Matters, must also have been omitted. It was therefore thought necessary, not intirely to reject such Letters, and at the same time to admit of none but what were thus seasoned with Pleasantry or Amusement. No Translations of foreign Letters have place in this Collection ; the Intention of it being to do Honour to the Men of Genius of our own Country, and to give such natural Piętures of themfelves, and the Times they lived in, as History has not furnished.

Whatever Reception these Volumes may meet with from the Public, the Editors of them may fay with great Truth, that they are the best Colle&tion of English Letters which have bitherto been published. It was judged proper to infert none of earlier Date than the Reign of Henry the Eighth. The English Language, and indeed the Performances of our Writers, before that Time; not being altogether fo intelligible or instructive as to claim a Place in thele Volumes.

It

It is only necessary to observe farther, that no Notice is here taken of those Collections of Letters lately published of Mr. Pope, Doctor Swift and others, as they are almost in everybody's Hands, and fresh in their Memories.

AS E L E C T

COLLECTION

0 F

L E T T E R S.

L E T T E R I.

Henry VIII. to Anne Bullen.

My Sweetheart and Friend,

GAND my Heart put themselves

into your Hands, begging of you to take them to your good Favour; and that, by my being absent from you, your Affection may not be

diminished towards them; for it would be a great Pity to augment their Pain; for Absence gives me enough, and more than ever, and more than I could have thought; and calls to my Remembrance a Point of AstroVOL.I.

B

nomy, which is this, That by how much farther the Moors are distant from the Sun, the Heat is notwithstanding more fervent; so it is with our Love: For though we are personally distant from each other, the Heat of Love remains, at least on our Side, and I hope the fame on yours; affuring you, that the Anxiety of Absence is already too great; and when I think of the Augmentation thereof, which I must still suffer, if it was not for the firm Hope I have of your inviolable Affection towards me, to put you in Remembrance of that, Since I cannot be perfonally with you at present. I send you the nearest Likeness to it I can, to wit, my Picture set in Bracelets, the only Device which I have left, wishing myself in their Place whenever it shall please you. Written by the Hand of

Your Servant and Friend,

"

L E T T E R. II.

To the SAME.

THE

HE "Uneafinless I bore, by being uncertain

of your Health, gave me a great deal of Trouble ; nor could I enjoy any Quiet without knowing the Truth : but as you have as yet felt no"thing, I hope I may assure you that you will escape * it, as I hope we have; for we were at Waltham, where two Uhers, two Valets de Chambre, 'your Brother, and Master Treasurer fell fick, but are now perfectly recovered; since which we be'took ourselves to your House at Hondfon, where, God be praised, we are very well for the present ; The Sweating Sickness,

and