Unies, est très-belle, et très-riche. Il y a encore plusieurs villes fort considérables en Hollande, comme Dordrecht, Haerlem, Leyde, Delft, Rotterdam, &c. Vous verrez par toute la Hollande, une extrême propreté : les rues mêmes y sont plus propres que nos maisons ne le sont ici. La Hollande fait un très-grand commerce, surtout à la Chine, au Japon, et au reste des Indes Orientales.

Voici bien des fêtes de suite, que vous allez avoir, profitez-en, divertissez vous bien, et à votre retour, il faudra regagner le tems perdu, en apprenant mieux que jamais. Adieu.

TRANSLATION*.

I AM told, Sir, you are preparing to travel, and that you begin by Holland; I therefore thought it my duty to wish you a prosperous journey, and favourable winds. I hope you will be so good as to acquaint me with your arrival at the Hague; and if, in the course of your travels, you should make any curious observations, be so kind to communicate them to me.

Holland, where you are going, is, by far, the finest and richest of the Seven United Provinces, which, altogether, form the Republic. The other Provinces are, Guelderland, Zealand, Friesland, Utrecht, Groningen, and Overyssel; these Seven provinces form what is called the States General of the United Provinces: this is a very powerful, and a very considerable Republic. I must tell you, that a Republic is a free State, without any King. You will go first to the Hague, which is the most beautiful village in the world; for it is not a town. Amsterdam,

*This Letter is a mere pleasantry, Mr. Stanhope having been carried to Holland when he was but about five years of age.

reckoned the capital of the United Provinces, is a very fine, rich city; there are, besides, in Holland, several considerable towns, such as Dort, Haerlem, Leyden, Delft, and Rotterdam.

You will observe, throughout Holland, the greatest cleanliness; the very streets are cleaner than our houses are here. Holland carries on a very great trade, particularly to China, Japan, and all over the East Indies.

You are going to have a great many holidays all together; make the best use of them, by diverting yourself well. At your return hither, you must regain the lost time, by learning better than ever. Adieu.

LETTER II.

MON CHER ENFANT, A Isleworth. COMME, avec le tems, vous lirez les anciens Poëtes Grecs et Latins, il est bon d'avoir premièrement quelque teinture des fondemens de la poësie, et de savoir en général les histoires auxquelles les Poëtes font le plus souvent allusion. Vous avez déjà lu l'Histoire Poëtique, et j'espère que vous vous en souvenez: vous y aurez trouvé celle des Dieux, et des Déesses, dont les Poëtes parlent à tous momens. Même les Poëtes modernes, c'est à dire, les Poëtes d'aujourdhui, ont aussi adopté toutes ces histoires des Anciens. Par exemple; un Poëte Anglois ou François invoque, au commencement de son ouvrage, Apollon le Dieu des vers, il invoque aussi les neuf Muses, qui sont les Déesses de la Poësie, il les prie de lui être propices ou favorables, et de lui inspirer leur génie. C'est pourquoi je vous envoie ici l'histoire d'Apollon, et celle des neuf Muses, ou neuf Sœurs, comme on les nomme souvent. Apollon est aussi quelquefois appellé le Dieu du Parnasse,

parce que le Parnasse est une montagne, sur laquelle on suppose qu'il est fréquemment.

C'est un beau talent que de bien faire des vers; et j'espère que vous l'aurez, car comme il est bien plus difficile d'exprimer ses pensées en vers qu'en prose, il y a d'autant plus de gloire à le faire. Adieu.

TRANSLATION.

MY DEAR CHILD,

Isleworth.

As you will, in time, read the ancient Greek and Latin Poets, it is proper that you should first have some notion of the foundation of poetry, and a general knowledge of those stories to which Poets most commonly allude. You have already read the Poetical History, and I hope you remember it. You will have found there the histories of Gods and Goddesses, whom the Poets are continually mentioning. Even modern Poets (that is to say, those of the present times) have adopted all the histories of the ancient ones.

