Sir William Petty and Some Aspects of Seventeenth Century Natural Philosophy

480 Pages·1975·29.904 MB·English

by  Lindsay Gerard Sharp

1
1
The thesis ,<:;} m-,s tri..a t Gue ~1 j;J.d.::.;ernents a ,.~e 2:~a.::.~rt.;1.-r ~ .. ~irslr;ac1.inc :u1c1 ur.J_,_is t,,_·i -r•i ,~~-1.
Petty' s !,:or·e c,~le1):rated ideas beco:~:e int~l li!~ible oI'-ly 1;r:19n their P.7olul:ie,l: 3_,Jrl
context receive deta.iled atte':..tion. 'I'his :~rocess ~>10L1.ld it3(.::l.f 1y::- ;:1isJ_ea,li.ng if
wid-e2.~ histo1·ical co:.1sid1:;x•e.tions were exc1ucled. P·('e-e •1ir.ent .J..::1on~3 sucl1 iss~eG
is ti1e 2~e;:1a.r~.a.ble effloresce.nee of nB.t:.1.r,3_]. ·"<hilo:~0,::,~t·' het\,it-~;•,.'l ,G!+o 21.1d :680.
1
r.:L,, .nese c.<• 1.r-0110 .7.. . or;•i ca] .. :poi•: n-•c s _l_ oose_1 y d, eno t e an~'... 01.111 :8l,I-..~ -1J1u r, ,.•u ~-3 1,,.-::-:•c ·iod. o;n ?:,row t'.~ 1 •-;•i ·.c •n
which Petti v;as inti:r:a.tely concerned. \·Jhen closely sc,~utin~~sed, tr.3 :celatic:.'.V,~d_p
b e t '.-Jae.n ·.c . n.i s I. ..i..e ;ure arm, .n :i.. .s envi:.. ~o T-::e:t1t.., er.: :>-r•,_;es a,s (:ine a i~ cc: 1::, 1... ex cau.se c·'..:1.·"1, E :-,..... -:.r; l.-•.
On--l•vJ ·ofvJ attr"''c-,;.!.. ~·.1,. _n_ ,.,:u· r...i. n_v ...r.l. erJ.•~c o,,~.,~..a·cu-·i·-nuc t.·.,1 _.r_n r-.-..~-~ Tv ~__l_r 'P..,,,P,_, _.. ... ~__!."_ .'..:..... :_:_i·,_~ l• ._·.,_-,.___b·_; . ....,.-., ,,._:.,,.•, :_:_;:_,_,_~ Y_,.._• ~ti·o·..,...1.. s co1ulr.l..
EncJ..is>1 '.-1a.t;_1_r.:=i.l :,:,,·:j_lr:."0r)yi}1:,· ~~a.in nonentur.1. I~ it.'3 ti-1r, tL:::; t.~·;·\_i_::-1i::'.~~ of tl,;~s~
rec2'.';~its ,c~ave the:-.!~ tils- •,otivation ci.nd CP. :a..c~~tv to d-.,,.ri·.:.;.-=: C ''.:Gh 1;:od•JG of ec~::::ij_•:;r ..
- ..J..- •. , ~ -
It is a :;:=iar:::,.dox of histo:cy that, while t'."lis :·1oif-')::e11t's ,l~rn3_r·1j_r:- ,_,-"::; -'3~tortlivBJ1
it th•}:,.,•ee..:fter sv.rvi 1:r~,J. an.cl eventually :.:;:r·e,,1 5_nto a. 1:rv-~ ~-~-'·J. force tiin.t c}-,an.:;ec1 :,1e.~, ',,
l1.1 1-t.1. 8'7- 'C,.,: :tP- .·,ndir1-c.. .-., o·c... ' 's-- ,o c·-i r...-, -'tuv an--r-l· -1,-, 1__1, -:.-.:,. -n-at1'·n·'-·:-•>-"·1·- ~" r-r,•r· °-'- ,-,- •• 1I_:~~- _,·_._:': -~_; 2 :_--_,1· ,•-.. ,_o-:;A- o-;:- tc,_j_,=-. 1/1_",Y'l:"'. ·•.G
to describe Petty'--:, experience of this .-:·c·v•:;J. '(i,io!, in ideas.
