S', consider how much dearer I pay then you offered it to ye other bookseller; for he might have had to ye end of ye story of Daphnis for 20 guynneas, wu is in yof translation ch And then suppose 20 guyneas more for the same number 759 lines; . 759 lines, 1518 lines; that makes for 40 guyneas. and all that I have for fifty guyneas are but 1446; soe that, if I have noe more, I pay 10 guyneas above 40, and have 72 lines less for fifty, in proportion, than the other bookseller shou'd have had for 40, at y rate you offered him y first part. This is, Sir, what I shall take as a great favour if you please to think of. I had intentions of letting you know this before; but till I had paid y money, I would not ask to see the book, nor count the lines, least it shou'd look like a design of not keeping my word. When you have looked over y rest of what you have already translated, I desire you would send it; and I own y' if you don't think fit to add something more, I must submit: 'tis wholly at yo' choice, for I left it intirely to you; but I believe you cannot imagine I expected soe little; for you were pleased to use me much kindlyer in Juvenall, wch is not reckon'd soe easy to translate as Ovid. S', I humbly beg yo' pardon for this long letter, and upon my word I had rather have yo' good will than any man's alive; and, whatever you are pleased to doe, will alway acknowledge my self, S', Yo' most obliged humble Serv', J. TONSON. LETTER IX. TO MR JACOB TONSON.* MR TONSON, August 30. [1693.] I am much asham'd of my self, that I am so much behind-hand with you in kindness. Above all things I am sensible of your good nature, in bearing me company to this place, wherein, besides the cost, you must needs neglect your own business; but I will endeavour to make you some amends; aud therefore I desire you to command me something for your service. I am sure you thought my Lord Radclyffet wou'd have done something: I ghess'd more truly, that he cou'd not; but I was too far ingag'd to desist, though I was tempted to it by the melancholique prospect I had of it. I have translated six hundred lines of Ovid; but I believe I shall not compasse his 772 lines under nine hundred or more of mine.-This time I cannot write to my wife, because he who is to carry my letter to Oundle, will not stay till I can write another. Pray, Sir, let her know that I am well; and for feare the few damsins shou'd be all gone, desire her to buy me a sieve-full, to preserve whole, and not in masht I intend to come up at least a week before Mi * The author was at this time in Northamptonshire. The original has no date but August 30th; but the year is ascertained by the reference to the third Miscellany, which was published in July 1693. MALONE. To whom the Third Miscellany is dedicated. I fear this ,alludes to some disappointment in the pecuniary compliment. usual on such occasions. See the Dedication, Vol. XII p. 47. This commission will probably remind the reader of the poetic diet recommended by Bayes." If I am to write familiar things, chaelmass; for Sir Matthew† is gone abroad, I suspect a wooeing, and his caleche is gone with him so that I have been but thrice at Tichmarsh, of which you were with me once. This disappointment makes the place wearysome to me, which otherwise wou'd be pleasant. About a fortnight ago I had an intimation from a friend by letter, that one of the secretaryes, I suppose Trenchard, ‡ had informed the queen, that I had abus'd her government (those were the words) in my Epistle to my Lord Radcliffe; and that thereupon she had commanded her historiographer, Rymer, to fall upon my playes; which he assures me is now doeing. I doubt not his malice, from a former hint you gave me; and if he be employ'd, I am confident 'tis of his own seeking; who, you know, has spoken slightly of me in his last critique: § and that gave me occasion to snarl againe. In your next, let me know what you can learn of this as sonnets to Armida, and the like, I make use of stewed prunes only; but, when I have a grand design in hand, I ever take physic, and let blood; for, when you would have pure swiftness of thought, and fiery flights of fancy, you must have a care of the pensive part. In fine, you must purge the belly. Smith. By my troth, Sir, this is a most admirable receipt for writing. Bayes. Aye, 'tis my secret; and, in good earnest, I think one of the best I have." Rehearsal, act i. This is an instance of the minute and malicious diligence, with which the most trivial habits and tastes of our author were ridiculed in the "Rehearsal." + Sir Matthew, with whom Dryden appears to have resided at this time, is unknown. ↑ Sir John Trenchard, who was made one of the secretaries of state March 23, 1691-2, died in office in April 1695. § "A short View of Tragedy," published (as appears from the Gentleman's Journal, by P. Motteux,) in Dec. 1692. The date in the title-page is, 1693. See Vol. XII. p. 45. matter. I am Mr Congreve's true lover, and desire you to tell him, how kindly I take his often remembrances of me: I wish him all prosperity, and hope I shall never loose his affection; nor yours, Sir, as being Your most faithfull, And much obliged Servant, I had all your letters. Sir Matthew had your book when he came home last; and desir'd me to give you his acknowledge ments. LETTER X. MR JOHN DENNIS TO ME DRYDEN. DEAR SIR, You may see already by this presumptuous greeting, that encouragement gives as much assurance to friendship, as it imparts to love. You may see too, that a friend may sometimes proceed to acknowledge affection, by the very same degrees by which a lover declares his passion. This last at first confesses esteem, yet owns no passion but admiration. But as soon as he is animated by one kind expression, his look, his style, and his very soul are altered. But as sovereign beauties know very well, that he who confesses he esteems and admires them, implies that he loves them, or is in * Dennis, the critic, afterwards so unfortunately distinguished by the satire of Pope. Like Rymer, and others, he retained considerable reputation for critical acumen, until he attempted to il lustrate his precepts by his own compositions. clined to love them: a person of Mr Dryden's exalted genius, can discern very well, that when we ́esteem him highly, 'tis respect restrains us, if we say no more. For where great esteem is without affection, 'tis often attended with envy, if not with hate; which passions detract even when they commend, and silence is their highest panegyrick. 'Tis indeed impossible, that I should refuse to love a man, who has so often given me all the pleasure that the most insatiable mind can desire: when at any time I have been dejected by disappointments, or tormented by cruel passions, the recourse to your verses has calm'd my soul, or raised it to transports which made it contemn tranquillity. But though you have so often given me all the pleasure I was able to bear, I have reason to complain of you on this account, that you have confined my delight to a narrower compass. Suckling, Cowley, and Denham, who formerly ravished me in every part of them, now appear tasteless to me in most; and Waller himself, with all his gallantry, and all that adınirable art of his turns, appears three quarters prose to me. Thus 'tis plain, that your Muse has done me an injury; but she has made me amends for it. For she is like those extraordinary women, who, besides the regularity of their charming features, besides their engaging wit, have secret, unaccountable, enchanting graces; which though they have been long and often enjoyed, make them always new and always desirable.-1 return you my hearty thanks for your most obliging letter. I had been very unreasonable, if I had repined that the favour arrived no sooner. 'Tis allowable to grumble at the delaying a payment; but to murmur at the deferring a benefit, is to be impudently ungrateful beforehand. The commendations which you give me, exceedingly sooth my vanity. For |