Scripto | Page Revision | Transcription

that much time must be wasted in perusing the original - \I say wasted/ because All his Ideas may be found in other writers more happi [?] \far superior to Him in Style/ express & — perhapst there is hardly a \good/ moral Idea in Aristotle which Horacr & Cicero have not \expressed/ embellished by the felicity of their Expression — the case is very different with Xenophon & Plato — those two great Masters of Simple & of flowery Language —

it is a good Rule Carissimo Scultore for reading & particularly for the reading of those Students in art who having other professional occupations cannot devote themselves to Books \entirely/ like a mere Man of Letters it is I say a good rule that Pliny gives us in those 4 simple words not multa sed multum

Tho I confess myself a sort of Helluo Liborum yet I trust both the dear Sculptors are assured that if Either Master or disciple had \immediate/ occasion even for all my Books they might command them all on Any pressing Occasions after this seincere & affectionate declaration I will confess that the dear little Phidias^s first intimating that He could hardly find the Leisure half Hour every week to write me a Letter & then calling for a Cargo of Books which He could not read in 3 five Years at the rate of reading which I presume a young artist must travel at appeared to me