ster of the
different languages of the countries thro' which he travelled; but
finding that he had in a great measure forgot his Greek and Latin, he
dedicated his leisure hours to the revival of them, and in order to
fix the Greek language more firmly in his mind, upon his return to
England, he set about and accomplished a translation of Thucydides,
who appeared to him preferable to all other Greek historians, and by
rendering him into English he meant to shew his countrymen from the
Athenian history, the disorders and confusions of a democratical
government.

In the year 1628, the earl of Devonshire dying, after our author had
served him 20 years, he travelled again into France with a son of Sir
Gervas Clifton; at which time, and during which preregrination (says
Wood) 'he began to make an inspection into the elements of Euclid, and
be delighted with his method, not only for the theorems contained in
it, but for his art of reasoning. In these studies he continued till
1631, when his late pupil the earl of Devonshire called him home in
order to undertake the education of his son, then only thirteen years
of age, in all the parts of juvenile literature; and as soon as it was
proper for him to see the world, Hobbs again set out for France and
Italy, and directed his young pupil to the necessary steps for
accomplishing his education.

When our author was at Paris, he began to search into the fundamentals
of natural science, and contracted an intimacy with Marius Marsennus a
Minim, conversant in that kind of philosophy, and a man of excellent
moral qualities.

In 1637 he was recalled to England, but finding the civil war ready to
break out, and the Scots in arms against the King, instigated by a
mean cowardice, he deferred his country in distress, and returned to
Paris, that he might without interruption pursue his studies there,
and converse with men of eminence in the sciences. The Parliament
prevailing, several of the Royalists were driven from their own
country, and were obliged to take shelter in France. The Prince of
Wales was reduced likewise to quit the kingdom and live at Paris:
Hobbs was employed to teach the young Prince mathematics, in which he
made great proficiency; and our author used to observe, that if the
Prince's application was equal to the quickness of his parts, he would
be the foremost man in his time in every species of science. All the
leisure hours that Hobbs enjoyed in Paris, he dedicated to t