Nov. 7 [18 n. s] 1733

My Lord,

I have beg'd the favour of mr Pope, to convey to your lordship's hands, a translation of mr Voltaire's Zaire, which is to appear on the stage in a month or two.

I should think it no better, than a civil impertinence, to ask pardon for the trouble: it being scarce more publicly known, that your lordship is a master of wit, than that you are an encourager of it in others.

The passions in mr Voltaire's Zaire, are so strongly and so happily touch'd, that I wish they might be chargeable upon his acquaintance with our Shakespeare in his native language: I remark it not to his disadvantage; for, if he borrows our ideas, he borrows at least, like a gentleman, who improves, by the bounty of a friend, a sufficient estate of his own; whereas he has English examples of pirates, who, having taken French tragedies, as if they were French prizes, chang'd the name with the property, and pass'd them away for their own, without shame or acknowledgement.

I never saw mr Voltaire any nearer, than in this tragedy; where, I confess, he impartially charms me. He seems to think with the heart of an Englishman, but he expresses those thoughts with a Frenchman's vivacity. Having found the wit of his nation either too simple or too delicate, he has nerv'd the simplicity with force, and substituted a politeness, in the place of affectation.

I am only apprehensive lest this play, after so popular an encouragement in France, should be too faintly receiv'd on our stage, for want of a pitiful preparative call'd making an interest; which, by the decay of common sense, is become infamously, necessary. I have nothing particular to fear, from this probability, for I have the only profit I propose in the pleasure of having translated the tragedy. But, I should be sorry, if the French, who will hardly confess we are abler judges of wit, should impute our colder reception of Zara to our deeper degeneracy and the almost national establishment of blindness among us, as a political modern improvement upon our old English constitution.

It is with a view to your lordship's power of preventing so likely an accident, that I wish your influence exerted: …That is your opinion, occasionally declared, before its appearance, at the theatre: I have the honour to be, and to know a thousand reasons for being, with the greatest respect and submission,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

and most humble servant,

A. Hill