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SIR, you are a man of yourword, and some∣thing more. You promise•…•… lesse than you performe, having undertaken to furnish me but with Gazets; you extend your largesse to large volumes of Bookes. This Jonnius, whose Verses you sent me is no ordinary man. The boldnesse, and beautie of his phrase, comes ve∣ri neare the greatnesse and magnificence of
Horace. Hee chuseth and placeth his words with the same precisenesse, and care; he speakes alwayes loftily, and if in all things there be bounds and limits; hee sometimes seemes to goe beyond them. For example, upon the Canonization of Ignatius, made by Pope Gre∣gory the fifteenth;
A Pagan Poet could have said no more of the deifying of Iulius Cesar, yet in saying so much, he should have said too much: there being great difference betweene consecrating the memory of a mortall man, or the giving him a Divinitie, between the declaring, or the making a God; between being Augustus, or being Iupiter. I know not also, why speaking of Protestant Ministers; he stands so punctually to descant up∣on the word, which of all cōceits is the poorest;
I should thinke, that this descanting, makēs not much for the honour of Princes chiefe counsellours; and it seemes, the Poet in this place, forgot M. the Cardinall; who guides the publike fortune and governs the world under this name of Minister. There is no great recko∣ning to be made, no great matter to be built up∣on three or foure little syllables, which signifie
nothing, but what custome, without any reason pleaseth, & are of no more value than use gives them. This word Vates, is taken sometimes for a foole, sometimes for a sor•…•…erer, sometimes for a Prophet: and the word Prophet it selfe, is some∣times taken for a Juggler; witnesse the Greek; Proverbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Will you upon this goe raile upon Prophets, and send them with their name to the Grave, or shut them up Dans le petites maisas? and yet further to en∣deere this subtilty of Ionicus, you may say that Ministers at all times have beene enemies of Christ, and prove it by this, because a Mini∣ster was one of those that stroke him on the face in presence of the high Priest; as it is sayd, U•…•…us ex Ministris Caiphae, &c. The ground upon which such Figures are built is so weake and ruinous, that there is no meanes to make it stand firme: our adversaries may make use of it as well as wee, and to be even with you for your Text of the Minister of Caiphas, they will I doubt not bring you another Text where our Saviour himselfe is sayd to be a Minister, come to execute in the world the decrees of him that sent him, and to doe the eternall will of his Father. This is called triumphing for syllables and words, and running after Phantasmes. If the antient Rome had used to play in this fa∣shion, Bishops called by them Pontifices would have beene but makers or Bridges, nor Dicta∣tors any more then Schoolemasters. Poc•…•…e Brutus would have beene the Butt for all the arrowes of his time. The Assinu, the Porc•…•…
the Beshie would not have had one day of rest, they would have beene forced to get them∣selves adopted into some other Families, and to change their names, thereby to save them∣selves from the opprobrious Figures of Ora∣teurs and Poets. I meant to have written but two or three lines, and I am come to the bot∣tome of my Paper; this is the pleasure to bee talking with you that deceives mee thus, and makes me thinke that we are walking together and conferring about our Bookes and Studies. After all that hath beene sayd, I conclude that your Poet is a great Lyricke Poet, and would have had a Pension of Augustus, and have sate at Table with Mecoenas. I bid you good night, and am,
Sir,
Your, &c.
At Balzac 10. Febru. 1631.