A Letter written by the Right Reverend Dr. Francis Atterbury, late Lord Bishop of Rochester, to M. Rollin, in commendation of this Work.

Reverende atque Eruditissime Vir,

Cum, monente amico quodam, qui juxta Ædes tuas habitat, scirem te Parisios revertisse; statui salutatum te ire, ut primÙm per valetudinem liceret. Id officii, ex pedum infirmitate aliquandiu dilatum, cÙm tandem me impleturum sperarem, frustrÀ fui; domi non eras. Restat, ut quod corÀm exequi non potui, scriptis saltem literis prÆstem; tibique ob ea omnia, quibus À te auctus sum, beneficia, grates agam, quas habeo certÈ, et semper habiturus sum, maximas.

ReverÀ munera ilia librorum nuperis À te annis editorum egregia ac perhonorifica mihi visa sunt. Multi enim facio, et te, vir prÆstantissime, et tua omnia quÆcunque in isto literarum genere perpolita sunt; in quo quidem Te cÆteris omnibus ejusmodi scriptoribus facilÈ antecellere, atque esse eundem et dicendi et sentiendi magistrum optimum, prorsÙs existimo; cÙmque in excolendis his studiis aliquantulum ipse et operÆ et temporis posuerim, liberÈ tamen profiteor me, tua cum legam ac relegam, ea edoctum esse À te, non solÙm quÆ nesciebam prorsus, sed etiam quÆ anteÀ didicisse mihi visus sum. ModestÈ itaque nimiÙm de opere tuo sentis, cÙm juventuti tantÙm instituendÆ elaboratum id esse contendis. Ea certÈ scribis, quÆ À viris istiusmodi rerum haud imperitis, cum voluptate et fructu legi possunt. Vetera quidem et satis cognita revocas in memoriam; sed ita revocas, ut illustres, ut ornes; ut aliquid vetustis adjicias quod novum sit, alienis quod omnino tuum: bonasque picturas bon in luce collocando efficis, ut etiam iis, À quibus sÆpissimÈ conspectÆ sunt, elegantiores tamen solito appareant, et placeant magis.

CertÈ, dum Xenophontem sÆpiÙs versas, ab illo et ea quÆ À te plurimis in locis narrantur, et ipsum ubique narrandi modum videris traxisse, stylique Xenophontei nitorem ac venustam simplicitatem non imitari tantÙm, sed planÈ assequi: ita ut si GallicÈ scisset Xenophon, non aliis ilium, in eo argumento quod tractas, verbis usurum, non alio prorsÙs more scripturum judicem.

HÆc ego, haud assentandi causÂ, (quod vitium procul À me abest,) sed verÈ ex animi sententi dico. CÙm enim pulchris À te donis ditatus sim, quibus in eodem, aut in alio quopiam doctrinÆ genere referendis imparem me sentio, volui tamen propensi erga te animi gratique testimonium proferre, et te aliquo saltem munusculo, etsi perquam dissimili, remunerari.

Perge, vir docte admodÙm et venerande, de bonis literis, quÆ nunc neglectÆ passim et spretÆ jacent, benÈ mereri: perge juventatem Gallicam (quando illi solummodÒ te utilem esse vis) optimis et prÆceptis et exemplis informare.

Quod ut facias, annis Ætatis tuÆ elapsis multos adjiciat Deus! iisque decurrentibus sanum te prÆstet atque incolumem. Hoc ex animo optat ac vovet

Tui observantissimus
Franciscus Roffensis.

Pransurum te mecum post festa dixit mihi amicus ille noster qui tibi vicinus est. CÙm statueris tecum quo die adfuturus es, id illi significabis. Me certÈ annis malisque debilitatum, quandocunque veneris, domi invenies.

6° Kal. Jan. 1731.

A Letter written by the Right Reverend Dr. Francis Atterbury, late Lord Bishop of Rochester, to M. Rollin, in commendation of this Work.

Reverend and most Learned Sir,

When I was informed by a friend who lives near you, that you were returned to Paris, I resolved to wait on you, as soon as my health would admit. After having been prevented by the gout for some time, I was in hopes at length of paying my respects to you at your house, and went thither, but found you not at home. It is incumbent on me therefore to do that in writing, which I could not in person, and to return you my acknowledgments for all the favours you have been pleased to confer upon me, of which I beg you will be assured, that I shall always retain the most grateful sense.

And indeed I esteem the books you have lately published, as presents of exceeding value, and such as do me very great honour. For I have the highest regard, most excellent Sir, both for you, and for every thing that comes from so masterly a hand as yours, in the kind of learning you treat; in which I must believe that you not only excel all other writers, but are at the same time the best master of speaking and thinking well; and I freely confess that, though I had applied some time and pains in cultivating these studies, when I read your volumes over and over again, I was instructed in things by you, of which I was not only entirely ignorant, but seemed to myself to have learnt before. You have therefore too modest an opinion of your work, when you declare it composed solely for the instruction of youth. What you write may undoubtedly be read with pleasure and improvement by persons not unacquainted with learning of the same kind. For whilst you call to mind ancient facts and things sufficiently known, you do it in such a manner, that you illustrate, you embellish them; still adding something new to the old, something entirely your own to the labours of others: by placing good pictures in a good light, you make them appear with unusual elegance and more exalted beauties, even to those who have seen and studied them most.

In your frequent correspondence with Xenophon, you have certainly extracted from him, both what you relate in many places, and every where his very manner of relating; you seem not only to have imitated, but attained the shining elegance and beautiful simplicity of that author's style: so that had Xenophon excelled in the French language, in my judgment he would have used no other words, nor written in any other method, upon the subject you treat, than you have done.

I do not say this out of flattery, (which is far from being my vice,) but from my real sentiments and opinion. As you have enriched me with your fine presents, which I know how incapable I am of repaying either in the same or in any other kind of learning, I was willing to testify my gratitude and affection for you, and at least to make you some small, though exceedingly unequal, return.

Go on, most learned and venerable Sir, to deserve well of sound literature, which now lies universally neglected and despised. Go on, in forming the youth of France (since you will have their utility to be your sole view) upon the best precepts and examples.

Which that you may effect, may it please God to add many years to your life, and during the course of them to preserve you in health and safety. This is the earnest wish and prayer of

Your most obedient Servant,
Francis Roffen.

P.S.—Our friend, your neighbour, tells me you intend to dine with me after the holidays. When you have fixed upon the day, be pleased to let him know it. Whenever you come, you will be sure to find one so weak with age and ills as I am, at home.

December 26, 1731.