The Hartlib Papers

Title:Letter, John Hall To Hartlib
Dating:25 January 1647
Ref:60/14/14A-15B
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Worthy Sir.
Yours of the 21th came duely. I shall Cause hasten the the Transcription of Comenius' Metaphysics I am so greedy of some more of that Nature. To shew it to Mr Cudworth I shall be glad & willing, but Sir to deal ingenuously with yow, I doubt both of his & the Vicechancellor's affections to this business, or els mine own person is not powerfull enough for an address, I neue yet spoke personally to Mr Cudworth (Therefor I am the more vncertain) I haue with the Vice chancellor but I conceiue he is not very sensible, I earnestly pray yow satisfy me in this point for I doe not accquaint yow with to shrink my neck from vnder the yoak, but for the better promoting of the business, This is the Reason I haue not yet obeyd yow in delivering the enclosed to the Vicechancellor though I haue to Mr Cudworth. It is a masculin Heroic attempt, & that which (I protest) I had wished & put into a draught (sometime since) as yow will see when it shall please God I may publish that work. Next week I shall presume to deliuer yow some short auiso's, if my businesses which ar
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extream permit, Meanwhile I shall accquaint such with it, as I shall Conceiue it is Convenient, I wish I knew more of the Authors name than the Initiall letters, for I profess A great deal of honour to him for this attempt, but, Sir, this is not that which (I suppose) yow entend of the Address Office, I long for that business, the English Iewell is in the Press, but stays for paper I suppose yow ar so well accquainted with delays of the Press, yow haue will throw the blame of me, I write this day to Mr Daniel to hasten it, I hope not ineffectually & for this Cause haue yow not now the Latin-copy. My vrgency's suffer me not this week to answer Mr Worsley, I shall not fail next week (God willing) mean I pray your direcions whether I shall send to him for I haue forgot the place, I Continue my Resoluton for the Present, Cause I wold be serviceable, If yow meet with any more able it shall extreamly ioy me, for I am sufficiently Conscious mine own weakness
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I haue enclosed one to the Learned Pell according to your desires, & beseech yow di[/]rect & hasten it, for the short time I shall spend in the vniversity (& ( it will be very short) I wold imploy in advantaging that little I haue that way, I shall order the Carrier to pay Conveighance, when I shall know, for Sir, I wold not be burdensome to yow, & (I wish) my ability suffer me to Contribute any way to the Publicque. but the distraccons of my Country disenable me. Dear Sir. I embrace yow chiding of me so [freniley?], Tis meerly out of Consideracon of your many & great imployments, if any such expressions fell from me, but such is your generous & towardly disposicion yow Cannot be burthen'd, I make bold to present yow with mie own Errata's, that I may shew my dewty though to mine own disgrace I am ashamed of the Things Themselus & wish them perish lest they be Eternall Mo
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numents of my Folly. I had sent yow more but I wold not cloy yow with what is not advantageous to the Publicque, if yow desire to pleasure freinds command your own number. And now Sir giue me leaue with my prayers to God for your direction & assistance, to present yow thanke, for your fauours so heaped on him that is perpetually
                                    Sir
                        Your affectionate friend &
S. Iohns                         humble servant
Ian. 25
   1646                                  I Hall