Chapter I: A.'

In MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 28ᵛ are two letters by Aubrey, asking advice in connexion with this life.

i. _Aubrey to Anthony Wood._

'To his honoured friend Mr. Anthony à Wood, Master of Arts, at Merton College in Oxon.

Deare friend!

I have hastily writt this third draught, which I hope is legible: I have not time to read it over. Pray peruse it as soon as you can, for time drawes on. Dr. Blackburne and I will be diligent in it and will doe _you_ all the right[69] your heart can wish. I thought together with this to have sent you the transcript of Mr. Hobbes' life revised by himselfe but am prevented by hast, and 'tis the last day of the terme. I will send it suddenly.

My service to Mr. Pigot. I am, Sir, your affectionate friend and servant,

JO. AUBREY.

London Feb. 12,
1679/80.

Why might not his two sheetes _Of heresie_ be bound up with this to preserve it and propagate trueth?

I know here be severall tautologies; but I putt them downe thus here, that upon reviewe I should judge where such or such a thing would most aptly stand.

Why should not Dr. Blackbourne in the life of Mr. H. written by him selfe quote that of A. Wood in the margent for a blindation, because there are in great part the very same words?'

ii. _Aubrey to Richard Blackburne._

'Dr. Blackbourne!

Pray advise me whether 'twould not shew handsomest to begin with a description of Malmesbury, and then to place Mr. H. pedigre?

But, with all, should not

"Thomas Hobbes was borne at Malmesbury, Apr. ... 1588[70]"

be the initiall and, as it were, textuall, line?

Shall I in the first place putt Mr. H. life donne by himselfe? (If so, whether in Latin, or English, or both?) Or else, shall I intersperse it with these animadversions?

I could begin with a pleasant description of Malmesbury, etc., (all new and untoucht) 14 leaves in 8vo, which his verses will lead me to, and which Ant. Wood seemes to desire.

Pray be my Aristarchus, and correct and marke what you thinke fitt. First draughts[71] ought to be rude as those of paynters, for he that in his first essay will be curious in refining will certainly be unhappy in inventing.

Doctor, I am your affectionate and humble servant.

J. A.

I will speake to Fleetwood Shepherd to engage the earl of Dorset to write in the old gentleman's praise.

Should mine be in Latin or English or both? (And by whome the Latin, if so?) Is my English style well enough[72]?'

=Other MSS.= A few additional lives, and portions of lives, of persons mentioned in these four biographical volumes, have been brought in from letters by Aubrey in MS. Ballard 14 and in MS. Wood F 39 and F 49.

Three lives, in fair copy, by Aubrey, are found in MS. Rawlinson D. 727, foll. 93-96, and have been given here. They were formerly in Anthony Wood's hands: see Clark's Wood's _Life and Times_, iv. 192, note.

MS. Aubr. 21, a volume made up in the Ashmolean library from siftings out of Aubrey MSS. and papers; MS. Aubr. 22, a collection of grammatical tracts, brought together by Aubrey with a view to a treatise on education; MS. Aubr. 23, a volume of 125 leaves, dated on fol. 8 as 'Collectio geniturarum, made London May 29, 1674,' but on the title as '1677: for the <Ashmolean> Musaeum'; MS. Aubr. 26,'Faber fortunae,' i.e. projects for retrieving Aubrey's fortunes----have yielded additional matter.