3. The Hartlibian Resurgence

This chapter focuses on the period from 1643 to 1648 and more widely with some of its case studies. Hartlib advanced on many fronts but no solution was found for the destitution into which he and his family had plunged during the 1630s. His patrons worked hard to secure a state pension for him and this succeeded, but only to a limited extent, and never sufficient to support the expanding horizons of Hartlib’s ambitions. The depth of this problem made no impact on his thirst for the advancement of learning. Hartlib came forward with various schemes for the organisation of advanced research, but these proved to be impracticable. However, the range of his informal influence expanded and he was particularly successful in mobilising young intellectuals to operate under his guidance. This chapter considers this issue with detailed reference to his relations with Robert Boyle, John Hall, William Petty, William Rand and Benjamin Worsley. All of these came into Hartlib’s orbit in the mid ‘40s and quickly went on to make a major impact with their writings and other enterprises, many of which engaged Hartlib directly. Among the enduring developments during this period were the first policy statements that are now recognised as the basis for what is now known as the ‘Hartlibian Political Economy’. Also important during this period was the cementation of his friendships with prominent politicians such as Oliver St John and John Sadler, or women intellectuals such as Lady Ranelagh and Dorothy Moore. This chapter ends with a consideration of apocalypticism, which was one of the obsessions of this period. Hartlib and many of his closest associates, including Comeniuis, were immersed in speculation in this field. Hartlib’s own main direct contribution was as the editor of Clavis Apocalyptica (1651), which was one of his most successful publications. The ability of Hartlib to gain intimacy with advanced thinkers was enhanced by the liberality of his religious position, which during this period drifted away from Calvinism towards nonconformity, a trend that brought hm into line with most of the other names listed in these two paragraphs.