The method of teaching and studying the belles lettres, or, An introduction to languages, poetry ... &c. Transl

[vi]

Certè, dum Xenophontem fæpiùs verfas, ab illo & ea quæ à te plurimis in locis narrantur, & ipfum ubique narrandi modum videris traxiffe, ftylique Xenophontei nitorem ac venuftam fimplicitatem non imitari tantùm, fed planè affequi: ita ut fi Gallicè fciffet Xenophon, non aliis illum, in eo argumento quod tractas, verbis ufurum, non alio prorsùs more scripturum judicem.

Hæc ego, haud affentandi causâ (quod vitium procul à me abeft) fed verè ex animi fententiâ dico. Cùm enim pulchris à te donis ditatus fim, quibus in eodem, aut in alio quopiam doctrinæ genere referendis imparem me fentio, volui tamen propenfi erga te animi gratique teftimonium proferre, & te aliquo faltem munufculo, etfi perquam diffimili, remunerari.

Perge, vir docte admodum & venerande, de bonis literis, quæ nunc neglectæ paffim & fpreta jacent, benè mereri: perge juventutem Gallicam (quando illi folummodo te utilem effe vis) optimis & præceptis & exemplis informare.

Quod ut facias, annis ætatis tuæ elapfis multos adjiciat Deus! iifque decurrentibus fanum te præftet atque incolumem. Hoc ex animo optat ac vovet

Tui obfervantiffimus

FRANCISCUS ROFFENSIS.

Pranfurum te mecum poft Fefta dixit mihi amicus ille nofter qui tibi vicinus eft. Cùm ftatueris tecum quo die adfuturus es, id illi fignificabis. Me certè annis malifque debilitatum, quandocunque veneris, domi invenies.

6° Kal. Jan. 1731.

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A LET

A LETTER, written by the Right Reverend Dr. FRANCIS ATTERBURY, late Lord Bishop of Rochefter, to Mr. ROLLIN, in commendation of this work.

Reverend and moft Learned Sir,

WHEN I was informed by a friend who lives

near you, that you were returned to Paris, I

refolved to wait on you, as foon as my health would admit. After having been prevented by the gout for fome time, I was in hopes at length of paying my refpects to you at your house, and went thither, but found you not at home. It is incumbent on me therefore to do that in writing, which I could not in perfon, and to return you my acknowledgments for all the favours you have been pleased to confer upon me, of which, I beg you will be affured, that I fhall always retain the moft grateful fenfe.

And indeed I esteem the books you have lately publifhed, as presents of exceeding value, and fuch as do me very great honour. For I have the highest regard, moft excellent Sir, both for you, and for every thing that comes from fo mafterly a hand as yours, in the kind of learning you treat; in which I must believe that you not only excel all other writers, but are at the fame time the beft mafter of speaking and thinking well; and I freely confefs that, though I had applied fome time and pains in cultivating these ftudies, when I read your volumes over and over again, I was inftructed in things by you, of which I was not only entirely ignorant, but feemed to myself to have learnt before. You have therefore too modeft an opinion of your work, when you declare it compofed folely for the inftruction of youth. What you write may undoubtedly be read with pleasure and improvement by perfons not unacquainted in learning of the fame kind. For whilst you call to mind ancient facts and things fufficiently known, you do it in such a manner, that you illufA 4

trate,

trate, you embellish them; ftill adding fomething new to the old, fomething entirely your own to the labours of others by placing good pictures in a good light, you make them appear with unusual elegance and more exalted beauties, even to those who have seen and ftudied them most.

In your frequent correfpondence with Xenophon, you have certainly extracted from him, both what you relate in many places, and every where his very manner of relating; you feem not only to have imitated, but attained the fhining elegance and beautiful fimplicity of that author's ftile: fo that had Xenophon excelled in the French language, in my judgment, he would have ufed no other words, nor wrote in any other method, upon the subject you treat, than you have done.

I do not fay this out of flattery, (which is far from being my vice) but from my real fenfe and opinion. As you have enriched me with your fine prefents, which I know how incapable I am of repaying either in the fame or in any other kind of learning, I was willing to teftify my gratitude and affection for you, and at least to make you some small, though exceedingly unequal, return.

Go on, moft learned and venerable Sir, to deserve well of found literature, which now lies univerfally neglected and despised. Go on, in forming the youth of France (fince you will have their utility to be your fole view) upon the best precepts and examples.

Which that you may effect, may it please God to add many years to your life, and during the course of them to preserve you in health and safety. This is the earnest with and prayer of

Your most obedient Servant,
FRANCIS ROFFEN.

P. S. Our friend, your neighbour, tells me you intend to dine with me after the holidays. When you have fixed upon the day, be pleafed to let him know it. Whenever you come, you will certainly find one fo weak with age and ills as I am at home.

Decemb. 26. 1731.

THE