Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/79

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the Royal Society.
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another Royal Society in France. I promise for these Gentlemen here (so well I know the Generosity of their Design) they will be most ready to accept their Assistance. To them, and to all the Learned World besides, they call for Aid. No difference of Country, Interest, or Profession of Religion, will make them backward from taking or affording Help in this Enterprize. And indeed all Europe at this time, have two general Wars, which they ought in Honour to make; the one a holy, the other philosophical: The one against the common Enemy of Christendom, the other also against powerful and barbarous Foes, that have not been fully subdued almost these six thousand Years, Ignorance, and false Opinions. Against these, it becomes us, to go forth in one common Expedition: All civil Nations joining their Armies against the one, and their Reason against the other; without any petty Contentions about Privileges, or Prudence.

Sect. III. Their first Meetings at London.Thus they continued without any great Intermissions, till about the Year 1638. But then being call'd away to several Parts of the Nation, and the greatest Number of them coming to London, they usually met at Gresham College, at the Wednesday's, and Thursday's Lectures of Dr. Wren, and Mr. Rook; where there join'd with them several eminent Persons of their common Acquaintance: The Lord Viscount Brouncker, the now Lord Brereton, Sir Paul Neil, Mr. John Evelyn, Mr. Henshaw, Mr. Slingsby, Dr. Timothy Clarke, Dr. Ent, Mr. Ball, Mr. Hill, Dr. Crone, and diverse other Gentlemen, whose Inclinations lay the same way. This Custom was observ'd once, if not twice a week, in Term-time, till they were scat-
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