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In the next place for the advancement of all Mechanicall Arts and Manufactures. We wish that there were erected a Gymnasinm, Mechanicum, or a Colledge of Trades-men (or for more expedition untill such a place could be built, that the most convenient houses for such a purpose may be either bought or hired) wherein we would that one at least of every trade (but the prime most ingenious work-men, the most desirous to improve his art,) might be allowed therein, a handsom dwelling rent free. Which with the credit of being admitted into this Society, and the quick sale which certainly they would have of their commodities, when all men would repaire thither, as to a market of rare and exquisite pieces of work-manship, would be a sufficient motive to attract the very ablest mechanicks, and such as we have described, to desire a fellowship in this College.

From this Institution we may clearly hope when the excellent in all arts are not onely neighbours, but intimate friends and brethren, united in a common desire and zeal to promote them, that all trades will miraculously prosper, and new inventions would be more frequent, then new fashions of clothes and household-stuffe. Here would be the best and most effectuall opportunities and meanes, for writing a History of Trades in perfection and exactnesse, and what experiments and stuffe would all those shops and operations afford to active and philosophicall heads. Out of which, to extract that interpretation of nature, whereof there is so little, and that so bad as yet extant in the world? Within the walls of this Gymnasium or College should be a Nosocomium Academicum according to the most exact and perfect idea thereof a compleate Theatrum Botanicum, stalls and cages for all strange beastes and birds, with ponds and conservatories for all exotick fishes, here all animalls capable thereof should be made fit for some kind of labor and imployment, that they may as well be of use living as dead; here should be a Repositorie of all kind of rarities.

Naturall and artificiall pieces of antiquity. Modells of all great and noble engines, with designes and platformes of gardens and buildings. The most artificiall fountaines and water-works. A library of select books, an astronomicall observatory for celestiall bodies and meteors, large pieces of ground for severall experiments of agriculture. Galleries of the rarest paintings and statues, with the fairest globes and geographical maps, of the best descriptions, and so farre as is possible, we would have this place to be the epitome or abstract of the whole world. So that a man conversant within those walls, would certainly prove a greater schollar then the walking libraries so called; although he could neither write nor read. But if a child, before he learned to read or write, were made acquainted with all things, and actions (as he might be in this colledge,) how easily would he understand all good books afterwards, and smell out the As for the situation, modell, policy, occonomy, with the fopperies of bad ones. number of officers and retainers to this Colledge, and the priviledges thereof, it is as yet time enough to delineate. Only we wish that a society of men might be instituted, as carefull to advance arts as the Jesuites are to propagate their religion for the government and manageing of it.

But what relish will there be in all those dainties whereof we have spoken, if we want a palate to tast them, which certainly is health the most desirable of all earthly blessings. And how can we in any reason expect health, when there are so many great difficulties in the curing of diseases, and no proportionable course taken to remove them? We shall therefore pursue the meanes of acquiring the publicke good and comfort of mankind a little further, and vent

out conceits concerning a Nosocomium Academicum or an hospitall to cure the infirmities both of physicians and patient.

We intended to have given the most perfect idea of this Nosocomium Academicum, and consequently to have treated of the situation and fabrick of the house, garden, library, chymicall laboratorie, anatomicall theater, apotheca, with all the instruments and furniture belonging to each of them; as also of the whole policy and occonomy thereof."

The writer prepares to realize his Nosocomium out of the Old Hospitals "under the reforming hand of authority," after giving some hints as to the organization of his College of Health, he proceeds:

"Having now after a fashion gone through the description of such Societies and Institutions, as we have thought most fit for the advancement of reall learning, and among the rest, of the Ergastulum Literarium for the education of children, we now come to speak of such bookes, as being well studied and expounded in those schooles, would lay a very firme foundation of learning in the schollers.

