the Carthusians. There should likewise be one laboratory, with a repository for rarities and things of nature; aviary, dovehouse, physic garden, kitchen garden, and a plantation of orchard fruit, &c., all uniform buildings, but of single stories, or a little elevated. At convenient distance towards the olitory garden should be a stable for two or three horses, and a lodging for a servant or two. Lastly, a garden house, and conservatory for tender plants. The estimate amounts thus. The pavilion 400%., chapel 1507., apartments, walls, and out-housing 600%.; the purchase of the fee for thirty acres, at 157. per acre, eighteen years purchase, 4007.; the total 15507., 16007. will be the utmost. Three of the cells or apartments, that is, one moiety, with the appurtenances, shall be at the disposal of one of the founders, and the other half at the other's. If I and my wife take up two apartments (for we are to be decently asunder; however I stipulate, and her inclination will greatly suit with it, that shall be no impediment to the Society, but a considerable advantage to the economic part), a third shall be for some worthy person; and to facilitate the rest, I offer to furnish the whole pavilion completely, to the value of 500l. in goods and movables, if need be, for seven years, till there be a public stock, &c. There shall be maintained at the public charge, only a chaplain, well qualified, an ancient woman to dress the meat, wash, and do all such offices, a man to buy provisions, keep the garden, horses, &c., a boy to assist him, and serve within. At one meal a day, of two dishes only (unless some little extraordinary upon particular days or occasions, then never exceeding three) of plain and wholesome meat; a small refection at night: wine, beer, sugar, spice, bread, fish, fowl, candle, soap, oats, hay, fuel, &c., at 41. per week, 2001. per annum; wages 151.; keeping the gardens 201.; the chaplain 201. per annum. Laid up in the treasury yearly 1451., to be employed for books, instruments, drugs, trials, &c. The total 4001. a year, comprehending the keeping of two horses for the chariot or the saddle, and two kine: so that 2001. per annum will be the utmost that the founders shall be at, to maintain the whole Society, consisting of nine persons (the servants included) though there should no others join capable to alleviate the expense; but if any of those who desire to be of the Society be so qualified as to support their own particulars, and allow for their own proportion, it will yet much diminish the charge; and of such there cannot want some at all times, as the apartments are empty. If either of the founders think it expedient to alter his condition, or that anything do humanitus contingere, he may resign to another, or sell to his colleague, and dispose of it as he pleases, yet so as it still continue the institution. ORDERS. At six in summer prayers in the chapel. To study till half an hour after eleven. Dinner in the refectory till one. Retire till four. Then called to conversation (if the weather invite) abroad, else in the refectory; this never omitted but in case of sickness. Prayers at seven. To bed at nine. In the winter the same, with some abatements for the hours, because the nights are tedious, and the evening's conversation more agreeable; this in the refectory. All play interdicted, sans bowls, chess, &c. Every one to cultivate his own garden. One month in spring a course in the elaboratory on vegetables, &c. In the winter a month on other experiments. Every man to have a key of the elaboratory, pavilion, library, repository, &c. Weekly fast. Communion once every fortnight, or month at least. No stranger easily admitted to visit any of the Society, but upon certain days weekly, and that only after dinner. Any of the Society may have his commons to his apartment, if he will not meet in the refectory, so it be not above twice a week. Every Thursday shall be a music meeting at conversation hours. Every person of the Society shall render some public account of his studies weekly if thought fit, and especially shall be recommended the promotion of experimental knowledge, as the principal end of the institution. There shall be a decent habit and uniform used in the college. One month in the year may be spent in London, or any of the Universities, or in a perambulation for the public benefit, &c., with what other orders shall be thought convenient, &c. Thus, Sir, I have in haste (but to your loss not in a laconic style) presumed to communicate to you (and truly, in my life, never to any but yourself) that project which for some time has traversed my thoughts: and therefore far from being the effect either of an impertinent or trifling spirit, but the result of mature and frequent reasonings. And, Sir, is not this the same that many noble personages did at the confusion of the empire by the barbarous Goths, when Saint Hierome, Eustochius, and others, retired from the impertinences of the world to the sweet recesses and societies in the East, till it came to be burthened with the vows and superstitions, which can give no scandal to our design, that provides against all such snares ? Now to assure you, Sir, how pure and unmixed the design is from any other than the public interest propounded by me, and to redeem the time to the noblest purposes, I am thankfully to acknowledge that, as to the common forms of living in the world I have little reason to be displeased at my present condition, in