that I do not like her at all, nor did I hear her say anything that was worth hearing, but that she was full of admiration, all admiration. Several fine experiments were shown her of colours, loadstones, microscopes, and of liquors ; among others, of one that did while she was there turn a piece of roasted mutton into pure blood, which was very rare. After they had shown her many experiments, and she cried still she was full of admiration, she departed, being led out and in by several Lords that were there; among others, Lord George Barkeley and Earl of Carlisle, and a very pretty young
man, the Duke of Somerset." — Vol. hi., p. 229.John Evelyn, in his Diary,* thus alludes to this visit:—
"To London to wait on the Duchess of Newcastle (who was a mighty pretender of learning, poetrie, and philosophic, and had in both published divers bookes) to the Royal Society, whither she came in greate pomp, and being receiv'd by our Lord President at the dore of our meeting roome, the mace, &c, carried before him, had several experiments showed to her. I conducted her Grace to her coach, and return 'd home."
Some account of this remarkable woman, of whom so little is now known, may not be unacceptable. Margaret, the second wife of William Cavendish, first Duke of Newcastle (one of the most able generals and distinguished patriots of the times of Charles I. and II.), was born about the end of the reign of James I., married the Duke (then Marquis) of Newcastle in 1645, and died in 1673. VValpolet furnishes a notice of the Duchess' numerous works, which he stales "fill many folios"; and Granger "J: says, "If her merit as an author were to be estimated from the quantity of her works, she would have the precedence of all female writers ancient or modern. There are no less than thirteen folios of her writing, ten of which are in print: they consist chiefly of poems and plays." Dr. Birch § gives us a list of the " fine experiments" provided for the Duchess' delectation : —
her eutcrtainmeut were made: — First, that of weighing the air, which was done with a glass receiver of the capacity of nine gallons and three pints, which being exhausted and put into a scale and then opened and the air let in weighed thereupon one ounce and seventy-oue carats more than it did wheu exhausted. Next were made several experiments of mixing colours. Then two cold liquors by mixture made hot. Then the experiment of making water bubble up in the rarefying engine by drawing out the air.
'Memoirs/ vol. i., p. 404.
'Royal and Noble Authors,' vol. iii., p. 145.
'Biographical History of England,' vol. v., p. 368.
'History of the Royal Society,' vol. ii., p. 177.