Letters to Thomas Hobbes mostly from foreign correspondents

This series contains the surviving letters toThomas Hobbes at Chatsworth from many of his intellectual contacts across Europe. Of the 212 known Hobbes letters that survive globally, 73 are in this collection.

These letters mainly cover the period after Hobbes had returned from his ten years living in Paris and then continued the intellectual connections he had made in France, through correspondence. His correspondents informed Hobbes of progress in scientific and philosophical thought and the research of the Montmor Academy. Chiefly the letters come from Thomas de Martel, François du Prat, François Peleau, François du Verdus, Charles du Bosc, Samuel Sorbière (responsible for the publication of some of Hobbes's works) and Claude Mylon - as well as some coming from English contacts Edward Bagshawe and Henry Stubbe. None of Hobbes's letters to these correspondents survive. A number of letters from these correspondents to Hobbes have also been lost.

These letters provide a picture of the close intellectual relationships Hobbes maintained in the1650s, despite physical isolation from these European circles. The letters provide insight into how Hobbes was regarded amongst these scholars and friends and shed light on their reception and anticipation of his works and opinions, as well as the extent to which he inflenced their thinking.

The letters contain endorsments added by James Whildon, who was amanuensis to Thomas Hobbes from 1656 and the executor of Hobbes's will. The same endorsements can be seen on the British Library MS ADD 32553.

The dates in the catalogue correspond to what is written on each letter, but users must bear in mind English correspondents will have used the 'old style' of dating and European correspondents the 'new style' therefore there could be a discrepancy of ten days for each letter either side of the date written on the letter.

The letters in this series have been published with English translations in: The Correspondence of Thomas Hobbes, ed. by Noel Malcolm. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994. (2 volumes.) See the note field of each item-level record for the relevant letter number in Malcolm's edition. Helpfully Malcolm dual dates the letters, recording their old and new style dates.

There are no records for reference numbers HS/L/23, 29, 32, 51, 58 and 62 as these were duplicate records mistakenly entered when the original records were imported into the catalogue in 2014.

Transcripts and translations are available in:

Noel Malcolm (ed), "The Correspondence of Thomas Hobbes", Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994. (2 volumes.) See also:Noel Malcolm and Mikko Tolonen, 'The Correspondence of Thomas Hobbes: Some New Items', "The Historical Journal", 2008, 6 Vol. 51; Iss. 2, DOI: 10.2307/20175170 includes information about a number of letters not included in Malcolm's Correspondence volumes.

The current arrangement is largely chronological. These reference numbers were assigned when the catalogue was entered into the cataloguing managment software in 2014.

The item numbered H/145/21 in the Hardwick Drawers collection (also held in the Devonshire Collection Archives) may have been an enclosure in a letter to Hobbes from Sorbière titled: "Discours contre la frequente saignee" by Samuel Sorbière is in the hand of the Parisian scribe, sent by Sorbière to Hobbes in early 1657.

It may be suspected that some letters, bearing the same endorsements of James Whildon as those found on this series of material, were lent by the Duke of Devonshire to James Crossley, antiquarian (1800-1883). Crossley appears to have bound these letters, and they, among others, are now held by the British Library (MS ADD 32553). Catalogue listing: http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?docId=IAMS032-002026598&fn=permalink&vid=IAMS_VU2

HS/E/4 and HS/E/7 are enclosures to letters which are listed as 139 and 148 in Noel Malcolm's "Correspondence of Thomas Hobbes",Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994.

François du Verdus (25 April 1621 - 20 August 1675) was a geometry pupil of Roberval and acquaintance of Mersenne through whom he likely met Hobbes in Paris in 1651. He wrote a treatise summarising his lessons from Roberval entitled: 'Observations sur la composition des mouvemens & sur le moyen de trouver les touchantes des lignes courbes'. Du Verdus published two editions of "De cive" in French in 1660 and a third in 1665 titled "Maximes heroiques de la politique moderne au roy". He also produced French translations of "De corpore" De homine" and "Leviathan" that were not published.

Samuel Sorbière (17 November 1615 1670) was a scholar who worked as a tutor and for a printer in Holland as well as pursuing a career as a medic and being a rector in Orange for three years. He associated with Mersenne, Guy Patin, Dupuy brothers, Denis Petau, Alexandre Morus, du Prats, Samuel Petit, Gassendi, Thomas de Martel, Martinus Ruarus, Edmond Mercier and Grotius. He met Hobbes in Paris. He was responsible for overseeing the printing of second and third editions of De cive in 1647. He also published his own French translation of it in 1649. He also published a French translation of Elenchus motuum nuperorum in Anglia and Discours& sur sa conversion à l eglise catholique and in 1665 Discours sur la comète . His son produced and published the transcribed correspondence of Hobbes and Sorbière as well as essays on the practice of Medicine written by Sorbière.

