Chapter LXXIII

This, like the other letters addressed "To Yourself" may not improbably be addressed to George Gerrard, who is known to have been a friendly critic of Donne's poems. The translation sent with this letter is almost certainly the lines "Translated out of Gazaeus, 'Vota Amico Facta,' Fol. 160:"

"God grant thee thine owne wish, and grant thee mine,
Thou who dost, best friend, in best things outshine;
May thy soule, ever cheerful, ne'er know cares,
Nor thy life, ever lively, know grey haires,
Nor thy hand, ever open, know base holds,
Nor thy purse, ever plump, know pleates, or folds,
Nor thy tongue, ever true, know a false thing,
Nor thy word, ever mild, know quarrelling,
Nor thy works, ever equal, know disguise,
Nor thy fame, ever pure, know contumelies,
Nor thy prayers know low objects, still divine;
God grant thee thine owne wish, and grant thee mine."

An edition of Enée de Gaza's _Theophrastus_ was published at Zurich in 1560.