conjectures. He gives a long
account of his design to Gerard Vossius, in a letter of the 20th of
December, 1635. "When I was here a private man, says he, in order to be
useful to the lovers of learning, after translating Stobaeus and the
Maxims of the Comic and Tragic Poets, I also translated the Collection
of Greek Epigrams by Planudas; adding several Epigrams which are not in
Henry Stephens's edition: on coming here Ambassador, I thought I should
do well to finish what I had begun; and knowing that the great Salmasius
had collated these Epigrams with ancient manuscripts, I prevailed on him
to communicate to me his remarks; and I had the satisfaction to find my
conjectures confirmed by the authority of manuscripts. The whole is now
ready to be printed in the same form as _Stobaeus_ and the Extracts from
the Greek Tragedies and Comedies. When I think of a Bookseller, Blaeu
first occurs to me: he loves me and all my friends: but one thing vexes
me; if I give him my manuscript, I shall not know when it will be
published: besides, I doubt whether he has any one that can correct the
Greek proofs, and make the Indexes which are necessary for rendering the
book useful to youth. If I could be assured of this, I would readily
give him the preference. I shall afterwards think of publishing more
considerable works." New reflections on Blaeu's dilatoriness set him
against him, especially as he was not satisfied with his Greek
types[464]: he therefore wrote to his brother, to consult with Vossius
what he ought to do. "I would not, he adds, have recourse to the
Elzevirs, not so much on account of this book, as of some others which I
am preparing for the press, and which will not be to their taste." It is
unlucky for the republic of letters, that Grotius was obstinately bent
on printing his _Anthologia_ in Holland; Morelle would gladly have
printed it at Paris[465]; Cramoisi would not have refused it. Grotius
writes to his brother, June 26th, 1637, "I am deliberating, whether to
make use of Cramoisi, the eminent Bookseller; but I have some reason to
question the abilities of his corrector." He once thought to send it to
England[466]; but he was diverted from this by reflecting, that
Franciscus Junius, who resided in that country, printed his works out of
the kingdom. The answers he received concerning the printing of the
_Anthologia_ not satisfying him, he wrote to his brother, April 20,
1639[467], "If my _Anthologia_ cannot be printe