I condole with you on your journey, am glad Miss Montagu is in better health, and am yours sincerely.

105 Letter 42 To The Rev. Joseph Spence.(250) Arlington Street, June 3, 1751.

Dear sir, I have translated the lines, and send them to you; but the expressive conciseness and beauty of the original, and my disuse of turning 106 verses, made it so difficult, that I beg they may be of no other use than that of showing you how readily I complied with your request.

“Illam, quicquid agit, quoquo vestilia vertit, Componit furtim subsequiturque decor.”

“If she but moves or looks, her step, her face, By stealth adopt unmeditated grace.”

There are twenty little literal variations that may be made, and are of no consequence, as ‘move’ or ‘look’; ‘air’ instead of ‘step’, and ‘adopts’ instead of ‘adopt’:  I don’t know even whether I would not read ‘steal and adopt’, instead of ’by stealth adopt’.  But none of these changes will make the copy half so pretty as the original.  But what signifies that?  I am not obliged to be a poet because Tibullus was one; nor is it just now that I have discovered I am not.  Adieu!

(250) Now first collated.  See Singer’s edition of Spence’s Anecdotes, p. 349.-E.

106 Letter 43 To George Montagu, Esq.  Arlington Street, June 13, 1751.

You have told me that it is charity to write you news into Kent; but what if my news should shock you!  Won’t it rather be an act of cruelty to tell you, your relation, Sandwich,(251) is immediately to be removed; and that the Duke of Bedford and all the Gowers will resign to attend him?  Not quite all the Gowers, for the Earl himself keeps the privy-seal and plays on at brag, with Lady Catherine Pelham, to the great satisfaction of the Staffordshire Jacobites, who desire, at least expect, no better diversion than a division in that house.  Lord Trentham does resign.  Lord Hartington is to be master of the horse, and called up to the House of Peers.  Lord Granville is to be president; if he should resent any former resignations and insist on victims, will Lord Hartington assure the menaced that they shall not be sacrificed?

I hear your friend Lord North is wedded:  somebody said it is very hot weather to marry so fat a bride; George Selwyn replied, “Oh! she was kept in ice for three days before.”

The first volume of Spenser is published with prints, designed by Kent; but the most execrable performance you ever beheld.  The graving not worse than the drawing; awkward knights, scrambling Unas, hills tumbling down themselves, no variety Of prospect and three or four perpetual spruce firs.