Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/433

. Besides this, they are now bred up and live in a quite different Fashion. The Course of their Ancestors Lives was grave and reserv'd: they convers'd with few, but their own Servants; and seldom travell'd farther than their own Lands: This way serv'd well enough to keep up their State and their Port; but not to help their Understandings. For the Formalities of Life do often counterfeit Wisdom, but never beget it. Whereas now they are engag'd in freer Roads of Education; now the vast Distance between them and other Orders of Men is no more observ'd; now their Conversation is large and general; now the World is become more active and industrious; now more of them have seen the Use and Manners of Men, and more apply themselves to Trafic and Business than ever.

This Alteration has been caus'd in our Memory, either by so many Families being advanc'd to the highest Degrees of Nobility for their excelling in the Arts of the Gown; or by their frequent Intermarriages with Citizens; or by the Travels of the King, and the Royal Family; or else by the Civil War itself, which is always wont to be the cruelest Tyrant, or the best Reformer; either utterly to lay wast, or to civilize, and beautify, and ripen the Arts of all Countries. And still we have reason to expect, that this Change will proceed farther for the better, if our Gentlemen shall more condescend to engage in Commerce, and to regard the Philosophy of Nature.

The first of these since the King's return, has been carry'd on with great Vigour by the Foundation of the Royal Company; to which as to the Twin-Sister of the Royal Society, we have reason as we go along to wish all Prosperity. In both these Institutions begun Rh