LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 231 



To Mr. Mathew. 

 Sir, 



Two letters of mine are now already walking towards 

 you ; but so that we might meet, it were no matter though 

 our letters should lose their way. I make a shift in the 

 mean time to be glad of your approaches, and would be 

 more glad to be an agent for your presence, who have been 

 a patient for your absence. If your body by indisposition 

 make you acknowledge the healthful air of your native 

 country, much more do I assure myself that you continue 

 to have your mind no way estranged. And as my trust 

 with the state is above suspicion, so my knowledge, both 

 of your loyalty and honest nature, will ever make me show 

 myself your faithful friend, without scruple: you have 

 reason to commend that gentleman to me by whom you sent 

 your last, although his having travelled so long amongst 

 the sadder nations of the world make him much the less 

 easy upon small acquaintance to be understood. I have 

 sent you some copies of my book of the Advancement, 

 which you desired, and a little work of my recreation, 

 which you desired not. My Instauration I reserve for our 

 conference ; it sleeps not. These works of the alphabet 

 are in my opinion of less use to you where you are now, 

 than at Paris ; and therefore I conceived that you had 

 sent me a kind of tacit countermand of your former request. 

 But in regard that some friends of yours have still insisted 

 here, I send them to you ; and for my part, I value your 

 own reading more than your publishing them to others. 

 Thus, in extreme haste, I have scribbled to you I know not 

 what, which therefore is the less affected, and for that very 

 reason will not be esteemed the less by you. 



To Mr. Mathew. 

 Sir, 



I thank you for your last, and pray you to believe, that 

 your liberty in giving opinion of those writings which I 

 sent you, is that which I sought, which I expected, and 

 which I take in exceeding good part ; so good, as that it 

 makes me recontinue, or rather continue my hearty wishes 

 of your company here, that so you might use the same 

 liberty concerning my actions, which now you exercise 

 concerning my writings. For that of Queen Elizabeth 

 your judgment of the temper, and truth of that part, which 

 concerns some of her foreign proceedings, concurs fully 

 with the judgment of others, to whom I have communi- 



