Langbain observes, that the truest picture of Mr. Cotton's mind is to
be seen in a little piece published at the end of these poems called
Retirement; but the chief of Mr. Cotton's production, seems to be his
translation of Montaigne's Essays, dedicated to George Lord Saville,
Marquis of Hallifax; his lordship in a letter to him, thus express his
esteem for the translator, and admiration of his performance. This
letter is printed amongst the other pieces of the marquis's in a thin
12mo.

'Sir, I have too long delayed my thanks to you for giving me such an
obliging evidence of your remembrance: that alone would have been a
welcome present, but when joined with the book in the world I am the
best entertained with, it raiseth a strong desire in me to be better
known, where I am sure to be much pleased. I have, 'till now, thought
wit could not be translated, and do still retain so much of that
opinion, that I believe it impossible, except by one, whose genius
cometh up to the author. You have so kept the original strength of his
thought, that it almost tempts a man to believe the transmigration of
souls. He hath by your means mended his first edition. To transplant
and make him ours, is not only a valuable acquisition to us, but a just
censure of the critical impertinence of those French scriblers, who
have taken pains to make little cavils and exceptions, to lessen the
reputation of this great man, whom nature hath made too big to confine
himself to the exactness of a studied stile. He let his mind have its
full flight, and shewed by a generous kind of negligence, that he
did not write for praise, but to give to the world a true picture of
himself, and of mankind. He scorned affected periods to please the
mistaken reader with an empty chime of words; he hath no affectation to
set himself out, and dependeth wholly upon the natural force of what is
his own, and the excellent application of what he borroweth.

'You see, sir, I have kindness enough for Monsieur de Montaigne to be
your rival, but nobody can pretend to be in equal competition with you.
I do willingly yield, which is no small matter for a man to do to a
more prosperous lover, and if you will repay this piece of justice with
another, pray believe, that he who can translate such an author without
doing him wrong, must not only make me glad, but proud of being his

most humble servant,'
* * *.

Thus