and all that I have for fifty guyneas are but 1446; soe that, if I have noe more, I pay 10 guyneas above 40, and have 72 lines less for fifty, in proportion, than the other bookseller shou’d have had for 40, at y^e rate you offered him y^e first part. This is, Sir, what I shall take as a great favour if you please to think of. I had intentions of letting you know this before; but till I had paid y^e money, I would not ask to see the book, nor count the lines, least it shou’d look like a design of not keeping my word. When you have looked over y^e rest of what you have already translated, I desire you would send it; and I own y^t if you don’t think fit to add something more, I must submit: ’tis wholly at yo^r choice, for I left it intirely to you; but I believe you cannot imagine I expected soe little; for you were pleased to use me much kindlyer in Juvenall, w^{ch} is not reckon’d soe easy to translate as Ovid. S^r, I humbly beg yo^r pardon for this long letter, and upon my word I had rather have yo^r good will than any man’s alive; and, whatever you are pleased to doe, will alway acknowledge my self, S^r, Yo^r most obliged humble Serv^t, J. TONSON. LETTER IX. TO MR JACOB TONSON.[94] MR TONSON, August 30. [1693.] I am much asham’d of my self, that I am so much behind-hand with you in kindness. Above all things I am sensible of your good nature, in bearing me company to this place, wherein, besides the cost, you must needs neglect your own business; but I will endeavour to make you some amends; and therefore I desire you to command me something for your service. I am sure you thought my Lord Radclyffe[95] wou’d have done something: I ghess’d more truly, that he cou’d not; but I was too far ingag’d to desist, though I was tempted to it by the melancholique prospect I had of it. I have translated six hundred lines of Ovid; but I believe I shall not compasse his 772 lines under nine hundred or more of mine.--This time I cannot write to my wife, because he who is to carry my letter to Oundle, will not stay till I can write another. Pray, Sir, let her know that I am well; and for feare the few damsins shou’d be all gone, desire her to buy me a sieve-full, to preserve whole, and not in mash.[96] I intend to come up at least a week before Michaelmass; for Sir Matthew[97] is gone abroad, I suspect a wooeing, and his caleche is gone with him: so that I have been but thrice at Tichmarsh, of which you were with me once. This disappointment makes the place wearysome to me, which otherwise wou’d be pleasant.