Robert Hooke and his Contemporaries

Abstract

DR. ROBERT HOOKE is generally allowed to have been one of the greatest promoters of Experimental Natural Knowledge, as well as Ornaments of the seventeenth century, so fruitful of great genius.” With suchlike words Richard Waller begins his introduction to the “Posthumous Works”, and the judgment still holds good. Nevertheless, our information as to Hooke's life and character has hitherto been comparatively meagre, for Ward's “Life”, and most of what has besides been written of him, derives from Waller's account, and Waller apparently had little personal knowledge of Hooke or his intimates, since he states that his main authorities are Hooke's brief biographical notes and the “Journals” of the Royal Society. It is typical that Hooke is one of the few great men of science of whom no portrait is available?possibly the only one, for even of Cavendish we have the well-known sketch prefixed to George Wilson's “Life” and the “Scientific Papers”. Hard judgments have been pronounced on him, without, perhaps, much trouble taken about that understanding which is said to lead to comprehensive pardon. The publication of Hooke's diary for 1672-80, now in the possession of the Corporation of the City of London, at least affords us some direct evidence as to his character and mode of life.