Page:The battle of the books - Guthkelch - 1908.djvu/369

Rh (or Dr) Bently, who stay'd at their Shop for't. I told the Messenger how little I had done (not in respect of the time I had it;) and desir'd him to tell the Library-keeper, That I would continue in making all the haste I could [with it], and care fully return him his MS. as soon as I had done with it. I cannot be positive whether or no I forced the Messenger to come twice for't: but this I'm sure of, That I could have no rest, till I had sent back not only the MS. but the printed Book, and also the Variations I had set down in convenient slips of Paper, but which I intended to transcribe before any body should see y$m$. I also sent this message along with them, That they would easily see how far I had gone; I would make what haste I could with the rest: and bid the Messenger be sure to bring me my Corrections again: all which he promis'd to do. But I never saw any of 'em since, and had forgotten the Book, had I not one day been told of the Complement the Publisher of y$e$ foresd Epistles had given the Library-keeper for his Civility. This is all I know of this matter, but any one may easily suppose the Library-keeper was sufficiently acquainted, how far I had gone, seeing y$e$ MS. and printed book, with y$e$ Corrections on a sheet of paper folded in 16°. lengthways, put in [the] it,