procuring Golius, are deterred from the study of the language. Latin and Greek literature receive more encouragement here: this neither excites my envy nor surprise; but I should be still more reconciled to it, if some small part of this patronage were to overflow upon the Orientalists. Ruhukenius is at work upon Velleius Paterculus, Burman on Propertius, Wyttenbach on Plutarch, Tollius upon the Homeric Lexicon of Apollonius, an edition of which has been published by Villoison in France. The epistles of Phalaris, respecting the author of which your countrymen Boyle and Bentley had such a controversy, will soon be published. Have you seen the very elegant essay of Ruhnkenius, on the Life and Writings of Longinus? Many copies have been sent to England;-if you wish to have one, I will take an opportunity of procuring it for you. In the course of a few weeks, a critical miscellany will appear, and it is intended to publish two or three numbers of it annually. This publication has a double view; to notice the best new books on every subject which relate to learned antiquity, and to introduce occasionally new and unpublished compositions. The authors are unknown, or rather wish to be so; for some of them will certainly be discovered by their superior erudition, and uncommon elegance of style. I am sufficiently acquainted with them to affirm confidently that the work will please you. With some of the persons concerned in it, I am intimately connected, and they have requested me to recommend to them some London bookseller, to whom a few copies may be sent for sale for this purpose, I have thought of Elmsley, who will probably have

no objection to try the success of the work in England, by taking twenty, or even fewer copies. I wish, however, in the first place, to mention the business to you, that Elmsley, or some other, by your interest, may be the more readily induced to undertake it. There is also another favour of more importance, which my friends, through my agency, anxiously hope to obtain from you; the circumstance is this: upon their expressing a wish, that their miscellany should contain extracts from Oriental authors, particularly Persic and Arabic, I recommended to them, as there are but few works of this nature, and still fewer worthy of notice, that they should leave a space for short dissertations, under the head of tracts, or essays, or any other title, by which they may be communicated, as a means of promoting these studies. I promised, for my own part, to contribute some biographical memoirs from Eben Cháli Khán, if they should have nothing better to insert. They approved my advice, and earnestly entreated me to prevail upon you to furnish them with some essays of this kind adding, that they would prove the greatest ornament and recommendation of this part of the work; and that if I really enjoyed your friendship, which I was perpetually asserting, I could not fail of obtaining this favour from you. You see, my friend, to what I have been led, by boasting of your regard for me. I have yielded the more readily to their solicitations, in the hopes of retrieving by it, in some degree, the heavy loss which we sustained in you I therefore most earnestly entreat and beseech you, by your ancient love of the Oriental Muses, who so feelingly and fondly regret you, not

to omit any convenient opportunity of gratifying our wishes. Examine your shelves;-you will find many things ready, and sufficiently perfect for publication. Whatever you send will be most acceptable, and it shall appear in our miscellany with or without your name, as you may think proper. If you have any thing in English, and want time to turn it into Latin, I will readily undertake the translation of it, and submit it to the examination of others who are better scholars than myself, that your reputation may suffer no impeachment from it. Nothing shall be added, omitted, or changed; but it shall appear exactly as you send it to this, if you think it necessary, I will pledge my word. I hope it will not be inconvenient to you to favour me with an early reply to this letter, and I rely upon your obliging acquiescence in our request.

I congratulate you upon your new office, as an introduction to something more honourable and lucrative; and as to the loss of your liberty, I regret it rather on my account, than on yours. No one, not even an Englishman, can object to service for the public good, which is the just recompence of virtue and merit. To me, however, your confinement is grievous; for, if I was disappointed in the expectation of seeing you, when you were your own master, I can scarcely now indulge a distant hope of that pleasure. Do not, however, leave me in despair: you have fifty-nine associates; some interval of leisure may occur; and if it should, do not neglect it; but run over, and make us happy by the enjoyment of your company and conversation. It is not for want of inclination that I do not pay you another visit: the recollection of the pleasure I

had in your society, is so strongly impressed upon me, that I have nothing more anxiously at heart, than to fly over to you with all speed, that I may again enjoy it neither is it want of time that detains me; for my office, which exclusively occupies me for nine months, leaves me at liberty the remaining three. What is it then? I will tell you the truth, nor blush to reveal to my friend, "that, when my purse is heavier, I shall find the journey to you lighter." *

The soil of Oriental literature in Holland, as elsewhere, is barren: it produces only the mere conveniences of life, but no superfluities whatever : I must therefore defer all hope of accomplishing a journey to England, without some unexpected improvement of my circumstances. I shall, however, bear my lot, whatever it may be, with patience. Having mentioned this subject to you, I will add something in which you may essentially serve me. With a view to improving my fortune, and procuring that affluence, which, though it may be dispeused with, is most acceptable to those who possess it, I have determined to undertake the charge of a pupil, to receive him into my house, and superintend his morals and education. I am particularly anxious, however, that he should be of your country, not only because the system of private education is little known or followed here, but because it would be more agreeable to me to part with my liberty to an Englishman (you see how openly I speak), from whom I might expect a more substan

An Arabic proverb, adapted to the situation of the writer.

tial recompence. My paper will not allow me to say much more. Oblige me with a few lines in reply: I am certain you will willingly assist me as far as you can; and you may depend upon the strictest attention, on my part, to any request from you which I can possibly execute. My wife sends her best compliments to your excellent mother and sister. Farewell, my dear Jones; and continue to honour me with your esteem.

H. A. SCHULTENS,

XLVI.

To H. A. Schultens.*

July, 1777. I SHOULD have great pleasure in complying with your kind and friendly request, by furnishing my contribution to the new work which is soon to appear amongst you, and would exert myself for this purpose, but that the absolute want of leisure makes it impossible. My law employments, attendance in the courts, incessant studies, the arrange

* Written in Latin.