. And pray, Sir,« said he, »how do you like his Pharsalia? Don't you think
Mr. Rowe's Translation a very fine one?« Booth replied, »I believe we are
talking of different Authors. The Pharsalia which Mr. Rowe translated was
written by Lucan; but I have been speaking of Lucian, a Greek Writer, and in my
Opinion the greatest in the Humorous Way, that ever the World produced.« »Ay!«
cries the Author, »he was indeed so, a very excellent Writer indeed. I fancy a
Translation of him would sell very well.« »I do not know, indeed,« cries Booth.
»A good Translation of him would be a valuable Book. I have seen a wretched one
published by Mr. Dryden, but translated by others, who in many Places have
misunderstood Lucian's Meaning, and have no where preserved the Spirit of the
Original.« »That is great Pity,« says the Author. »Pray, Sir, is he well
translated into French?« Booth answered, he could not tell; but that he doubted
it very much, having never seen a good Version into that Language, out of the
Greek. »To confess the Truth, I believe,« said he, »the French Translators have
generally consulted the Latin only; which, in some of the few Greek Writers I
have read, is intolerably bad. And as the English Translators, for the most
Part, pursue the French, we may easily guess, what Spirit those Copies of bad
Copies must preserve of the Original.«
    »Egad, you are a shrewd Guesser,« cries the Author, »I am glad the
Booksellers have not your Sagacity. But how should it be otherwise, considering
the Price they pay by the Sheet? The Greek, you will allow, is a hard Language;
and there are few Gentlemen that write, who can read it without a good Lexicon.
Now, Sir, if we were to afford Time to find out the true Meaning of Words, a
Gentleman would not get Bread and Cheese by his Work. If one was to be paid,
indeed, as Mr. Pope was for his Homer. - Pray, Sir, don't you think That the
best Translation in the World?«
    »Indeed, Sir,« cries Booth, »I think, tho' it is certainly a noble
Paraphrase, and of itself a fine Poem, yet, in some Places, it is no Translation
at all. In the very Beginning
