have preferv'd every thing that I miscarried of. Since I know this, I fhall in one refpect be more afraid of writing to you than ever, at this carelefs rate, because I fee my evil works may again rife in judgment against me; yet in another refpe&t I fhall be lefs afraid, fince this has given me fuch a proof of the extreme indulgence you afford to my flighteft thoughts. The revifal of these letters has been a kind of examination of confcience to me; fo fairly and faithfully have I fet down in them from time to time the true and undifguifed ftate of my mind. But I find, that thefe, which were intended as sketches of my friendship, give as imperfect images of it, as the little landscapes we commonly fee in black and white do of a beautiful country; they can represent but a very small part of it, and that deprived of the life and luftre of nature. I perceiv'd that the more I endeavour'd to render manifeft the real affection and value I ever had for you, I did but injure it by representing lefs and lefs of it: as glaffes which are defign'd to make an object very clear, generally contract it. Yet, as when people have a full idea of a thing first upon their own knowledge, the leaft traces of it ferve to refresh the remembrance, and are not difpleafing on that score; fo, I hope, the foreknowledge you had had of my esteem for you, is the reason that do not diflike my letters. you They will not be of any great fervice (I find) in the defign I mentioned to you: I believe I had better steal from a richer man, and plunder your letters (which I have kept as carefully as I would Letters Patents, fince they intitle me to what I more value than titles of honour.) You have fome cause to apprehend this ufage from me, if what fome fay be true, that I am a great borrower; however I have hitherto had the luck that none of my creditors have challenged me for it: and those who say it are fuch, whose writings no man ever borrow'd from, fo have the least reason to complain; and whose works are granted on all hands to be but too much their own. Another has been pleas'd to declare, that my verfes are corrected by other men: I verily believe theirs were never corrected by any man; but indeed if mine have not, 'twas not my fault; I have endeavour'd my utmoft that they should. But these things are only whisper'd, and I will not encroach upon Bays's province and pen-whispers, so hasten to conclude, LETTER VIII. From my Lord LANSDOWN. Oct. 21, 1713. 'AM pleas'd beyond measure with your design of tranflating Homer. The trials which you have already made and published on fome parts of that author, have shewn that you are equal to fo great a task: and you may therefore depend upon the utmost services I can do you in promoting this work, or any thing that may be for your service. I hope Mr. Stafford, for whom you was pleas'd to concern yourself, has had the good effects of the Queen's Grace to him. I had notice the night before I began my journey, that her Majesty had not only directed his pardon, but order'd a Writ for reverfing his Outlawry. Your, &c. LET LETTER IX. To General ANTHONY HAMILTON3, Upon his having tranflated into French Verse the I Oct. 10, 1713. F I could as well exprefs, or (if you will allow me to say it) tranflate the fentiments of my heart as you have done thofe of my head, in your excellent verfion of my Effay; I should not only appear the best writer in the world, but, what I much more defire to be thought, the most your fervant of any man living. 'Tis an advantage very rarely known, to receive at once, a great honour and a great improvement. This, Sir, you have afforded me, having at the fame time, made others take my sense, and taught me to understand my own; if I may call that my own which is indeed more properly yours. Your verses are no more a translation of mine, than Virgil's are of Homer's; but are, like his, the jufteft imitation and the noblest Commentary. In putting me into a French dress, you have not only adorned my outfide, but mended my shape; and, if I am now a good figure, I must a Author of the Memoirs | Contas, and other pieces of of the Count de Gramont, note in French. P. R 4 confider t confider have naturaliz'd me into a country you which is famous for making every man a fine gentleman. It is by your means, that contrary to moft young travellers) I am come back much better than I went out. I cannot but wifh we had a bill of commerce for tranflation established the next parliament; we could not fail of being gainers by that, nor of making ourselves amends for any thing we have loft by the war. Nay, tho' we should infift upon the demolishing of Boileau's works, the French, as long as they have writers of 'your form, might have as good an equivalent. Upon the whole, I am really as proud, as our minifters ought to be, of the terms I have gain'd from abroad; and I design, like them, to publish speedily to the world the benefits | accruing from them; for I cannot refift the temptation of printing your admirable translation here b; to which if you will be fo obliging to give me leave to prefix your name, it will be the only addition you can make to the honour already done me. I am b This was never done, for the two printed French verfions are neither of this hand. The one was done by Monfieur Roboton, private fecretary to King George the Your, &c. | firft, printed in quarto at LET |