[1375]Insert here part of his lettre to me about it.
'Tis thus, viz., in a letter to me[1376], dated Aug. 18, 1679, among severall other things, he writes[1377]:—
'I have been told that my booke of the Civill Warr is come abroad and am heartily sorry for it, especially because I could not get his majestie to license it, not because it is ill printed or hath a foolish title set to it, for I beleeve that any ingeniose man may understand the wickednes of that time, notwithstanding the errors of the presse[CXVI.].
[CXVI.] Quaere is it best to let the letter stand whole[1378] or to let that part, of the Civill Warr, be referred to the catalogue of bookes?
'The treatise De Legibus (at the end of it) is imperfect. I desire Mr. Horne[1379] to pardon me that I cannot consent to his motion; nor shall Mr. Crooke himselfe get my consent to print it.
'I pray you present my humble thankes to Mr. Sam. Butler.
'The privilege of stationers is, in my opinion, a very great hinderance to the advancement of all humane learning[1380].
'I am, sir, your very humble servant,
'Th. Hobbes.'
<Proposed foundation at Malmsbury.>
[1381]1665. This yeare he told me that he was willing to doe some good to the towne where he was borne; that his majestie loved him well, and if I could find out something in our countrey that was in his guift, he did beleeve he could beg it of his majestie, and seeing[1382] he was bred a scholar, he thought it most proper to endowe[1383] a free-schoole there; which is wanting now[CXVII.] (for, before the reformation, all monasteries had great schooles appendant to them; e.g. Magdalen schoole and New College schoole). After[1384] enquiry I found out a piece of land in Bradon-forest (of about 25 li. per annum value) that was in his majesties guift[1385], which he designed[1386] to have obtained of his majestie for a salary for a schoolmaster; but[CXVIII.] the queen's priests[1387] smelling-out the designe and being[1388] his enemies, hindred[1389] this publique and charitable intention.