{ ..tO:rrHCus Vuu, V EC AV. JL l~dge,my weaknes checks me,and fayes,Bttttr alittk lur11i"g tht~nu htalth.! yecld, A and patiently abide ~y felfe debarred of my chofen feltcny. ~he httle. I can get, I am nonigg~rd of: nenher am I moreddirous to gather, then wtl!lng to tmparc. The full handed are commonlymoll fparing. We veffcls, char have any empty roomc,an. fwer the !call knock, wi<h ahollow noyfe: you, that are full,fouod not.If we pardon your clofcndfe, you may wdl heare with our profufion. If there be any wrong, it is to our felves,rhat we utter what we lhould lay up. It is a pardonable fault,todoe l<ffe good to our [elves, that we may doe more to others. Amongfi other endevous, I have boldly undertaken the holy Metres of Bavtd; how happily judge y6u by what you fee. There is nooe of all my labours fo open t11 all cenfures; none whereof I would fo willingly heare the verdit ofthe wife and judicious.P<rhaps fome think the verfe harfh; whofe nice careregards roundnelfe more then fenfe. I embrace fmoorh- B neffe, but affeCl it nor. This is the !tall good quality of a verfe; that intends any thing butmuficall delight. Others may blame rhe difficulty of the tunrs :whofe humour cannot be pleafed wirhout a greater offence. For, ro fay truth; I never could fee good verfe written in the wonted meafures. I ever thought themmoll eafie, and !call Poericall. This fault(ifany)willlight upon the negligenc.ofourpeople,which endurenotto take paines for any fit variety. The Frrnch and Dutch have given us worthy examples ofdiligence, and exquificnelfe in this kind. Ncirher our cares nor voices are Idle tunabk. Here is nothing wancin~,but will to learne. Whar is this,bur to eat the corne out ofthe eare, becaufe we will nor obide rhe labour ro grind, ond kneod it! If the quefiion be, whether our verfe mull ddcend to them ; or tiTcy a f. cend to it1 wife moderation I think would dct<rmine it moll equall, that each part C lhould remir fomewhar, and both rneec in the midll. Thus I have <ndevoured to doe, wich fincere intent oftheir good, rather then my owne applaufe. For it had beene eafie to have reached to an higher firaine: but I durfi not; whether forrhegrave Ma· jellie of the fubjett, or benefit of the fimplefi Reader. You (hall fiill no~e, that I have laboured to keepe Davidsentire fenfe, with numbers neither loftie nor lhtbbe· red: which mcane is lo much more dillicult eo find, os the bufineffe is more facred, and the liberty lclfe. Manygreat wirs have undertaken this caskc; which yet have either not effeCled it, or have fmorhered it in their privote desks, and denied itthe common light. Amongfi the reil,were thofe two rore fpirits ofthe Sidn;ts; to whom Poetic was as natural! as it is nffetted ofothe!s: and our worthy friend M. Silvtjltr, hath fl1ewed me, how happtly he hath fomettmcs turned from h1s Bart.u,rothe fweec D finger of Tfr•tl. lr could nor be, that in fueh abundant plentie ofPoelie, rbis worke (hould have p1fi unattempred: would Go~ I might live to fee it perfected; either by my owne han~,ora better. lothe meanenme,ler me exp<tt your impartial! fcmence, both concernmg the forme and fenfe. Lay afide your love, for a wh1le; which too oft blinds judgment. A~d as it ufes '?be done in moll equal! procr~dings ofjullice, (hue me cur ofdores whtlc my verfe ts d1fculfed : yea, let me r<e<tvenor yourcen· furc oncly, but others by you: thisonce(as you love me) play both the Informer and the Judge. Whether you allow it,you flull incourage me1 or corrett,youlhall amend me. Eith<r your fiarreo,or your fpits,(rhu I may ufe orlgtns notes) !hall be welcome ro my margent. lr !hall be happy for ns,ifGod fl1all make ourpoorelabours any way ferviceableto his Nameand Church. E ToM. Samuel Sothehy. E P 1 s T . V I. A Prtftcet• hiJ RtiAtiM •ftht R•Jiauff•irts. T·Ravell perfitcth wifedomc; and obfctvation gives perfection to eraveil :with. out which oman may pleafe his eyes, nor feed his brain;and after much earth meafured,flJall returne wi.th<t weary body,andan em pry miod.Home is more fafe, more pleafant, bur le!fe fruirfull of experience : But to a miod not workina and difcurlive, all beavcns,allcarthsare alike. And, aschcend ofrravcll is obferv~ion, fo
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