5 6 on Portugal. ^an. t.\» 



my favourite study. The way of treating the 



subject to good purpose, is according to Mr 's 



plan. Montucla has made a charming book of 

 the progrefs of the human mind, in all ages, and 

 in all nations, in that way. — Farewell. 



Mr has some literary friends here, who are 



to give himsoon good information upon the subject, 

 which I will let you know in due time. I have 

 heard it observed, that the Portuguese had few 

 authors : But in 1731 three volumes foHo were 

 printed at Lifbon, called Bibliotheca Lusitaua, with 

 only the names, and an account of the lives and 

 works of Portuguese authors. I have tie book- — 

 I now and then look into it ; but I find it, with the 

 vice of most of their works, full of epithets and 

 bombast Farewell. 



There can be no doubt but if your friend Mr 

 would come to Lifbon, he would pick 



up a great deal of useful information : — It would 

 make a good paragraph in his preface, that he 

 went to Portugal on purpose. I fliould be very 

 glad to see him here, and would willingly give 

 him every afsistance in my power. You must 

 have seen in my library, twenty volumes folio, of 

 the Casa Real, in which are six volumes oi provas 



of authentic old papers, quite in the way Mr 



wants. 



Mr tells me he is informed Abade C 



is about a work something similar to that which 

 Mr has thought of. He has the pro- 

 tection of the Due de Lafoetis, with libera 



