Reflection

rank, but time, of life? Aye, and with fubjects at least not very fuperior to this; as to myself, I honour their performances, it fhews an extended circle, and I love not a narrow one. That there is no time to lose, if done at all, none will, or can, I fear, disagree in.

But here, methinks, is, and will be thought by others, a greater paradox ftill; I mean the production of this immense quantity of verfe; fince how can that, any how, be confidered as an explanation or elucidation of the former work: and yet, as to its elucidation, I know not but the keen eye of fuperiority may see it in fome measure to be fo, if fuch fhould ever happen at all minutely to look into both performances; however certain it be, that this was not folely or originally meant for that office. No, it came to be produced in ("Oh world, world, world!) thofe ftrange mutations that make us wait thee;" (as old SHAKESPEARE, among his keen intuitions, tells us of) on quite other ground, though it was afterwards introduced and magnified, as will be seen; even for that very purpose of illustration, examination, &c. along with the more immediate purpose, certainly, of giving forth the original very little poem in a better and more intelligible state than it then food in. This is a little mysterious, and no loss to be sure to the reader, if it remain fo.

That

That I could go through a poem of three thousand lines, at this time of day, with any propriety at all, fince I might even ever have doubted, much more might I now, who may too almost be said never to have written any poetry at all; and I have fince thought, that the foolish question and answer, in fome play or jest-book, might not quite improperly be applied here; I mean, where one man asked another, "Pray can you play on that inftrument?" and the other answered, "I really don't know, for I never tried." But this fecret I will let my reader into, viz. that nothing is so easy as to write verfe, certainly at least such as nine-tenths of mine, and every body's long poem is, more especially if didactic; whether in POPE, PRIOR, DRYDEN, or any one elfe, (this by way of critique.)-Our language is furely very affiftant to it, as you may, what from the inverfion, or tranfpofition, or curtailings, or choice from the number, nay vague meanings, of words, find both rhyme and measure every where: And this I am clear, many a man who can write profe at all elegantly, and had any turn to poetry, and any imagination, might (if he also tried) find, who perhaps like myself had never for years together even attempted a line of poetry. Yet, when I advance this as to the facility of writing poetry, and particularly fuch as fo much of mine is, I do not mean to be so modest as entirely to include the whole. The first Canto has none of that

argumentative,

argumentative, didactic, and abftrufe reasoning, that will not, I fear, in my latter ones, enliven every one of every one of my readers. It was, in great part at least, written very long ago; and I fhall think myself in luck if the additions fhould no ways have marred what Mr. Poet had not, as it happened, much cause to complain of in the critiques then bestowed on that smaller part. This firft Canto then can not have the excufe of draw-backs that the ensuing Cantos may pretend to. Not but that the reasons, and means of facility, above given, muft, in their proportion, hold good in all poetry; and this he doubts not every writer of poetry will grant, whose mind is enlarged enough to despise the supposed difficulties of ignorant perfons. But what matters this poetry after all, one way or the other? It is not the poetry, but the fentiment, the writer cares about; and he does affure his reader, he had rather hear it was faid of him, that He has manifefted a just and true way of thinking, than that he was as great a poet as HOMER. Nay farther, if he were so, and could difpofe of his faculty, he does also affure his reader, that he would fell it him exceedingly cheap indeed.

Will this unmeditated colloquial excurfion be forgiven me, as not so properly placed here as it might have been perhaps in the body of the work it precedes?

Let

Let me then conclude. I do it by repeating my still not unconquered distaste to publication;-but," le vin est tiré, il faut le boir;" and may it (to keep up my metaphor with my reader) give its share of entertainment to both, in their "feast of reason, " and flow of foul!"

The reader is defired to excufe it, if he finds in the Notes things that seem rather prefatory than otherwife. This preface has been written fince the entire work was printed off. The printing the preface last is ufual with Printers, and has happened here to be followed by the writer. During the Notes the Preface was little thought about.