Chapter 206

He thought much and with excellent method and stedinesse, which made him seldome make a false step.

His bookes, vide page[1441]22.[1442]☞ He had very few bookes. I never sawe (nor Sir William Petty) above halfe a dozen about him in his chamber. Homer and Virgil were commonly on his table; sometimes Xenophon, or some probable historie, and Greek Testament, or so.

[1443]Reading.He had read much, if one considers his long life; but[1444]his contemplation was much more then his reading. He was wont to say that if he had read as much as other men, he[1445]should have knowne no more then other men.

[1446]His physique.He seldome used any physique (quaere Sir W P). What 'twas I have forgot,but will enquire of Mr. Shelbrooke his apothecary at the Black Spread-eagle in the Strand.

Memorandum—Mr. Hobbes was very sick and like to dye at Bristoll-house in Queen Street, about 1668.

[1447]He had a sicknes, anno....

He was wont to say that he had rather have the advice, or take physique from an experienced old woman, that had been at many sick people's bed-sides, then from the learnedst but unexperienced physitian.

[1448]'Tis[1449]not consistent with an harmonicall soule to be a woman-hater, neither had he an abhorrescence to good wine but ...—this onlyinter nos.

[1450]Temperance and diet.He was, even in his youth, (generally) temperate, both as to wine and women, (et tamen haec omnia mediocriter)—

Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.

I have heard him say that he did beleeve he had been in excesse[1451]in his life, a hundred times; which, considering his great[1452]age, did not amount to above once a yeare. When he did drinke, he would drinke to excesse to have the benefitt of vomiting, which he did easily; by which benefit neither his witt was disturbt longer then he was spuing nor his stomach oppressed; but he never was, nor could not endure to be, habitually a good fellow, i.e. to drinke every day wine with company, which, though not to drunkennesse, spoiles the braine.

For his last 30+ yeares, his dyet, etc., was very moderate and regular. After sixty he dranke no wine, his stomach grew weak, and he did eate most fish, especially whitings, for he sayd he digested fish better then flesh. He rose about seaven, had[1453]his breakefast of bread and butter; andtooke his walke, meditating till ten; then he did putt downe the minutes of his thoughts, which he penned in the afternoon.

[1454]He had an inch thick board about 16 inches square, whereon paper was pasted. On this board he drew his lines (schemes). When a line came into his head, he would, as he was walking, take a rude memorandum of it, to preserve it in his memory till he came to his chamber. ☞ He was never idle; his thoughts were always working.

[1455]His dinner was provided for him exactly by eleaven, for he could not now stay till his lord's howre—scil. about two: that his stomach could not beare.

After dinner he tooke a pipe of tobacco, and then threw himselfe immediately on his bed, with his band off, and slept (tooke a nap of about halfe an howre).

In the afternoon he penned his morning thoughts.

Exercises.Besides his dayly walking, he did twice or thrice a yeare play at tennis[CXXII.](at about 75 he did it); then went to bed there and was well rubbed[CXXIII.]. This he did believe would make him live two or three yeares the longer.

[CXXII.]Quaere James Wheldonde hoc—how often, and to what age?—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 46v.

[CXXII.]Quaere James Wheldonde hoc—how often, and to what age?—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 46v.

[CXXIII.]Memorandum there was no bagnio in his time. That in Newgate Street was built about the time of his death.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 46v.

[CXXIII.]Memorandum there was no bagnio in his time. That in Newgate Street was built about the time of his death.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 46v.

[1456]In the countrey, for want of a tennis-court, he would walke up-hill and downe-hill in the parke, till he was in a great sweat, and then give the servant some money to rubbe him.

[1457]Prudence.He gave to his amanuensis, James Wheldon (the earle of Devon's baker; who writes a delicate hand), his pention at Leicester, yearly, to wayte on him, and take a care of him, which he did performe to him living and dying, with great respect and diligence: for which consideration he made him his executor.

Habit.In cold weather he commonly wore a black velvet coate, lined with furre; if not, some other coate so lined. But all the yeare he wore a kind of bootes[1458]ofSpanish leather, laced or tyed along the sides with black ribons.

Singing.He had alwayes bookes of prick-song lyeing on his table:—e.g. of H. Lawes' etc.Songs—which at night, when he was abed, and the dores made fast, and was sure nobody heard him, he sang aloud (not that he had a very good voice) but[1459]for his health's sake: he did beleeve it did his lunges good, and conduced much to prolong his life.

