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15/12/2008

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

swift jonathan.jpg

 

Sir,

You will be surprised in receiving an English essay from a French traveller. Pray, forgive an admirer of you who ows to yr writings the love he bears to yr  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 yr country and for the improvement of mine. Do not forbid ma to grace my relation with yr 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 yr 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,

Yr 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.