ached intensely, but were refreshed after a little corporeal exercife. The candle which I looked at, seemed as it were encircled with a rainbow. Not long after the fight in the left part of the left eye (which I loft fome years before the other) became quite obfcured; and prevented me from difcerning any object on that fide. The fight in my other eye has now been gradually and fenfibly vanishing away for about three years; some months before it had entirely perifhed, though I ftood motionless, every thing which I looked at seemed in motion to and fro, A ftiff cloudy vapour feemed to have fettled on my forehead and temples, which usually occafions a fort of fomnolent preffure upon my eyes, and particularly from dinner till the evening. So that I often recollect what is faid of the poet Phineas in the Argonautics. A ftupor deep his cloudy temples bound, And when he walk'd he feem'd as whirling round, I ought not to omit that, while I had any fight left, as foon as I lay down on my bed and turned on either fide a flood of light used to gush from my clofed eyelids. Then as my fight became daily more impaired, the colours became more faint and were emitted with a certain inward crackling found; but at prefent every species of illumination being, as it were, extinguished, there is diffused around me nothing but darkness, or darkness mingled and streaked with an afhy brown. Yet the darkness in which I am perpetually immerfed, feems always, both by night and day, to approach nearer to white than black, and when the eye is rolling in its focket, it admits a little particle of light as through a chink. And though your phyfician may kindle a small ray of hope, yet I make up my mind to the malady as quite incurable; and I often reflect, that as the wife man admonishes, days of darknefs are deftined to each of us, the darknefs which I experience, lefs oppreffive than that of the tomb, is, owing to the fingular goodness of the Deity, paffed amid the purfuits of literature and the cheering falutations of friendship. But if, as is written, written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God, why may not any one acquiefce in the privation of his fight, when God has fo amply furnished his mind and his confcience with eyes. > While he fo tenderly provides for me, while he fo graciously leads me by the hand and conducts me on the way, I will, fince it is his pleasure, rather rejoice than repine at being blind. And, my dear Philara, whatever may be the event I wish you adieu with no lefs courage and compofure than if I had the eyes of a lynx. Westminster, September 28, 1654. XVI. To LEO of Aizema. It is with great pleasure I find that you ftill retain the fame regard for me which you indicated while among us. With refpect to the book concerning divorce, which you fay that you had engaged fome one to turn into Dutch, I would rather that you had engaged him to turn it into Latin. For I have already experienced how the vulgar are wont to receive opinions, which are not agreeable to vulgar prejudice. I formerly wrote three treatifes on this fubject; one in two books, in which the doctrine of divorce is diffufely difcuffed; another which is entitled Tetrachordon, in which the four principal paffages in fcripture relative to the doctrine are explained; a third, Colafterion, which contains an answer to fome vulgar fciolift. I know not which of these treatises or which edition you have engaged him to tranflate. The firft treatise has been twice published, and the fecond edition is much enlarged. If you have not already received this information or wish me to send you the more correct edition, or the other treatises, I fhall do it immediately, and with pleafure. For I do not wish at present that they fhould receive receive any alterations or additions. If you perfist in your prefent purpose I wish you a faithful tranflator and every fuccefs. Weftminster, Feb. 5, 1654. XVII. To EZECHIEL SPANHEIM, of Geneva. I KNOW not how it happened that your letters were not delivered to me for three months after they were written. I hope that mine will have a more expeditious conveyance: for, owing to various engagements, I have put off writing from day to day till I perceive that almost another three months have elapfed. But I would not wish you to fuppofe that my regard for you has experienced any diminution; but that it has rather encreased in proportion as I have more frequently thought of discharging this epiftolary debt. The tardy performance of this duty feems to admit of this excufe that when it is performed after fo long a lapfe of time it is only a more clear confeffion that it was due. You are quite right in the fuppofition that I fhall not be furprised at receiving the falutations of a foreigner, and you may be affured that it is my maxim, to confider and to treat no good man as a stranger; that you are fuch I am well perfuaded, both because you are the fon of a father highly celebrated for his erudition and his piety; and because all good men think you good; and laftly, because you hate the bad. With fuch perfons fince it has also been my lot to be at war, Calandrinus very obligingly fignified to you, that it would be highly grateful to me if you would lend me your affiftance against our common enemy. That you have kindly done in your prefent letter, of which I have taken the liberty, without mentioning the author's name, to insert a part in my Defence. This work I will fend you as foon foon as poffible after the publication; in the mean time do you direct your letters to me under cover to Turrettin a Genoefe, living at London, and through whom we may conveniently carry on our correfpondence. Be affured that you rank high in my esteem, and that I wish for nothing more than your regard. Weftminster, March 24, 1654. XVIII. TO HENRY OLDENBURGH, Aulic Counsellor to the Senate of Bremen. YOUR letters which young Ranley brought, found me fo much employed that I am compelled to be more brief than I could wifh. You have`moft faithfully fulfilled those promises to write which you made me when you went away. No honeft man could difcharge his debts with more rigid punctuality. I congratulate you on your retirement, because it gives pleafure to you though it is a lofs to me; and I admire that felicity of genius, which can fo readily leave the factions or the diverfions of the city for contemplations the moft ferious and fublime. I fee not what advantage you can have in that retirement except in an access to a multitude of books; the affociates in fiudy whom you have found there, were I believe rather made ftudents by their own natural inclinations, than by the discipline of the place. But perhaps I am lefs partial to the place becaufe it detains you, whofe abfence I regret. You rightly obferve that there are too many there who pollute all learning, divine and human, by their frivolous fubtleties and barren difputations; and who seem to do nothing to deferve the falary which they receive. But you are not fo unwife. Thofe ancient records of the Sinese from the period of the deluge, which you fay are promised by the Jefuit Martinius, are no doubt on account account of their novelty expected with avidity; but I do not fee what authority or fupport they can add to the books of Mofes. Our friend to whom you begged to be remembered fends his compliments. Adieu, Weftminster, June 25, 1656. XIX. To the noble Youth RICHARD JONES. As often as I have taken up the pen to answer your last letter fome fudden interruptions have occurred to prevent the completion of my purpofe. I afterwards heard that you had made an excurfion to the adjoining country. As your excellent mother is on the eve of departing for Ireland, whofe lofs we have both no small occafion to regret, and who has to me fupplied the place of every relative, will herself be the bearer of thefe letters to you. You may rest affured of my regard, and be perfuaded that it will increase in proportion as I fee an increafing improvement in your heart and mind. This, by the bleffing of God, you have folemnly pledged yourself to accomplish. I am pleased with this fair promise of yourself, which I truft you will never violate. Though you write that you are pleased with Oxford, you will not induce me to believe that Oxford has made you wifer or better. Of that I require very different proof. I would not have you lavish your admiration on the triumphs of the chiefs whom you extol, and things of that nature in which force is of moft avail. For why need we wonder if the wethers of our country are born with horns which may batter down cities and towns? Do you learn to eftimate great characters, not by the quantity of their animal ftrength but by the habitual justice and temperance of their conduct. Adieu, and make my beft refpects to the accomplished Henry Oldenburgh, your college chum. Westminster, Sept. 21, 1656. Го |