John Evelyn to the Earl of Sandwich. MY LORD, Sayes-Court, 13 Decemb. 1667. 1 1 could hardly obtain of myself to give your Excellency this trouble, or dare to mingle my impertinencies amongst your public and weighty concerns, till, reflecting on the greatness of your genius, I concluded it would neither be disturbed, nor disdain my humble address, that confident of your communicative nature, I adventured to supplicate your Excellency's favour in behalf of a work of mine upon the Hortulan subject; and in particular, that your Excellency would vouchsafe by the meanest of your servants to give me some short descriptions of the most famous gardens and villas of Spain, and what other singularities of that kind might occur to the adorning of a labour wherein I chiefly pretend to gratify great and illustrious persons, and such as, like your Lordship, are the most worthy to cultivate and enjoy these amenities. The catalogue which I here presume to send your Excellency, and the pains I have already taken to render it no trifling or unuseful speculation, will in some degree commute for this bold address; especially since I could never hope to receive so much light from any but your Excellency, to whom I am confident there can be nothing curious in this argument concealed, how close and reserved soever the Spaniards are. I have heard that there is lately a German at Madrid, who pretends to a successful invention for the setting of corn by a peculiar sort of plough. This, I am sure, cannot have escaped your Excellency; and it will be due to the Royal Society, the history whereof, now at last published here with infinite applause, I doubt not is come to your hands, and that you will judge it worthy the most accurate translation. But, my Lord, I shall leave that to the joint request of the "Which he sent me from Madrid, in Evelyn subjoins this note. nany sheets of paper written in his own hand, together with the Semrador or plough itself, which I gave to the Royal Society, and is decribed in their Transactions,' J. E." Lord Sandwich, it is needless to vid, was at this time our Ambassador to Spain. Society, and accumulate no more to these extravagances of mine, after I have supplicated your Excellency's pardon, who am, May it please your Excellency, your, &c. Sir George Mackenzie to John Evelyn. Edinburgh, 1668 I did, Sir, in my greener years believe that our lofty and more wingy thoughts could not be forced into rhymes or submit to the rules of poetry. But I attribute this partly to the rudeness of my ear, which the storminess of the place where I live fashioned from my infancy to take notice of no sound less loud than winds or thunder, and thus I undervalue poetry as soldiers accustomed to the noise of drum and cannon contemn the softer airs of the viol or lute. But being at last released from this error, I resolved to choose for my essay a theme which (like her for whom the poem was intended) would not look ill in any dress, and in which my duty might excuse my want of wit. This poem being the first fruits of my muse, I have sent to you as to whom it was due, being Apollo's high priest. Your eyes can ripen everything they see, and if there be any lameness in its feet, your touch can miraculously cure it. Your approbation is a sanctuary unto which if these lines can once get they will be secure, nor dare the avenger follow them; and your bays are branches enough to secure them against the heats of envy, though they need, I fear, more the pity than the rage of more exalted heads. I desire rather your assistance than your censure, and I fear as much the one, as they need the other. Pardon the rudeness of this address from Your humble servant, GEO. MACKENZIE. P.S.-If you favour me with a return, direct it to Sir G90. Mackenzie, Advocate, in Edinburgh. Sir Robert Moray to John Evelyn. MY VERY WORTHY FRIEND, Yester, 14th June, 1668. By what telescope you read me at this distance, I do not know; but by your letter of the 13th December, I learnt that you are acquainted with my most illegible parts. I should hardly have suspected it. It seems you conclude me to be a greater master in another sort of philosophy than in that which is the business of the Royal Society; for if you were not confident I can govern the whole brood of my passions, as well, at least, as Banks did his horse, you would not have adventured to stir up so many of the fiercest of them at once. This I incline the rather to believe because I know you value my friendship and would not bend to a flame that might blow it up. Therefore, instead of flying over, like lightning, upon the wanton and tempting language by which you assault my humility and sobriety, my ingenuity and my unconcernedness, exciting me to pride, vanity, ambition, and affectation, I do but smile upon the liberty of your pen, and commend the pretty texture of your ingenious words, and only construct the design of all to be to express quaintly your kindness in desiring I may be where And my return to that is, that were I at my own disposal, I could be as willing as you would have me to confine myself to that little world that goes under the name of Sayes Court, and choose, not covet, the most courted glories of our terrestrial planet, nay, nor envy those that inhabit the noble one that illuminates the rest, if any such people there be and, then, if the two luminaries that keep up a perpetual spring in that rich place did but shine perpetually on such an obscure guest, what sublunary things would be wanting to complete the happiness of, my very much honoured friend, you are. Your faithful humble servant, |