TO THE READER. V His Scripture-Poems are an elegant aud excellent paraphrase, but especially his Job, whom he bath restored to its original glory. 0 that he had turned the Psalms into metre fitted to the usual tunes. · It did me go~?d when .Mrs. Wyat invited me to see Boxley.-Abbey in Kent, to see upon the old stone wall in the garden, a summer-house _with this inscription in .great' golden letters, that in that place · Mr. G. Sandys, after his travels- over the world, retired himself for his poetry and contemplations, And none are fitter to retire to God, than such as are tired with seeing all the vanities on earth. Sure there is somewhat of Heavl'n in Holy Poetry. It charmeth souls into loving harmony and concord. We have two brothers in this city, of whom one hath written a book, called a Friendly Debate, to make those seem odious or contemptible who are against his way. It had too much success, and so far de5troyed love and concord, as will not easily be recovered in this age. His brother (Mr. Patrike of the Charter-house) hath with pious skill and seriousness turned into a new metre many o£ David's Psalms, and the advantage for holy affections and harmony hath so' far reconciled the nonconformists, that divers of them use his Psalms in their congregations, though they h<we their old ones, Rouse's, Bishop King's, Mr. White's, the New England's, Davison's, the Scuts, (agreed on by two natiom) in ~ompetition with it. But I digress too far. All that I have to say for these Fragments, is, I. That being fitted to women, and vulgar wits, which are the far greatest number, they may be useful to such, though contemptible to those of higher elevation and expe"'tation. 2. And being suited to afflicted, sick, dying, troubled, sad, and doubting persons, the number of such is so great in these calamitous times, as may render them useful to more than I di?sire. 3. And if my present grief may but excuse the publication, he that needeth them not may let them alone. Some of them need an exposition, which I must not give the world. 1 have added two or three printed here-
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