. .
co:1c0 ~·n. s 211 ;·,i£1:'1• • -
utilitarianis:n , h:i..s i,lebt to 'continental' and 'pur i.tru"l.' .:::,~ienc,?, hi.s vie'.·J of i:?-1~
Royal Society, hi:.'> role in r~:e-R~sto:r·ation natural ~h:i.Joso_::,hy, liis r.ietho(.~ 2 .. ::.:l i-~j-G
scientific oricinali ty are all exariine,1 so as to i.111.1.;nii:.-3.-t s contir~3e:nt hi.3torical
:JI'O;)ler~G. U11ile :1ot .c·2jectins other r.10,:,::.s 0Z i:.·e;:3E';:-~rcl1 it imu.ld_ see--; that Petty '.s
i- ntel1...I-ec·:V ·i~l· a_l 10-..i..o. -·1·.·...'· --•-f,.·p.:.-_-,'1 lV1 1· J.._...J, ..L. .O vir1"" es •--·=...i-..n .1.\.r. 1• .A.,,,,_a "•. ': .. \'"Jc .1-_=,.•_r,o,_,,. for· te::·tir1_:'.:..J :'301J,~ ~••-<-:_>_n ,_,,c:,,_· .C- ,..·..;.. _ int_ nrI.:~_,._ -~.::-''- ,·_•. -·.-,,· •~-
tions \1ith the lit:11.c.3 of the J?articulc1.r. T, e re.3ults indic;::;-'.-:0 a r-:ore cw,r)lex
1
t' 1 •
pi• e-Ic ure na.n m2.21,/ 1is-I coz·• ians 1"i w.ve "n':_ J."1'J._,n I e.1... .. 1r :0 _::::.-r~r or.r3.?e.-.1-.. •
2
Co-fY.:_l1EJ_l ':fi th edncc.t im.1c1.l :;__•ei'<Y!': -; c::=1J·1e t1,e T.-c·ovi:32.0~1 of : :e, ~_i cal f3_cili t.j_es
f;>~·
fox· the ,-:l:.018 -,,onul."J..t:i.on. Pettv ::::a1:1 the neP.(l nain.sta.~·:i ,.~ 1-'8.Si?.,r:>ch into
nosolo~ic:=J.:t_, aG tiolo~i~e.l c1.nd n~rb·i tiorn'l.1 facto:rs • .,_ Since th; value of a s\ilJ.,3d
,-m:c',::e:i_· was ;:~_1_~•ead:-r subGtantial and since t11is uould inc:t'<?a-~e c:..i.s the ec0no~.:..,v
becane nore so:;}.:i.Gticated, it ,r-3.s in the i~atio.,1-•s best inte~,est to keep hi
1·1
½.uo ;:ci.l .1.1..1.11\- ,/. t,. 1l·1-1.,.,i.t t... n'.1 s as t'1 :!_e cu·c· ·t ·in .:::; en, 3e Oi~ ,! 1·l S ,~:e,n. ica1 vi.e ,.,rs, Pe t'-r ,y p_.J,..-SO
ex1)ressed ce11.uine concex-.n for his fellm,; r1a.11,. The :~iOGt: i,Jporta.nt :point '.J,3.f..:.
taat hun'!ani tari2..nism was also a ~"::-actical necessi tv. l1e:5r::',J.:cc-;: into disease
FOHld only pro :.:;ress throu.c;h empi;ical nea:-:1.s, and 1.; iv e·,:·s:-J.l tVj?.1 t 'ri care ,.,!8.S thd
sole means of 1:roviding a sufficient nuuber of cases f-::·o:_, 1.-;hich to ce.ther data.
This 1... ese2.rch wonld be carried out in a ne,d t--.0e of t80.c-;1i11 : hosni tal ·whicl1
~.,_
~ ~
Petty described 1,i th meticulous care. In addition, thf~ T.;:i tional requirer,:e,_it .fen·
doctors uonld be controlled h.~.- the s0ve:rn::,8rr-c to ensurr:.• a :c'ational c~ictribution
of s:-:ills throuchout the rea.lr:1. Petty the1.. . efore 1)el.ie.red th::i.t a medical policy
based on sou. . n.d statis ties~ r,:onito:;_--ed b:r the governrnent .::.~nd s11.pported by
effective clinical trea.tment ,_,rould eradicate the 1r0~:-st eife cts o:f epidemir;:3
and nalnutrition.
