PHI. Sir, with Greek in possession, you can spoil nothing.

TRI. Moreover, he does wonders in prose as well as in verse, and he
could, if he chose, show you something.

VAD. The fault of authors is to burden conversation with their
productions; to be at the Palais, in the walks, in the drawing-rooms,
or at table, the indefatigable readers of their tedious verses. As for
me, I think nothing more ridiculous than an author who goes about
begging for praise, who, preying on the ears of the first comers,
often makes them the martyrs of his night watches. I have never been
guilty of such foolish conceit, and I am in that respect of the
opinion of a Greek, who by an express law forbade all his wise men any
unbecoming anxiety to read their works.--Here are some little verses
for young lovers upon which I should like to have your opinion.

TRI. Your verses have beauties unequalled by any others.

VAD. Venus and the Graces reign in all yours. TRI. You have an easy
style, and a fine choice of words.

VAD. In all your writings one finds _ithos_ and _pathos_.

TRI. We have seen some eclogues of your composition which surpass in
sweetness those of Theocritus and Virgil.

VAD. Your odes have a noble, gallant, and tender manner, which leaves
Horace far behind.