LETTER XXXV.

AARON MONCECA _to_ ISAAC ONIS, _a Rabbi, at_ Constantinople.

_Paris_----


I still expect the Books from _Amsterdam_; and have writ several
times to _Moses Rodrigo_ to press him to send them to me; but to no
purpose: He puts me off to the End of the Month, and I shall not be
able to send them to _Constantinople_ in less than five Weeks.

I have search'd all the Booksellers Shops at _Paris_ for some choice
new Tracts, to add to those which I shall receive from _Holland_,
but found nothing good besides what I have already sent thee, except
two little. Romances that are lately come out. The first is
intitled, _Les Égaremens du Coeur & de l'Esprit_; the Author of
which I have already made mention of in my former Letters.[13] He
writes in a pure Stile, understands Human Nature, and he lays the
Heart of Man open with a great deal of Clearness and Justice: But in
this Work he has fallen into an Error, which he has often condemn'd
in the Writings of others. He makes it plain to the Reader, that he
affects to be witty; and there are some Passages where Nature is
sacrificed to the false Glare. But this Error, which is not common,
is repair'd by a thousand Beauties. The Author of this Romance
paints rather than writes Things; and the Pictures he draws strike
the Imagination with Pleasure. Do but consider if it be possible to
define the first Surprize of a Heart with more Justness and
Clearness. _Without searching into the Motive of my Action, I