We recommend therefore in the first place (besides those bookes of collection, by us formerly mentioned, and Master Pells three Mathematical Treatises,) the compiling of a work whose title might justly be 'Vellus Aureum sive Facultatum Lucriferarum Discriptio Magna,' wherein all the practised wayes of getting a subsistance and whereby men raise their fortunes, may be at large declared. And among these, we wish that the History of Arts or Manufactures might first be undertaken as the most pleasant and profitable of all the rest, wherein should be discribed the whole processe of manual operations and applications of one naturall thing (which we call the elements of artificials) to another, with the necessarie instruments and machines, whereby every peice of work is elaborated, and made to be what it is, unto which work bare words being not sufficient, all instruments and tooles must be pictured, and colours added when the discriptions can not be made intelligible without them. This history must not be made out of a farrago of imperfect relations made to the compiler, either by too rude or cousening workmen, but all things thereunto appertaining must be by himselfe observed and attested by the most judicious and candid of each respective profession, as well to make the work the more authenticke, (it being to be the basis of many future inferences and philosophations) as the more cleerly and distinctly to enforme the compiler himself, by whose judgement as the Alembick and industry as the fire, it is hoped that the quintessence and magesteries of all present inventions may be extracted, and new ones produced in abundance. Although it be intended to teach the making of all artificials, yet it is not to be understood that when there hath beene taught how to make a stoole, or a naile of one fashion, that the art of making a chaire or a naile of another fashion, should be long insisted on. But the compiler should strive to reduce the making of all artificials in each trade to a certain number and classes of operations tools and materials, neither need he to set the figures, or mention the name of all artificials that ever were made, but onely of such as are most knowne and of common use amongst men: he needeth not to describe every punctilio in making all the aforementioned particulars, and yet leave no more defects, then may be supplied by every common understanding. For we question whether (if he should engage himselfe in such an endlesse labour) a man by the bare light and instruction of a book could attaine to a dextrous practice of a trade,

whereunto hath been required seven yeares Autopsia. But are confident that the help of this book will lessen the former tædium by more than half. He should not so abridge the work as not to distinguish between instruments of the same name, as between a loom to weave kerseys, and another, wherein to weave silk ribbands or stockings. He should all along give the mechanicall reason of every instrument materiall and operation, when the same is sensible and cleere. He should all along note his own defects in setting down these histories, in case he had not at the time of the writing thereof sufficient information, and withall the deficiencies of the trades themselves.

Now whereas there be divers wayes and methods of working most manufactures, he should in each thing stick close to the way of some one Mr.; but note all the diversities he knoweth, and give his opinion of the use and goodnes of each.

Moreover the occonomy, Sive Ars. augendas rei familiaris, in all professions ought to be inquired into, viz., what seasons of the yeare are most proper to each worke, which the best places and times to buy materials, and to put off the commodities when finished, how most thriftily to hire, entertaine, and oversee servants and workmen, how to dispose of every excrement and refuse of material, or of broken, worne, or otherwise unserviceable tooles and utensils, with all cauteles, impostures and other sleights good or bad, whereby men use to over-reach one another.

There ought to be added to this work many and various indices besides the alphabetical ones, as namely one of all the artificials mentioned in the whole worke. Another of all the naturall materials or elements of artificials, by what artificers used, from whence they come, where to be had, and what are the ordinary and middle prices of them.

Another of all the qualities or schemes of matter, as of all liquifiable things visea friable, heavy, transparent, abstersive, or otherwise qualified according to all the classes of 1, 2, and 3, qualities, to the end that materials for all intentions and experiments may be at hand and in sight.

Another of all operations mentioned in the whole work, as sawing, hewing, filing, boaring, melting, dissolving, turning, beating, grinding, boyling, calcining, knitting, spinning, sowing, twisting, &c. To the end that they all may also be at hand for the purposes aforesaid.

Another of all tooles and machines, as files, sawes, chissels, sheeres, sives, loomes, shuttles, wheels, wedges, knives, skrewes, &c., for the same purpose also.

The compiler ought to publish all his conjectures, how old inventions may be perfected, and new ones produceds, giving directions how to try the truth of them. So that by all those unto whose hands these books shall come perchance, all the said suppositions may be tryed, and the successe reported to the compiler himselfe.

The compilers first scope in inventions shall bee, how to apply all materials that grow in abundance in this kingdome, and whereof but in considerable use and profits are as yet made to more advantage to the common wealth. And also how all impotents whether onely blind, or onely lame, and all children of above seven yeares old might earne their bread, and not be so long burdensome to their parents and others. There should be made a preface to the worke to teach men how to make the most of experiments and to record the successes of them whatsoever, whether according to hopes or no, all being equally luciferous, although not equally lucriferous. There ought to be much artifice used, that all

the aforementioned indices may handsomely referre one to another, that all things contained in the whole book may be most easily found, and most readily attend the seekers of new inventions. The way to accomplish this worke must be to enquire what to this purpose is already done, or in hand, in all places and also by whom, so that communication of councels and proceedings, may (if possible) be had with those undertakers. All bookes of this subject already extant in print, must be collected and bought, not to transcribe them, but to examine them per autopsiam, and re-experiment the experiments contained in them, and withall to give hints of new enquiries.

The compiler must be content to devote his whole life to this employment, one who (as we said before) hath the fire of industry and the alembick of a curious and rationall head, to extract the quintescence of whatsoever he seeth. He should bee as young as sufficient abilities will admit, to the end that he may with the concurrence of God's ordinary providence, either finish, or very farre advance the work, while he liveth, and also that living long in that employment, he may heap up the larger stock of experiments, which how much the greater it is in one man, affordeth so much the more the hopes of new inventions.

