it of him when he was lord chief baron: he unwil lingly lent it, because it had been writ by him before he was called to the bar, and had never been thoroughly revised by him fince that time, only what alterations had been made in the law by fubfequent ftatutes, and judgments, were added by him as they had happened: but the judge having perufed it, faid, that though it was compofed by him fo early, he did not think any lawyer in England could do it better, except he himself would again fet about it. He was foon found out by that great and learned antiquary Mr. Selden, who though much fuperior to him in years, yet came to have fuch a liking of him, and of Mr Vaughan, who was afterwards lord chief juftice of the common-pleas, that as he continued in a close friendship with them while he lived, fo he left them at his death, two of his four executors. It was this acquaintance that firft fet Mr. Hale on a more enlarged purfuit of learning, which he had before confined to his own profeffion; but becoming as great a master in it, as ever any was, very foon, he who could never let any of his time go away unprofitably, found leifure to attain to as great a variety of knowledge, in as comprehenfive a manner as moft men have done in any age. He fet himself much to the ftudy of the Roman law, and though he liked the way of judicature in England by juries, much better than that of the civil law, where fo much was trufted to the judge; yet he often faid, that the true grounds and reafons of law were fo well delivered in the digefts, that a man could never understand law as a fcience fo well as by feeking it there, and therefore lamented much that it was fo little ftudied in England. He looked on readiness in arithmetic, as a thing which might be useful to him in his own employment, and acquired it to fuch a degree, that he would often on the fudden, and afterwards on the bench, refolve very hard questions, which had puzzled the best accomptants about town. He refted not here, but ftudied the algebra both fpeciofa and numerofa, and went through all the other mathematical fciences, and made a great collection of very excellent inftruments, fparing no cost to have them as exact as art could make them. He was alfo very converfant in philofophical learning, and in all the curious experiments and rare discoveries of this age: and had the new books written on thofe fubjects fent from all parts, which he both read and examined fo critically, that if the principles and hypothefes which he took firft up, did any way prepoffefs him, yet thofe who have differed moft from him, have acknowledged, that in what he has writ concerning the Torricellian Experiment, and of the Rarefaction and Condenfation of the Air, he fhews as great an exactnefs, and as much fubtilty in the reafoning he builds on them, as thefe principles to which he . adhered could bear. But indeed it will feem fcarce credible, that a man fo much employed, and of fo fevere a temper of mind, could find leisure to read, obferve and white fo much of thefe fubjects as he did. He called them his diverfions, for he often faid, when he was weary with the ftudy of the law, or divinity, he ufed to recreate himfelf with philofophy or the mathematics; to this he added great fkill in phyfic, anatomy and chirurgery: and he ufed to fay, No man could be abfolutely a mafter in any profeffion, without having fome fill in other fciences;' for befides the fatisfaction he had in the knowledge of these things, he made ufe of them often in his employments. In fome examinations he would put fuch queftions to phyficians or chirurgeons, that they have profeffed, the college of phyficians could not do it more exactly; by which he difcovered great judgment, as well as inuch knowlege in these things: and in his ficknefs he used to argue with his doctors about his diftempors, and the methods they took with them, like one one of their own profeffion; which one of them told me he understood, as far as fpeculation without practice could carry him. To this he added great fearches into ancient hiftory, and particularly into the roughest and leaft delightful part of it, Chronology. He was well acquainted with the ancient Greek philofophers; but want of occafion to use it, wore out his knowledge of the Greek tongue; and though he never ftudied the Hebrew tongue, yet by his great conversation with Selden, he understood the most curious things in the Rabbinical learning. But above all these he seemed to have made the study of Divinity the chief of all others; to which he not only directed every thing elfe, but also arrived at that pitch in it, that those who have read what he has written on thefe fubjects, will think they must have had most of his time and thoughts. It may feem extravagant, and almost incredible, that one man, in no great compafs of years, fhould have acquired fuch a variety of knowledge, and that in fciences that require much