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 my Lord Bishop of Nantes. LETTER VII.

SIR, I speake Latin but once a yeare, and yet as seldome as it is, it comes more upon hazard than out of knowledge, and holds lesse of learning than of rapture: vouchsafe there∣fore to take it in good part, that in my setled braines, I answer you in the vulgar tongue, and tell you, that never eares were more attentive, nor more prepard to hearing, than those of our family when I read your Letter before them: they were not satisfied to have onely a literall interpretation, and to make me their Gramma∣•…•…ian, but I must declaime upon it, and make a

Paraphrase as large as a Commentary. If you will know the successe, I can truly say, that all the company was well satisfied; but to tell you all, was even ravished with admiration of your bountie, specially my Niece, who in the grea∣test vanitie, that sexe is capable of, never durst imagine shee should ever have the honour to be praysed in Latin, and should serve for an Argu∣ment of commendation to the greatest Doctor of our age. Shee saith, this is a second obligati∣on you bind her in, to make her a Romane after you have made her your daughter; and to give her so noble a Country, after giving her so wor∣thy a Father. And yet to these two favours, I can adde a third, which shee forgot: methinkes Sir, shee fattens and grows gracefull with these prayses you give her; shee is fayrer by one halfe than shee was before. And if from ver∣tue there issue certaine beames which enlighten the objects that are neere it; and that beautie flowes from goodnesse, as from the Spring, I need not then goe farre to seeke from whence this varnish of her looke, this amiablenesse of her countenance, is growne upon her: It is cer∣tainly your late benediction that hath painted her; and to speake it in the words of the Poet,

Formosam Pater esse dedit, Lumen{que} Juventae Purpureum, & laetos oculis afflârat honores.

I have considered of the Letters whereof you pleased to send me a Copie, and in my judge∣ment, you have all the reason in the world to

rest satisfied with it. They could never have been more in favour of you, if you had endited them your selfe, and our friend himselfe had writ them: if you had been the King, and he the Secretary, if I be not deceived, this stile will bring a cooling upon the joy of—and make them see, they have at least mistaken one word for another, and that the absence of—hath not been a discharge of his authoritie, but one∣ly a breathing from the labours of his charge. I am wrestling still with—and preparing you an after-dinners Recreation, which I will bring my selfe to Burdeaux, if you stay there till the next moneth. In the meane time, since you desire new assurances of my fidelitie, I sweare vnto you, with all the Religion of Oathes, and with all the libertie and sinceritie of the golden age, that I am

Sir,

Your, &c.