which I have not at present, but, tous Chinois qu'ils sont, I shall be able to make them out, when the weather will permit me to sit in the Bodleian. In the mean time, I would advise you to enquire after a native of China, who is now in London. I cannot recollect where he lodges, but shall know when I come to town, which will be to-morrow or Saturday. I shall be at Richardson's till my grammar is finished, unless I can buy a set of chambers in the temple, which I fear will be dif ficult. I will certainly call upon you in a day or two. On one of the Indian pictures, at your house, there was a beautiful copy of Persian verses, which I will beg leave to transcribe, and should be glad to print it, with a translation, in the appendix to my grammar. I have not yet had my Persian proposals engraved, but when you write to your brother, you would much oblige me by desiring him to send me a little Persian manuscript, if he can procure it without much trouble. It is a small poem, which I intend to print; we have six or seven copies of it at Oxford; but if I had one in my possession, it would save me the trouble of transcribing it. I have enclosed its title in Persian and English. I am very glad that your family are well. I wish them joy upon every occasion; my mother and sister desire their compliments to you, and I am, with great regard, Yours, most affectionately, WILLIAM JONES. Mr. Jones to Mr. Hawkins. Nov. 5, 1771. I shall ever gratefully acknowledge, dear Sir, my obligation to you for the trouble you take in inspecting my trifles. Had Dryden and other poets met with such a friend, their poems would have been more polished, and consequently more fit to see the light. Your observations are so judicious, that I wish you had not been so sparing of them. I entirely approve of all your corrections, &c. As to the years, in which the poems were written, they are certainly of no consequence to the public; but (unless it be very absurd) I would wish to specify them; for it would hurt me, as a student at the bar, to have it thought that I continue to apply myself to poetry; and I mean to insinuate that I have given it up for several years, which I must explain more fully in the preface. For a man who wishes to rise in the law must be supposed to have no other object. *C. Reviczki to Mr. Jones. Vienna, Oct. 13, 1771. I have waited nearly twelve months, to no purpose, for an opportunity of sending you my last work, which, at your recommendation, has been published; the politeness of one of the secretaries of the English embassy, who is returning to England, has at last supplied it, by kindly offering to take charge of this production of mine, (unless you will call it yours) and deliver it to you. It is my wish to avail myself of the same opportunity to thank you for your present; but it is not in my power to make you the due acknowledgments; it is sufficient to proclaim your deeds. I admire your wonderful labour and learning, and more particularly your diligence in the triple work, with which you have favoured me; but I blush at the extravagant encomiums which you have bestowed upon me. If you persevere as you have begun, in cultivating Oriental literature, the republic of letters will be greatly obliged to you. I am extremely anxious to know what recompense his Danish majesty, * Appendix, No. 20. or your own sovereign, at his recommendation, has conferred upon your learned labours. I should rejoice to have it in my power to congratulate you, and those who esteem you as much as I do, on your distinguished merit having been honourably rewarded... Farewel. * Mr. Jones to C. Reviczki. Oxford, Dec. 1771. Thirteen months, or rather I may say years, have elapsed, without a line from my friend! I have, however, written to you twice, once and very fully in Latin, last March, and again in July, in a great hurry, in French. These letters contained a detailed account of my occupations and views, of the profession which I had adopted, and of the splendid objects to which I ambitiously looked forward. You have, I trust, received my four books, which Mr. Whitchurch, chaplain to our ambassador, at my request, promised to deliver to you at Vienna. I recommend him to your particular attention, as a young man of an excellent! disposition, and very fond of literature. This will be presented to you by Mr. Drummond, a man of letters, who proceeds to Vienna for the purpose of studying physic. You know that the medical profession is held in the highest estimation with us, and, as Homer says, A wise physician high distinction claims. Your reception of them both will, I hope, do credit to my recommendation. I beg your acceptance also of a little Philippic,† which I wrote against an obscure coxcomb, who had Appendix, No. 21. This letter must have been written before the receipt of the last from Reviczki. ↑ Works, vol. iv. p. 183. the audacity to abuse our university, not with impunity, I trust, if the edge of my discourse have any effect upon the senseless knave. "I have disquieted" (as Cicero say's of his Commentaries) "the French na"tion." How goes on Hafez, our mutual delight? Shall we never see your translation of his charming odes? Tell me, if you like my English version of the second ode:* it has been favourably received by my own countrymen. I should like to translate several more of his odes, but I want leisure. I have not yet found any translator capable of doing justice to your Treatise on the Military. Art of the Turks. All agree that your preface is both learned and elegant; but they urge, as you yourself remark in the introduction, that the book does not correspond with its title, The Principles of the Science of Govern ment. The original of this work in the Turkish language, with many others printed at Constantinople, including a most beautiful copy of the Odes of Mesihi, are deposited in the library of our Royal Society. I beg to be informed if all the works published by Ibrahim, which you so much commend, are to be purchased in Germany, Hungary, or the eastern parts of Turkey; as, in that case, I should wish to procure them. What news from Turkey? no mention of peace? Whenever the war with Russia is at an end, I propose making an open and direct application for the office of minister at Constantinople. At present I can only privately whisper my wishes. The king is very well disposed towards me; so perhaps are the men in power; and the Turkish Company wish much to oblige me. All that I have to apprehénd is the appearance of some powerful competitor, who may drive me off the stage, * Works, vol. ii. p. 244. If I should succeed in my wishes, how shall I bound for joy! First, I shall enjoy your company at Vienna; then I shall drink deep of Asiatic literature; and I shall explore the Turkish manners in their most hidden sources. If I am disappointed, philosophy remains; the bar is open, and I shall not, I trust, want employment; for the harvest of litigation is always abundant. I shall apply to the study of eloquence, to poetry, history, and philosophy; each of which, if properly, cultivated, would occupy a complete life of "Such men as live in these degenerate days." I could say much more, but I yield to the imperious summons (not of Proserpine I hope, but) of the goddess, if there be one, who presides over our tribunals. You may expect longer letters in future from me: and, in the mean time, I hope to hear very fully from you. Farewel, my dear friend. Mr. Jones to Mr. Hawkins. Westminster, Jan. 16, 1772. As I have a frank directed to you, I take the liberty to enclose a letter for my mother, which I beg you be so kind as to send to her. I have nothing at present to say on the subject of my publication, except that you will be so good as to send me the sheets of the essays, under cover, to Mr. Brudenell, lest there should be any thing that may be altered. I entreat you also to criticize my prose, as you have done my verse, and to reprimand me severely, where you find it stiff, forced, or obscure. I forgot to mention another respectable scholar, who saw and approved my poems; I mean the present bishop of St. Asaph, whose learning, to say a great deal, is as extensive as his virtues are amiable. Dr. Warton, of Winchester, is another excellent critic, ୧ |