The Hartlib Papers

evning because wee know not whither shall prosper either this or that or both I conceave that constancie and diligence is recomended to us in this Resolution with a purpose to resigne ourselves unto God by depending upon his providence for a blessing and not trusting too much to our owne Prudencie to doe things sometimes at an adventure; cheifly when wee see that noe harme can come/ to that which wee attempt and that there maybee a possibilitie of some good Event. I like your good simplicitie and that of Mr H: extreamely in this kind, but it is not given to all <left margin, H: to> become fooles in this waye, that theie may be truely wise nor is it fit to adventure without spirituall discretion the Prudencie of a Serpent is not wholly usles for a Christian, only it must not take away the simplicitie of the Dove.

a foote will not trust as (I suppose) the securitie of a patent to venture their money here; If hee should dye or his Patent affter a yeare or 2. reversed what should become of their money. For[H capitalises] these and <H: other> like causes I never did speak to him off a Patent, but cheifly because I did see that the man doth understand himselfe in his worke, as I conceave, the nature of it is, namely that it cannot bee done but by a State, whose Interest must be engaged in it to [cary?] <left margin, H: carrie> it on, &that for him and his Complices[H capitalises] none other securitie will serve to draw them on to venture their substance in this kind, but the authoritie of the State itselfe, to [word deleted] <left margin, H: owne> the advancment off the designe, as that wherin itself is principally concerned, nor can any thing give them true [securitie? MS edge] but the maintaining of that order by which all the work is to bee effectuall, nor can any authoritie inferiour to that of the common Interest of the State maintaine the order of so large a Commerce as will bee set up by his Propositions Therefore a Patent will bee a thing wholly vnproffitable[H alters from unproffitable] to him; his Patent must bee an Ordinance which the State should make for the Regulating of its owne proffit to arrise from his undertakings, wherin the common Idle poore people of all sorts will bee set a worke by Land and Sea, which will bee infinitly beneficiall to particulars, when all the Idle handes shall bee set a worke not only to maintaine themselves but uphold the Public and bring a benefit to it wheras now they are a charge and burden to wast and consume the substance of it, and studie wicked practises how to wrong it and their neighbours for a subsistence, whence strife and confussion doth arrise and many judgments are multipled upon us. Soe that not only in the way of Policy but in respect of Christianitie his worke will bee usefull to the State. For now multitudes of People that are without Rule in a manner desperat and wilde under noe Gov[catchword: erment]

Goverment shall bee reduced to certain employments and brought under Inspectors, who may bee directed how to teach them, and order[altered] their wayes in their callings to the attainment of knowledge and the exercises[H alters] of Temperance of Rightousnes and Godlinesse. When all the veines[H alters from vaines] of the State bee full of blood, and of good spirits and all the members sound and set a worke upon their proper objects, then a <State is in> case[H alters] to flourish but if it bee full of obstructions in some partes soe that theie receive noe nutriment and can performe noe actions for the good of other members, then it must needes fall into diseases and langussh.

Kingdome but they engage the affections of Forrainers to procure the good of this State, and to prevent the inconveniences, which may befall to it by reason of their interest, which they have in it, soe that in effect they have as many Agents abroad in forraine partes, as they have men, whose stockes are joyned to the Publique way of their trade. I remember that one of the Policyes of the Chancellor of Sweden was to seeke out men that hadd good stockes to engage them in the Trade of Sweden, and by this meanes the Trade is come to a great perfection in comparrison of what it was before; but I am now out of my element therefore I will not proceed further then my aime doth warrant me, which is to recommend the matter to your Public zeall, and to suggest unto you [such? altered?] considerations, as come into my mind, for which the designe should[H alters] bee entertained for the good of many, that the confusion[altered from confussion] and distraction[altered] that wee lye under may bee in some measure, if God will, by lawfull endeavours redressed, and that the wordly trades and employments of [this? altered] people may be subordinate unto the Kingdom of Christ, and become Holinesse unto the Lord when <H: the way> thereof shall bee [H's hand:] addressed to the Publick Good without partialitie. I know your Conceptions are generous in this kind. The Lord grant them good successe. Pray for mee that j may haue time and grace to intend matters of a more Spirituall nature for whose sake j reflect vpon these as possiblely helpeful therunto by Gods blessing. Thus in some haste j take my leaue and rest