TIDINGS FKOM HAMILTON. 161 



Dundee, with, the Indian balsam. Your last letter I 

 had from Scoto, with your most choice commentaries on 

 the very difficult work of Ptolemy. To all these I have 

 three or four times amply and abundantly replied. For I 

 had addressed very many letters to you, but am uncertain 

 whether they have reached your hands. 



" Now, however, I have given orders to a servant 

 whom you know, and who is travelling to Rome, that he 

 shall pay a visit to your excellency, and, saluting you in 

 my name, thank you, not only for your various and very 

 welcome little gifts, but also for my health, that is in 

 great part restored, for the almost complete subjugation of 

 my disease, for strength regained; in fine, I may say, for 

 life recovered. All those good things, and this body of 

 mine itself, I hold as received from you. From the time 

 when I had your medicines, prescribed and prepared with 

 so much art and dexterity, the disease that is peculiar to 

 ine has nlade its visits with much less frequency and 

 violence; the accustomed attacks now scarcely occur once 

 a month, and sometimes once in two months; then too 

 they are not urgent and pressing, as they used to be, but 

 are felt very slightly. 



" h would look like ingratitude (and I confess to it) if 

 I did not acknowledge all those many and great benefits 

 and send you back thanks. But now I despatch to you a 

 living letter (namely, this Michael), and entreat and pray 



VOL. II. M 



