Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century
History
Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century
Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714
I have heard his brother Edm and M'r Wayte his schoole fellow &c, say
that when he was a Boy he was playsome enough: but withall he had even
then a contemplative Melancholinesse. he would gett him into a corner,
and learne his Lesson by heart presently. His haire was black, & his
schoolefellows[1] were wont to call him Crowe.
[Footnote 1: 'his schoolefellows' written above 'the boyes'.]
* * * * *
The Lord Chancellour Bacon loved to converse with him. He assisted his
Lo'p: in translating severall of his Essayes into Latin, one I well
remember is[1] that, _of the Greatnes of Cities_. the rest I have
forgott. His Lo'p: was a very Contemplative person, and was wont to
contemplate in his delicious walkes at Gorambery, and dictate to M'r
Thomas Bushell or some other of his Gentlemen, that attended him
with inke & paper ready, to sett downe presently his thoughts. His
Lo'p: would often say that he better liked M'r Hobbes's taking his
Notions[2], then any of the other, because he understood what he
wrote; which the others not understanding my Lord would many times
have a hard taske to make sense of what they writt.
[Footnote 1: 'is' above 'was'.]
[Footnote 2: 'Notions' above 'thoughts'.]
It is to be remembred that about these times, M'r T.H. was much
addicted to Musique, and practised on the Base-Violl.
* * * * *
... LEVIATHAN, the manner of writing of which Booke (he told me) was
thus. He walked much and contemplated, and he had in the head of his
staffe[1] a pen and inkehorne; carried alwayes a Note-booke in his
pocket, and as soon as a though[t][2] darted, he presently entred it
into his Booke, or otherwise[3] he might perhaps[4] have lost it. He
had drawne the Designe of the Booke into Chapters &c; so he knew where
about it would come in. Thus that Booke was made.
[Footnote 1: 'staffe' above 'Cane'.]
[Footnote 2: 'though' above 'notion'.]
[Footnote 3: 'otherwise' above 'els'.]
[Footnote 4: 'might perhaps' above 'should'.]
* * * * *
He was marvellous happy and ready in his replies; and Replies that
without rancor, (except provoked). but now I speake of his readinesse
in replies as to witt & drollery, he would say that, he did not care
to give, neither was he adroit[1] at a present answer to a serious
quaere; he had as lieve they should have expected a[n] extemporary
solution[2] to an Arithmeticall probleme, for he turned and _winded_
& compounded in philosophy, politiques &c. as if he had been at
Analyticall[3] worke. he alwayes avoided as much as he could, to
conclude hastily.
[Footnote 1: 'adroit' above 'good'.]
[Footnote 2: 'extemporary' above 'present', 'solution' in place of
'answer'.]
[Footnote 3: 'Analyticall' above 'Mathematicall'.]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: His manner[1] of thinking]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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