Digital Donne: the Online Variorum

click image to return to main page
Previous image Next image The 1654 Prose Letters  Letter 40 (p.118)




To Sir I. H.

Sir,
I would not omit this, not Commodity,
but Advantage of writing to you. This
emptinesse in London, dignifies any Letter
from hence, as in the seasons, earlinesse and
latenesse, makes the sowrenesse, and after
the sweetnesse of fruits acceptable and gra-
cious. We often excuse and advance mean
Authors, by the age in which they lived,
so will your love do this Letter; and you
will tell your self, that if he which writ it
knew wherein he might expresse his affecti-
on, or any thing which might have made
his Letter welcommer, he would have done
it. As it is, you may accept it so, as we do
many China manufactures, of which
when we know no use, yet we satisfie our
curiosity in considering them, because we
knew not how, nor of what matter they
were made. Near great woods and quar-
ies it is no wonder to see faire houses,
but in Holland which wants both, it is.
[CW: So]
p.118

Comments and questions about this page to mclawhornt@ecu.edu