2, and soon included practically
all of the literary and scientific men of the age. It encouraged the work
of Isaac Newton, who was one of its members; and its influence for
truth--at a time when men were still trying to compound the philosopher's
stone, calculating men's actions from the stars, and hanging harmless old
women for witches--can hardly be overestimated.

Footnote 174: If the reader would see this in concrete form, let him read
a paragraph of Milton's prose, or a stanza of his poetry, and compare its
exuberant, melodious diction with Dryden's concise method of writing.

Footnote 175: Edmund Waller (1606-1687), the most noted poet of the
Restoration period until his pupil Dryden appeared. His works are now
seldom read.

Footnote 176: From _Divine Poems_, "Old Age and Death."

Footnote 177: Following the advice of Boileau (1676-1711), a noted French
critic, whom Voltaire called "the lawgiver of Parnassus."

Footnote 178: By a critic we mean simply one who examines the literary
works of various ages, separates the good from the bad, and gives the
reasons for his classification. It is noticeable that critical writings
increase in an age, like that of the Restoration, when great creative works
are wanting.

Footnote 179: Two other principles of this book should be noted: (1) that
all power originates in the people; and (2) that the object of all
government is the common good. Here evidently is a democratic doctrine,
which abolishes the divine right of kings; but Hobbes immediately destroys
democracy by another doctrine,--that the power given by the people to the
ruler could not be taken away. Hence the Royalists could use the book to
justify the despotism of the Stuarts on the ground that the people had
chosen them. This part of the book is in direct opposition to Milton's
_Defense of the English People_.

Footnote 180: Locke's _Treatises on Government_ should also be mentioned,
for they are of profound interest to American students of history and
political science. It was from Locke that the framers of the Declaration of
Independence and of the Constitution drew many of their ideas, and even
some of their most striking phrases. "All men are endowed with certain
inalienable rights"; "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"; "the
origin and basis of government is in the consent of the governed,"--these
and many more familiar and striking expressions are from Locke. It is
interesting to n