Th<~ last co_'.1.;::;t i.tuen.1~ of his :-_;eneral l)Olicy call,~cl for systei:'!atic development
0 -f ne\.0/ l!1aC·H, J·. l1GS D.UCl t 8C'I 1;r·L :1ues. r,p_·: lTOU;~~'i IOU .1L, ' rl·l '; 1__ }· ·1, . 8 .D1.: e .11 :'· cy 1L, c:-•V J d t O enCOl.l::'D.L/~
invention :fo c :C'easons of r-1ersonc1.l l)rofi t Emd r,n,:ial eain.. B1--ief atte:;:ition is
paid to tl,.ro o.i:' his unGuccesE; f1 tl lJ.!... .. ojects: dc-n1J.le-~ ir-it5.n;_::: and the tirj_n-lrnll2d
r-~1_1·_i '.1.'· • In e-•'':-:i- '(-~--' ''l· r_.,ca,;";:,' e Pr.•- >t'tvv 1,....-,'--~-0' v-ea." ' 1__1__- :, _ _ ,r •__1 ;~::e,1_ ,? c;::.i -n or---~i. .0..''0.l ,·-11.--·.- 1'- --~~·.Y•-'ld dr-_-l',- e1-.• .. .(.Jn..; nP-d i_n_n, -1o va--t~o• r-· •
His cor.1"!')ara-ti·.re failin·:" 1Jrovi_cles an excellent e:x:a/i,,...,7_2 ,·,f t:hos~ ,:,1ct0rs ,,;'ij_r~r,
.:.. J.: .:..
restricted i.nvention ;-u1.d d:i_,::.conra,:te<l the s,- ..~ P.r1.:1 of ne~·! i_-ecll::i.010::.:.r du.:c-in ~-; this
4,,J .... , ...._,,._,, ,_
period.
C,1 1ap.Lt ,0i- t·- ·'.ree L· 1.L11 1r; t ra·t cs t'n e 1 1·. ::1' :. b eTI ,\.:1~en ~p e~tT'. Y ' s career, 1, n. s •o e1 i·r -:r... 1. 11
t
J• .1··0:r·ovemen-c' ana:i i-•ei, .. o_r: 1 ;1x1L;\ ~1 U• .s res_:?JYlse ,': ;o i• :1~?0 ..' -•' >::.!H.1 , e-.1.. ..(»·-1en~' ~s i• n con e1 ,pot·,?.r·y
na- t v.:ca. l pr'1..;..l o,.,:.:, o p!- ,< :r • ";)·',u_' . <r.;-.'->! nC:'1•..-:'-i-,l., vsir10w· -,.l,,_· he .c.::, re~ nes-;- J~ :-,_:_~ j_ ,-l· ·'-Cc'.... "•l -'1- ,'tCt-:·1-r,0: ;; o--f hie0 Di,-::.:>.\.'. ;1- l''Y-· '0" 'e-· ~_o__f;_'
Dunlicat,~ P:ro-'.")ortion nn 1inusually detailed :picture of one seventeenth cent1.~_ry
work is a.lso obtainnd,. '_rhis essay was a syno:_:-)tic s out ·,_-,n~'Jolis.l:.ed state,~8.nt
of Petty•s [-',pproach to science and philosophy. Occasi.oned by an institutional
crisis it became a. vei licle for defe ndine; the Royal Societ:r a.gainst vehement
criticism. Ln s;,o,-,ini that its research was both scientific and useful, P,-:tty
hor'ied to quell the Society's miscuided OJ?l)Onents. ':i:he :cesult idiosyncr:ttic
\•ias •?.r.
bl~nd of a;;:Jlied r:ia thenatics, utili tarianisn, Galilean uechanics and atomistic
philosophy:- Petty' s def e~1,:;i ve a.r1d didactic ::_:)u:~·::70:3e lir;-:i ted the '\Jor1~~ scope :i.n
1674 but no·w provides the reader with an W1paralle1ed insight into his late .._ ·
attitudes. It also gives an al)J:1-c>Opriate introduction to his econor:1etric a.nd
s~.La t·i.s1ci·c a1 exerc.i ses.
