and the peculiar fatisfaction to the learned world.

In 1635, he obliged the world with his Short Memoirs for the Natural Experimental Hiftory of Mineral Waters, with Directions as to the several Methods of trying them, including abundance of new and useful Remarks, as well as feveral curious Experiments. He gave the world alfo, in the fame year, another excellent work, entitled, An Effay of the great Effects of languid and unheeded Motion; with an Appendix, containing an Experimental Difcourfe of fome hitherto little regarded Causes of the Infalubrity and Salubrity of the Air, and it's Effects; than which none of his treatifes were ever received with greater or more general applaufe. He published, in the fame year, A Differtation on the Reconcileablenefs of Specific Medicines to the Corpufcular Philofophy; to which is added, A Difcourfe of the Advantages attending the Ufe of Simple Medicines. To these Philofophical, he added a moft excellent Theological Discourse, Of the high Veneration Man's Intellect owes to God, particularly for his Wif dom and Power; being a part of a much larger work, which he fignified to the world, to prevent any exception from being taken at the abrupt manner of its beginning.

At the entrance of the fucceeding year, 1686, came abroad his Free Enquiry into the vulgarly received Notion of Nature; one of be most important and useful pieces that ever fell from his pen; and which will be always

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admired and esteemed by fuch as have a true zeal for religion and intelligible philosophy. In the month of June, the fame year, his friend Dr. Gilbert Burnet, afterwards lordbishop of Sarum, transmitted to him from Holland, his account of his travels through France, Switzerland, and Italy; which were afterwards published.

In 1687, a work which he had drawn up in his youth, entitled, The Martyrdom of Theodora and Dydimia, came from the prefs to the hands of the public. In 1688, he obliged the world with a moft curious and ufeful treatise, entitled, A Difquifition into the final Causes of Natural Things; and whether, if at all, with what Caution a Naturalist should admit them. To which is added, An Appendix about vitiated Sight. In this piece he treats, with great judgment and perfpicuity, many of the deepest and most abfracted notions in Philofophy and Religion, fo as to give fatisfaction to the candid, without running into any offenfive notions, in the opinion even of the molt critical reader; which is a felicity, that, in cafes of this nature, has very rarely attended the writings of any other author than Mr. Boyle; whose care was equal to his quickness, and whose caution hindered him from hazarding any thing that might fhock weak minds, or tender confciences. In the month of May, this year, our author, however unwillingly, was

con

conftrained to make his complaint to the public of fome inconveniences under which he had long laboured; which he did by an advertisement addreffed to J. W. to be communicated to fuch of his friends as were virtuofi, to inform them of the lofs of many of his writings, and that it might ferve as an explanatory preface to fome of his mutilated and unfinished pieces.

One cannot well conceive any thing that gives a higher or more expreffive notion of the worth and excellency of this great man, than this paper, which, had it come from any other perfon, would have been either regarded as a common and trivial advertisement, or as a very glaring mark of felf-conceit and vanity; but, in reference to Mr. Boyle, it appears fo neceffary to himself, that it could not be omitted; of fuch importance to the public, that it cannot be forgot; and fo cautiously digefted, as to raise our admiration and efteem for its author.

He began now to find that his health, notwithstanding all his care and caution, began fenfibly to decline, and his ftrength to decay; which put him upon devifing every method that was poffible for hufbanding his time, for the future, for the benefit of the learned world. In doing this, he preferred generals to particulars; and the affiftance of the whole republic of letters, to that of any branch, by what ties foever he might be connected therewith.

admired and esteemed by such as have a true zeal for religion and intelligible philofophy. In the month of June, the fame year, his friend Dr. Gilbert Burnet, afterwards lordbishop of Sarum, transmitted to him from Holland, his account of his travels through France, Switzerland, and Italy; which were afterwards published.

In 1687, a work which he had drawn up in his youth, entitled, The Martyrdom of Theodora and Dydimia, came from the prefs to the hands of the public. In 1688, he obliged the world with a moft curious and ufeful treatise, entitled, A Difquifition into the final Causes of Natural Things; and whether, if at all, with what Caution a Naturalist should admit them. To which is added, An Appendix about vitiated Sight. In this piece he treats, with great judgment and perfpicuity, many of the deepest and most abfracted notions in Philofophy and Religion, fo as to give fatisfaction to the candid, without running into any offenfive notions, in the opinion even of the moft critical reader; which is a felicity, that, in cafes of this nature, has very rarely attended the writings of any other author than Mr. Boyle; whofe care was equal to his quickness, and whofe caution hindered him from hazarding any thing that might shock weak minds, or tender confciences. In the month of May, this year, our author, however unwillingly, was

con

conftrained to make his complaint to the public of fome inconveniences under which he had long laboured; which he did by an advertisement addreffed to J. W. to be communicated to fuch of his friends as were virtuofi, to inform them of the lofs of many of his writings, and that it might ferve as an explanatory preface to fome of his mutilated and unfinished pieces.

One cannot well conceive any thing that gives a higher or more expreffive notion of the worth and excellency of this great man, than this paper, which, had it come from any other perfon, would have been either regarded as a common and trivial advertisement, or as a very glaring mark of felf-conceit and vanity; but, in reference to Mr. Boyle, it appears fo neceffary to himself, that it could not be omitted; of fuch importance to the public, that it cannot be forgot; and fo cautioufly digefted, as to raife our admiration and

efteem for its author.

He began now to find that his health, notwithstanding all his care and caution, began fenfibly to decline, and his ftrength to decay; which put him upon devifing every method that was poffible for hufbanding his time, for the future, for the benefit of the learned world. In doing this, he preferred generals to particulars; and the affiftance of the whole republic of letters, to that of any branch, by what ties foever he might be connected therewith.