till another time. But I must also add, that since we are to have nothing but new, I am resolv'd we will have nothing but good, whomever we disoblige. You will have of mine, four Odes of Horace, which I have already translated; another small translation of forty lines from Lucretius; the whole story of Nisus and Eurialus, both in the fifth and the ninth of Virgil's Eneids:" and I care not who translates them beside me, for let him be friend or foe, I will please myself, and not give off in consideration of any man. There will be forty lines more of Virgil in another place, to answer those of Lucretius: I meane those very lines which Montagne has compar'd in those two poets; and Homer shall sleep on for me,-I will not now meddle with him. And for the Act which remains of the Opera,' I believe I shall have no leysure to mind it, after I have done what I proposed: for my business here is to unweary my selfe, after my studyes, not to drudge.

I am very glad you have pay'd Mr. Jones, because he has carry'd him selfe so gentlemanlike to me; and, if ever it lyes in my power, I will requite it. I desire to know whether the Duke's

p. 547. He was much attached to Lord Roscommon, and wrote his Life.

8 As it was determined to insert nothing but what was new in the Second Miscellany, Religio Laici could not be admitted; for it had been published in 1682.

9 These translations accordingly appeared in the SECond MISCELLANY.

1 Probably ALBION and ALBANIUS, which was afterwards completed and ready to be performed in Feb. 1684-5.

House are makeing cloaths and putting things in a readiness for the singing Opera, to be play'd immediately after Michaelmasse. For the actors in the two playes' which are to be acted of mine this winter, I had spoken with Mr. Betterton by chance at the Coffee-house the afternoon before I came away; and I believe that the persons were all agreed on, to be just the same you mention'd; onely Octavia was to be Mrs. Butler, in case Mrs. Cooke were not on the stage: and I know not whether Mrs. Percivall, who is a comedian, will do well for Benzayda.

I came hither for health, and had a kind of hectique feavour for a fortnight of the time: I am now much better. Poore Jack* is not yet recover'd of an intermitting feavour, of which this is the twelfth day; but he mends, and now begins to eat flesh: to add to this, my man with overcare of him, is fallen ill too, of the same distemper; so that I am deep in doctors, 'pothecaries, and nurses: but though many in this country fall sick of feavours, few or none dye. Your friend, Charles, continues well. If you have any extraordinary newes, I should be glad to heare it. I will answer Mr. Butler's letter next week; for it requires no hast, I am Yours, JOHN DRYDEN.

2 I suppose, the Opera of KING ARTHUR, to which ALBION AND ALBANIUS was originally intended to have been a prelude. See vol. ii. p. 164. Both these pieces were performed, at different times, at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset Garden, as it was then denominated; though, from old habit, our author here calls it the Duke's House. 3 ALL FOR LOVE, and THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA, * His second son, + His eldest son.

LETTER VII.

FROM JACOB TONSON TO JOHN DRYDEN, ESQ.

SIR,

[Probably written in Jan. or Feb. 1692-3.]*

I HAVE here returned y Ovid, wh I read wth a great deal of pleasure, and think nothing can be more entertaining; but by this letter you find I am not soe well satisfied as perhaps you might think. I hope at ye same time the matter of fact I lay down in this letter will appear grounds for it, and wch I beg you wou'd concider of; and then Ț believe I shall at least bee excused.

You may please, S', to remember that upon my first proposal about y 3d Missellany, I offer'd fifty pounds, and talk'd of several authours, without naming Ovid. You ask'd if it shou'd not be guynneas, and said I shou'd not repent it; upon wch I imediately comply'd, and left it wholy to you what, and for y' quantity too: and I declare it was the farthest in y° world from my thoughts that by leaving it to you I shoud have the less. Thus the case stood, when you went into Essex. After I came out of Northamptonshire I wrote to you, and reseived a Letter dated Monday Oct. 3a, 92,

4 The THIRD MISCELLANY, to which this letter seems to relate, was published in July, 1693. I suspect, when this letter was written, it had not yet appeared.

from wch letter I now write word for word what

followes :

"I am translating about six hundred lines, or "somewhat less, of ye first book of the Meta"morphoses. If I cannot get my price, weh shall "be twenty guynneas, I will translate the whole "book; wh coming out before the whole transla❝tion will spoyl Tate's undertakings. "Tis one of "the best I have ever made, and very pleasant. "This, wth Heroe and Leander, and the piece of "Homer, (or, if it be not enough, I will add more,) "will make a good part of a Missellany."

Those, S', are ye very words, and ye onely ones in that letter relating to that affair; and ye monday following you came to town.-After your arrivall you shew'd Mr. Motteaux what you had done, (wch he told me was to ye end of ye Story of Daphnis,) [Daphne,] and demanded, as you mention'd in your letter, twenty guyneas, wch that bookseller refus'd. Now, S', I the rather believe there was just soe much done, by reason y number of lines you mention in yo' letter agrees with y quantity of lines that soe much of y' first book makes; we upon counting wch ye Ovid I find to be in y Lattin 566, in ye English 759; and ye Bookseller told me there was noe more demanded of him for it.-Now, S', what I entreat you wou'd please to consider of is this: that it is reasonable for me to expect at least as much favour from you as a strange bookseller; and I will never believe y' it can be in yo' nature to use one ye worse for leaveing it to you; and

if the matter of fact as I state it be true, (and upon my word what I mention I can shew you in yo' letter,) then pray, S', consider how much dearer I pay then you offered it to y* other bookseller; for he might have had to y° end of y Story of Daphnis for 20 guynneas, wch is in yo' translation

And then suppose 20 guyneas more

for the same number

that makes for 40 guyneas

759 lines;

759 lines,

1518 lines:

and all that I have for fifty guyneas are but 1446; soe that, if I have noe more, I pay 10 guyneas above 40, and have 72 lines less for fifty, in proportion, than the other bookseller shou'd have had for 40, at y rate you offered him ye first part. This is, Sir, what I shall take as a great favour if you please to think of. I had intentions of letting you know this before; but till I had paid y° money, I would not ask to see yo book, nor count the lines, least it shou'd look like a design of not keeping my word. When you have looked over y rest of what you have already translated, I desire you would send it; and I own yt if you don't think fit to add something more, I must submit: 'tis wholly at yo' choice, for I left it intirely to you; but I believe you cannot imagine I expected soe little; for you were pleased to use me much kindlyer in Juvenall, wh is not reckon'd soe easy to translate as Ovid. S', I humbly beg yo' pardon for this long letter, and upon my word I had rather have yo' good will than any