3
:_•-~~--;_ _- ; to :~:?.in gov0 T,1, JP;rc
,,~:en tL":'se 0fforts fe.7.l·~d.
oz
Given t>e .inevitable li;1i tations a t:1esis ::1J1d t},a ,3lusi veness of
_- 1•. 'lS1--1.,0:•c ical_ evu. te, t":ice, vari. ous i. ssues c0-:;.,e,·2.-:,, •, )f T' , _h_ l.G v~1, 1a~-v'-e1· ,n ave recei. ven"' ,yn_ 1 J
l.i. "ited attr;11tion. Fo:r exa.'..::'Jl,~, the :•e::'?le::d.:1,c L'elat:..c,,1:::>ip oeti1een P:::tty and
G·ce_;n-1t h.s.s :J;:~en e:;.:P.. .e lined, but t:.!.e cc11tral r,1:obl~:'J of :".".~d:-;:1or;3;_1ir re, mins unsolved.
Fre::3h a11~-, 1 .., ·sis of this ClUestion confir-r.1s t,1e cn.r1."0,1t -r=.r;·; th;:i_t both nen :..,ublished
'·' .s. -
'.:hei:r· ic7e2.s as joint a11d oric;inal contri1),d:ion.s to the new disc-i.J?line of socio-
econo: 1ic ?.n.:-:.J.:rr-;is. Unfortunately, a definitive ::.~econs t..i.'1 t~ tion of thei ·.:· incU.. vid:1al
roles .:11~.ct E!1.-•;-,_i ::: the discover~r of manuscri:-:."ts ,/hich ma~ no longer exist.
n-,
t~•<? en<1 of the enrn1i·t·v Pett,- pr·w-:-c-.•'&S as a l•::>::.d:-":,__.1_.~ f-.i.·..,·1_1_r,: of seventeenth
cen -,1,- i1C'VY no.:1' : :n•,-:-,_1_ 1-11• ~.:i .1_ o<:,02_1), 1·-..,:J_ . rc..Lf/ p '. 'le b ro~. .: acl .Lt.,1t l o'-' Ih , r·~•: :.s i• r~i : e·•,:=,:3 .~,_ ts.J , !• 1' .l S on t s t and 1. .n~: i.n si[. :;•n . .1I..,
i_n__. Ll, o 0... .. oc·•·i·-·'1-1__ } ~l, -er,.,;_ ·_ ., ....!. . olo-·.-'_i,c·--·,,1-,1 __ , econ~o ,.·, •i•· ,.,..., c"'.".u1 <1. i·-l'1., :..,..... _-t.-J-_= r>-.- ' •·,-.L..l:•~.!-<-:~ ...., - ...:,..,·•.t. ..-• ,n,.' ~..,7..(, ,I·,s an_ d. a.n . ·L,_·,·_1. ·10•. -1i_·-,_1,- able t
i. f 0G~D.:~;i0:10.Jl:,.r 1u1:r.~e::tli:.; l:ic, clr·i ve to -~:x··.12,-10::;: r1i "3 ic~-:?..s ,·1_1r3_1'n.11tee hir:1 a _;;l,?.ce
. 1 ~• t ~ ~
;,-1·Ic .11...•, ~le s_.•_ ,:.., -:: o n JTS) Y;/. e, uc1,·or1_ :::,no> nL) ay. --~-..- •~ll >.: <-• '.S .r.,! .-:•l ."lI. LUl''es sn' o•.-1 ·'c1,_ i.:. ~. GJ 1i 1e
-l_--'oJJ~.c.):0- e,:•.-:>s eu.·,. "" ·l-1.1·t 1·Ic_-•·•1.· ,._,_, . ,. C"-('(Y·-"~"11.·.L,-iy.r _-_i· ;-•,-.J .~._- --·',itti. Vl,'-i"..l_;_n_ n.. P....,p_.L+, "-<:J- -f•s _·:,~.,.,,,.,,,.-J,".'_.l. _._.._. .;_-✓-_·:• • -\a.''-,le cc(..(:.._. • r.e.,\_",jP_. and h__ .;-s,
-,,.--.:_;_"sonal s ·n-'d) er~i::, of ;:~r~ieDti7ic ideas c1. . lso eon.four!.d r:-1-0d-e ,.n att.e:0.nts to c0:te.r:orise
~ V - -
~he 'Sci,·,,2d:i ;:':i..r:; :1evol,1.t:1ot~' nnde:r· 8.''\/ ::_:-,-:i.rti,~'_,]_;~•-..__-• ,::}_n_;_;[°tl, -,~eli._::.;ious o:~·
te,•r1i•~nlo··:i.(:0.l i,ee.din°,·. O:nly bv J.ooJ:_i_,,_,. at !.d.:_ ::1_;:; 2.21 i.~tlivi.rl11.al t:ithin the
- - -- .. ..,.) - "-' tl . ._,
context Oi ~"'- Jcu·;_:;e.i· n:i,rf~: !(:>1.t ca.n. the yJ.nralisn o::: ~~'rJ +:::. er-2.-:-~!.'~e. Finally, •.-;e are
_, .__e•i•· c, ~:.'r• c.I: ---1 ·'.c.,.1 e 1• 1.·oi-1~- Cf,! 1a t· a.s ,3. socic.t ~..L, a.11d· sc1.e n1;. J.. J~.·l C r1:01::,.... 1e-c. l'T:°""'. e1.J. ..t y ,-,as re:.e c t e d
by :.:ost of ;;_i,3 con tr:1 i.::_---.<)ra:,:ies '.•!:1ile, three Cff1t1. ~~ic-,3 later, his methods and
ideas t2-.n:,, 11(~'?-n ,ti11dic[l_ted one afte:!"' the ot~-~<?-.;.·.
