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1660. The winter-time of 1659 he spent in Derbyshire. InMarch following was the dawning of the coming in of our gracious soveraigne, and in April the Aurora.

I then sent a letter to him in the countrey to advertise him of the Advent of his master the king and desired him by all meanes to be in London before his arrivall; and knowing his majestie was a great lover of good painting I must needs presume he could not but suddenly see Mr. Cowper's curious pieces, of whose fame he had so much heard abroad and seene some of his worke, and likewise that he would sitt to him for his picture, at which place and time he would have the best convenience of renewing his majestie's graces to him.He returned me thankes for my friendly intimation and came to London in May following.

It happened, about two or three dayes after his majestie's happy returne, that, as he was passing in his coach through the Strand, Mr. Hobbes was standing at Little Salisbury-house gate (where his lord then lived). The king espied him, putt of his hatt very kindly to him, and asked him how he did. About a weeke after he had orall conference with his majesty at Mr. S. Cowper's, where, as he sate for his picture, he was diverted by Mr. Hobbes's pleasant discourse. Here his majestie's favours were redintegrated to him, and order was given that he should have free accesse to his majesty, who was always much delighted in his witt and smart repartees.

The witts at Court were wont to bayte him. But he feared none of them, and would make his part good. The king would call him the beare: 'Here comes the beare to be bayted!'

Repartees. He was marvellous happy and ready in his replies, and that without rancor (except provoked)—but now I speake of his readinesse in replies as to witt and drollery. He would say that he did not care to give, neither was he adroit at, a present answer to a serious quaere: he had as lieve they should have expected an extemporary solution to an arithmeticall probleme, for he turned and winded and compounded in philosophy, politiques, etc., as if he had been at analyticall worke. He alwayes avoided, as much as he could, to conclude hastily (Humane Nature, p. 2). Vide p. 15 b.