ter this, to my greate Contentment, he
tooke me to the _Gray's Inn Walks_, where, the Afternoon being fine,
was much Companie.

After Supper, I proposed to the Boys that we shoulde tell Stories; and
Mr. _Milton_ tolde one charminglie, but then went away to write a
_Latin_ Letter. Soe _Ned's_ Turn came next; and I must, if I can, for
very Mirthe's Sake, write it down in his exact Words, they were soe
pragmaticall.

"On a Daye, there was a certain Child wandered forthe, that would play.
He met a Bee, and sayd, 'Bee, wilt thou play with me?' The Bee sayd,
'No, I have my Duties to perform, tho' you, it woulde seeme, have none.
I must away to make Honey.' Then the Childe, abasht, went to the Ant.
He sayd, 'Will you play with me, Ant?' The Ant replied, 'Nay, I must
provide against the Winter.' In shorte, he found that everie Bird,
Beaste, and Insect he accosted, had a closer Eye to the Purpose of
their Creation than himselfe. Then he sayd, 'I will then back, and con
my Task.'--_Moral_. The Moral of the foregoing Fable, my deare _Aunt_,
is this--We must love Work better than Play."

With alle my Interest for Children, how is it possible to take anie
Interest in soe formall a little Prigge?

_Saturday_.

I have just done somewhat for Master _Ned_ which he coulde not doe for
himselfe--_viz_. tenderly bound up his Hand, which he had badly cut.
Wiping away some few naturall Tears, he must needs say, "I am quite
ashamed, _Aunt_, you shoulde see me cry; but the worst of it is, that
alle this Payne has beene for noe good; whereas, when my Uncle beateth
me for misconstruing my _Latin_, tho' I cry at the Time, all the while
I know it is for my Advantage."--If this Boy goes on preaching soe, I
shall soon hate him.

--Mr. _Milton_ having stepped out before Supper, came back looking soe
blythe, that I askt if he had hearde good News. He sayd, yes: that
some Friends had long beene persuading him, against his Will, to make
publick some of his _Latin_ Poems; and that, having at length consented
to theire Wishes, he had beene with _Mosley_ the Publisher in St.
_Paul's Churchyard_, who agreed to print them. I sayd, I was sorrie I
shoulde be unable to read them. He sayd he was sorry too; he must
translate them for me. I thanked him, but observed that Traductions
were never soe good as Originalls. He rejoyned, "Nor am I even a good
Translator." I askt, "Why not write in your owne Tongue?" He sayd,
"_Latin_ is understood