PREFACE %fO "MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS IN PROSE AND VERSE.. AS every man has some amusements for an hour of leisure, I have chosen Ma- thematical Science,. Philosophy and Poesy, for mine; and the fruits of some of those hours have been communicated to the world. I acknowledge my obligation to the present age, which has given a favourable acceptance to the Lyric Poems printed in my youth, the plain Rudiments of Geography and Astronomy, and the Treatise of Logic, published some years ago, and to those scattered Essays of Phi- losophy which I put together;last year. These gleanings of Verse, and occasional Thoughts on Miscellaneous Subjects, which have been, growing under my hands for thirty years, are now collected for a present to the public, under the encouragement it has given me to expect the same candour. That the composure of verse is not beneath the dignity even of sublime and sacred characters, appears in the example of David, the prophet and the king; to which if I should add Moses and Solomon, it would still strengthen the argument and support the honour of this art. And how far poesy has been made serviceable to the temple and the interest of religion, has been set in a sufficient light by several pens ; nor need I repeat here what is written, in the prefaceto my book of poems, on that subject. But I must confess it needs some apology, that when I had told the world twenty -five¡years ago that I expected the future part of my life would be free from the service of the muse, I should now discover my weak- ness, and let the world know that I have not been able to maintain my purpose. It is true indeed, some of these cbpies were written before that time, yet a good part of them must date their existence since ; for where nature has any strong propensity, even from our infant -life, it will awake and shew itself on many occa- sions, though it has been often and sincerelyresisted, and subdued, and laid to sleep. And as I have found my thoughts many a time carried away into four or five lines of verse ere I was aware, and sometimes in opposition to my will, so I confess I have now and then indulged it for an hour or two, as an innocent and grateful diversion from more severe studies. In this view I offer it to my friends ; and amongst the many pieces herein contained, I hope there are some which will give them an agreeable amusement, and perhaps some elevation of thought toward the things of heaven. But in order to taste any degree of pleasure, or reap any profit by the reading, I -must entreat them sincerely to seek the entertainment of their hearts, as in the conversation of a friend ; and not to hunt after the painful and awkward joys of sour criticism, which is ever busy in seeking out something to disgust itself. I make no pretences to the name of a poet, or a polite writer, in an age wherein so many superior souls shine in their works through this nation. Could I display the excellencies of virtue and christian piety in the various forms and ap- pearances of it, with all the beauty and glory in which Mr. Pope has set the king- dom of the Messiah by his well - mingled imitations of Isaiah and Virgil ; could I paint nature and the animated wonders of it in such strong and lively colours as Dr. Young has done; could I describe its lovely and dreadful scenes in lines of such sweetness and terror, as he hai describedthem in his Paraphrase on part of the book of Job ; I should have a better ground for a pretence to appear among the writers of verse, and do more service to the war!«. Could I imitate there admirable representations of human nature and passion which that ingenious pen has given s, who wrote the late volumes of " Epistles from the Dead to the Living," and, " Letters Moral and Entertaining." I should then hope for happier success in my endeavoursto provide innocent and improving diversions for polite youth. But since I can boast of little more than an inclination and a wish that way, I must commit the provision of these amusements to such celebrated authors as I have now mentioned, and to the rising geniuses of the age: And may the hour of poesy be retrieved by them, from the scandal which has been cast upon it by the abuse of verse to loose and profane purposes,
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