Thomas de Martel (1618/19? 1679/85?) had an interest in medical studies. De Martel sent a first edition of De cive to Sorbière in around 1643. He acted as an intermediary between Sorbière and Gassendi. He had befriended Hobbes by the early 1640s. For much of his life he lived in Montauban.

Abraham du Prat (1616-1660) studies medicine at the College of Béarn. He lived much of his life in Paris. He studies medicine under Guy Patin. His translation on Caspar Bartholin s Institutiones anatomicae was published in 1647. He likely became acquainted with Hobbes in 1650-1. He worked in the employment of the Hervart family.

Henry Stubbe (1632-1676) was an expert in Greek and Latin. In his early career he was under the patronage of Dr John Owen, Dean of Christ Church. He met Hobbes around 1655-6 but they did not always agree with one another especially post Restoration. He was appointed Deputy Keeper of the Bodleian Library in 1657. He published A letter to an officer in the army , An essay in defence of the good old cause and A light shining out of darkness all in 1659. He was also a physician in Stratford-upon-Avon and then in Jamaica, between 1662-1665, before returning to Warwickshire. He also published an attack on Sprat s History of the Royal Society , Discourses concerning the Sweating-Sickness , The Indian Nectar; or, A discourse concerning Chocolata and An Account of Mohametanism .

Claud Mylon (1617/18? 1660?) was a mathematician who studied with Roberval and acquainted with du Verdus. He was secretary to the Academie parisienne in the early 1650s. He had a correspondence with Huygens, keeping him informed of mathematical works being done in Paris.

Phillip Tandy or Tanny (c. 1612-15 after 1682) was a lay preacher living in Ireland I 1641 to about 1646. He worked as a registrar-accountant to the Accounts Committee and then Auditor of debts and later commissioner for investigating Claims and Discoveries . He returned to Ireland to work in the service of Lord Conway at Lisburn House,

François Peleau (c. 1627-31 after 1672) was a lawyer and translated works into French. He assisted du Verdus with his publication of De cive . He corresponded as a young man in 1656 with Hobbes.

Edward Bagshaw (1629-1671) was a lawyer with anti-episcopal turned royalist views. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1659. He wrote Saintship no Ground of Sovereignty . He admired Hobbes s Libertie and Necessitie . In 1660 he published: The great question concerning things indifferent . He was chaplain to the Earl of Anglesey and later imprisoned for seditious speeches and writings.

Pierre Guisony was a doctor and scientist. He was a friend to Gassendi and native of Cavillon near Avignon. He corresponded with Huygens. He wrote one book published in 1665 titled Petri Gussonii Doct. Med. Epistolica dissertation de anonymo libello&

Charles du Bosc (d. 1659) spent much of his life in the French Court. He was according to Sorbière friends with the 2nd Earl of Devonshire through whom he knew Hobbes. There is reference in Hardwick Manuscript 30 (HMS/1/20) to du Bosc receiving £15 from the 3rd Earl of Devonshire. He was friends with Sir Kenelm Digby and part of the circle of acquaintances that met in Mersenne s home regularly in the 1640s. He also attended the Montmor Academie in the 1650s.

François du Prat (c.1636-40 after 1691) was a tutor and travelling companion to the future 4th Earl of Devonshire, William Cavendish until 1661. He was then secretary to Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough. He then became tutor and travelling companion to Edward Montagu, Lord Hinchingbrooke. He returned to the service of the Earl of Devonshire. References to his payments in the service of the Devonshires can be found in: Hardwick MS 36 (HMS/1/37), Hardwick MS 33 (HMS/1/28), Hardwick MS 16 (HMS/1/39) and Hardwick MS 19 (HMS/1/34).

Johan Blaeu was a printer of maps and atlases, having taken over his father s printing house business in Amsterdam. He also extended the business to publish law, theology and philosophy texts. His sons including Pieter took over the business after their father s death but on a smaller scale after a huge warehouse fire.

Thomas Shipman (1632-1680) was the son of a royalist member of Nottingham gentry. He was captain of trained brands for Nottinghamshire, member of the gentry and a poet who also wrote two tragedies.

[Source: Malcolm, Noel, 'Biographical Register' in "The Correspondence of Thomas Hobbes Volume II", Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.]