PREFACE. WITHOUT ITHOUT encreafing his genius, the Author may have improved his language, in the eleven years, that the following Poems have been in the hands of the Public. Errors in diction might have been committed at twenty-four, which the experience of a riper age may remove; and fome exuberances in imagery may be reftrained, with advantage, by a degree of judgment acquired in the progress of time. Impreffed with this opinion, he ran over the whole with attention and accuracy; and, he hopes, he has brought the work to a ftate of correctness, which will preclude all future improvements. The eagerness, with which these Poems have been received abroad, are a recompence for the coldnefs with which a few have A 3 have affected to treat them at home. All the polite nations of Europe have tranfferred them into their respective languages; and they speak of him, who brought them to light, in terms that might flatter the vanity of one fond of fame. In a convenient indifference for a literary reputation, the Author hears praise without being elevated, and ribaldry without being depreffed. He has frequently feen the firft bestowed too precipitately; and the latter is fo faithless to its purpose, that it is often the only index to merit in the present age. Though the taste, which defines genius, by the points of the compafs, is a subject fit for mirth in itself, it is often a serious matter in the fale of a work. When rivers define the limits of abilities, as well as the boundaries of countries, a writer may meafure his fuccefs, by the latitude under which he was born. It was to avoid a part of this inconvenience, that the Author is faid, by fome, who speak without any authority, to have afcribed his own productions to another another name. If this was the cafe, he was but young in the art of deception. When he placed the Poet in antiquity, the Tranflator fhould have been born on this fide of the Tweed. These observations regard only the frivolous in matters of literature; these, however, form a majority in every age and nation. In this country, men of genuine tafte abound; but their ftill voice is drowned in the clamours of a multitude, who judge by fashion of poetry, as of dress. The truth is, to judge aright requires almost as much genius as to write well; and good critics are as rare as great poets. Though two hundred thousand Romans ftood up, when Virgil came into the Theatre, Varius only could correct the Eneid. He that obtains fame must receive it through mere fashion; and gratify his vanity with the applause of men, of whofe judgment he cannot approve. The following Poems, it must be confeffed, are more calculated to please persons of exquifite feelings of heart, than thofe who receive all their impreffions by the ear. The novelty of cadence, in what is called a profe verfion, though not destitute of harmony, will not to common readers supply the abfence of the frequent returns of rhime. This was the opinion of the Writer himself, though he yielded to the judgment of others, in a mode, which prefented freedom and dignity of expreffion, instead of fetters, which cramp the thought, whilft the harmony of language is preferved. His intention was to publifh in verfe. The making of poetry, like any other handicraft, may be learned by induftry; and he had ferved his apprenticeship, though in fecret, to the muses. It is, however, doubtful, whether the harmony which these Poems might derive from rhime, even in much better hands than those of the Tranflator, could atone for the |