[1460]Shaking palsey.He had the shaking palsey in his handes; which began in France before the yeare 1650, and haz growne upon him by degrees, ever since, so that he haz not been able to write very legibly since 1665 or 1666, as I find by some of his letters[1461]to me.

[1462]His goodnes of nature and willingnes to instruct any one that was willing to be informed and modestly desired it, which I am a witnesse of as to my owne part and also to others.

[1463]Charity.His brotherly love to his kinred hath already been spoken of. He was very charitable (pro suo modulo) to those that were true objects of his bounty[1464]. One time, I remember, goeing in the Strand, a poor and infirme old man craved[1465]his almes. He, beholding him with eies of pitty and compassion, putt his hand in his pocket, and gave him 6d.Sayd[1466]a divine (scil. Dr. Jaspar Mayne) that stood by—'Would you have donne this, if it had not been Christ's command?'—'Yea,' sayd he.—'Why?' quoth the other.—'Because,' sayd he, 'I was in paine to consider[1467]the miserable condition of the old man; and now my almes, giving him some reliefe, doth also ease me.'

Aspersions and envy.His work was attended with envy, which threw severall aspersions and false reports on him. For instance, one (common) was that he was afrayd to lye alone at night in his chamber, [I have often heard him say that he was not afrayd of ofsprights, but afrayd of being knockt on the head[1468]for five or ten pounds, which rogues might thinke he had[1469]in his chamber]; and severall other tales, as untrue.

I have heard some positively affirme that he had a yearly pension from the king of France,—possibly for having asserted such a monarchie as the king of France exercises, but for what other grounds I know not, unles it be for that the present[1470]king of France is reputed an encourager of choice and able men in all faculties who can contribute to his greatnes. I never heard him speake of any such thing; and, since his death, I have inquired of his most intimate friends in Derbyshire, who write to me they never heard of any such thing. Had it been so, he, nor they, ought to have been ashamed of it, and it had been becoming the munificence of so great a prince to have donne it.

Atheisme[1471].Testimonie[1472]. For his being branded with atheisme, his writings and vertuous life testifie[1473]against it. No man hath written better of ..., perhaps not so well. To prevent such false and malicious reports, I thought fit to insert and affirme as abovesayd.[1474]And that he was a Christian 'tis cleare, for he recieved the sacrament of Dr. Pierson, and in his confession to Dr. John Cosins, at ..., on his (as he thought) death-bed, declared that he liked the religion of the church of England best of all other.

He would have the worship of God performed with musique (ad me[1475]).

[1476]Though he left his native countrey[1477]at 14, and lived so long, yet sometimes one might find a little touch of our pronunciation.—Old Sir Thomas Malette[1478], one of the judges of the King's Bench, knew Sir Walter Ralegh, and sayd that, notwithstanding his great travells, conversation, learning, etc., yet he spake broade Devonshire to his dyeing day.

[1479]Memorandum—'twas he (as he him selfe haz told me) that the method of the oeconomie of the earle of Devon's family and way of stating or keeping of the accounts.

[1480]Desire Sir Christopher Wren or Mr. Thomas Henshawe to speake to the king for his picture[1481]of Mr. Hobbes for Mr. Loggan to engrave it.

[1482]He did, anno 16.. (vide the date[1483], which is on the backside) doe me the honour to sitt for his picture to Jo. Baptist Caspars, an excellent painter, and 'tis a good piece, which I presented to the Societie 12 yeares since (but will it not be improper for me to mention my owne guift?).

[1484]HancThomae HobbesMalmesburiensis effigiemad vivum depictam (1663)Regiae SocietatiLondinensiD.D.D.Johannes Aubreyde Easton-Piersejusdem Soc.S.1670.

Gett a brasse wyer to hang it[1485]by.

[1486]Mr. Hobbes's motto upon his owne picture at Sir Charles Scarborough's:—

Si quaeris de me Mores inquire: sed IlleQui quaerit de me, forsitan alter erit.

Si quaeris de me Mores inquire: sed IlleQui quaerit de me, forsitan alter erit.

(Sir Charles Scarborough confessed to me that he made this distich.)

[1487]Memorandum—there was a good painter at the earl of Devonshire's in Derbyshire not long before Mr. Hobbes dyed, who drew him with the great decayes of old age. Mr. William Ball hath a good copie of it.

[1488]His motto about his picture:—

En quam modicè habitat philosophia.

[1489]This—

..., a bend engrailed between 6 martletts ..., was the seale[FV]he commonly sealed his letters with, but 'twas not his coate.

