happy Xmas ? hey , y're crazy man !!

Just for the fun, a little scribouillage to Gulliver’s father.

 

“A Jonathan Swift

in London, Maiden Lane, at the White perruke, Covent garden

 

Sir,

You will be surprised in receiving an English essay from a French traveller. Pray, forgive an admirer of you who ows to y^r writings the love he bears to y^r  language which as betray’d him into the rash attempt of writing in English.[ V. a écrit un “Essay upon the civil wars of France…the epick poetry of the European’s nations from Homer to Milton”, paru le 6 decembre]

You will see by the Advertisement that I have some designs upon you, and that I must mention you fort the honour of y^r country and for the improvement of mine. Do not forbid ma to grace my relation with y^r name. Let me indulge the satisfaction of talking of you as posterity will do.

In the mean time, can I make bold to intreat you to make some use of y^r interest in Ireland abaout some subscriptions for the Henriade, which is almost ready and does not come out yet for want a little help. The subscriptions will be but one guinea in hand.

I am with the hightest esteem and the utmost gratitude, Sir,

Y^r most humble and most obedient servant.

 

Voltaire

14 december 1727 [25n.s.]” les Anglais avaient gardé l’ancien calendrier, d’où deux dates : o. s. = old style et n.s. = new style = calendrier grégorien.