Epistle XVI. To Euritius.
by
the Same. [Mr. Henley]
[_]
In Praise of his Friend Saturninus.
I was charm'd with Pompeius Saturninus, our Friend, I mean: And was commending his Wit,
before I knew the Variety, the Turn, the Plenty of it: But now I am his compleat Admirer.
I have heard him pleading with Acuteness and Fire, and with equal Politeness and Grace,
either upon Premeditation,
or without it. He abounds in proper Expressions, a weighty and a decent Frame of Discourse,
and Words that are Sounding, and of the antient Standard. This is all wonderfully pleasing,
when it is carried on with a certain Force and Rapidity; and no less pleasing,
when it is more restrain'd. You will come into my Sentiment, when you peruse his Orations;
which you will easily match with any of the Antients, that he aims at Copying.
And yet the same Man will oblige you more in History, by the Brevity,
the Light, the Sweetness, the Splendor, and also by the Sublimity of Speaking.
For there is the same Force in other Popular Discourses, as in Orations;
only it is more close, drawn in, and circumscribed.
Besides, he writes a Verse equal to that of my Friend Catullus,
or Calvus. What Elegance, Taste, Piquancy, Love, does he throw into it! But then,
when he labours upon it, he works out a Number that have something more of the soft,
the light, or the harsh; after the manner again of my Catullus
or Calvus. He read to me lately a few Letters, which he assured me were done by his Spouse,
I thought it was Plautus or Terence in a Prose-Dress.
Whether they be of her Hand, as he avows, or of his, which he denies, it is certain,
or of his, which he denies, it is certain, that he merits the same Approbation for the Make of them,
or the Refining of her,
whom he Married a young Maid, to that Ability. I have him with me all the Day;
and tho' he is still the same, before, or after I write, or when I retain him,
yet he is ever new to me in the Perusal. I would persuade you to do the like;
for it ought to be no disadvantage to his Works, that he is a Living Author.
Shall our Admiration of him, now present, be the less, when if he had been an Antient,
we should have been eager in search, not only of his Books, but the Pictures,
or Statues of him? It is a Mark of a base and an evil Nature, not to admire a Man that is entitled to it,
because we happen to view, to converse with, to hear, to be free with him;
and not only to applaud, but cultivate a Friendship with him.
