OF SAMUEL HARTLIB. 9 



favourable illustration of the course adopted by him 

 to procure the best possible information on important 

 topics, for public benefit. His zeal was not a feeble 

 and dubious blaze of light, but the heat and fervour of 

 unsophisticated, unquenchable enthusiasm of the rarest 

 and most refined quality. 



In 1644, Samuel Hartlib, was a witness against Laud, 

 as stated in the History of the troubles and trial of 

 Will. Laud.* He was also the same year, jointly with 

 Philip Nye and Thomas Goodwin, concerned in writing 

 An Epistolary Discourse about Toleration.-|- 



Samuel Hartlib's publications amount to two duode- 

 cimos, two octavos, and about twenty-eight quarto trea- 

 tises of various bulk and character, but mostly they are 

 short pamphlets or mere tracts. Many of them have 

 become very scarce, and all possess interest for the 

 historian and bibliographer. 



Of his early friend and associate in several literary 

 matters, John Durie, a Scotchman, who was at Oxford 

 in 1624, Ant. k Wood J says : — 



" For more in relation to the transactions of his life 

 see a letter written by him to his ancient acquaint- 

 ance Sam. Hartlib, Esq., who published it (when Durie 

 fell into the displeasure of the presbyterians for show- 

 ing himself false to them in several respects) with the 



■^ From a note in Ashmole, by Ant. k Wood. 



t Wood's Ath. Ox. 3rd edition, 4to, 1815, Vol. III., p. 965. 



X Fas. Ox., 3rd edition, Vol. I. 4to, 1815. 