Quare whose coate it may be—ifHobbes?

Quaere James Wheldon the executor if this behiscoate of armes—for 'tis some seale—and what the colours are.—Respondet that the heralds did offer him a coat of armes but he refused it.

[1490]Sir William Dugdale (Clarenceux), and Sir Edward Bisshe, the heralds, had an esteeme and respect for him,in so much that they would have graunted him a coate of armes; but he refused it—which methinkes he neede[1491]not have donne.

Vide Alexander Broome's poemes:—

He that weares a brave soule and dares honestly doeIs a herault to himselfe and a godfather too.

He that weares a brave soule and dares honestly doeIs a herault to himselfe and a godfather too.

[1492]Vide Ben Jonson'sUnderwoods—that 'the most worthy men have been rock't in meane cradles.'

[1493]'Tis of custome in the lives of wise men to putt downe their sayings. Now if trueth (uncommon) delivered clearly and wittily may goe[1494]for a saying, his common discourse was full of them, and which for the most part were sharpe and significant.

Here insert the two printed papers of his sayings.

[1495]Quaere Mr. Ben. Tuke at the Ship in Paule's Church-yard for the paper of his sayings, which Dr. Francis Bernard and his brother Charles, etc.—a club—made.

[1496]The sheet[1497]of old Mr. Hobbes sayings was not published by his executor, as is there printed. 'Twas (indeed) donne by Mr. ... Blunt, Sir Henry Blunt's sonne, and 'tis well donne.

[1498]I sayd, somewhere before, that (though he was ready and happy in repartyingin drollery) he did not care[1499]to give a present answerto a question, unless he had thoroughly considered it before: for he was against 'too hasty concluding,' which he did endeavour as much as he could to avoid.—This is in p.12[1500].

[1501]Thomas Hobbs that if it were not for the gallowes, some men are of so cruell a nature as to take a delight[1502]in killing men[FW]more than I should to kill a bird.—Entred[1503]in idea.

[1504]When Spinoza'sTractatus Theologico-Politicusfirst came out <1670>, Mr. Edmund Waller sent it to my lord of Devonshire and desired him to send him word what Mr. Hobbes said of it. Mr. H. told his lordship:—

Ne judicate ne judicemini[1505].

He told me he had cut thorough him a barre's length, for he durst not write so boldly.

[1506]I have heard him inveigh much against the crueltie of Moyses for putting so many thousands to the sword for bowing to[1507]... vide text.

I have heard him say that Aristotle was the worst teacher that ever was, the worst polititian and ethick—a countrey-fellow that could live in the world as good: but his rhetorique and discourse of animals was rare.

[1508]T. H.'s saying:—rather use an old woman[1509]that had many yeares been at sick people's bedsides, then the learnedst young unpractised physitian.

[1510]☞ I remember he was wont to say that 'old men were drowned inwardly, by their owne moysture; e.g. first, the feet swell; then, the legges; then, the belly; etc.'—This saying may be brought in, perhaps, as to the paragraph of his sicknesse and death.

Elizabeth, viscountesse Purbec. When Mr. T. Hobbes was sick in France, the divines came to him, and tormented him (both Roman Catholic, Church of England, and Geneva). Sayd he to them 'Let me alone,or els I will detect all your cheates from Aaron to yourselves.' I thinke I have heard him speake something to this purpose.

Mr. Edmund Waller sayd to me, when I desired him to write some verses in praise of him, that he was afrayd of the churchmen: he quoted Horace—

Incedo per ignesSuppositos cineri doloso:

Incedo per ignesSuppositos cineri doloso:

that, what was chiefly to be taken notice of in his elogie was that he, being butone, and a private person, pulled-downe all the churches, dispelled the mists of ignorance, and layd-open their priest-craft.

In MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 18v, is James Wheldon's answer to the inquiry suggested (ut supra) on fol. 53v:—viz.>

His Latine poemof the wonders of the Peake.

His translation ofThucididesout of Greek into English.

HisHumane nature, andDe corpore politicoin English.

HisLeviathanin English.

{De corpore}His philosophy in three parts {De homine} in Latine.{De cive}

His dialogueof the Civill Warr, in English, printed lately against his will.

Of his disputations with Dr. Wallis and what he has written in philosophy and mathematicks Mr. Crook can best give you the titles with the order and times of their edition, some Latine, some English; as also of

His translation ofthe Odysses and Iliads of Homer.

