Vol. ii. p. 607. Aubrey, the little Boswell of his
day, has recorded another literary peculiarity, which some
authors do not assuredly sufficiently use. Hobbes said that he
sometimes would set his thoughts upon researching and
contemplating, always with this proviso: "that he very much
and deeply considered one thing at a time--for a week, or
sometimes a fortnight."

[377] A small annuity from the Devonshire family, and a small pension
from Charles II., exceeded the wants of his philosophic life.
If he chose to compute his income, Hobbes says facetiously of
himself, in French sols or Spanish maravedis, he could
persuade himself that Croesus or Crassus were by no means
richer than himself; and when he alludes to his property, he
considers wisdom to be his real wealth:--

"An quam dives, id est, quam sapiens fuerim?"

He gave up his patrimonial estate to his brother, not wanting
it himself; but he tells the tale himself, and adds, that
though small in extent, it was rich in its crops. Anthony
Wood, with unusual delight, opens the character of Hobbes:
"Though he hath an ill name from some, and good from others,
yet he was a person endowed with an excellent philosophical
soul, was a contemner of riches, money, envy, the world, &c.;
a severe lover of justice, and endowed with great morals;
cheerful, open, and free of his discourse, yet without offence
to any, which he endeavoured always to avoid." What an
enchanting picture of the old man in the green vigour of his
age has Cowley sent down to us!

"Nor can the snow which now cold age does shed
Upon thy reverend head,
Quench or allay the noble fires within;
But all which thou hast been,
And all that youth can be, thou'rt yet:
So fully still dost thou
Enjoy the manhood and the bloom of wit,
And all the natural heat, but not the fever too.
So contraries on AEtna's top conspire:
Th' embolden'd snow next to the flame does sleep.--
To things immortal time can do no wrong;
And that which never is to die, for ever must be young."

[378]

"Ipse meos nosti, Verdusi candide, mores,
Et tecum cuncti qui mea scripta legun