honour and confiftency of fome of our nobility, who, after having given him their countenance and support, fhamefully deferted and betrayed him? If you wish to obtain more accurate information refpecting our laws and customs, I recommend to your perufal Smith's Treatise on the English Conftitution, and the Dialogue of Fortefcue in praise of the Laws of England. Thomas Smith was the English ambaffador in France in the reign of Elizabeth, and his work is in Latin, and not inelegantly written. To Fortefcue's little tract, we may apply the words of Xenophon to the Teleboas; "it is not large, but beautiful." He was Chancellor of England under Henry the Sixth, and was compelled by the diftractions of the times, to take refuge with his pupil Prince Edward in France, where, in an advanced age, he compofed his little golden dialogue. These books will convince you that our laws are framed with the greateft wisdom, and that as Pindar, quoted by Plato in his Gorgias, fays, Sov'reign o'er all, eternal law On Gods and Men imposes awe, When I reflect on our conftitution, I feem as it were to contemplate a game at chefs, a recreation in which we both delight. For we have a king whose dignity we strenuously defend, but whofe power is very limited; the knights, and rooks, and other pieces, have fome kind of resemblance to the orders of nobility, who are employed in war, and in the management of public affairs; but the principal strength is in the pawns, or people; if these are firmly united, they are sure of victory, but if divided and separated, the battle is loft. The motions of all, as in the game of chefs, are regulated by fixed laws: laftly, when I confider myself, I seem like a fpectator, contemplating for his mere amusement the two parties at the game; but if it ever fhould be my lot to be concerned in the administration of affairs, I will renounce gain and popularity, and pursue one object, and one only, to preserve our beautiful conftitution inviolate. Contrary to my intention, I find I have been prolix; I will, therefore, turn to another fubject. I read your last letter with an apprehenfion, that it might communicate the intelligence of your speedy departure from England; but as you are filent on this head, as my bufinefs here will foon be concluded, and as I know the uncertainty of all human affairs, I am determined to embrace an opportunity, which, if I now neglect, may not again occur, of paying you a visit in London about the middle of the month.-Farewel. * Mr. JONES to C. REVICZKI.— I have received your two letters replete with tafte and erudition: your kindness towards me is as confpicuous in them, as the brilliancy of your genius. I now reply to both. Appendix, No. 8. Your approbation of my intention to pub lish my work, gives me, as it ought, great pleafure; for I cannot but rejoice, as Hector in the tragedy says, " in the praise of one, "who is himself entitled to praise." The perufal of the two odes of the divine poet, afforded me infinite delight; they are very beautiful, but their beauties are more confpicuous from your luminous interpretation. Your metrical imitation of them is elegant, and if you will allow me to publish it in my work, you will equally oblige me and my readers, who will be glad to hear the Perfian poet fpeak Latin; if you object to this, copies of them shall be depofited with my treasures, and the originals restored to you as foon as poffible. You bid me return the verses to you when I am tired with them; this is as much as to fay keep them for ever, for it is impoffible that I can ever be tired with the perufal. * Mr. JONES to C. REVICZKI. Oxford, November 1768. I cannot refift the temp tation of writing to you, although I fear you may have quitted this country before my letter arrives. I have received your obliging letter, with an elegant ode of Hafez, which I read with the greatest pleasure, or rather devoured. But what neceffity is there to fay more, fince it is poffible that what I write, may never reach you? Let me, again and again, intreat and befeech your remembrance of me wherever you go, and that you will write to me as speedily, and at as great a length as poffible. Be affured that nothing has, or ever can, afford me greater pleasure than your friendship. * These letters ftrongly mark the enthusiasm of Mr. Jones, and his learned friend Reviczki, for Oriental literature; nor am I surprised to * Appendix, No. 9, |