Wandsworth 14 June o.s. [25 June 1728]

J have received by an unknown hand, my english essay's translation.
J suppose it came from you and J thank you for it. It is but a slight performance in english, but it is a ridiculous one in french. For the articles relating to Milton, to s^r John Denham, Waller, Dryden, must needs be altogether out of the way of a french reader. Besides abbot des Fontaines has been very far from doing me justice in many passages. He has mistaken the west Indies for the east Indies. He has translated the cakes which young Ascanius takes notice of being eaten by his countrymen, for la faim dévorante de Cacus. So he mistakes des assietes et de la croûte de pâté, for a geant and a monster. J have not the book by me at present and cannot remember all his oversights. But sure J am this little pamphlet did not at all deserve the trouble he has been at of putting it in the french language. J told you already, and J desire you to apprise y^r friends of it, that the english essay was but the sketch of a very serious work which J have almost finish'd in french with all the care, the liberty, and the impartiality j am capable of. J have done the like with the Henriade, and since you have declined the printing of the copy of the Henriade which you have, and you advise me to print a new corrected edition of it, J intend to make use of y^r advice and to give the publick as soon as possible the best edition j can of the Henriade together with my true essay on poetry. The printing of'em both is a duty j must discharge before j think of other duties less suitable with the life of a man of letters, but becoming a man of honour, and from which you may be sure j shall never depart as long as j breath.

Now J want to know when and where, j could print secretly the Henriade. It must be in France, in some country town. J question whether Roüen be a proper place, for methinks the bookish inquisition is so rigorous that it has frightened all the booksellers in those parts. If you know any place where j may print my book with security, j beseech you to let me know of it. But let no body be acquainted with the secret of my being in France. J should be exceedingly glad my dear Tiriot of seeing you again, but j would see no body else in the world. J would not be so much as suspected of having set my foot in y^r country, nor of having thought of it. My brother especially is the lest proper person to be trusted with such a secret, not only on account of his indiscreet temper but also of the ill usage J have received from him since J am in england. J have tryed all sorts of means to soften if J could the pedantick rudeness and the selfish insolence with which he has crushed me these two years. J own to you in the bitterness of my heart, that his unsufferable usage has been one of my greatest grievances. Y^r kind friendship is a real comfort to me against so many troubles. J hope the perverseness of the world will never harden a heart so good as j have thought always yours to be. Therefore J hope you will promote to the utmost of y^r abilities the undertaking you have advised me to. If you can propose the thing to a bookseller J had rather strike up a bargain in ready money and give the copy, than to be myself at the trouble of printing it. But J am afraid no bookseller will attempt now to print any unlicensed book, or if he does it, he will not give much money for so ticklish an attempt. Therefore the more j think on't, the more j conceive the necessity of being my own printer. J expect an answer from you about this affair.

In the mean time j shall not fail sending to y^r brother as many englishmen as j can, but J am very sorry j can be but very little serviceable to him that way, being almost ever in the country, and living in England with few friends.

In the meantime let me know what is the sense of the publick of the Henriade, and the essay. But especially J must know y^r opinion. Methinks it would not be unpleasant to you, and sure it would be a charming pleasure for me to chat together privately and friendly upon that and about so many other things of which j never writ to you, but of which J must disburthen my heart when j can enjoy the satisfaction of embracing you secretly.