A Witty Encounter, Imprimatur – Dedication
Imprimatur. Tho Weekes. Epiſcop Londinenſi Cappellanus domesticus.
A WITTIE ENCOUNTER Betweene Monſieur du Moulin, and Monſieur De BALZAC.
Eſteemed two the moſt Elegant Pens of their nation.
Wherein they deliver things weighty, and important both in Religion and STATE.
Faithfully tranſlated out of the french coppy by A. S. Gent.
Imprinted at London for B. Fiſher and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Alderſgate-ſtreete. 1636.
TO THE HONORABLE, MY MVCH Honour'd Friend Sir WILLIAM HOVVARD, Sonne to the Illuſtrious THOMAS EARLE Of Suffolke.
Sir,
I dare adventure to commend to you, and the Age, theſe enſuing Letters, written by two eſteemed great in the Learned Republique. Truth cōmands me to anſwer for them, that there is no proportion betweene their bulke, and value, being defective in nothing but length. For the Authors themſelues Monſieur du Moulin, and Monſieur de Balzac, their Pens are juſtly ranked amongſt the moſt excellent of their Nation. The Logicke, and many worthy Divine workes of the former have gained him a great name euen amongſt his adverſaries: the latter (though of the like abillity) hath made himſelfe Maſter of a more glorious Fame; but in my judgement, Imp'd out with many a falſe Feather; neither his great Cardinall, nor Monſieur du Moulin ſhall with their moſt cunning Rhetoricke lull me into ſuch a groſſe errour as to beleeve him Maſter of that▪ Eloquence which Antiquity deſir'd, yet deſpair'd of. O! that any man who hath had the leaſt caſt of Cicero's, and Livy's flowing, or Seneca's diſtilling Eloquence ſhould give ſo ſiniſter a judgement! Great praiſe is due to the man, and it is by all deſervedly paid him, but what is in him moſt elegant you can terme, at the beſt but the Scraps of Cicero's abundant Eloquence, whoſe Zany if wee call him wee doe him a grace, if wee introduce him a Corrivall, wee doe Cicero an affront.
I confeſſe the times are infinitely bound to him, and his like, for keeping ciuill Language from degenerating into Barbariſme, and moſt men from hackings, hewing, and enterfaring in their diſcourſe, but I will never allow them as Emendators of the Ancients, it is enough if as happy Imitators I admit them.
O Marcus! Marcus! did thy Ghoſt now walke amongſt us, thy bloodleſſe face would eſſay to bluſh after death, to heare thy all-convincing, charming Tongue, (which hath made Guilt tremble, and ſhooke Tyrany it ſelfe) compar'd with the faint, Hectick Eloquence of Balzac, which now even in its Birth is neare utter extinction, whereas thy Rhetoricall Flowers ſhall budde, and floriſh till fire conſumes the World, and all Terreſtriall Oratory gives way to the Celeſtiall. Nor would thy ſhame be leſſe, Anaeus Seneca, to have (after all the glories thy Penn hath purchaſ'd) ſuch a competitor as Balzac, who holds the ſame place with thee, and Cicero, that in the Triumvirat with Anthony and Octavius did Lepidus, who in the Government of the World ſtood onelyonly for a Cypher.
But to juſtifie my aſſertion I will take ſo much paines as to compare their ſtiles. That of Cicero is not compoſ'd for the Scene, onelyonly to delight, but for the Sand alſo, and the Fight. it is like a Tree which produceth not onelyonly the Foliage, as an Ornament, but the Fruite too, as foode.
Here you may detect Venus, and Minerva, kiſſing in every line. With the reading of him the moſt proſtrate, groveling witt muſt needes bee raiſed, the moſt benummed take fire. This is none of thoſe lukewarme Spirits, which can infuſe no heate into others becauſe they have none themſelves; for as we cannot light a Taper at another not already lighted: ſo we can not take flame from a wit not already fired.
The mind of this Writer enflames his Stile, his Stile his Reader. Now for that of Seneca; his words are choiſe, proper, and ſo Significant, that at the firſt view a man would thinke they implyed more, then indeede they doe. It is peculiar to his Genius alone to comprehend plenty, and ſolidity of ſence in parcimony of Speech, Perſpicuity in Brevity. Then his matter is alwaies grave, and weighty, drawne out from the very Center of Hiſtory, and Phyloſophy.
To come to the Stile of Balzac. You may at firſt ſight diſcover in it not a becomming care, and a neate dreſſe, but a vaine affectation, and the Fucus it ſelfe. And as his Language is affected, ſo his conceptions are for the moſt part idle, and ſhallow, no way able to ſatisfie the expectation of a full, and knowing man. They conſiſt for the moſt part of Hyperbolicall Complements, and malitious Invectives: witneſſe with mee the ſupreame Spirit, that I taxe him not as a detracting Enemy, but an impartiall Examiner. Iuſtice her ſelfe will warrant me to pull that Palme out of his vſurping hand, which Ignorance had there placed. I confeſſe I can not endure to ſee him borne by the vulgar breath to ſo high a pitch, as to out-ſoare all Antiquity, who hath not written ſo many Pages as hee hath moderne equals, nay Superiours in that perſuaſive Art. The reaſon of this their ſo immoderate praiſe, is no other then that their infant knowledge derides the Simplicity of their Anceſtours, whoſe Science it ſhould have in admiration. My owne indignation, and the Printers petition, (who complaines much of the Bookes brevity,) have cauſed me to ſpin out this Epiſtle to an unvſuall length. My comfort is (if this way I deſerue cenſure) I am faulty with Seneca, and many brave Authors, who hauehave delivered their minds in Letters far more prolixe. I am now onelyonly a Petitioner to the Reader for a licenſe to adde ſo many words onelyonly as will let you know, (Nobleſt Sir,) that I truely honour You, and and that I create you (who underſtand well the Originall) Iudge of the Tranſlation, which hath already beene Honour'd with many great Approbations. I am confident that you will make uſe of your mercy rather then your Iuſtice towards him, who into your hands hath voluntarily put the life of his Reputation in good Letters, to him farre, far dearer then his Naturall, during which he vowes to remaine
Sir, Your moſt humble Servant, A. S.