Ch. What is to be done now?

Au. Now we must proceed to Translations, Similitudes and Examples.

There is a Translation in these.

I have received your Letters, which were sweet as Honey.  Your Writings seem to be nothing but meer Delight.  Your Letters are a meer Pleasure; and a great many of the like Kinds.  “But Care is to be taken not to make Use of harder Translations; such as this that follows,

      Jupiter hybernas cana nive conspuit Alpes.

such as this is.”  The Suppers of thy Writings have refreshed me with most delicious Banquets.

A Comparison by Simile.

Thy Writings have been sweeter than either Ambrosia or Nectar.  Thy Letters have been sweeter to me than any Honey.  Your kind Letter has excell’d even Liquorish, Locusts, and Attic Honey, and Sugar; nay, even the Nectar and Ambrosia of the Gods.  “And here, whatsoever is ennobled with Sweetness, may be brought into the Comparison.”

From Examples.

I will never be induc’d to believe, that Hero receiv’d the Letters of her Leander, either with greater Pleasure, or more Kisses, than I received yours.  I can scarce believe that Scipio, for the Overthrow of Carthage, or Paulus AEmylius, for the taking of Perseus, ever triumphed more magnificently than I did, when the Post-man gave me your most charming Letter.  “There are a thousand Things of this Nature, that may be found in Poets and Historians.  Likewise Similitudes are borrow’d from Natural Philosophy; the Nature of a great many of which, it is necessary to keep in Memory.  Now if you please, we will try in another Sentence.”

I will never forget you while I live.

I will always remember you, as long as I live.  Forgetfulness of you, shall never seize me as long as I live.  I will leave off to live, before I will to remember you.

By Comparisons.

If the Body can get rid of its Shadow, then this Mind of mine may forget you.  The River Lethe itself shall never be able to wash away your Memory.

“Besides, by an Impossibility, or after the Manner of Poets by contraries.

      Dum juga montis aper, fluvios dum piscis amabit. 
      Ante leves ergo pastentur in athere cervi.

which is no hard Matter to invent.”  But lest I should seem tedious, at the present let these suffice:  At another Time, if you please, we will talk more copiously of this Matter.

Ch. I thought, Austin, you had been quite exhausted by this Time.  But thou hast shewn me a new Treasure beyond what I expected, which if you shall pursue, I perceive you’ll sooner want Time than Words.

Au. If I can perform this with my little Learning, and indifferent Genius, what do you think Cicero himself could do, who is storied to have vy’d with Roscius the Player?  But the Sun is going to leave us; and the Dew rises; it is best to imitate the Birds, to go Home, and hide ourselves in Bed.  Therefore, sweet Christian, farewell till to Morrow.