Part 48 (1/2)
”The study of Natural Philosophy has not captivated the Whigs of the new generation,” Bolingbroke concluded.
”The Royal Society Royal Society has not captivated them,” Ravenscar corrected him. ”What they study besides has not captivated them,” Ravenscar corrected him. ”What they study besides politics politics and and wenches, wenches, I know not.” I know not.”
At this, cautious laughter, less of amus.e.m.e.nt than of relief that a conversation seemed to be getting underway.
”My lord Ravenscar tries to stir up the old rumor that I know as much of wenches as Sir Isaac knows of gravity.”
”Indeed, like gravity, the fair s.e.x doth exert a continual pull on us all.”
”But you change the subject-granted, to a more fascinating topic,” Bolingbroke said. ”Is not the Royal Society the world's foremost salon salon for the discussion of Natural Philosophy? How can a man claim to be an for the discussion of Natural Philosophy? How can a man claim to be an amateur amateur of learning, and yet not aspire to become a Fellow? Or has it gone into decline? I've no way of knowing. Haven't been to a meeting in ages. A shame really.” of learning, and yet not aspire to become a Fellow? Or has it gone into decline? I've no way of knowing. Haven't been to a meeting in ages. A shame really.”
”We have reached that part of dinner when we shove our chairs back, throw our napkins down, and pat our bellies,” Ravenscar observed. ”Does that signify that your party has gone into decline?”
”I understand,” said Bolingbroke, after allowing those close-set blue eyes to wander round the ceiling for a few moments, as if deep in thought. ”You mean to say that the Royal Society gorged itself on learning in the early decades, and now takes a respite, to digest all that it took in.”
”Something like that.”
”Too, is it not necessary, when one has acquired acquired much, to much, to defend defend it?” it?”
”That sounds as if it might have a double meaning, my lord.”
”Oh, don't be tedious. It has a single meaning, to do with Sir Isaac, and the fraudulent claims of the infamous Hanoverian Hanoverian plagiarist, Baron von what's-his-name-” plagiarist, Baron von what's-his-name-”
”All the Hanoverians I I have met are sterling characters,” said Ravenscar stolidly. have met are sterling characters,” said Ravenscar stolidly.
”Obviously you've not made the acquaintance of George Louis's wife!”
”No one can make her acquaintance as long as he keeps her locked up in that Schlo, my lord.”
”Ah yes. Tell me, is it the same same Schlo in which Princess Caroline is said to have taken refuge, when she took it into her mind that Schlo in which Princess Caroline is said to have taken refuge, when she took it into her mind that has.h.i.+s.h.i.+n has.h.i.+s.h.i.+n were stalking her through the gardens?” were stalking her through the gardens?”
”I haven't heard that story, my lord-or if I have, I have not listened listened to it.” to it.”
”I have heard and listened-but I do not believe. I I suspect that the Princess is somewhere suspect that the Princess is somewhere else else.”
”I have no idea where she is, my lord. But to get back to the Royal Society-”
”Yes. Let us do get back to it. Who can blame Sir Isaac, really?”
”Blame him for what, my lord?”
”For setting aside the pursuit of Natural Philosophy to defend his legacy from the aggression of the German.”
”You place me in an impossible situation, my lord-I almost feel as if we are in the House of Lords again, disputing an Act. But I shall answer a question you have not not asked, and say that if fewer young men are coming to the Royal Society of late, it is perhaps because listening to Sir Isaac rant about Leibniz; perusing the latest incriminating doc.u.ments about Leibniz; and sitting on committees, tribunals, and Star Chambers intended to prosecute Leibniz in absentia, simply does not happen to be their notion of a Good Time.” asked, and say that if fewer young men are coming to the Royal Society of late, it is perhaps because listening to Sir Isaac rant about Leibniz; perusing the latest incriminating doc.u.ments about Leibniz; and sitting on committees, tribunals, and Star Chambers intended to prosecute Leibniz in absentia, simply does not happen to be their notion of a Good Time.”
”Von Leibniz. Thank you for reminding me of the man's name. How shall we keep all of these dreadful German names straight if not for the Whigs, who know them so intimately?”
”It is difficult to acquire the German German tongue, when tongue, when French French ones are perpetually thrust into one's ears,” Ravenscar answered; a jest that was greeted with awed and terrified silence round the table. ones are perpetually thrust into one's ears,” Ravenscar answered; a jest that was greeted with awed and terrified silence round the table.
