now laid especially at the Presbyterian door, and discoursed it accordingly, in a missive to the Countess Dowager of Devonshire. When that is abroad, I mean to present one to Mr. Thurland; and send a letter with it. I thank you for your Lucretius. I wished it with me sooner: for, in my letter to the Countess of Devonshire, I quote some things out of Lucretius, which for her sake I was forced to English in very bad verse, because I had not your version by me to make use of it. Royston hath not yet sent it me down, but I have sent for it: and though it be no kindness to you to read it for its own sake, and for the worthiness of the work; because it deserves more; yet, when I tell you that I shall, besides the worth of the thing, value it for the worthy author's sake, I intend to represent to you, not only the esteem I have of your worthiness, but the love also I do and ever shall bear to your person. Dear Sir, I am in some little disorder by reason of the death of a little child of mine, a boy that lately made us very glad: but now he rejoices in his little orb, while we think, and sigh, and long to be as safe as he is. Sir, when your Lucretius comes into my hands, I shall be able to give you a better account of it. In the meantime I pray for blessings to you and your dear and excellent lady: and am, Dear Sir, Your most affectionate and endeared JER. TAYLOR. Dr. Thomas Triplet to John Evelyn. London, 7th August, 1656. my letter came to SIR, I might doubt a little whether your hands, but I had not the least jealousy of your friendly care in case you received it. I thank you I have now an account of it, having spoken yesterday myself with the major, and was civilly received by him. I am heartily sorry that neither you nor your brother Richard were at our Rendezvous at Bexhill, that my Lord might have seen such a pair-royal of brothers as I believe is not again to be found in the nation for loving one another and loving one another's friends, which I am sure I am concerned in, and most gratefully acknowledge to all, and to you particularly, as Sir, Your humble bounden, T. TRIPLET. Dr. John Wilkins' to John Evelyn. HONOURED SIR, Wadham College, Oxford, 16th August, 1656. I am very sensible that I have reason to be ashamed that I have no sooner returned my acknowledgment for the favour of your book, in which I have not observed any such erratas as you complain of, nor can I think you have any reason to suspect the imputation of such mistakes to yourself. I am very sure all that know you must be zealous to vindicate you. For that unusual way of the combs in the hive, it may sometimes so happen, and hath done so with me, though according to the usual course they are built edgewise from the place of their entrance. A window in the side hath this inconvenience in it, that in hot weather when the bees are apt to be busy and angry, a man cannot so safely make use of it. There are several means prescribed by Mr. Rutler in his book of Bees to force such as lay out to rise or keep within, to which I shall refer you; and have no more at present but the presentation of my most hearty thanks for all your noble favours, and my most humble service to your lady. I am, Sir, Your true Honour and humble servant, Jeremy Taylor to John Evelyn. HONOURED AND DEAR SIR, 9ber 15, 1656. In the midst of all the discouragements which I meet withal in an ignorant and obstinate age, it is a great 1 See Diary, vol. i. pp. 305, 306. 2 Dr. Triplet, the writer of the preceding letter, had undertaken in Evelyn's absence to correct the proof-sheets of the translated book of Lucretius, and seems to have performed the task very negligently.-Seo Diary, vol. i. p. 330. comfort to me, and I receive new degrees of confidence when I find that yourself, and such other ingenious and learned persons as yourself, are not only patient of truth, and love it better than prejudice and prepossession, but are so ingenuous as to dare to own it in despite of the contradictory voices of error and unjust partiality. I have lately received from a learned person beyond sea, certain extracts of the Eastern and Southern Antiquities, which very much confirm my opinion and doctrine : for the learned man was pleased to express great pleasure in the reasonableness of it, and my discourses concerning it. Sir, I could not but smile at my own weaknesses, and very much love the great candour and sweetness of your nature, that you were pleased to endure my English poetry; but I could not be removed from my certain knowledge of my own greatest weaknesses in it. But if I could have had your Lucretius when I had occasion to use those extractions out of it, I should never have asked any man's pardon for my weak version of them: for I would have used none but yours; and then I had been beyond censure, and could not have needed a pardon. But, Sir, the last papers of mine have a fate like your Lucretius ;-I mean so many erratas made by the printers, that, because I had not any confidence by the matter of my discourse and the well-handling it, as you had by the happy reddition of your Lucretius, I have reason to beg your pardon for the imperfection of the but I hope the printer will make amends in my Rule of Conscience, which I find hitherto he does with more care. But, Sir, give me leave to ask, why you will suffer yourself to be discouraged in the finishing Lucretius: they who can receive hurt by the fourth book, understand the Latin of it; and I hope they who will be delighted with your English, will also be secured by your learned and pious annotations which I am sure you will give us along with your rich version. Sir, I humbly desire my services and great regards to be presented by you to worthy Mr. Thurland: and that you will not fail to remember me when you are upon your knees. I am very desirous to receive the Dies ira, Dies illa, and if translation; have not yet found it, upon notice of it from you I will transmit a copy of it. pray God continue your health and his blessings to you of your you copy: Sir, I and your dear lady and pretty babies: for which I am Your most affectionate and endeared servant, [Evelyn, with reference to his friend's advice as to the finishing of Lucretius, has written on this letter in pencil: "I would be none of ye Ingeniosi malo publico.”] Jeremy Taylor to John Evelyn. HONOURED AND DEAR SIR, November 21, 1656. Not long after my coming from my prison (Chepstow) I met with your kind and friendly letters, of which I was very glad, not only because they were a testimony of your kindness and affections to me, but that they gave me most welcome account of your health, and (which now-adays is a great matter) of your liberty, and of that progression in piety in which I do really rejoice. But there could not be given to me a greater and more persuasive testimony of the reality of your piety and care than that you pass to greater degrees of caution and the love of God. It is the work of your life, and I perceive you betake yourself heartily to it. The God of heaven and earth prosper you and accept you! I am well pleased that you have read over my last book; and give God thanks that I have reason to believe that it is accepted by God, and by some good men. As for the censure of unconsenting persons, I expected it, and hope that themselves will be their own reprovers; and truth will be assisted by God, and shall prevail, when all noises and prejudices shall be ashamed. My comfort is, that I have the honour to be the advocate for God's justice and goodness, and that the consequent of my doctrine is, that men may speak honour of God and meanly of themselves. I have also, this last week, sent up some papers in which I make it appear that the doctrine which I now have published was taught by the fathers within the first 400 years; and have vindicated it both from novelty and singularity. I have also prepared some other papers concerning this ques But tion, which I once had some thoughts to have published. Your most affectionate friend and servant, John Evelyn to his brother G. Evelyn.1 DEAR BRO : Says-Court, 15 Decemb. 1656. I am so deeply sensible of the affliction which presses you, that I cannot forbear to let you understand how great a share I have in the loss, and how reciprocal it is to us. For your part, I consider that your sex and your knowledge do better fortify you against the common calamities and vicissitudes of these sublunary things: so that precepts to you were but impertinencies: though I also find, that the physician himself has sometimes need of the physician; and that to condole and to counsel those who want nothing to support them but their own virtue, is to relieve them of a considerable part of their affliction: But the fear which I have that the tenderness of so indulgent a mother's affection (as is that of my dear lady) may insensibly transgress its bounds, to so huge a prejudice as we should all receive by it (if her immoderate grief should continue,)— makes me choose rather, being absent, to contribute what aids I can towards its remedy, than, being present, to renew her sorrows by such expressions of resentment as of course use to fall from friends, but can add little to the cure, because but compliment. Nor do I hereby ex 1 On the death of his son Richard. George was Evelyn's eldest brother. |