infert; has made me vain enough to boast of so great a favour, and to think I have fucceeded beyond my hopes; the character of his excellent judgment, the acuteness of his wit, and his general knowledge of good letters, being known as well to all the world, as the fweetness of his difpofition, his humanity, his eafinefs of accefs, and defire of obliging those who stand in need of his protection, are known to all who have approached him; and to me in particular, who have formerly had the honour of his converfation. Whoever has given the world the tranflation of part of the third Georgic,. which he calls "The Power of Love," has put me to fufficient pains to make my own not inferior to his as my Lord Rofcommon's Silenus had formerly given me the fame trouble. The most ingenious Mr. Addison, of Oxford, has also been as troublesome to me as the other two, and on the fame account. After his bees, my latter Mr. Cowley's warm is fcarcely worth the hiving. Praise of a Country Life" is excellent; but is rather an imitation of Virgil, than a verfion. That I have recovered in fome meafure the health which had lost by too much application to this work, is owing, next to God's mercy, to the skill and care of Dr. Guibbons and Dr. Hobbs, the two ornaments of their profeffion; whom I can only pay by this acknowledgment. The whole faculty has always been ready to oblige me and the only one of them, who endeavoured to defame me, had it not in his Rower *.. *Sir Richard Blackmore. TRANS C то тн Е RIGHT HONOURABLE HAR LE S EARL of DORSET and MIDDLESEX, Lord Chamberlain of his Majefty's Houfhold, Knight of the Moft Noble Order of the Garter, &c. MY LORD, TH ap HE wishes and defires of all good men, which have attended your Lordship from your first pearance in the world, are at length accomplished, in your obtaining those honours and dignities, which you have fo long deferved. There are no factions, though irreconcileable to one another, that are not 'united in their affection to you, and the respect they pay you. They are equally pleased in your profperity, and would be equally concerned in your affliction. Titus VefpaLan was not more the delight of human-kind. The univerfal empire made him only more known, and more powerful, but could not make him more beloved. He had greater ability of doing good, but your inclination to it is not lefs: and though you could not extend your beneficence to fo many perfons, yet you have loft as few days as that excellent emperor, and never had his complaint to make when you went to bed, that the fun had fhone upon you in vain, when you had the opportunity of relieving fome unhappy man. This, my Lord, has juftly acquired you as many friends as there are perfons who have the honour to be known to you: mere acquaintance you have none; you have drawn them all into a nearer line; and they who have converfed with you are for ever after inviolably yours, This is a truth fo generally acknowledged, that it needs no proof: it is of the nature of a first principle, which is received as foon as it is propofed; and needs not the reformation which Defcartes used to his: for we doubt not, neither can we properly fay, we think we admire and love you, above all other men: there is a certainty in the propofition, and we know it. With the fame affurance can I fay, you neither have enemies, nor can scarce have any; for they who have never heard of you, can neither love or hate you; and they who have, can have no other notion of you, than that which they receive from the public, that you are the best of men. After this, my teftimony can be of no farther ufe, than to declare it to be day-light at highnoon: and all who have the benefit of fight, can look up as well, and fee the fun. It is true, I have one privilege which is almoft particular to myself, that I faw you in the east at your first arifing above the hemifphere: I was as foon fenfible as any man of that light, when it was but juft fhooting out, and beginning to travel upward to the meridian. I made my early addreffes to your Lordfhip, |