Bolingbroke reddened, then had a good chuckle. ”My lord,” he sputtered, ”look at our fellow-revelers. Have you ever observed a more wooden bunch?”
”Only on a chessboard, my lord.”
”It all comes of the fact that we have drifted off into prating of Natural Philosophy-the surest way to kill a conversation.”
”On the contrary, my lord, you and I are having an excellent conversation.”
”Indeed-but they they are not. Which is why we have Withdrawing Rooms, you know, and the like-so that enthusiasts may cabal in the corners and not bore the company to death!” are not. Which is why we have Withdrawing Rooms, you know, and the like-so that enthusiasts may cabal in the corners and not bore the company to death!”
”If this is all some sort of a ploy to get us to drink port wine, it is needlessly elaborate,” observed Ravenscar.
”But where where shall we drink it?” Bolingbroke asked. shall we drink it?” Bolingbroke asked.
”I dare not say, my lord, for 'tis your your house.” house.”
”So it is. And I say that these these chaps, who plainly do not give a fig for Natural Philosophy, may drink it in the comfort of my Withdrawing Room; but you and I, inveterate enthusiasts that we are, shall repair to the observatory, three storeys above-far enough away that the other guests shall not suffer our philosophical prattle.” chaps, who plainly do not give a fig for Natural Philosophy, may drink it in the comfort of my Withdrawing Room; but you and I, inveterate enthusiasts that we are, shall repair to the observatory, three storeys above-far enough away that the other guests shall not suffer our philosophical prattle.”
”The Lord of the Manor has spoken; all must obey,” announced Roger Comstock, Marquis of Ravenscar, and shoved his chair back; and that was how he and Bolingbroke ended up on the roof of the house, ogling the latter's Newtonian reflector. But as it was still twilight, and the stars were not out yet, her Majesty's Secretary of State had to content himself with aiming it at terrestrial terrestrial targets. The facility with which he did so gave Roger the idea that this was not the first time he had used the instrument to spy upon neighbors, near and far. targets. The facility with which he did so gave Roger the idea that this was not the first time he had used the instrument to spy upon neighbors, near and far.
”The seeing is excellent this evening,” Bolingbroke sighed, ”as the day was warm, and few have bothered to light fires.”
”This port is of the best,” Roger said, for they had brought a bottle up with them: the closest thing to manual labor that Bolingbroke's servants would suffer the master to perform.
”Spoils of political conquest, Roger. We all l.u.s.t after such spoils, do we not?”
”The profession of politics would be altogether too disagreeable,” Roger allowed, ”without compensations above and beyond what is strictly appropriate.”
”Well said.” Bolingbroke was hunched over the eyepiece, twiddling the tube of the telescope this way and that, homing in on a target to the east. Roger phant'sied he might be pointing it at the dome of St. Paul's, two miles away; but no, his host had trained it downwards, as at some target nearer to hand. By far the biggest and closest structure along that general bearing was Leiceister House, seen from here as a great rambling L-shaped manor. It stood in its own compound, which was nearly as extensive as the green square of Leicester Fields to the south of it.
”Presently night shall fall and Venus shall s.h.i.+ne forth-we shall admire her beauty then. But while we await the G.o.ddess of Love, we may content ourselves peering at some of her earthly wors.h.i.+ppers. wors.h.i.+ppers.”
”I shouldn't think you you of all people would need a of all people would need a telescope telescope for that,” Roger said, ”other than the one G.o.d gave you.” for that,” Roger said, ”other than the one G.o.d gave you.”
Leicester House presented to the Fields a public facade with a small forecourt below, where callers could dismount from carriages, &c. This was all that most people could see of it. Looking down on it from the excellent vantage-point of Bolingbroke's roof, half a mile away, Roger was reminded that the house had quite a bit of property in back, hemmed in by newer buildings, so that most Londoners had no inkling it was there. Of this, about two-thirds, on the side nearer to Bolingbroke's, was a formal garden. The rest was an enclosed stable-yard. Separating them was a long thin wing extending from the main house-really little more than a gallery.
”Pity. They are not out this evening,” Bolingbroke remarked.
”Who or what are not out, Henry?”
”The young lovers. A chap, strapping, blond, well-heeled, and a young woman, long chestnut hair, and an uncommonly erect-some would say n.o.ble, or royal-bearing. They tryst in yonder garden most every evening.”
”Touching.”
”Tell me, Roger. You, who know so much of these Germans who design to take over our country-have you met Princess Caroline?”
”I have had that honor once, on a visit to Hanover.”
”They say she has the most lovely fall of chestnut hair-is it true?”