Hartlib Papers
Item
Country
GB
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
Western Bank, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN Sheffield
Contact information: phone number
0044 1142227200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
library@sheffield.ac.uk
Reference number
MS 61
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state)
Hartlib Papers
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Samuel Hartlib
Date(s)
1620/1662
Language(s)
eng
lat
Extent
62 boxes (c. 10,000 documents)
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
This collection comprises the papers and correspondence of Samuel Hartlib (c.1600-62), including copies of his own letters as well as those sent by him to others, which occupy most of the archive. The correspondence that he kept includes leading figures of his time, such as Jan Amos Komensky, John Milton, Andrew Marvell, Robert Boyle, Oliver Cromwell, John Dury, Christopher Wren, René Descartes, and Blaise Pascal.
The Hartlib Papers also include letters exchanged between Menasseh ben Israel (1604-57) and John Dury (1596-1680), a close associate of Samuel Hartlib, in particular on the publication of The Hope of Israel. Dury had enquired Israel on the account of António de Montesinos (1475-1540) regarding the supposed discovery of a lost tribe of Israel in South America. In order to clarify this question, Israel composed a Latin treatise, Spes Israelis (The Hope of Israel), originally published in Latin and later in Spanish (1650) and English (1652). On November 25, 1649, Israel informed Dury that he was writing this treatise (44/5/5A), and, one month later, he announced its publication in Amsterdam (44/5/1A). The correspondence with Dury continued apart from this subject. On July 14, 1650, Israel offered Dury copies of his works and informed him about his intention to deal with issues such as those concerning certain controversies between Jews and Christians (44/5/3A/B). See the publication of these letters in Wall (1985).
Digital copies and transcripts are available online at:
The Hartlib Papers also include letters exchanged between Menasseh ben Israel (1604-57) and John Dury (1596-1680), a close associate of Samuel Hartlib, in particular on the publication of The Hope of Israel. Dury had enquired Israel on the account of António de Montesinos (1475-1540) regarding the supposed discovery of a lost tribe of Israel in South America. In order to clarify this question, Israel composed a Latin treatise, Spes Israelis (The Hope of Israel), originally published in Latin and later in Spanish (1650) and English (1652). On November 25, 1649, Israel informed Dury that he was writing this treatise (44/5/5A), and, one month later, he announced its publication in Amsterdam (44/5/1A). The correspondence with Dury continued apart from this subject. On July 14, 1650, Israel offered Dury copies of his works and informed him about his intention to deal with issues such as those concerning certain controversies between Jews and Christians (44/5/3A/B). See the publication of these letters in Wall (1985).
Digital copies and transcripts are available online at:
Archival history
The history of the documents after Samuel Hartlib's death in 1662 is obscure. George Turnbull (1879-1961), a Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield from 1922 to 1954, was responsible for their rediscovery and transfer to Sheffield in the 1960s. Then, he carried out the transcription of the educational papers within the collection and was responsible for their deposit in the University Library. In late 1987, as a result of British Academy and Leverhulme Trust support, the Hartlib Papers Project was established at the University of Sheffield, and the transcription and data-capture of the entire corpus of some 20,000 pages of manuscripts and 5,000 pages of printed ephemera were carried out. The result was originally published as a CD-ROM in 1996. In July 2002, an enlarged edition with Hartlib materials from libraries around the world was published by the Humanities Research Institute. At present, this edition is available online.
Sources:
Administrative / Biographical history
Samuel Hartlib was born around 1600 in Elbing, East Prussia. His mother was English, and his family was involved in an English merchant company in Danzig and Elbing. After attending the University of Cambridge and following the disruption caused by the Thirty Years' War (1618-48), he moved permanently to England around 1628.
In England, Hartlib became acquainted with religious leaders, leading members of universities, scientists, writers, politicians, and other renowned figures. He associated himself with the educational philosopher John Dury (1596-1680), sharing his ideas on the necessity for the unity of the Protestant churches, school reforms, and teacher training. Hartlib also supported the views of the churchman–reformer John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) and translated many of his works.
Samuel Hartlib authored more than 30 tracts and treatises, including Macaria (1641), a utopia based on the philosophy of Francis Bacon and Comenius; Considerations Tending to the Happy Accomplishment of England’s Reformation in Church and State (1647), in which he presented his plan for English education; and True and Readie Way to Learne the Latine Tongue (1654), an effort to make Latin learning available to all.
For his concern with the education legislation of the Long Parliament (1640–53) and his fight for the reformation of church and school, Hartlib was awarded by Oliver Cromwell an annual pension of £300. However, it ended with the Restoration (1660), and Hartlib died in penury two years later, in 1662.
In England, Hartlib became acquainted with religious leaders, leading members of universities, scientists, writers, politicians, and other renowned figures. He associated himself with the educational philosopher John Dury (1596-1680), sharing his ideas on the necessity for the unity of the Protestant churches, school reforms, and teacher training. Hartlib also supported the views of the churchman–reformer John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) and translated many of his works.
Samuel Hartlib authored more than 30 tracts and treatises, including Macaria (1641), a utopia based on the philosophy of Francis Bacon and Comenius; Considerations Tending to the Happy Accomplishment of England’s Reformation in Church and State (1647), in which he presented his plan for English education; and True and Readie Way to Learne the Latine Tongue (1654), an effort to make Latin learning available to all.
For his concern with the education legislation of the Long Parliament (1640–53) and his fight for the reformation of church and school, Hartlib was awarded by Oliver Cromwell an annual pension of £300. However, it ended with the Restoration (1660), and Hartlib died in penury two years later, in 1662.
Sources:
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The organisation of the collection was based on a catalogue made by John Worthington (1618-71)
Access, restrictions
The entire collection is digitized and available online.
Original documents may be consulted in exceptional circumstances.
Original documents may be consulted in exceptional circumstances.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Linked resources
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