tion
of didactic language. Short, clear, precise, pithy, his language never
has more than one meaning, which never requires a second thought to
find. By the help of his exact method, it takes so firm a hold on the
mind, that it will not allow attention to slacken. His little tract on
human nature has scarcely an ambiguous or a needless word. He has so
great a power of always choosing the most significant term, that he
never is reduced to the poor expedient of using many in its stead. He
had so thoroughly studied the genius of the language, and knew so well
how to steer between pedantry and vulgarity, that two centuries have not
superannuated probably more than a dozen of his words."

* Second Dissertation: Encyclopaedia Brit., p. 318.

Lord Clarendon describes the personal character of Hobbes as "one for
whom he always had a great esteem as a man, who besides his eminent
parts of learning and knowledge, hath been always looked upon as a man
of probity, and a life free from scandal."

We now proceed to make a selection of quotations from the works of this
writer, commencing with those on the "Necessity of the Will," in reply
to Bishop Bramhall.

"The question is not whether a man be a free agent--that is to say,
whether he can write, or forbear, speak, or be silent, according to his
will; but whether the will to write, and the will to forbear, come upon
him according to his will, or according to anything else in his own
power. I acknowledge this liberty, that I can _do_, if I _will_, but to
say, I can _will_ if I _will_, I take to be an absurd speech." Further
replying to Bramhall's argument, that we do not learn the "idea of the
freedom of the will" from our tutors, but we know it intuitively, Hobbes
says, "It is true very few have learned from tutors that a man is not
free to will; nor do they find it much in books. That they and in books
that which the poets chaunt in the theatres, and the shepherds on the
mountains, that which the pastors teach in the churches, and the doctors
in the universities; and that which the common people in the markets,
and all the people do assent unto, is the same that I assent unto;
namely, that a man hath freedom to do if he will; but whether he hath
freedom to will, is a question which it seems neither the Bishop nor
they ever thought of.... A wooden top that is lashed by the boys, and
runs about, sometimes to one wall, sometimes to another, sometimes
spinning, sometimes hitti