The Hartlib Papers

Title:Letter, William Spenser To Hartlib
Dating:19 June 1650
Ref:46/7/5A-6B: 5B, 6A BLANK
[46/7/5A]

Worthy Sir
Yours of the 31: 8bre I received, and would not haue forgotten to haue given you thanks for it before this, had not a great cold, and indisposition been the cause of it, which now (God be thanked) I haue overcome. I am glad to[altered] heare of your Rural experiments, beeing my selfe turned Hermite, and had now rather cultivate the ground then anything else, because it is more likely to retribute the paynes taken about <it>it, then the barren & ingratefull soyle of men. /.
I reioyce to heare of your Perpetual motion, or rather of your wedding, of strength and tyme togeather, (as you call itt) [I am not altered from my heeles that] now so light of body, & humour as the Poet Miraldus <was>, whoe when any winde blew, was faint to put on leadden shoes for feare of blowing away, but ift I had such pumpes on, I would be ready to shake my heeles att such a wedding: I am glad itt is your owne invention to, for the gentelman that prints the trades increase, was once on such a thing, butt much vnlike for to succeed. And I was once studious to forward such an engine invented by freind of mine, butt had but small successe for Archimedes his proposition was - Data potentia, et dato loco, mouere terram. I moued my [altered from thy] freinds in the house of Par: to forward it, but all that wee could moue, would find no power in that place, & so wee gaue it ouer, I wish you a better issue, & farr more acceptance.-
Colonel Humphries I heare is now[altered] the Orpheus of the Cockpitt and then your neighbour, so that having sett vp his Academy of Musick I hope he will find my booke in the Catalogue, which if he please to favour me withall, itt w<i>ell helpe to sett our Country Gittar on worke.
For the office of addresse Mr Robinson beeing bread at Florence, and Legorne, should haue put in his Catalogue, for funishing of Brauos & Signoras and then itt would haue taken like tindar, in these tymes - and the Fiddle would haue gone as merrily, as if your rozin had been added to it;
[left margin:]
I shall be glad to see any thing of Mr Comenius when done, and hope to send you a practise made on him my selfe (to[altered] make him more vsefull), fitted for the presse before this winter passe away. And if you could helpe me to three or four of his Januas in Latine only in the 24: printed by Elzirere you would doe me a spetiall fauour. Thus crauing your pardon for this trouble I rest
                       your W.S.     Apthorpe: 19
                                        9bre 1650
[46/7/6B]

          To my very Loving freind
          Mr Samuel Hartlib att his
          house over against Charing-Crosse
               present these
                    London -