For example; an English or a French Poet, at the beginning of his work, invokes Apollo, the God of Poetry; he also invokes the nine Muses, who are the Goddesses of Poetry. He entreats them to be propitious, or favourable; and to inspire him with their genius. For this reason, I here send you the history of Apollo, and that of the nine Muses, or nine Sisters, as they are frequently called. Apollo is also often named the God of Parnassus; because he is supposed to be frequently upon a mountain, called Parnassus.

The making verses well is an agreeable talent, which I hope you will be possessed of; for, as it is more difficult to express one's thoughts in verse than in prose, the being capable of doing it is more glorious. Adieu.

LETTER III.

APOLLON étoit fils de Jupiter et de Latone, qui accoucha de lui et de Diane, en même tems, dans l'île de Délos. Il est le Dieu du Jour, et alors il s'appelle ordinairement Phoebus. Il est aussi le Dieu de la Poësie, et de la Musique; comme tel il est représenté avec une lyre à la main, qui est une espèce de harpe. Il avoit un fameux temple à Delphe, où il rendoit des Oracles, c'est-à-dire, où il prédisoit l'avenir. Les Poëtes l'invoquent souvent pour les animer de son feu, afin de chanter dignement les louanges des Dieux et des Hommes.

Les neuf Muses étoient filles de Jupiter, et de la Déesse Mnemosyne, c'est à dire la Déesse de la Mémoire; pour marquer que la mémoire est nécessaire aux arts, et aux sciences.

Elles s'appellent Clio, Euterpe, Polymnie, Thalie, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Uranie, Calliope, Erato. Elles sont les Déesses de la Poësie, de l'Histoire, de la Musique, et de tous les arts, et les sciences. Les Poëtes ont représenté les neuf Muses fort jeunes, et fort belles, ornées de guirlandes de fleurs.

Les montagnes où elles demeurent sont le Parnasse, l'Hélicon, et le Pinde. Elles ont aussi deux célèbres fontaines, qui s'appellent Hippocrène, et Castalie. Les Poëtes, en les invoquant, les prient de quitter, pour un moment, le Parnasse, et l'Hippocrène, pour venir à leur secours et leur inspirer des

vers.

Le Pégase est le cheval poëtique, dont les Poëtes font souvent mention: il a des ailes aux pieds. Il donna un coup de pied contre le mont Hélicon, et en fit sortir la fontaine d'Hippocrène. Quand un Poëte est à faire des vers, on dit, qu'il est monté sur son Pégase.

TRANSLATION.

APOLLO was son of Jupiter and Latona, who was delivered of him and Diana in the island of Delos. He is God of the Sun, and thence generally is called Phoebus. He is also the God of Poetry and of Music, in which character he is represented with a lyre in his hand. That instrument is a kind of harp. There was a famous temple at Delphos, dedicated to Apollo; where he pronounced oracles; that is to say, foretold what is to happen. He is often invoked by Poets, to animate them with his fire, that they may be inspired to celebrate the praises of Gods and of Men.

The nine Muses were daughters of Jupiter, and of the Goddess Mnemosyne; that is to say, the Goddess of Memory; to show that Memory is necessary to arts and sciences. They are called Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Urania, Calliope. They are the Goddesses of Poetry, History, Music, and of all arts and sciences. The nine Muses are represented by Poets as very young, very handsome, and adorned with garlands of flowers. The mountains which they inhabit are called Parnassus, Helicon, and Pindus. There are also two celebrated fountains which belong to them, named Hippocrene, and Castalia. Poets, in their invocations, desire them to quit for a moment their Parnassus, and Hippocrene, that they may assist them with their inspiration to make verses.

Pegasus, the poetic horse, often mentioned by Poets, has wings to his feet. He gave a kick against Mount Helicon, and the fountain of Hippocrene immediately sprang out. When a Poet is making verses, it is sometimes said, he is mounted upon his Pegasus*.

*This expression is more a French than an English one.