< His treatise De Legibus. >

1664. In 1664 I sayd to him 'Me thinkes 'tis pitty that you that have such a cleare reason and working head did never take into consideration the learning of the lawes'; and I endeavoured to perswade him to it. But he answered that he was not like to have life enough left to goe through with such a long and difficult taske. I then presented him the lord chancellor Bacon's Elements of the Lawe (a thin quarto), in order therunto and to drawe him on; which he was pleased to accept, and perused; and the next time I came to him he shewed me therin two cleare paralogismes in the 2nd page (one, I well remember, was in page ), which I am heartily sory are now out of my remembrance. I desponded, for his reasons, that he should make any tentamen towards this designe; but afterwards, it seemes, in the countrey he writt his treatise De Legibus (unprinted) of which Sir John Vaughan, Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas, had a transcript, and I doe affirme that he much admired it.

Insert here part of his lettre to me about it.

'Tis thus, viz., in a letter to me, dated Aug. 18, 1679, among severall other things, he writes:—

'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.

'The treatise De Legibus (at the end of it) is imperfect. I desire Mr. Horne 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.

'I am, sir, your very humble servant,
'Th. Hobbes.'