OF SEVENTP.._BI,JTH CENTURY
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY
D p·HTT TIi..-i-.£r..i.1::>- -,Is
.... .L ..L.:.J •
LINDSAY GERARD SI--i.-.ARP
VT.ADHAM C OLLEG-E
F.ACUI/.rY· OF MODERN HISTORY
DEPOSITED
THESIS
.
?-,.,17 .
~
.. ,
lJ
1 - 3
ABSTRACT
iii
J..l -
ABB!lli"VLJ.\. 'I.'IONS
lV - V
ACKNOSLEDGM.ENTS vi
IN'l1RODUCTION vii - xi
CJ-LA.PT.ER 1. THE LIFE OF A NA'l'DRAL FrlILCSOPHER 1
a) Child.hood and Adolescence : 1623-1643. 2
b) Holland : i\'Iedicine and Natural Philosophy : 15
1643-1645.
c) Paris and Continental Science : 1645-1646. 36
d) London: Invention, Education and Reform : 49
1646-1650.
e) 0.x:ford : Science and Medicine : 1651-1652. 90
:r) Ireland: Government and Survey : 1652-1660. 110
g) 'l'he Later Years : Frustration and 145
Achievement : 1660-1687.
CHAPTER 2. 3UGTE11Y 'S IUPrt.OV~;1.iEliT : EDUCATION, UEDICINE 196
a) Sociezy's Improvement. 197
b) Educ a. tion. 213
c) :-::edi.cine. 223
d) Invention : Double iNri ting and Naval Research. 233
CHAPTER 3. THE DI3GOURSE CONCERNING THE USE OF 253
pUPLICA'l'E PROPORTION : 1674
a) The Royal Society : declining fortunes : 255
1666-1672.
b) Crisis and Response : 1673-1675. 261
c) The Discourse Ana tomi~ed. 273
d) Matheme..tics and l,:ethod in the Seventeenth Century. 278
e) The Use of Duplicate Proportion in Sundry 293
Important Particulars.
f) The t:echanical Philosophy. 306
g) Condemnation, Reaction and Praise. 316
?.\.C-E
CB.APT3R 4. 336
GEOli:ETRICAL JUSTICE
a)
Political Arithmeticl-:. and Political .Ana toray. 337
b)
Political Aleebra and GBometrical Justice. 363
c) .Ayming at Impossi'Jle Things. 381
390
i) Petty's Dialling Advertisement, c.164-9. 391
ii) Observations on the Royal Society, 1687. 392
iii) Advertisements for the Dublin Society, 1684. 393
II 394
i) Q[ estion] and Desidera. ta or [the] O[ :ff'ice] 395
o.r Add.resse.
ii) Observations on Pettyt s Adviee ••• to S.H, 396
C .. 164[3 •
III 398
i) lv1emorandu□ on t..~e Roy9.l Societ-.1, 1674. 399
or
ii) Table papers presented at Society meetings, 401
167)+-1675 ..
iii) Table of the contents of' the Discourse~ 408
411
iv) Manuscript prologue to the Discourse.
v) An attack on the Discourse and Pe-tt-J' s reply. 412
vi) T1ne Petty-7{ood corresponde.ace. 417
BIBLIOGRAPHY 423
a) Manuscript Sources.
b) Co!ltemporary PrL-ited B·JOks ancl Primary 1iaterials.
c) Secondary wo~ks. 1+37
:._V
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations are used in the Note3:
Aubrey, Brief Lives. J.Aubrey, Brief Lives, ed. A.Clark,
2 vols. (Oxforl, 1898).
