TALBOT530

Brighton
March 9^th 1811

My Dear Henry

Your ready translation of my Greek maxim ¹ proves how beautifully I must have formed the characters, which I was afraid would have turned out only Hieroglyphics. It is quoted by Aristotle in his Rhetoric, as an example. - (Sentiment) "Within Thee cherish not immortal ire" (reason for it) "When Thou thyself art mortal." Your Latin will not do for my theme, because it is a description merely, I must have a sentiment, or an opinion or a definition. At any rate yours is too easy, & would be very bald in English, so I shall defer this project till the Muses are more inclined to smile upon you than they are at present or till you have drank [sic] deeper of the Pierian Spring ². I will now tell you a true story which is preserved by the Arabian authors, as an instance of lenity & magnanimity - (Tell me if you like it) When Alazis was Sultan of Egypt, a poet there wrote a scandalous invective upon him & his Vizir ³. The Vizir complained & repeated the verses to Alazis, to whom the Sultan thus replied, "I perceive that in this Invective I have my share along with You, in pardoning it You shall have your share along with me".

Vale charissime! ⁴ in te me oblecto ⁵
E T F.

W^m Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
Rev^d D^r Hooker's ⁶
Rotting Dean ⁷

Brighton March 9. 1811 - ⁸