Nevv epistles of Mounsieur de Balzac. Translated out of French into English, by Sr. Richard Baker Knight. Being the second and third volumes

To Mounsieur Maynard. LETTER. XXX.

SIR, that sorrow is happie which hath you for a comforter. I finde more contentment in your compassionating me, then I finde affliction in others persecuting mee: and I am farre from wishing ill to an age, to which I am beholding for so excellent a friend. In this re∣spect I easily pardon it, the wrong you say, it hath done me; and should be more unjust than it selfe is; if being beholding to it for a trea∣sure; I should thinke much to partake of its iron and rust. It is not now onely that opinion governes the world; there hath beene dispu∣ting against Reason in all ages. Contentions and Heresies have ever beene, and the truth it selfe was not beleeved, when it came into the world in person and would have spoken. I seeke not the favour of the multitude, it is seldome gotten by honest and lawfull meanes; and in that Enchanters have advantage over Prophets. I seeke the testimonie of few; I number not voyces but weigh them: and to shew what I am, one honest man is Theater enough. Therefore never trouble your selfe that things have befallen me as I made account they would, and never aske for reason of the vulgar who have it not. Ignorance can never be just, nor goe right in the darke: Alarums

are given, and surprizes are made by the favour of night: this is the time of murthers and rob∣beries, shee the mother of dreames and phan∣tasmes. Your selfe have had your part in this experience as well as others. And at this very time I am talking with you, it may be you are accused by some for being a miscreant, for not beleeving that Saint Gregory made prayers to God for Trajans soule; or that Saint Paul was ever a bosome friend of Seneca. It may be you are called Haguenot for doubting the infallibili∣tie of Philarchus, and denying some of his mi∣racles. It may be you are charged with seeking in vaine to perswade a Master of Art, that Ari∣stotle had as much learning as Ramus; and that Ciceroes stile is as good as that of Lipsius. What shall I say more? It may be your deare and well beloved Martiall puts you to more paines to defend him than to imitate him: some Scholler of Muret maintaine boldly against you, that hee is a beastly Buffon; and perhaps the contrary will not be beleeved upon your bare word.

Forsitan & stupidas bona carmīna perdis ad aures.

It is fit to laugh at such disorder, and not to grow in choler; and if you will make a Satyre of it, that it be of the Charocter of Horace, and not of Iuvenal. I cannot abide victories that are cruell; I aske mercy for my enemies, and love that my revenges should be imperfit, and that your Penne should not be bloody, as indeede it could not be, but of a base obscure

blood, and to put you into a quarrell unworthy of you, I make too great a reckoning of your valour, and am too much,

Sir,

Your, &c.

From Balzac, 20. March 1632.