Bacon, Works. Sir F .Bacon, The Philosouhical ·:rorks oi~
Francis Bacon, Reprinted fro~ the Texts
and Tran.sla tion.s, with the Notes and
Pre.faces of Ellis a.nd Soedclinn- ed.
J.M.Robertson Land.on, 1905).
Birch, Historz. T.Birch, The Hi.itory of the Royal Societv
M
of London For ImprovL~g of Natural Know-
ledge from its First Rise, 4 vol3.
1756-57).
(London,
Boyle, V/orks. ( 1744 ed.) The V!orks of the Honourable Robert Bo· le,
ed. T.Birch, 5 vols. London, 1744.
(1772
Boyle, \'Forks. ed.) The ;.'forks of' the Honourable Robert Bo le,
ed. T.Birch, 6 vol~. London, 1772.
D.N .B. Dictionary of National BiograEhy.
or
Fi tzma.urice, LLre. Lord E.Fi tzmaurice, The Life Sir VJilliam
fe.t~r .1~23-168~ ( London, 1.~95) · •
Hartlib, Ephemerides. Samuel Hartlib, 'Ephemerides' , Hartlib
Papers, Shefrield University Library,
Professor Turnbull' s -bJped copy.
Hill, Intellectual C.Hill, Intelle~tual Origins of tb_e_
Orir;ir~s• • Englis;h Revolution ( Oxford, 1966).
Hull, Economic Works. Sir w.Petty, !J1e Economic Vlritint5s or Sir
yrilliam Petty Together with Ob serv~ lions
Upon The Bills of Mortali t"'/ More Probably by
Capta~ .John Graunt, ed. C.H.Hull, 2 vols,
(Cornell, n.d., reprinted Kelly, New York,
1963).
Jone3, .Ancients and R.F.Jones, Ancients and Moderns. A. Study
or
1~10.Jerns. of the Rise the Scientific Movement in
Seventeenth Century England ( Los Ari_0~J~~ -'-t,
sec.
ed. 1961).
Keynes, Bibliogra;ehz. G-. Keynes, A Bibliography of" Sir '.7illia.m
w
Petty F.R.S. And Of Observ3.tions on the
2
Bills of ~.:ortali t 0 bv John Graun.t F. P_ .S.
Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1971;.
Lansdowne, Pettz The Pett'/ Papers. Some unpublished writings
Papers. of Sir 'Hillia.rn Petty, ed. Marquis of' Lans
downe, 2 vols. (London, 1927).
... ' p s
LaJlSU.()1·Tr~8 • • • V/" I •
I
l. -n.a .r_~\, i_ _ c·aC ·;--. (-~:~-. t>--· ~_,.. i~. J.-J...'.~' -1'-1· e .~L-,u; ~ (-10 .vL a,. 1 ;} :_ i-_r._.~ i i_ ~..-_:.-
follo~-.red 1:\.- its pu: :lica i:ion l.~e t-2 r>. ,_r_1 r,->.: ;i
,1a. tio·n"• T;:~i.:: CO~'!"f &·lt ion j_3 ,')_(! '); te,:: beca 1.!S~
conb~:,:1~0--::'c.-".' .i oiru~in ~: of the journal :-r.-:i.s
ofb~·-1 (~:~rq tic.
- E. Str51.US3, S.i , Uilli·-:ir,-, -P-e-ttwv -P-o-rt- r-!3-.i t- -o-f -t
Genius (Lon-c-,o-c-,-·-1-9_5_4,_)_ _
viilli;JJ:1 Petty.
G. E. ':' l.l .:'~1 ~-n.Jl , _IL_;:_:i_ -_c_t_l_i_b__, _T h_..i_r_y_:_:_i n _c_l_C_r_i_.~ _~, -"''.-~._i_u_s_,
Glea11in.-,:s :f ~·on EaJ.·tlib 's Pa.ners
(London, 1947).
