Letters describing the character and customs of the English and French nations. With a curious essay on travelling; and a criticism [in French and English] of Boileau's description of Paris. Translated from the French / [Anon].

  • Muralt, Béat Louis de, 1665-1749.
Date:
1726
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters describing the character and customs of the English and French nations. With a curious essay on travelling; and a criticism [in French and English] of Boileau's description of Paris. Translated from the French / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Thefe Letters have undergone as many L'idjjittides of Fortune as their Author. The fame Frinciple that induced him to abandon the Care of worldly Affairs, prompted him to burn all the Copies he could find : Fut, notwithftanding his Di¬ ligence, feme efcap'd -, and one of the Let¬ ters happening to be publifh'd in Holland, not long fence, and it being advertis'd at the fame Time, that others would fcon be printed, and there being feveral coun¬ terfeit Letters handed about, tinder the Authors Name, his Friends made Ufe of that Opportunity to collect the whole, and to prevail with him, after two Tears Im¬ portunity, to revife the Work ; fo that it is now as correct, efpecially the Fart rela¬ ting to the Englifh, as when it- was firfe penn'd. Having now given the Reader a fhort JHiftory of the Author, and his Letters, it will be proper, in the next F lace, to fay fomething of their Merit. He appears, thro' the whole, to be a Ferfon of a fine Tafte, his Wit is fprightly and elegant, his judgment folid, his Rea¬ soning flrong and psrfuafive, and his Eru¬ dition extenfwe, without the leaft Mixture of Fedantry, or ' AffeUation, . The Letters on the Englifh, prefent us with a compkat Character of our Nation ; éthers have, indeed, given Hints of Jme