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
A similar collection, but not yet arranged, catalogued, numbered or
bound, is carefully preserved in the Manuscript Department of the
British Museum (Additional, 6782-6789), in eight thick Solander cases,
probably as much in bulk as the Petworth papers. They were presented to
the Museum by the Earl of Egremont in 1810. Why the two collections
were separated does not appear. The Museum papers contain much that is
waste, but much also that is of importance equal probably to those at
Petworth. Mr Torporley was in effect appointed by Hariot his literary
and scientific editor under the direction of the Executors. No papers
were left ready for publication. It must have required great study and
labor to master them sufficiently to pen for public use such doctrine
or science as belonged to them. Torporley lived in Shropshire, but a
few years after Hariot’s death he retired from his rectorship and
removed to London,taking rooms in 1630 at Sion College in London Wall,
when that institution was first founded. It contained then as now a
library for the use of the Clergy, and a few suites of apartments for
those who desired to reside on the premises. It never was a College or
place of instruction, but a sort of guild or Clergyman’s Club. At this
time Mr Torporley was about seventy years old. He died in his chambers
at Sion College in April 1632, and was buried on the 17th of that month
in the Church of St Alphage, close by. In a nuncupative will spoken the
14th ofApril, a copy of which is before the writer, he left his books
and manuscripts to the Sion Col ege Library. A complete list of about
170 books and several manuscripts is preserved in the ‘Donors’ Book.’ A
few of the books are said to have been destroyed by the fire of London,
but probably none of the manuscripts were lost.
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