John Harvard and his times . offered himthe lucrative position of Chief Justice ofMunster. Although he followed the law asa profession, he devoted much attention toHebrew and other oriental languages, andgenerally seems to have experienced a fasci-nation for all kinds of curiosities and odditiesof learning. That side of his character isbest represented by his Olbia, which hasbeen described as one of the strangest ofstrange books, the object of which, so far asso incoherent a performance can be said tohave any object, appears to be, to prove, by avariety of calculations of the prophetical peri-
John Harvard and his times . offered himthe lucrative position of Chief Justice ofMunster. Although he followed the law asa profession, he devoted much attention toHebrew and other oriental languages, andgenerally seems to have experienced a fasci-nation for all kinds of curiosities and odditiesof learning. That side of his character isbest represented by his Olbia, which hasbeen described as one of the strangest ofstrange books, the object of which, so far asso incoherent a performance can be said tohave any object, appears to be, to prove, by avariety of calculations of the prophetical peri-ods, that the year 1666 was to be the mosteventful year since the appearance of ourSaviour. One brief extract from this sing-ular volume will serve to indicate its character:There was more hope, and comfort, in awomans shaving than a mans. For, if herlord, bid her shave off her hair; it might bea sign, he meant to marry her. For, so thelaw was: if thou leadest captivity captive,(as Christ hath done) and see a woman, that 192. z> / ^ M t ire I I ie/.IS coy us ((ii^M^^^otilts ^/l/iaka iCUBlSllUl , A FELLOW SlLUKNT OF JOHN HARVARD. - P«ire 192. CAMBRIDGE thou lovest; she shall shave her head, andpair her nails: or goatishness, saw it in Saphira: the goat: as also seir,is hair, and a goat. According to a narrative which is set forthin great detail by the credulous Cotton Matherin his Magnalia, Sadler foretold the greatfire of London three years before it happened,and also prophesied many other wonderfulevents which are now somewhat from these vagaries, which not un-naturally earned for him the reputation ofbeing a bit of a lunatic, it should be placedto Sadlers credit that it was through his in-fluence the Jews first obtained permission tobuild a synagogue in London. He was alsosane enough to reach the conclusion that,however painful it might be to send Charlesto the scaffold, his life could not consistwith the peoples peace and safety, whic
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