I do here present you with a piece of Mr. Hobbes’s writing; which is not published from an imperfect MS. as his Dialogue of the Civil Wars of England was, by some that had got accidentally a copy of it, absolutely against his consent, as you may see by some passages out of some of his letters to me, which I have here inserted.
In his letter of June, 1679, he saith:
“I would fain have published my Dialogue of the Civil Wars of England, long ago; and to that end I presented it to his Majesty: and some days after, when I thought he had read it, I humbly besought him to let me print it; but his Majesty, though he heard me graciously, yet he flatly refused to have it published. Therefore I brought away the book, and gave you leave to take a copy of it; which when you had done, I gave the original to an honourable and learned friend, who about a year after died. The King knows better, and is more concerned in publishing of books than I am: therefore I dare not venture to appear in the business, lest it should offend him. Therefore I pray you not to meddle in the business. Rather than to be thought any way to further or countenance the printing, I would be content to lose twenty times the value of what you can expect to get, &c. I pray do not take it ill; it may be I may live to send you somewhat else as vendible as that: and without offence, I rest Your very humble servant,
Thomas Hobbes.”
Chatsworth, June 19, 1679.
(Part of his letter in July, 1679.)
“If I leave any MSS. worth printing, I will leave word you shall have them, if you please. I am
Your humble servant,
Thomas Hobbes.”
Chatsworth, July 21, 1679.