I swim through London traffic, swooping swerving and cycling,
from Hackney, to Angel, passing Holborn, The Strand, The Savoy and The Penguin Offices (it’s where the penguins stay overnight) and
finally I arrive at The Royal Society of the Arts.
I’ve timed the journey to perfection.
It’s an advantage of cycling. I
call Vicky Long from Cape Farewell team whom along with others from Southbank
centre is attending this special
introduction to The Royal Society of Arts. “Lemn”
she says “it’s not the Royal Society of the Arts. It’s The Royal Society.” Oh Shit.
Fortunately it is not too far away. I take a short walk along
the strand, cross Trafalgar square under
admiral arch up the steps by the institute of contemporary arts and arrive at
The Royal Society three minutes
late. Fortunately “insert name here” is
personable organised and enthused to
introduce the five of us to this institution of insitutions. I am here to
research for future writings.
Until the word scientist was invented by a member The Royal Society, the oldest of its kind in
the world, was known as The Royal Society of Natural Philosophy. To give their work more gravitas the term
scientist was invented taking its inspiration from the term artist. I take a look at the plaque of all the
presidents of The Royal Society since its beginnings. Christopher Wren, Charles
Darwin…
Philosophical transactions is the earliest record, the oldest scientific journal known to man. So this is where it all started. The record. The society is not without its quirks and idiosyncracies .
“Insert name here” enthused “Charles 2nd offered Kensington and Chelsea to The Royal Society.”
He paused for effect “ They turned it
down.” Soon we are shuffled off the beaten track,
past the original Dali and down a spiralled staircase into the bowels. His whisper echoes “ you can smell the library” he watches our precarious steps down the
single person stairwell. It was all getting a bit Da Vinci Code.
A librarian attentively
awaits as we enter archives. He is of the librarian type, bookish, clear
and enthusiastic. I am aware of being an uneducated novice
myself but they are skilled. Information is their business. And without ego they share information.
The introduction began in part with this table. Working from the left front of the table
first is the memoir of Isaac Newton
where I read the hand written words documenting the apple falling upon his
head. Next is a piece of wood cut from that actual apple
tree. I held it. On the right in the
centre of the table is The Minute book of the first meeting of The Royal
Society including Charles 2nd’s
written enthusiasm of the
society.
On the right is the divider, I think made of brass and owned
by Christopher wren and no doubt used in the making of London . The grey box at the back there says DEATH
MASK on the front. It is Isaac Newton’s
Death mask, of which there are only two in existence and just to the right in
the wooden box – a lock of his hair.
As we are leaving sun pours through a stained glass window
adorned with the Royal Society’s insignia and beneath, the motto in latin Nullius In Verbe. I ask insert name here what it means. He
raises an eyebrow with a rueful smile and
knowing that I am a poet says “it means take
nobodies word for it”. Outside I
scribble down the words “Who to believe and why believe them… What
is fact and what is fiction….”