Reliquiae Wottonianae, or, A collection of lives, letters, poems with characters of sundry personages : and other incomparable pieces of language and art : also additional letters to several persons, not before printed / by the curious pencil of the ever memorable Sir Henry Wottan ...

To Sir Richard Baker Knight.

SIR,

I Conceive that you have been pleased, out of our ancient friendship, (vvhich was first, and is ever best elemented in an Academy) and not out of any valuation of my poor judgement, to communicate vvith me your Divine Meditations on the Lords Prayer, in some several sheets, vvhich have given me a true taste of the vvhole; vvherein I must needs observe, and much admire the very Character of your Style, vvhich seemeth unto me to have not a little of the African Idea of Saint Au∣gustine's Age, full of sweet Raptures, and of re∣searching Conceits; nothing borrowed, nothing vulgar, and yet all flowing from you (I knovv not hovv) vvith a certain equal facility: So as I see your vvorldly troubles have been but Pressing-Irons to your heavenly cogitations.

Good Sir, let not any modesty of your Nature, let not any obscurity of your Fortune smother such an excellent employment of your Erudition and Zeal: for it is a vvork of Light, and not of Darkness. And thus vvishing you long health, that can use it so vvell, I remain

Your poor Friend to love and serve you, H. WOTTON.