The nature, manner, and meanes of writing the History of Trades being so farre expounded, before we proceed furthur therein, for the better encouragement of undertakers. We shall now represent such profits and commodities thereof, to the commonwealth, as we at present more nearly reflect upon. For to enumerate or evaluate them all, will be much above our capacity.

1. All men whatsoever may hereby so look into all professions, as not to be too grossely cozened and abused in them.

2. The mysteries of trades being so laid open, as that the professors of them can not make so unlawful and exorbitant advantages as heretofore, such as are cunning and ambitious will never rest untill they have found new ones in their stead; so that the Respublica Artium, will be so much the more advanced.

3. Schollers and such as love to ratiocinate will have more and better matter to exercise their wits upon, whereas now they pusle and tire themselves, about meer words and chymericall notions.

4. They will reason with more alacrity, when they shall not onely yet honour by shewing their abilities, but profit likewise by the invention of Fructiferous Arts.

5. Sophistry shall not be in such esteem as heretofore, when even sence shall be able to unmask its vanity, and distinguish it from truth.

6. Men seeing what arts are already invented, shall not need to pusle themselves to reinvent the same again.

7. All men in generall that have wherewithall will be venturing at our 'Vellus Aureum,' by making of experiments: and whether thereby they thrive or no (the directions in the preface being followed) they shall nevertheless more and more discover nature.

8. Nay, all nations sensible of this 'Auri Sacra fames,' will engage in this hopefull businesse; and then certainly many hands will make light work in the said businesse of discovering nature.

9. All ingenious men and lovers of reall knowledge, have a long time pegged this work, wherefore it can be no small honor to him that shall satisfie

them.

10. A vast increase of honorable, profitable, and pleasant inventions must needs spring from this work, when one man (as the compiler thereof) may 'uno

intuita,' see and comprehend all the labor and wit of our ancestors, and be thereby able to supply the defects of one trade with the perfections of another.

11. We see that all countries where manufactures and trades flourish, as Holland, &c., become potent and rich. For how can it be otherwise? When the revenues of the state shall be encreased by new and more customes, all beggers feeding upon the labours of other men, and even thieves and robbers (made for want of better employment) shall be set on work, barren grounds made fruitful, wet dry, and dry wet, when even hogs and more indocile beasts shall be taught to labour. When all vile materials shall be turned to noble uses, when one man or horse shall do as much as three, and every thing improved to strange advantages.

12. There would not then be so many fustian and unworthy preachers in divinity; so many Petti-foggers in the law; so many quack-salvers in physick; so many grammaticasters in country schooles, and so many lazy serving-men in gentlemen's houses, when every man might learn to live otherwise in plenty and honour. For all men desirous to take paines, might by this book survey all the wayes of subsistance, and choose out of them all, one that best suits with his genius and abilities.

13. Schollers now disesteemed for their poverty, (what ever other thing commands them) and unable even for want of lively-hood, to perfect anything even in their own way, would quickly help themselves by opening treasures, with the key of lucriferous inventions.

14. Boyes instead of reading hard Hebrew words in the Bible (where they either trample on, or play with mysteries) or parrat-like repeating heteroclitous nounes and verbs, might read, and hear the History of Faculties expounded, so that before they be bound apprentices to any trade, they may foreknow the good and bad of it, what will and strength they have to it, and not spend seven years in repenting, and in swimming against the stream of their inclinations.

All apprentices by this book might learn the theory of their trades before they are bound to a master, and consequently may be exempted from the 'Tædium' of a seven years bondage, and having spent but about three years with a master, may spend the other foure in travelling to learn breeding, and the perfection of their trades. As it would be more profitable to boyes, to spend ten or twelve years in the study of things, and of this book of faculties, then in a rabble of words, so it would be more easie and pleasant to them as more suitable to the natural propensions we observe in them. For we see children do delight in drums, pipes, fiddels, guns made of elder sticks, and bellowes' noses, piped keys, &c., for painting flags and ensignes with elder-berries and corn poppy, making ships with paper, and setting even nut-shells a swimming, handling the tooles of workemen as soone as they tune their backs, and trying to work themselves, fishing, fowling, hunting, setting sprenges, and traps for birds, and other animals, making pictures in their writing bookes, making tops, gigs, and whirligigs, guilting balls, practicing divers jugling tricks upon the cards, &c., with a million more besides. And for the females, they will be making pies with clay, making their babies clothes, and dressing them therewith, they will spit leaves on sticks, as if they were roasting meate, they will imitate all the talke and actions which they observe in their mother, and her gossips, and punctually act the comedy or tragedy (I know not whether to call it) of a woman's lying-in. By all which it is most evident, that children do most naturally delight in things, and are most capable of learning them, having quick sences to receive them,

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