英詩に見られるナチュラリスト的視点 : ドライデン、ポウプ、王立協会、蜜蜂

概要

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Although poets like Dryden and Cowley were chosen as members of the Royal Society in its early days, they were not conversant with science. The former was expelled from the Society due to his failure to pay membership fees while the latter never attended a meeting. As a result, it might be supposed that the rise of scientific ideas crystallized in the foundation of the Society did not have an impact on their works. The Society's aim in promoting science was to understand the law of nature which the omnipotent God had ordained, and thereby contribute to the well-being of human beings. The means was through experimentation and a close observation of nature, the latter of which naturalists embraced most eagerly. They collected as many samples, whether animal or plant, as they could, and behavioral patterns or distinguishing features were identified. It has not been pointed out that literary men drew much inspiration from this inductive way of scientific research. They valued observing nature directly in the same way as naturalists did, and praised the practice as something to be followed. They also learnt of the most ideal objects for observation, which were small creatures like ants and bees.