Professor JACOBS to Mr. WAKEFIELD.

Gotha, June 29, 1797.

SIR,

By the kindness of the learned Mr. Heyne you will receive this letter, joined to one of my newest publications, which I hope you will do me the honour of accepting, as a mark of my esteem and gratitude for the pleasure the perusal of your ingenious works has given me.

In presenting you this little performance, I cannot forbear signifying the wish to obtain

ous and all-provident Being will not fail to extend his benign protection to laudable intentions. Farewell! and since you have thus entered upon the career of good-will and kindness towards me, may it be your care so steadily to pursue it, that to your other praises may be added that of constancy in affectionate regard for him whom you once have honoured with a valuable testimony of your friendly disposition. So soon as the tumult of war shall have subsided, I will send to you, as a pledge of my affection, a second edition of my Pindar, and a third of my Tibullus. I have one of the Iliad at this time in the press. Adieu.

This letter is without a date, but was received July 10,

the approbation of so perfect a critic, the countryman and rival of the Bentleys, the Toups and Tyrwhitts. In forming this wishan ambitious one-I found my hope upon the favourable judgment with which, in your Delectus Tragædiarum, you have honoured some of my conjectures on Euripides.

As you have been pleased to bestow your approbation upon so imperfect a work, as my Animadversions in Euripiden-the performance of a youth whose talents, at the publication of it, were far from being ripened,-I flatter my self with the hope that your favourable opinion will not be diminished by the perusal of a more elaborate one, though, with respect to its contents, less interesting. But whatsoever will be your sentence, you must be persuaded, that I shall be, with the greatest esteem,

Sir,

Your most humble servant,

FREDERICK JACOBS.

Gotha, Sept. 17, 1798.

I HAD not so long omitted, Sir, to return you my thanks for the obliging letter you have had the kindness to favour me with, but that I expected the achieving of the first volume of notes on the Greek Anthology, which I have the honour to send you by this. In these notes you will find your name very often. quoted, as in your works you have illustrated and corrected a great number of Greek Epigrams; and if I have not ever subscribed to your opinion, I have almost ever applauded your sagacity, learning, and refined taste.

Your notes on the Hecuba of Euripides I have read with great pleasure and improvement. Your edition of Moschus and Bion, a copy of which I have received by your kindness, has given me great delight, as I have ever treated these two poets with great predilection. I have even published an edition of them in the same year, as your edition has been printed; but I readily confess that you have surpassed me as far as the Delphis of Theocritus τὸν χαρίεντα τρέχων ἔφθαξε φιλευον. The more valuable part of my book, I dare

say, is the Preface, where you will find some corrections not unworthy perhaps of your approbation.

Of your edition of Lucretius the learned Dr. Heyne has given a very ample account in the Gottinger Anseigen, where he speaks of your talents, erudition, and ability, in terms of the highest admiration. As for me, I have not yet been so happy as to have a sight of this splendid work; English books being rara aves in our country; but I hope to prevail on Mr. Giester to enrich the Duke's library with so valuable a performance. I protest you, Sir, that, as I have ever admired your learning and fertility, so I do now your zeal in promoting literature. Surely you could not give stronger proof of it, than by publishing at your expence such a work in so disastrous a time.

I have the honour, Sir, to be, with the greatest consideration,

Your most humble,

And most obedient servant,

F. JACOBS.

DEAR SIR,

Gotha, July 18, 1789.

I HAVE had the favour of two of your letters; the first of January, the second of March, this year, both advertising me that you have had the kindness to send me a copy of your Lucretius. I do not know, by what an unlucky accident this valuable present, which I looked upon already, as one of the most splendid ornaments of my collection, is not arrived.

Your embarrassments, I hope, are quite over now. When the newspapers spoke of them, you may be persuaded, Sir, that I was sincerely concerned for you. Nothing can befal you, that should be indifferent to me.

I return you, Sir, my sincerest thanks for the few but excellent remarks upon Philostratus, inserted in your letter of the 25th January. If it was not too indiscreet, I could indeed venture to desire an extract of all your conjectures upon the Imagines of the two Philostrati, which I have a mind to give an edition of. If ever I should execute this project, your remarks would be a very excellent addition to my commentaries.