The Hartlib Papers

    Lisneygarvey [month illeg. MS torn] 26th. 1651.

Sir I haue twice wrote a few [lines to? MS torn] you & oftner should I haue saluted you if more opportunity had presented themselues. this is the third time, which my good freind Mr Royden gouldsmith who lyeth at the Boares head in Cheapside, promiseth to deliver with his owne hands, he can fully relate how things are here with me & with these North parts, he spedily returneth & promiseth to bring along with him letters, or whatsoeuer shalbe deliverd to his hands. Sir I thinke I lost a small book with you, wherin [letter deleted?] is the patterne for an Hopgarden, & also 2 duty bookes about Engines, if you vse them not, pray deliver them to him for my vse, I desire also to see a Coppy or two of that imperfect letter I wrote to you[altered] concerning Husbandry, which I would willingly [review?], & amend what [circumstancall? altered] Errours, through hast haue crept <into> it, some things like wise I will adde if it be worth the reprinting: we are Endeauouring to advance Flax, Hops, St Foin Flaunders clouer grasse, Wadd, & such like in this Country, as also to plant all sorts of fruits, & to vnderstand the nature & propriety of plants, which nature or rather the god of nature has here freely planted, but the truth is, I haue much struggled with my selfe to settle here, I can very hardly persuade my selfe to it, because the [dyet?] Especially in Winter, doth not very well agree with mee. & because I am out of the roade of Ingenuous men, & cannot as yet heare from them, or one word from my freinds & kindred concerning my private affaires furthermore as yet I am very Idle, for Colonell Hill with whome I soiourne is not as yet at home, but the next summer removeth to an house which he is building. but I haue [almost? MS torn] digested these [Condityes?], & the winter being past, which hath bin Could & tempestuous [word missing? MS torn] begin more & more to affect settlement here. the next summer perhaps I may [returne? MS torn] to see my freinds, otherwise I cannot promise my selfe much leisure these [many? MS torn] yeares: pray Certify me the newes from all parts, & what workes Glauber hath [lately? MS torn] published. In a Newe booke, I saw some things of his translated by Dr French [word/s missing: MS torn] what new designes there are in Husbandry, & how publicke businesses advance [word missing? MS torn] if I heare not from you by this bearer, or by Mr Locks who[altered] liueth with Secretary [Roe? MS torn] I shall despaire of Euer hearing of you till I see you. pray remember my best [respects? MS torn] to Mr Boyle. Mr Worsley. Mr Durey & all our freinds I Rest

                     your loving freind Robert Child

I hope that Mr Ashmoale, who is an Ingenuous & publicke spirited man, as also Morgan, Humphrey, Mr Marshall, are not vnknowne to you

                     I Rest    R C.