\'it~hst~r, Adva. . ncernent. ,, ,.1"'1J,....{-,.,. ... S~: :·•_1.el Hartlib 3.!'ld tl;e
U• wJt-:. t. <:>,v·-i ;.
-Ad-·r-:1-_r1-c-.r?--'.-e~-t -o-f- L-r=-·:-1·c-n-in-::; (Cat1bririe;0, 1970).
Wood, Athenae A. \1ood, Ath~; t~~.e Oxonienses, ed. P. Bliss,
Ox0. l'lJ;r1:~~::;. L'r vols. (Oxfo-~c1, 1813-20).
This study resulted from the author's interest in sevent
eenth-century natural philosophy, originating in the under
graduate subject 'The Scientific Movement in the Seventeenth
Century'. Throughout my research innu~erable people have helped
by discussion, or by the provision of material, and I would like
to express my deep gratitude to them here. In particular, I
wish to thank the Marquis of" Lansdowne, and Lord Shelburne, for
their great ld.ndness in allowing access to the Papers at Bowood
House, and for providing such elegant surroundings in which to
work. I also owe an enormous debt to Charles Webster, my supar
visor, who originally suggested Petty as an interesting subject
and was so generous with his time throughout the ensuing five years.
In addition, I would like to thank Dr. T.Barnard, Dr. R.L-W. Caudill,
rv:r.'3. S.MacKnight, Miss A.Lawrence, A. . J.Turner, R.A.G.Pearson, Dr.
D.Fairer and r,i.G .. Caldwell for their help, Mrs. Irene .Ashton and my
wife, Maggie, .for their great patience in typing, and my parents
for their ahundant liberality.
Finally, I wish to acknowledge the generosity of Clifford
Norton, am:l The nueen' s College, Oxford, who, through a Junior
Research Fellowship, provided an ideal environrr.ent in which to
pursue my research.
I.l'.!'\lT.lL"rr..T.). QT~;'1_T; TCT...T_.(_,Y~-Ji
Sir '1,illiam Petty' s life presents immediate problems £'or any
biographer who wishes to confine his analysis to a specific part ( ti:1ough
a central one) of' his interests and activities. In the case o.:'
~(1e
present work, an examination of' his achieve me;-.:. ts in, and his pr-:>found
experience of, seventeenth century natural philosophy inevitably calls
£'or a detailed treatment of' his early intellectual develop.r.ient an:i the
cultural influences which moulded his career. As a result of this
or
particular concentration, certairr areas his J.i:fe, both L11 historical
and personal terms, can only be viewed in a general way.
Some major events and attachments of Petty' s career will therefore
receive only passing attention: his work as one of the most important
administrators of the Crocr11ellian regime in Ireland, his c ompl~x legal
dealing3 over Iri3h possessions, the evolutio:i o:f his mul tifariow busi
ne.Js venture0, hi.3 general rela tionshlp ·.Yi th pol.i tical and courtly life
af'ter the Re...; tora tion, and his f·>..scina ting, though turbulent, person.al
exptJriences. 'l'h8..1e aspects of his life will be explored only in so f'ar
as they elucidate the development o:t.· hL:; viev1 .s on natural philosophy,
and indeed they have been. covered adegua tely by other biographical and
hi3torical works. In particular, the biographies of Strauss and ?itz-
l
maurice, the collected edition of his economic tracts by Hull, and the
bibliography by Keynes, provide a broad picture of his activities and
ideas, allowing the present work to concentrate on natural philosophy as
1. "2.3trauss: Sir ~'lilliam Petty, Portrait of a Genius, (London, 1954-);
Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice: The Life of Sir William PettiJ, 1623-1637,
( .rL JOnd on, 189,::-; ) ; G• H ..11? ull : T1u,.. e 1T~. :..conom•1 c ·;•·f r•l t i· ngs o ...P. 0, 1· .r ··•!-,'l 17. .J.•. l2.□ tJ· et_~s_ .,
(Cambridge, 1899, reprinted New York, 1963); G.L.i:.Ceynes, Kt: ..ci.. Bib
liograph.y of Sir 1Si,lliam Petty, ::,, .R. S., ( Oxford, 1971). For :Fitz
maurice' s biography see Keyne3, Biblio5raphy, p .42. For Hull 1 s orig
inal edition see ibid, p.65.