The Hartlib Papers

Title:Letter, Robert Child To Hartlib
Dating:7 July 1653
Ref:15/5/22A-23B: 22B-23A BLANK
[15/5/22A]

               Lisneygarvey Iuly the 7th. 1653.
Worthy Sir
           You are he only from whome, I Can receive a word or two from England, I haue wrote to my other freinds, till I am weary & therefore at present, give ouer writing to them; now Mr Worsley is parted hence, I haue not any opportunity to write to you, but by Mr Royden, who makes many returnes betwixt this place & London Merchandizing, if he faile, we can scarcly Correspond further, which[altered] Consideration, with others Causeth me little to mind the things here & then only when I receive letters from you, otherwise I throw those few observations, which I haue Collected into few <some> blind hole or other, from whence (perhaps) when an opportunity presents, I may rake them forth, but if Dr Boote who is best able hauing bin many yeares in Ireland, & also most fit to perfect his brothers workes doth vndertake the busines, my poore gleanings are not to be regarded, & would be better preserved till the 2nd Edition, by which time I shall collect more, & perceive whither I can adde[altered] any thing or nothing: as Concerning bees, I can gr scarcely adde any thing, but what I haue already touched on[altered] in my large letter, & truly I suppose that Butler & Leueret haue done so much that little can be picked out of ould authors, and little added by new yet you do well to goe forward, for dayly new things are found out not knowne to the ancients & indeed, this kind of Creatures may be very beneficiall & pleasant to the true managers of them Concerning the treatise De fertilitate, it lyes as at first, Rude indigested, at this time we are mooving to a new house so[altered] that I cannot readily find & digest it, but it shall serve for the next Edition, though indeed, I cannot heartily goe about it because I shall be so paradoxicall, & further, I want bookes & other necessarys to polish any treatise; & therefore it will only be as stubble: if it be possible entreate Stirke to write to me, & let him leaue the letters with you, you will find an opportunity either by Mr Lock, Mr Royden or some others to Convoy them to my hands. I thought to haue returned for London this last spring, but I cannot tell how to get away from [these placces?], though I haue great desire, to be at London, at least for a little time for many reasons & intend (god willing) to see you next spring in the meane time I desire to heare from you, & if I can doe you or any of my other freinds any service in these parts. I hope you know that I am
           your Reall & true Freind Robert Child
[left margin:]
If Mr Boyle be returned, he Can certify you the affaires of Lond Ireland [better?] than my selfe to whome I desire you to present my service, as also to Sir Cheyny Culpepper, Mr Dury, & Mr Worsley, if with you, in hast I take my leeav Sir Iohn Clotworthy [letters deleted] is shortly returning to London, to whome I am behoulding for his love throu your Commendations,
                                   R. C.
[15/5/23B]

To his much respected Freind Mr S
 Samuell Hartlib at his house
  neare Charing crosse ouer
   against Angell Court
            -----------
            Westminster
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[broken seal]