WE have now to witness the diversified efforts of a
company of men who, working for the most part
independently, greatly added to the data of the physical
sciences—such men as Boyle, Huygens, Von
Gericke, and Hooke. It will be found that the studies
of these men covered the whole field of physical sciences
as then understood—the field of so-called natural philosophy.
We shall best treat these successors of Galileo
and precursors of Newton somewhat biographically,
pointing out the correspondences and differences between
their various accomplishments as we proceed.
It will be noted in due course that the work of some of
them was anticipatory of great achievements of a later
century.