There is also a small peece in English calledA Breefe of Aristotle's Rhetorickprinted by Andrew Crooke, which was his, though his name be not to it.

There is a little booke calledMr. Hobbes considered, wherein there is some passages relating to his life.

[1512]I have no time now (in this transcript) to write the catalogue of his bookes, and I thought to have sent your paper[1513](which I keepe safe) but Dr. Blackburne desires the perusall of it.—This catalogue here I received last night from William Crooke.

[1514]A supplement to Mr. A.[1515]Wood's catalogue (in his 'History') of Mr. Hobbes his workes: viz.—

The travells of Ulysses, being the translation of the 9, 10, and 11 bookes of Homer's Odysses into English; London, printed 1674.

Epistola ad D. Ant. à Wood, Latin, 1675[1516].

A translation of the 24 bookes of Homer's Iliads and the 24 bookes of his Odysses.

Also, his preface about the vertues of heroique poesie, in English, printed 1675, and 1677.

A letter to the duke of Newcastle about liberty and necessity, printed 1676, and 1677. [I have this somewhere among my bookes, printed about 30 yeares since. It was edited first by John Davys of Kidwelly; and there is a preface to it with S. W., i.e. Seth Ward, who then had a high esteeme of him.]

De Mirabilibus Pecci[1517]—English and Latin, 1678—a New-year's guift to his lord, who gave him 5li., about 1627.

Decameron Physiologicum, or ten dialogues of naturall philosophy, to which is added the proportion of straight line to halfe the arc of quadrant, English, 1678[1518].

Considerations upon the reputation, loyalty, manners, and religion of Thomas Hobbes, written by himselfe, printed 1680, with part of severall of his letters to W. Crooke.—[This[1519]was first printed by Andrew Crooke 1662, ἀνονυμῶς.]

Vita Thomae Hobbes, 4to, printed 1680; in Latin verse; quarto.

Idem, in English, translated by ...; 1680, folio.

An historicall narration concerning heresie and the punishment thereof, English, 1680.

[Where[1520]is the book against Dr. Wallis in 4to that came out in Jan. 1679/80?].

[1521]He haz omitted here Aristotel's Rhetorique, printed long since by Andrew Crooke, but without his name; but Dr. Blackburne, W. Crooke, and I will lay our heads together and sett these things right.

☞ It ought not to be forgotten that there is before Sir William Davenant's heroique poem called Gondibert, a learned epistle of Mr. Hobbes's concerning poetrie, in answer to Sir William's.

And there is also a shorter letter of Mr. Hobbes's, which the Honourable ... Howard has printed before his heroique poem, 8vo, called I thinke Bonduca, about 1668 or 9.

Mr. Hobbes wrote a letter to ... (a colonell, as I remember) concerning Dr. Scargill's recantation sermon, preached at Cambridge, about 1670, which he putt into Sir John Birkenhead's hands to be licensed, which herefused (to collogue and flatter the bishops), and would not returne it nor give a copie. Mr. Hobbes kept no copie, for which he was sorry. He told me he liked it well himselfe.—[1522]Dr.[1523]Birket, my old acquaintance, hath the ordering of Sir John Birkenhead's bookes and papers. He hath not found it yet but hath found a letter of Mr. Hobbes to him about it, and hath promised me if he finds it to let me have it. ☞ Memorandum—Sir Charles Scarborough told me that he haz a copie of it, but I could not obtaine it of him; but I will try again, if Dr. Birket cannot find it.

His LatinLeviathanis altered in many particulars, e.g. the doctrine of the Trinity, etc., and enlarged with many considerable particulars.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 42v.

TheLeviathanis translated into Dutch.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 7v.

Quaere Ph. Laurence what volume the DutchLeviathanprinted and what volumine.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 7.

Humane Nature, London, by Thomas Newcombe, 1650, 12mo.—Anno 1684/5 is printed by Mr. CrookeHumane Nature, andLibertie and Necessity, in 8vo, which they call his 'Tripos.'—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 7v.

Before Thucydides, he spent two yeares in reading romances and playes, which he haz often repented and sayd that these two yeares were lost of him—wherin perhaps he was mistaken too. For it might furnish him with copie of words.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 42v.

Thucydides, London, imprinted for Richard Mynne in Little Brittain at the signe of St. Paul,MDCXXXIV.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 7v.

Mr. Henry Birchit of the Middle Temple promised to gett for me Mr. Hobbes' letter to ... of Mr. Scargill's recantation, which he left with Sir John Birkenhead.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 54v.

