| Title | 5. Phosphore Redde Diem! |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Charles Webster (author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0486.05 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0486/chapters/10.11647/obp.0486.05 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Charles Webster |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-11-07 |
| Long abstract | This chapter embraces the period from 1658 until the death of Hartlib in March 1662. For Hartlib this was a phase of mounting hardship and anguish. Of outside events, the death of Cromwell in 1658 and the arrival of Charles II in 1660 progressively exacerbated the hardship of Hartlib and most of his close friends. This chapter opens with a general review of Hartlib’s family relations and his health, which was a long-term problem, but virtually disabled him in his later years. The adverse impact of ill-health was reflected in the decline in his ability to maintain his daybooks, or Ephemerides, which had begun in 1634 and continued with some gaps until June 1660. This final year comprised only a dozen pages. The Ephemerides as a whole, amounting to about 1,200 densely packed ages, constitutes an invaluable documentary record of its times. This chapter contains a variety of case studies. The longest of these concerns the Office of Address project, which achieved little in the short term, but was prosecuted in different forms for a long period. The desired state support for this scheme would have furnished a secure income for Hartlib. Regardless of such disappointments, as indicated by the robustness of his correspondence, his undiminishing friendship circle, and his ever-expanding range of intellectual initiatives, the momentum of Hartlib’s work was maintained until it was rudely interrupted by his sudden death. As Hartlib’s death approached, his correspondents despaired that he would be irreplaceable on the national and indeed international stage. Accordingly, their first priority became the preservation of the Hartlib Papers, a rescue endeavour that is at last becoming recognized as being an event of momentous importance. |
| Page range | pp. 194–248 |
| Print length | 55 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Charles Webster studied at University College London, where he took a degree in Botany and Microbiology. From 1959 to 1965 he was a science teacher at the City Grammar School, Leopold Street, Sheffield. Simultaneously he began private historical studies. His first historical paper was published in the journal Nature in 1962. He obtained an M.Sc. and D.Sc. at London University. After a short spell in the Philosophy Department at Leeds University, in 1968 he became a research fellow at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. In 1972, he was made a University Reader, also attached to Corpus. He remained in this post until 1988, when he became a Senior Research Fellow of All Souls College, a post which he retained until his retirement. Currently he is an Emeritus Fellow at both Corpus and All Souls. In connection with his early work, especially 'The Great Instauration', in 1980 he was elected an FBA.