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SIR, the small service you desired of me is not worth considering, but onely for the great thankes I have received for it; I had al∣together forgot it when I received your Let∣ter, which makes mee yet forget it more in making m•…•… •…•…o remember it. You have words that change things, and in your Language a•…•… impuissant willingnesse i•…•… •…•…n immortall obli∣gation.
If you make so great account of good desires, I merveile what price you set upon good deeds; and if you thus bestow your com∣pliments without necessitie, I feare you, will want them when you have neede; you should goe more reserveldy to worke, and retaine more providence for the future. A man may be a good husband, and yet not bee covetous; and seeing limits and bounds are fit in all cases, they cannot bee unfit in the case of courtesie: Thinke not therefore Sir, that herein you have done an act of acknowledgement, you have gone farre beyond the bounds of this ver∣tue. If there be a vice opposite to ungratefulnes, your too great officiousnesse hath made you fall into it, and by the excesse you have avoided the defect. The interests of M. the Cardinall Bentivoglio have no neede of recommending, but amongst people that are not yet Civilized; that which concernes his honour, is no matter of indifferencie to them that know his vertue, and they that know it not are no better then Barbarians. If to doe him service I had not run whither you prayed me to goe, and if I had not required an absolute suppression of that discourse, whereof you required onely but a sweetning; I had performed my duty but very weakely, and had deserved blame in that for which you praise me. Though his name were not resplendent in history, nor his dignitie in the Church, yet he should have I•…•…stre enough in his very stile and writings, and though he were not a grandchild of Kings,
and a Senatour of the whole earth; yet I finde something in him more worth then all that: I consider him without his Purple, and deve∣sted of all externall ornaments; regarding onely those that are naturall to him; and which would make him most illustrious, though hee had but a blacke cap on his head, and most emi∣nent, though he were but a private man. These are advantages hee hath over other men, and which hee communicates to this age of the world, goods that hee possesseth and I enjoy. For I vow unto you that in this sad place whi∣ther my owne humour hath miss-led me; and where there is no talke but of Suits and quar∣rells; I should not know in the world how to passe my time; if I had not brought his booke along with me. This hath beene the compa∣nion of my voyage, and is now the comforter of my Exile, and after I am dulled with a deale of troublesome discourse, and have my eares filled with idle chat, I goe and purifie my selfe in his delicate relations; and gather my spirits together, which the noyse and clatter had before dispersed. I never saw in so sober and chast a stile, so much fulnesse and delight; if nature herselfe would speake, shee could never make choyse of more proper termes then those he useth; and where proper termes faile, shee could never more discreetly borrow forreigne then he doth. The Character of his phrase is so noble, that by this onely, without any other signes I should easily know hee is come of a good house; and I see that fortune
which hath beene so great an enemy of his blood, and hath done so much hurt to his an∣cestors, hath not yet beene able to take from him the marke of their greatnesse, nor the man∣ners and language of a Prince. At your de∣parture from thence you gave me thankes for loving qualities that are so lovely, and that making profession of Letters, I am put in pas∣sion for him who preserves their honour, and who in his country is the Crowne and glory of our Muses; as often as there is question for his service I shall neede no second considera∣tion to put mee in heate about it; I tell you plainely, I shall doe it no whit the more for any love of you, I intreate you to provide some occasion apart from all interests of his, where you may see the extraordinary account I make of your merits, and the desire I have to manifest unto you that I am,
Sir,
Your, &c.
At Balzac 3. of Octob 1631.