loose talk of your society; and believed the design to be only some new folly just suitable to the age, which God knows I little expected ever to produce any thing extraordinary. Since my being in England, having still continued in the country, and much out of company, I had but little advantage of knowing any more, till about two months ago, passing through Oxford, a very learned gentleman first showed me two or three of your volumes, and gave me his account and opinion of you. A while after I came to this place, upon a visit to *****[1] where I have been ever since, and have seen all the four volumes with their supplements; which answering my expectation, the perusal has produced what you find enclosed.
As I have been somewhat inclined to this folly, so I have seldom wanted somebody to flatter me in it. And for the ode enclosed, I have sent it to a person of very great learning and honour, and since to some others, the best of my acquaintance (which I thought very proper, to ensure it for a greater light); and they have all been pleased to tell me, that they are sure it will not be unwelcome, and that I should beg the honour of you to let it be printed before your next volume (which I think is soon to be published); it being so usual before most books of any great value among poets: and before its seeing
- ↑ His great patron sir William Temple.
dated only three days before this to the Athenian Society, we find he had been but seven weeks with sir William. The intermediate time, from the subject of the letter to Mr. Kendal, appears to have been principally passed with his mother at Leicester, from which place he made Oxford in his way to Moor Park.
