dare call my friend, as I hope you will believe, on the other hand, that I am

Yours fincerely, and without reserve,

J. H.

LETTER IV.

Mr. HUGHES to Mr. SAMUEL SAY *.

DEAR MR. SAY,

London, Nov. 6, 1697.

I MUST confefs that I took it fomewhat unkindly to be fo long neglected by an in

* This gentleman, (then refident at Lyminge in Kent,) after having been some years pastor of a diffenting congregation at Ipswich, fucceeded Dr. Calamy in Westminster, in the year 1733. Soon after his death, which happened April 12, 1743, several of his poems, and two effays in profe, were published in one volume quarto, by fubfcription. The latter, one of which is "on the harmony, variety, and power "of numbers in general," and the other " on those "of Paradife Loft in particular," have been much admired by perfons of tafte and judgment. His only daughter is married to Mr. Toms, a diffenting minifter at Hadleigh in Suffolk.

D2

timate

timate friend, and one for whom I always had a more than ordinary esteem; but it is not fo enormous a crime but I can pardon you on condition that you will ftand bound to your good behaviour for the future. And now perhaps by the date of mine you will think that I defign to be even with you; I hope that conjecture will vanish, when I tell you that I came laft week out of the country. But, ceremony apart, I give you my hearty thanks for your ingenious paraphrase, in which you have fo generously rescued the noble pfalmift out of the butcherly hands of Hopkins and Sternhold. Yet at the fame time you have drawn a bill upon me, which I fear I must be forced to pay as they do exchequer-notes, that is, at fo much discount. However, I hope I have do with a merciful creditor, who will be willing to compound the debt; and for the coin, I affure you 'tis the very choiceft of my bags. To leave this metaphorical strain, you have here fomething in imitation of

to

• Horace, book 1, ode 22. See it in Mr. Hughes's poems," " vol. i, p. 113.

an

an author with whom I am endeavouring daily to grow more acquainted; and I cannot, without ingratitude, omit this occafion of owning, that, if I have yet attained any true taste of him, it is in a great measure owing to your judicious conversation, of which I am now fo unhappily deprived. Such as it is, the ode is yours, for I tranflated it purposely for your fake, and I have had such a respect to your judgment, that I have omitted no care to make it as perfect as I am able, and I am fure you cannot in reafon expect more from me. I should be very glad if in your next you will tell me the faults I have committed, for it is the first time I have attempted the Pindarical way. Miftake not this for a compliment, for as you are one on whofe judgment I can rely, fo I declare to you that you cannot do me a more friendly office. Amalafont* is not yet upon the ftage, but I fuppofe will be this winter; I am glad you continue to

Queen of the Goths, a tragedy, ftill in many fcript, written by Mr.Hughes, at the age of 19.

think fo favourably of it, I mean with refpect to its morals, for I am clearly of Monf. Rapin's opinion, that "the reputa❝tion of being an honeft man is to be pre"ferred to that of a good poet." I am, Sir, your real friend

and humble fervant,

J. HUGHES.

*LETTER V.

Mr. SAY to Mr. HUGHES.
On the publication of the "Court of

DEAR SIR,

"Neptune"*.

Jan. 11, 1699.

I AM pleased to find that you always

make choice of worthy objects for your

after

This poem, which is addressed to Charles Montagu, efq; (afterwards lord Halifax,) was written on king William's return from Holland two years the peace of Ryfwick. Though it was, at the time, much admired for the verfification, the mufical flow

of

mufe, and take it as an omen of something greater to follow. Virgil, in his Bucolics, preluded to his Æneid, and firft fung the praises of Auguftus in eclogues, or copies of verses, before he attempted an heroic poem. I am fatisfied by this fpecimen, that you will never defcend into the rank of those little fouls, who make it their bufinefs only to please, and have no other way to do that, but by flattering men in their vices and immoralities. Virtue, I am fure, is most for the interest of mankind, and those poets have ever obtained the most honour in the world, who have made that the end and defign of their works. A wanton Sappho, or Anacreon, among the ancients, never had the fame applaufe as a Pindar or Alcæus; nor, in the judgment of Horace, did they deferve it. In the opinion of all pofterity, a lewd and debauched Ovid did juftly fubmit to the

of the numbers is its least praise ; it rather deserves to be valued for the propriety and boldness of the fgures and metaphors, and the delightful machinery.

Preface to Mr. Hughes's "poems,” p. vi.

worth