T. Hobbes—quaere Mr. H. Birchet de letter of Scargill's recantation which Sir John Birkenhead would not licence.—MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 8.

(1) A folio sheet[1524], headed

'To the right honorable and others the learned members of the Royal Society for the Advancement of the Sciences, presenteth to your consideration your most humble servant Thomas Hobbes (who hath spent much time upon the same subject) two propositions, whereof the one is lately published by Dr. Wallis, a member of your society....

Dr. Wallis:de motu, cap. 5. prop. 1. | Thomas Hobbes,Roset.prop. 5.'

(2) A quarto sheet[1525], headed:

'To the right honourable and others the learned members of the Royal Society for the Advancement of the Sciences, presenteth to your consideration your most humble servant Thomas Hobbes a confutation of a theoreme which hath a long time passed for truth.'

(3) A quarto tract[1526](the 'Propositions' occupy 3 pages, the 'Considerations,' 4 pages), entitled:—

'Three papers presented to the Royal Society against Dr. Wallis, together with considerations on Dr. Wallis his answers to them, by Thomas Hobbes of Malmsbury; London, printed for the author and are to be had at the Green Dragon without Temple Bar: 1671.'>

With Mr. Hobbes's small tracts inscribed to the Royal Society came a letter offering that some of the small pieces of his might be published in the Transactions; which wasnot donne, through Mr. Oldenburgh's default.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 47v.

'Thomae Hobbesii Malmesburiensis vita, authore seipso[1527], Londini, typis, annoMDCLXXIX.'

The last two lines of it are:—

Octoginta annos complevi jam quatuorqueEt prope stans dictat Mors mihi, Ne metue.

Octoginta annos complevi jam quatuorqueEt prope stans dictat Mors mihi, Ne metue.

On these Aubrey notes (MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 68v)—

'These two last verses Dr. Blackburne altered (because of qu[=a] in quatuor, long) in the copie printed with Mr. Hobbes's life in Latine, and some other alterations he made, but me thinkes the sense is not so brisque.'>

What did he write since he left London? Quaere executor.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 22v.

His executor acquaints William Crooke (the author's printer[1528]) and me, in a lettre[1529]under his hand January 16, 1679, that neither Mr. Halleley (Mr. Hobbes's intimate friend and confident) nor him selfe have any thing in either of their hands of Mr. Hobbes's, the very little of that kind that he left behind him being disposed of 'according to his own order' before he removed from Chatsworth. Quaere what was that order?—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 22v.

Mr. Thomas Hobbes in MSS.

----A dialogue concerning the common lawes.

----An epitome of the Civil Warres of England from 1640 to 1660.

----Answer toThe Catching of the Leviathanby Dr. Bramhall.

----A historical narration concerning heresy and the punishment thereof.—MS. Aubr. 9, a slip at fol. 27v.

Translation of 1, 9, 10, 11 and 1<2> bookes of Homer's Odysses in English verse.

Ecclesiastica Historia in Latin verse, Amsterdam.—MS. Aubr. 9, a slip pasted on to fol. 27v.

Quaere Dr. Blackbourn and Mr. Crooke to know where lies or what is become of Mr. Hobbes'Historia Ecclesiastica Romana? Resp.—Dr. Blackbourne haz it; gett copie of it.—MS. Aubr. 7, a slip at fol. 8v.

In May 1688, hisEcclesiastica Historia carmine elegiaco conscripta, in Latin verse, was printed at Augusta Trinobantum, scil. London. The preface was writt by Mr. Thomas Rymer, of Graie's Inne, but ἀνονυμῶς.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 54v.

Memorandum.—Mr. Hobbes told me he would write, in three columnes, his doctrine, the objections, and his answers, and deposit[1530]it in the earle of Devon's library at ... in Derbyshire. Dr. Bayly, principall of New-Innhall in Oxon, tells me he hath seen it there.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 2.

'Mr. Hobbes considered in his loyalty, religion, reputation, and manners, by way of letter to Dr. Wallis'; London, printed for Andrew Crooke, 1662.

On the title-page Aubrey has the note:—

'This letter was writt (indeed) by Mr. Thomas Hobbes himselfe—Jo. Aubrey de Easton-Pierse':

and at the end

'The second impression[1531]of this booke was from this very booke of mine.—'Twas not to be bought.'>

[1532]Insert the love verses he made not long before his death:—

[1533]1.