Horace

Hannah More to Thomas Babington Macaulay, 14 October [no year]

I must write one line to thank for your two letters, which I do with the more pleasure because they were written in so good a hand, so neat and free from blots. By this obvious improvement you have intitled yourself to another book. You must go to and chuse. I think we have nearly exhausted the Epics. What think you of a little good prose? – Johnson’s Hebrides^* or Walton’s Lives^* – unless you would like a neat Edition of Cowper’s Poems^* or of Paradise Lost^* for your own eating^* – In any case chuse something which you do not possess. – I want you to become a complete Frenchman that I may give you Racine the only Dramatic Poet I know in any modern language that is perfectly pure and good.^* On second thoughts what say you to Potter’s Eschylus^* on attendant that you are a complete Grecian? – It is very finely done and as heroic as any of your Epics. If you prefer it Send for this to neatly bound. I think you have hit off the Ode very well, I am much obliged to you for the Dedication. I shall reserve your translation to see how progressive your improvement is. Next Summer if it please God I hope We shall talk over some of these things. Remember me kindly to and tell him I cannot say how much I am obliged to him for his kindness to poor Shepherd^*. He has made the Widow’s heart to sing for joy^* – O Tom! that is better, and will be found so in the long /run/ to have written as good an Ode as Horace himself^*.