Letter 4009: The polished art of letter-writing, when it is carried away by enthusiasm, tends to lose its judgment.

Epistolary polish, when seized by favor, usually does not love judgments and bestows its benefit more copiously when it exalts the undeserving. For he owes more to his advocate who obtains by the support of a writer's grace what he does not demand by his own character, since, aided by no endowments of conscience, he rightly attributes to his advocate whatever he gains. It is one thing to graft onto a person being recommended, as though it were a noble shoot, good qualities wandering abroad in words; another to publish qualities that are innate — as if you should declare that a rustic flock is spontaneously clothed in Tyrian purple, and that a generous poison, which the fleece did not absorb when the dye-vat intoxicated it, is diffused by the fields. Others tint with the purple of the tongue what no dye has produced for royal use, and wool unknown to the shells of a distant sea drinks only the light of eloquence: whatever the words of reporters have colored in a cheap gift is rendered worthy of princely garments. But from such urbanity both strength and desire alike withdraw me. No threads of a brighter dye will glow with splendor through me: no one will find anything said about a person that he does not recognize in that person's actions. Thus I extend a hand to my modesty or to my calling, in that I bestow the service of my voice as a forerunner upon one who comes to your notice by deeds well done. I speak of the distinguished Venantius, who has obtained from me a tribute of the page in order to invite the eyes of Your Greatness upon himself, lest amid the weight of your cares he happen to be overlooked. He has his own credentials by which he may deserve to be enrolled among those you have received. He has displayed to you modesty, piety, and innocence — those companions by which one enters the inner chambers of a serene mind. Believe me, the insignia which you cherish abound in him: you will shortly find that I have been not his flatterer but his witness. My lord, grant to the bearer your condescension in the first place, lest a good man be disturbed by novelty: his own qualities will readily come to his defense, and with the riches of his life he will compensate for the poverty of his words.

VIIII. ENNODIVS FAVSTO. Solet epistolaris concinnatio, quando fauore rapitur, iudicia non amare et copiosius facere beneficium, dum attollit inmeritos. ille enim debet amplius adserenti, qui quod moribus non exigit gratia scriptoris suffragante consequitur, quia nullis adiutus conscientiae dotibus iure ad allegantem reportat, si quid adipiscitur. aliud est in eo, qui conmendatur, tamquam nobile germen ita peregrinantia bona uerbis inserere, aliud innata uulgare, quemadmodum si rusticum pecus Tyria confirmes purpura sponte uestiri et uirus generosum, quod uellus aeno 1 consciis Y adcedo B 2 dispicet B largitor L 3 propria T, pripium B qui deo BPT2b, quid eo (i 8. I. m. 2 et eo in Faa.) L, qui ideo V, qui io Tl 4 in commodis Pb t, 5 benificium B quae B 8. 1 . 6 noscuntur B dioias B tribuistia Ll accipistis B, accepistis L 7 scanctorum B 8 que B 10 laboris om. T 11 meam om. T dispoaitione benigna T, b. dispensatione B 12 effecta me] effectum B reue. late T1 conloquio] finit adG. B VIIII. 15 epistolares B rapantor Lx 16 oupiosius B cum T 17 quod ex dem T corr . 18 suffragantem L 19 siquis B 21 germin Bl 22 confirmis B 23 uellos om. in ras. 6-7 lilt. T inebriante non sorbuit, dicas rura diffundere. tingunt alii linguae murice quae nullus ad regalem usum fucus exhibuit, et discreti maris ignota cocleis lana solam lucem bibit eloquii: redditur dignum principalibus indumentis quicquid in uili munere relatorum uerba colorauerint. sed ab huiusmodi urbanitate uires me pariter et uota subducunt. nulla clarioris suci stamina per me splendore rutilabunt: nemo dictum de aliquo inueniet quod in eius actibus non agnoscat. hinc pudori meo uel proposito manum porrigo, quod illi praeuium inpendo oris officium, qui ad notitiam uestram rebus bene gestis occurrit. Venantium Y. C. loquor idcirco a me paginale inpetrasse obsequium, ut in se oculos uestrae magnitudinis inuitaret, ne eum inter curarum moles contingeret ignorari. sunt illi suffragia sua, per quae inter susceptos uestros mereatur adscribi. exhibuit uobis modestiam religionem innocentiam, quibus penetralia. serenae mentis comitibus introiret. exuberant, mihi credite, apud eum insignia quae fouetis: non laudatorem me continuo in eo probabitis fuisse sed testem. uos, mi domine, perlatori dignationem principe loco tribuite, ne uir bonus nouitate turbetur: liquido aderit partibus suis et uitae opibus pensabit damna uerborum.