VOL. I.
LONDON:
Printed for D. BROWNE, without Temple-Bar; R. HETT, in the Poultry; J. SHUCKBURGH, in Fleet-street; J. HODGES, on London Bridge; and A. MILLAR, in the Strand. M DCC XLIV.
LETTER XXXV.
Aaron Monceca to Isaac Onis, a Rabbi, at Constantinople.
Paris——
I still expect the Books from Amsterdam; and have writ several times to Moses Rodrigo to press him to send them to me; but to no purpose: He puts me off to the End of the Month, and I shall not be able to send them to Constantinople in less than five Weeks.
I have search'd all the Booksellers Shops at Paris for some choice new Tracts, to add to those which I shall receive from Holland, but found nothing good besides what I have already sent thee, except two little. Romances that are lately come out. The first is intitled, Les Égaremens du Coeur & de l'Esprit; the Author of which I have already made mention of in my former Letters.[13] He writes in a pure Stile, understands Human Nature, and he lays the Heart of Man open with a great deal of Clearness and Justice: But in this Work he has fallen into an Error, which he has often condemn'd in the Writings of others. He makes it plain to the Reader, that he affects to be witty; and there are some Passages where Nature is sacrificed to the false Glare. But this Error, which is not common, is repair'd by a thousand Beauties. The Author of this Romance paints rather than writes Things; and the Pictures he draws strike the Imagination with Pleasure. Do but consider if it be possible to define the first Surprize of a Heart with more Justness and Clearness. Without searching into the Motive of my Action, I managed, I interpreted her Looks; I endeavour'd to make her least Motions my Lessons. So much Obstinacy in not losing Sight of her made me at last taken notice of by her. She looked upon me in her turn, I fix'd her without knowing it, and during the Charm with which I was captivated whether I wou'd or not, I know not what my Eyes told her, but she turn'd hers away with a sort of Blush.