THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. REA,DER, THESE Poetical Fragments, (except three l!eretofore printed) were so far from being intended for the Press, that they were not allowed the sight of many private ' friends, nor thought worthy of it. Only had I had time and heart to have finished the first, (which itself, according to the matter and designed method, would have made ·a Volume far bigger than all this, being intended as a thankful, historical commemoration of all the notable passages of my life) I should have published it as the most self-pleasing part of my writings. But as they were mostly written in various .passions, so passion bath now thrust them out into the world. God having taken away the dear companion of tlui last nineteen years of my life, · as her sorrows and sufferings long ago gave being to some of these Poe·ms (for reasons which the world is not concerned to know) so my grief for her removal, and the revived sense of former things, have 'prevailed with me to be passionate in the open sight of all. I confess that passion is oft such a Mndrance of judgment, that a man should be' very suspicious of himself till it be laid. But I am assured that God made. it not in vain; and that reason is a sleepy half-useless thing, till some passion excite it; and learning to a man asleep is no better for
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