Giuseppe Tartini - Lettere e documenti / Pisma in dokumenti / Letters and Documents - Volume / Knjiga / Volume II

346 89. G.B. Martini to Tartini Copy of a letter written in Padua to Signor Tartini Fortunately, Signor Dottor Balbi has arrived here, and he cordially reveres you as he answers, as do I, the latest letter written by Your Most Illustrious Lordship, and together with whom I join in setting down the following impressions about your most worthy dissertation; which has the ill fortune of all those things whose understanding depends upon the correlation of numerous principles, of which sense, more than reason, is the judge. It is extremely easy for you to be guilty of some obscurity in your exposition, especially with regard to those like ourselves who come to know them for the first time and who learn of many entirely new things, with others expressed with ambiguous words and terms, the meaning of which, as it is necessary to judge things well, so it is necessary to wait for their clarification. Without this, one cannot arrive at that definition of the matter that suits your desires, which consist in telling you frankly what we think of the value of the mentioned dissertation. Our judgement must be either affirmative, or negative, or doubtful. How can we do this if the ideas are not clear to us? From here onwards in the next ordinary post we shall send not only what was prepared with regard to the past letters, but what we shall observe subsequently. By proceeding in this manner, we shall have the process ready for finally reaching a judgement on each part that is as little uncertain as possible. We thank you for that submissive disposition in which we find you, without which we would have had difficulty in using our natural sincerity, to the advantage of that truth to which we all aspire, and we more than any other wish to reach one goal only, that you should know the extent to which we are concerned about your right interests. One thing only is serious for us in this case, that Your Most Illustrious Lordship should think to reward us for any thought that we, as your friends, must without doubt have. Friendship carries the weight of corresponding to any need reciprocally, working for the common interests. That you appreciate our cordial disposition is the best sign you could ever give us of any gratitude. But perhaps because of your generosity this is not sufficient, unless you make it known to us in the way you have decided. Inevitably we must once again submit to this maestro di cappella to whom I am writing, so that he may convey his gifts through the Lenten preacher of S. Antonio. With much shame I resolve to write to him about this, and in so doing I admit defeat; and this victory shall offer you proof and assurance of the respectful obedience, which I confirm to you in professing myself Your Most Illustrious Lordship’s Bologna, 7 March 1752