Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/27

 made no long Dispute of it, whether or no I shou'd make it English''. The Importance of the History, and the happy Circumstances of our Conversion, gave me no small Pleasure, in attending upon that Performance. This, I confess, I have not done with any great Elegance, according to the Genius of our present Idiom; having chosen rather to use such English as wou'd be both intelligible, and best express the Saxon; that, as near as possible, both the Saxon and the English might be discerned to be of the same Kindred and Affinity: and the Reader be more readily enabled, and encouraged to know the one by the other; which End I imagine would not be so well answer'd, by a Translation more polite and elaborate. In following the course of the Homily, I added such Notes as I thought wou'd be some way or other useful, or at least diverting. I am sensible, in such a Variety, there will be different Occasion of Censure; and that things will either please or displease, according to the different Humour and Relish of the several Readers.''

I have fallen upon many things relating to the Charity, the Exemplary Life and Goodness of this holy Man, and the primitive State of the English Church: the Usefulness of which, by Persons of good Judgment, may perhaps be thought a just Apology for meddling with these Studies: so long as a Gratitude to their Memory, who first taught the English'' the Christian Faith, is not expunged out of the number of real Virtues. Were I to insist upon all that might be said to the Honour of St. Gregory, it''