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

Another to him. LETTER XXXIII.

SIR, my deare Cousin, the beginning of your Letter had frighted mee, and I was taking Alarum at these words of death and Physitians, but I recovered my spirits when I saw the first had failed of his blow, and that you use not the other but to strengthen you in an estate they have already put you; such dayes as this will prove more healthfull to you then all their Drugges, and the sweetnesse which begins to spring from the puritie of the Elements is the onely medicine that heales without corrupting, and cleanseth without fretting. For my selfe I thinke not of dying when I have once gotten March over my head, and me thinkes I finde my selfe renewed at the onely smelling of the Violets. I make use of them to more then one service, they serve me for Broaths as well as for Nosegayes. I cannot bee perswaded that cold purgeth the Ayre, or drives away sicknesse; and I am glad at heart to heare the Duke of Feria is dead of the Pur∣ples in the moneth of Ianuary, and that in Ger∣many. At least this will justifie the Summer and the hot Countries, and will serve us for a proofe against—when according to his custome he will pleade our adversaries cause. I am more happy then I thought I was; seeing

you assure me that I am sometimes the subject of your conferences; and though in this you run the hazard of being in the number of those Oratours who were blamed for making ill choyse of their subjects; yet pardon mee if I account the testimony of your remembring me, more deare unto mee then the glory of your well speaking; and if I like rather you should talke of my idlenesse and of my walkes, then to discourse of publicke affaires or voyages of Princes. I regard not the estimation of the peo∣ple, I would give a great deale to buy out that with which I have gotten it; but there are certaine friendships upon which onely I relie, and to be razed out of all accounts in the state would be lesse grievous to me then to be blot∣ted out of your memory. Continue therefore these conferences which are so pleasing to mee, and of which I am in spirit a partaker, or ra∣ther deny me not these consolations which are so sweete unto mee, and whose effect I feele a hundred miles off. I cannot dissemble the neede I have of you, I could not live if you did not love me, but withall you could not love a man who is more passionately then I am,

Sir,

Your, &c.

At Balzac. 22. Febru. 1634.