words crept into the Perfian language, I know not with certainty. Procopius, I think, mentions the great intercourse, both in war and peace, between the Persians and the nations in the north of Europe and Afia, whom the ancients knew by the general name of Scythians. Many learned investigators of antiquity are fully perfuaded, that a very old and almost primæval language was in ufe among these northern nations, from which not only the Celtic dialects, but even the Greek and Latin, are derived; in fact we find πατήρ and μητὴς in Perfian, nor is θυγατήρ fo far removed from dockter, or even ovoμa and nomen from nâm, as to make it ridiculous to fuppofe, that they sprang from the fame root. We must confefs that these refearches are very obfcure and uncertain; and you will allow, not fo agreeable as an ode of Hafez, or an elegy of Amr'alkeis. How happy fhould I be, my dear Prince, if on my return from India, I could vifit Poland, accept the kind invitation of your Highness, and enjoy the promised pleasure of your con verfation and friendship. My My good genius forbids me wholly to despair of that happinefs; and the fperata voluptas fuavis amicitiæ, which enabled Lucretius to endure any toil, and to spend the ftarry nights, as he fays, in contemplation, fhall have a fimilar effect on, &c. WILLIAM JONES. Dr. STUART to Mr. JONES. MY DEAR SIR, Feb. 12, 1779. I beg you to accept my new work, as a mark of my beft obfervance. The fubjects are very important, very curious, and very new, but the materials upon which I was to operate were very imperfect. Indeed, I fear much, that a propriety of intention is all my merit, and from that, I think, I am to draw little glory; for it is common to me with writers who are the weakest and most trifling. Yet, if your eye can trace any evidence in this trifle to oppofe my apprehenfions, I fhall be very happy. All the humility of my doubts will go away. In two refpects, I expofe myself very much to cenfure. I have attacked the nobile officium of the court of feffion; and I have vindicated the freedom of the Scottish government from the mifreprefentations of Dr. Robertson, the historiographer of Scotland. With a thousand people, these things are the greatest of all crimes. It is in England, and not in this country, that I am to find those readers who will be perfectly impartial. I entreat you to accept my moft fincere wishes for your profperity, and that you will believe me, with the most entire respect, my dear Sir, &c. GILB. STUART. Dr. STUART to Mr. JONES. Dr. Stuart presents his beft com pliments to Mr. Jones. I beg to have the pleasure to fubmit to your infpection a fmall Treatife, which I have published a few years ago, as an introduction to an extenfive work on the laws and conftitution of England, which I have long meditated, and have in part executed. If you like my ideas, I fhall account myself extremely fortunate. If they do not ftrike you as of importance and interesting, I fhall think that I have employed my leisure without advantage. Your line of study has led you to enquire into the history of English manners and jurisprudence. The little work which accompanies this note, is perfectly within this line; and as I have the most entire confidence in your penetration and candour, I should be happy to know your opinion of it. I fhould then be in a state to form a refolution, whether I ought to give order and method to the materials I have collected in the view of profecuting a subject, which I may perhaps have undertaken without having properly confulted my forces. You will do me the favour to excufe this trouble. Mr. * C. REVICZKI to Mr. JONES. Warsaw, March 17, 1779. I lately received through your two last learned publica tions; a moft agreeable and convincing proof * Appendix, No. 35. of your affectionate remembrance of me. The fingular erudition with which your works abound, not only delighted mé exceedingly, but almost excited my inclination to resume thofe ftudies which I had almoft forgotten. Prince Adam Czartoryski, who has cultivated Oriental literature not unfuccessfully, had already afforded me an opportunity of perufing your life of Nadir Shah. He particularly pointed out the paffages in the differtation, in which you make fuch honourable mention of me, and for which I am indebted to your partiality alone. I regret the lofs which the republic of letters must suffer from your desertion, and determination to devote yourself to the altar of Themis: but I truft that Melpomenè, under whofe aufpices you were born, will compel you to return to your allegiance. I am heartily tired with a refidence of feven years on the banks of the Vistula: but the termination of the German war will, I hope, restore me to a more pleafing fituation. How much more agreeable would it be to me, if |