Thomas Hariot, the Mathematician, the Philosopher and the ScholarStevens, Henry
Philosophy
Thomas Hariot, the Mathematician, the Philosopher and the Scholar
Stevens, Henry
Harriot, Thomas, 1560-1621; Hercules Club
Tibi igitur has meas vigilias condonatas & confecratas efle volui. Cui
enim potius, quàm tibi has noui Orbis Decades offerem, qui centum ferè
millium ducatoru impenfa, nouis tuis clafsibus regiones nouas, nouam
iam tertiò ducendo coloniam, notas ex ignotis, ex inaccefsis peruias,
nouifsimis hifce teporibus nobis exhibes ? Cuius omnes curse,
cogitationes, conatus, hue fpeflant, haec verfant, in his inhaerent.
Cui cum Illuftrifsimo illo herôe, Carolo Hovvardo, altcro Oceani maris
Neptuno, Edoardi Staffbrdij, noftri apud regem Chriftianifsimum
oratoris prudentifsimi fororio, eadem ftudia, eaedem voluntates, iidem
ad res magnas terra maríque aggrediendas funt & fuerunt ani-morum
ftimuli. Cùm vero artis nauigatoriæ peritia, præcipuum regni infularis
ornamentum, Mathematicarii fcientiaru adminiculis adhibitis, fuu apud
nos fplendore poffe cofequi facile per-fpiceres, Thomas Hariotum,
iuuenem in illis difciplinis excellente, honeftifsimo falario iamdiu
donatum apud te aluifti, cuius fubndio horis fuccefsiuis nobililsimas
fcientias illas addifcercs, tuique familiarcs duces maritimi, quos
habes non paucos, cum praii theoria non fine fructu incredibili
coiungeret. Ex quo pulcherrimo & fapientifsimo inftitutotuo, quid breui
euentutum fit, qui vel mediocri iudicio volent, facilè proculdubio
diuinare poterunt. Vnum hoc fcio, vnam & vnicam rationem te inire, quaæ
primò Lufitani, deinde Caftellani, quod antea toties cum no exigua
iactura funt conati, tandem ex animoru votis perficerut. Perge ergo
Spartam quam nactus es ornare, perge nauem illam plufquam Argonauticam,
mille cuparum fere capace, quam fumptibus plane regiis fabricatam iam
tadem foelicitcr abfoluifti, reliquae tuae clafsi, quam babes egregiè
inftructam, adiungere.
From this early time for nearly forty years, till the morning of the
29th of October 1618, when Raleigh was beheaded, these two friends are
found inseparable. Whether in prosperity or in adversity, in the Tower
or on the scaffold, Sir Walter always had his Fidus Achates to look
after him and watch his interests. With a sharp wit, close mouth, and
ready pen Hariot was of inestimable service to his liberal patron. With
rare attainments in the Greek and Latin Classics, and all branches of
the abstract sciences, he combined that perfect fidelity and honesty of
character which placed him always above suspicion even of the enemies
of Sir Walter. He was neither a politician nor statesman, and therefore
could be even in those times a faithful guide, philosopher, and friend
to Raleigh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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