which, I bless God, I want nothing conducing either to health or honest diversion, extremely beyond my merit; and therefore would I be somewhat choice and scrupulous in my colleague, because he is to be the most dear person to me in the world. But oh! how I should think it designed from heaven, et tanquam numen dioris, did such a person as Mr. Boyle, who is alone a society of all that were desirable to a consummate felicity, esteem it a design worthy his embracing! Upon such an occasion how would I prostitute all my other concernments! how would I exult! and, as I am, continue upon infinite accumulations and regards, Sir, His most humble, and most obedient servant, If my health permits me the honour to pay my respects to you before you leave the Town, I will bring you a rude plot of the building, which will better fix the idea, and show what symmetry it holds with this description. John Evelyn to the Hon. Robert Boyle. Sayes-Court, Sept. 29, 1659. SIR, I send you this enclosed, the product of your commands, but the least instance of my ambition to serve you: and when I shall add, that if an oblation of whatever else I possess can verify the expression of my greater esteem of your incomparable book, which is indited with a pen snatched from the wing of a seraphim, exalting your divine incentives to that height, that being sometimes ravished with your description of that transcendant state of angelical amours, I was almost reconciled to the passion of Cleombrotus, who threw himself into the water upon the reading of Plato, and (as despairing to enjoy it) ready to cry out with St. Paul, cupio dissolvi, and to be in the embraces of this seraphic love, which you have described to that perfection as if in the company of some celestial harbinger you had taken flight, and been ravished into the third heaven, where you have heard words unutterable, and from whence you bring us such affections and divine inclinations, as are only competent to angels and to yourself: for so powerful is your eloquence, so metaphysical your discourse, and sublime your subject. And though by all this, and your rare example, you civilly declaim against the mistakes we married persons usually make; yet I cannot think it a paralogism or insidious reasoning, which you manage with so much ingenuity, and pursue with so great judgment. But certainly it was an extraordinary grace, that at so early years, and amidst the ardours of youth, you should be able to discern so maturely, and determine so happily: avoid the Syren, and escape the tempest: but thus, when the curiosity of Psyche had lighted the taper, and was resolved to see what so ardently embraced her, she discovered an impertinent child, the weakness and folly of the passion. You, Sir, found its imperfections betimes; and that men then ceased to be wise when they began to be in love, unless, with you, they could turn nature into grace, and at once place their affections on the right object. But, Sir, though you seem tender of the consequence all this while, the conclusion will speak as well as your exam ple; that though you have said nothing of marriage, which is the result of love, yet you suppose that it were hard to become a servant without folly; and that there are ten thousand inquietudes espoused with a mistress. That the fruits of children are tears and weakness, whilst the productions of the spirit put their parents neither to charge nor trouble; that all these heroes, of whom we read, esteemed most precious of the celibate. Alexander had no child, and Hercules left no heir; Pallas was born of the brain of Jupiter; and the Venus Urania of the Platonists made love only to the soul, which she united to the essence of God (according to their divinity), and had no lower commerce than what you so worthily celebrate in your book, and cultivate in your life. But though these were all true, and all that you have added since, I find the passion of Lindamore rather to be pitied than criminal, because Hermione's was not reciprocal; though she were cruel, the sex is tender, and amiable, pious, and useful; and will never want champions to defend their virtues and assert their dues, that is, our love and our service. For if it be virtuous, it is the nearest to the seraphical; and whatever can be objected against it, proceeds from the vices of the person's defect, or extremes of the passion. But you instance in the jealousies, diseases, follies, and inconstancies of love: the sensual truly is obnoxious to all these; but who have been the martyrs, where the design was not plainly brutish, indifferent to the education, or blinded with avarice? And if you have example of their hatred and perfidy, I can produce a thousand of their affection and integrity. What think you, Sir, of Alcestis, that ran into the funeral pile of her husband? The goodness of Emilia, the chastity of Lucretia, the faith of Furia, of Portia, and infinite others who knew nothing that the Christian institution has superadded? And the Scriptures are full of worthy examples, since it was from the effects of conjugal love that the Saviour of the world, and that great object of seraphic love, derived his incarnation, who was the son of David. Take away this love, and the whole earth is but a desert; and though there were nothing more worthy eulogies than virginity, it is yet but the result of love, since those that shall people paradise, and fill heaven with saints, are such as have been subject to this passion, |