1I am distressed that, as you write, you have lost a pupil of the highest promise. 1Why should I not know that your studies were hindered both by his illness and by his death? 1since you are most attentive to every duty, and since you love most generously all whom you approve. 2City business pursues me even here; 2for there is no lack of people who make me judge or arbitrator. 3Added to this are the complaints of the country people, who after a long time make use of my ears, as is their right, beyond all measure. 3There is also the pressing need to let my farms, a very troublesome business: so rare is it to find suitable tenants.
4For these reasons I study on sufferance, but study nevertheless. 4For I both write something and read; 4but when I read, I feel by comparison how badly I write, although you encourage me by comparing my books on avenging Helvidius with Demosthenes' speech Against Meidias. 5That speech I certainly had in my hands when I was composing them, not to rival it — for that would be shameless and almost insane — but still to imitate and follow it, as far as either the difference between the greatest and the least of talents, or the dissimilarity of the cases, would allow. 5Farewell.