J have not writ an word to you this month.
You must forgive me, j was a little busy, j have wrote a play. It is now in the hands of the players. They say this is moving and full of what the french call interest. My design in writing this new tragedy was to represent, the most majestik and tenderest ideas our relligion can afford, with the most touching and the most cruel effects of love. If my friends do not deceive me, and are not deceived themselves, this play will meet with some success. J have not been wanting at the same time in mending my tragedy of Eriphile. J intend to send you them both by the next oportunity. These continuous studys have not driven my friends out of my thoughts. J have seen mistriss Salé as often as j could. She is now a little sick. The death of her brother has touched her heart to the quick. She payd to friendship and to nature the tender dutys she ow'd to love. Her heart is made for tenderness, but it seems all her sentiments were confined to his brother and you. Now y^r rival is dead, and j think you must engross all the soul of mistriss Salé.

The pit, the boxes, the ladies, the petits maitres, even m^elle Provost were in raptures the last day she dansed in the new opera. For my part I was surprised, and to my judgement her Danse of Amadis, was not so singular, nor so admirable.

What verses can j now write for her that could equal her abilities? M^r Bernard has attempted a madrigal, and has fallen short even of his own idea. This is my case. J find there must be in an inscription an exactness and a short way of painting a flash of sentiment, something so tight, so neat and so full that j must give the work over. J have found out nothing but this,

Methinks these four verses are at least a true, if not a lively, picture of her peculiar art of dansing, and of her own caracter. They do besides answer the purpose of the painter who represents her dansing before the temple of Diana.

Before j leave off speaking of verse to you, j must tell j have to day put in the hands of y^r brother two schrolls of rhimes, one for m^rs Fontainemartel, and the other for m^rs Lubert, whom j have Dubb'd muse et grâce.

J have not yet seen the new edition of my works. Four and twenty copies of it are sent to me by the way of Rouen, but before j receive them j'll have time enough to receive some letters of you. Be so kind then as to inform me, what success this edition has met with both in England and in Holland.

You promised to send me the remarks of la Motraye. J desire you would add to them a little pamphlet newly come out on the person and the works of Doctor Clark. J hope to send you within few months my english letters. J want chiefly, the little pamphlet concerning Doctor Clark to give the last stroke of his caracter provided this pamphlet contains some truths worth knowing.

Now you must tell me with sincerity how long you intend to continue in England, what course of life you have entered upon and wether you have a fixed design or no, to do some thing. Do you stay really for m^re Sallé, will she really come over to you? In the mean time m^e de Fontaine Martel, makes her beast endeavours to have as much pleasure for as little money as possible. M^r Rezé is at Paris and sups here almost every day. J wish you could do the like.

Farewell, J am y^r for ever.

V.

July the 9^th 1732