Brighton
March 9th 1811
My Dear Henry
Your ready translation of my Greek maxim <1> proves how beautifully I must have formed the characters, which I was afraid would have turned out only Hieroglyphics. It is quoted by Aristotle in his Rhetoric, as an example. - (Sentiment) "Within Thee cherish not immortal ire" (reason for it) "When Thou thyself art mortal." Your Latin will not do for my theme, because it is a description merely, I must have a sentiment, or an opinion or a definition. At any rate yours is too easy, & would be very bald in English, so I shall defer this project till the Muses are more inclined to smile upon you than they are at present or till you have drank [sic] deeper of the Pierian Spring <2>. I will now tell you a true story which is preserved by the Arabian authors, as an instance of lenity & magnanimity - (Tell me if you like it) When Alazis was Sultan of Egypt, a poet there wrote a scandalous invective upon him & his Vizir <3>. The Vizir complained & repeated the verses to Alazis, to whom the Sultan thus replied, "I perceive that in this Invective I have my share along with You, in pardoning it You shall have your share along with me".
Vale charissime! <4>
in te me oblecto <5>
E T F.
Wm Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Revd Dr Hooker's <6>
Rotting Dean <7>
Brighton March 9. 1811 - <8>
Notes:
1. [See Doc. No: 00528].
2. A spring in Macedonia sacred to the Muses. 'Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring,' Alexander Pope (1688-1744).
3. Title of the Sultan's prime minister.
4. Farewell dearest!
5. I delight in you or you are my delight.
6. Rev. Thomas Redman Hooker (1762-1838), WHFT's tutor at Rottingdean and a most interesting character. His career prospects were seemingly cut short when his father lost his fortune to an industrial accident. Hooker became the private secretary to the Duke of Dorset, learned French, took Holy Orders and through the Duke's influence established an influential school. His pupils included the nephews of the Duke of Wellington and of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was also active in the local smuggling ring. See Arthur R. Ankers, revised by Michael Smith, Sussex Cavalcade (Sevenoaks: Hawthorns Publications, Ltd., 1992), pp. 97-100.
7. Rottingdean, East Sussex, 4 mi SE of Brighton: WHFT attended school there from 1808-1811.
8. Written in another hand at the back of address panel.