leifure and application. But as his parts were quick, and his apprehenfions lively, his memory great, and his judgments ftrong; fo his industry was almoft indefatigable. He rofe always betimes in the morning; was never idle; fcarce ever held any dif course about news, except with fome few in whom he confided entirely. He entered into no correfpondence by letters, except about neceffary business, or matters of learning, and fpent very little time in eating or drinking; for as he never went to public feasts, fo he gave no entertainments but to the poor; for he followed our Saviour's directions (of feafting none but thefe) literally. And in eating and drinking, he obferved not only great plainnefs and moderation, but lived fo philofophically, that he always ended his meal with an appetite; fo that he loft little time at it (that being the only portion which he grudged himfelf), and was difpofed to any exercife of mind, to which he thought very hard questions, which had puzzled the best accomptants about town. He refted not here, but ftudied the algebra both fpeciofa and numerofa, and went. through all the other mathematical fciences, and made a great collection of very excellent inftruments, sparing no coft to have them as exact as art could make them. He was alfo very converfant in philofophical learning, and in all the curious experiments and rare dilcoveries of this age: and had the new books written on thofe fubjects fent from all parts, which he both read and examined fo critically, that if the principles and hypothefes which he took firft up, did any way prepoffefs him, yet thofe who have differed moft from him, have acknowledged, that in what he has writ concerning the Torricellian Experiment, and of the Rarefaction and Condenfation of the Air, he fhews as great an exactnefs, and as much fubtilty in the reafoning he builds on them, as thefe principles to which he adhered could bear. But indeed it will feem fcarce credible, that a man fo much employed, and of fo fevere a temper of mind, could find leifure to read, obferve and white fo much of thefe fubjects as he did. He called them his diverfions, for he often faid, when he was weary with the ftudy of the law, or divinity, he ufed to recreate himfelf with philofophy or the mathematics; to this he added great fkill in phyfic, anatomy and chirurgery: and he ufed to fay, No man could be abfolutely a mafter in any profeffion, without having fome fill in other fciences;' for befides the fatisfaction he had in the knowledge of thefe things, he made ufe of them often in his employments. In fome examinations he would put fuch queftions to phyficians or chirurgeons, that they have profeffed, the college of phyficians could not do it more exactly; by which he difcovered great judgment, as well as much knowlege in thefe things: and in his fickness he used to argue with his doctors about his diftempers, and the methods they took with them, like one one of their own profeffion; which one of them told me he understood, as far as fpeculation without practice could carry him. To this he added great fearches into ancient hiftory, and particularly into the roughest and leaft delightful part of it, Chronology. He was well acquainted with the ancient Greek philofophers; but want of occafion to use it, wore out his knowledge of the Greek tongue; and though he never ftudied the Hebrew tongue, yet by his great conversation with Selden, he understood the most curious things in the Rabbinical learning. But above all thefe he seemed to have made the study of Divinity the chief of all others; to which he not only directed every thing elfe, but also arrived at that pitch in it, that those who have read what he has written on these subjects, will think they must have had most of his time and thoughts. It may feem extravagant, and almost incredible, that one man, in no great compass of years, fhould have acquired fuch a variety of knowledge, and that in fciences that require much leifure and application. But as his parts were quick, and his apprehenfions lively, his memory great, and his judgments ftrong; fo his industry was almost indefatigable. He rofe always betimes in the morning; was never idle; fcarce ever held any dif course about news, except with fome few in whom he confided entirely. He entered into no correspondence by letters, except about neceffary business, or matters of learning, and spent very little time in eating or drinking; for as he never went to public feasts, fo he gave no entertainments but to the poor; for he fol lowed our Saviour's directions (of feafting none but thefe) literally. And in eating and drinking, he obferved not only great plainnefs and moderation, but lived fo philofophically, that he always ended his meal with an appetite; fo that he loft little time at it (that being the only portion which he grudged himself), and was difpofed to any exercife of mind, to which he VOL. I. C thought |