The frontispiece to Sprat's History of the Royal Society depicts the president of the Royal Society and Francis Bacon sitting on either side of a bust of Charles II. The newly restored king, Charles, is labelled "Author and Patron of the Royal Society," and Francis Bacon, holding the seal of England, is labelled "Renovator of Arts." Bacon points to artillery and mathematical instruments while on the side of the president is a shelf of books. In the background are more scientific instruments, including an air pump. The sweep of hand motions leads the observer to circle between books and instruments.