。＇18＇
ON THE ADVISABLENESS OF IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE ＇19＇
This time two hundred years agoin the beginning of January； 1666
those of our forefathers who inhabited this great and ancient
city； took breath between the shocks of two fearful calamities： one
not quite past； although its fury had abated； the other to come。
Within a few yards of the very spot ＇20＇ on which we are assembled；
so the tradition runs； that painful and deadly malady； the plague；
appeared in the latter months of 1664； and； though no new visitor；
smote the people of England； and especially of her capital； with a
violence unknown before； in the course of the following year。 The
hand of a master has pictured what happened in those dismal months；
and in that truest of fictions； The History of the Plague Year；
Defoe ＇21＇ shows death； with every accompaniment of pain and terror；
stalking through the narrow streets of old London； and changing
their busy hum into a silence broken only by the wailing of the
mourners of fifty thousand dead； by the woful denunciations and mad
prayers of fanatics； and by the madder yells of despairing
profligates。
But； about this time in 1666； the death…rate had sunk to nearly its
ordinary amount； a case of plague occurred only here and there； and
the richer citizens who had flown from the pest had returned to
their dwellings。 The remnant of the people began to toil at the
accustomed round of duty； or of pleasure； and the stream of city
life bid fair to flow back along its old bed； with renewed and
uninterrupted vigour。
The newly kindled hope was deceitful。 The great plague； indeed；
returned no more； but what it had done for the Londoners； the great
fire； which broke out in the autumn of 1666； did for London； and；
in September of that year； a heap of ashes and the indestructible
energy of the people were all that remained of the glory of five…
sixths of the city within the walls。
Our forefathers had their own ways of accounting for each of these
calamities。 They submitted to the plague in humility and in
penitence； for they believed it to be the judgment of God。 But；
towards the fire they were furiously indignant； interpreting it as
the effect of the malice of man；as the work of the Republicans；
or of the Papists； according as their prepossessions ran in favour
of loyalty or of Puritanism。
It would； I fancy； have fared but ill with one who； standing where
I now stand； in what was then a thickly peopled and fashionable
part of London； should have broached to our ancestors the doctrine
which I now propound to youthat all their hypotheses were alike
wrong； that the plague was no more； in their sense； Divine
judgment； than the fire was the work of any political； or of any
religious sect； but that they were themselves the authors of both
plague and fire； and that they must look to themselves to prevent
the recurrence of calamities； to all appearance so peculiarly
beyond the reach of human controlso evidently the result of the
wrath of God； or of the craft and subtlety of an enemy。
And one may picture to one's self how harmoniously the holy cursing
of the Puritan of that day would have chimed in with the unholy
cursing and the crackling wit of the Rochesters and Sedleys；＇22＇ and
with the revilings of the political fanatics； if my imaginary plain
dealer had gone on to say that； if the return of such misfortunes
were ever rendered impossible； it would not be in virtue of the
victory of the faith of Laud；＇23＇ or of that of Milton； and； as
little； by the triumph of republicanism； as by that of monarchy。
But that the one thing needful for compassing this end was； that
the people of England should second the efforts of an insignificant
corporation； the establishment of which； a few years before the
epoch of the great plague and the great fire； had been as little
noticed； as they were conspicuous。
Some twenty years before the outbreak of the plague a few calm and
thoughtful students banded themselves together for the purpose； as
they phrased it； of 〃improving natural knowledge。〃 The ends they
proposed to attain cannot be stated more clearly than in the words
of one of the founders of the organisation：
〃Our business was （precluding matters of theology and state
affairs） to discourse and consider of philosophical enquiries； and
such as related thereunto：as Physick； Anatomy； Geometry；
Astronomy； Navigation； Staticks； Magneticks； Chymicks； Mechanicks；
and Natural Experiments； with the state of these studies and their
cultivation at home and abroad。 We then discoursed of the
circulation of the blood； the valves in the veins； the venae
lacteae； the lymphatic vessels； the Copernican hypothesis； the
nature of comets and new stars； the satellites of Jupiter； the oval
shape （as it then appeared） of Saturn； the spots on the sun and its
turning on its own axis； the inequalities and selenography ＇24＇ o