form him that the person you speak of undertakes an édition of the Henriade, contrary to my honour, to my interest and to the laws. Surely M. Hérault will send for him and forbid him to meddle with such an undertaking. The lieutenant de police will do it the more readily the more you shall inform him of the man’s behaviour, and of his having been already guilty once of the like. Depend upon it the man will be terrified from his undertaking. In the mean time we will get our private license, and, in case the license is granted, I advise you to make a bargain with notable bookseller : then I will send you my plates, with sheets of a quarto édition, large paper, begun in London, with the Essai on Epic Poetry in French, and calculated for the French meridian. The bookseller must make two éditions : one in quarto, for my own account, and another in octavo for your benefit. But nothing can succeed to our advantage and to my honour, unless you go to M. Hérault, and implore his assistance against the interloper.
However, I think you should see the interloper, and tell him only you have acquainted me with his design ; that he should do nothing about the poem without consulting me about many altérations I have made since the publication : tell him besides, I disapprove entirely his design of translating my English essay, since I have translated it myself. That little pamphlet could not succeed in France without being dressed in quite another manner. What I say of Milton cannot be understood by the French unless I give a fuller notion of that author. The style besides is after ²the English fashion ; so many similies, so many things which appear but easy and familiar here, would seem too low to your wits of Paris. In short, I know nothing so impertinent as to go about to translate me in spight of my teeth. In fine your business must be to gain time with him, to terrify him by M. Hérault’s means, and to obtain of M. Hérault that he will hinder not only the man, but every body else from publishing the book.
I advise you to go to M. de Maison’s, and to lay the case before him : he is very great with the keeper of the seals, and may easily in a few days help us to a private license. You must direct for the future all your letters to messieurs Simon and Benezet, merchants, Nicholas-street, London.
Take care of your health, use much exercise, keep your body open, your mind easy, eat little, despise the world, love me, and be happy. Farewell.
My services to any body who will remember me. How does
