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 de Boisrobert. LETTER LI.

SIR, the Muses never favoured man as they doe you; you are the onely man that neede neither retr•…•…ite nor leasure for your meditati∣ons; In the troubles of the world you possesse your spirit in peace, and seeing the bruite of the court diverts not your attention, neither can the Sea and all its waves hinder your com∣positions. It is no small advantage to finde that solitude in ones selfe, which others seeke for in the Desart, and not to bee bound to goe out of the world for setching in of sound opinions and perswasive words. If the merit of yours take place, we shall shortly see at Comaedies as many long Cassocks as short robes, and the most austere Philosophers will have their hands and eyes in the recreations of the people, and so Sir of a mischiefe you shall make a remedy; you shall set timourous spi∣rits at liberty, and shall free us from two ter∣rible monsters, scrupulousnesse, and vitious bashfulnesse. You make mee long to beare a part in this action, and in this sort to defend the Theater; to take the field after you is not so much to fight as to pursue the victory, and I thinke it no wrong to vertue to justifie an innocent pleasure, and that which is onely worthy of her; this we owe to Iason, to Ma∣sinissa,

to Brutus, and to other worthy men, who live at this day in the person of the man you so much commend, and whom I admire as often as I heare. It is certaine that the grace with which he pronounceth verses gives them a degree of goodnesse which the Poets could not. They are more beholding to him that pronounceth them, then to him that made them, and this second father (if I may so speake) purgeth by his adoption all the vices of their birth; the tune of his voyce accompani∣ed with the dignitie of his gestures gives a kind of noblenesse to the most vulgar and base conceits. No soule is so strongly fortified a∣gainst the objects of sence which he forcethnot; No judgement so wary and so well prepared, which is not caught with the imposture of his words in such sort, that if in this world there be any happinesse for verses, it is certainly in his mouth, and in his pronouncing, by which as evill things get the colour of good; so good things get the uttermost of their perfection. Let me know Sir whither I hit right upon your inclinations, and in the meane time I give you many thankes for your many favours, parti∣cularly for the Letter of my Lord you tooke the paines to send me. Hee writes indeede in the stile of a Conquerour, and these words Accepi, legi, probavi, savour much of these, Veni, vidi, vici, of Iulius Caesar, and of these 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of another Caesar that was afterwards. Though I should never receive other marke of his love but this, yet were this

a full recompence for all the passion I owe to his service; yet I must tell you, I cannot for∣get the honour he hath done mee, in procuring me a promise that I shall be payd of——I have done all possibly I could to blot this thought out of my minde, but I confesse unto you that my imaginative part is a little strong. I could never hitherto satisfie my selfe herein, and what bad answer soever I receive from men yet still I relie upon this word of God, who commands me to hope well, and there∣fore I waite still for the accomplishment of the Oracle. All our world is extremely bound un∣to you for remembring it, and I am my selfe more then all the world together,

Sir,

Your, &c.

At Balzac. 3. Aprill, 1635.