among the Latins, I apply'd myself to that Resolution which Ariosto followed against the persuasions of Bembo, to fix all the Industry and Art I could unite to the adorning of my native Tongue; not to make verbal Curiosities the end, that were a toilsome Vanity, but to be an Interpreter and Relater of the best and sagest things, among mine own Citizens throughout this Island, in the mother dialect. That what the greatest and choicest Wits of Athens, Rome, or modern Italy, and those Hebrews of old did for their country, I in my proportion, with this over and above, of being a Christian, might do for mine; not caring to be once nam'd abroad, though perhaps I could attain to that, but content with these British Islands as my World, whose Fortune hath hitherto bin, that if the Athenians, as some say, made their small Deeds great and renowned by their eloquent writers, England hath had her noble Achievements made small by the unskilful handling of Monks and Mechanicks.

"Timeserves not now, and perhaps I might seem too profuse to give any certain account of what the mind at home, in the spacious circuits of her musing, hath liberty to propose to herself, though of highest hope and hardest attempting, whether that Epick form whereof the two Poems of Homer, and those other two of Virgil and Tasso, are a diffuse, and the Book of Job a brief Model: or whether the rules of Aristotle herein are strictly to be kept, or Nature to be follow'd, which in them that know Art, and use Judgement, is no transgression, but an enriching of Art. And lastly, what King or Knight before the Conquest might be chosen in whom to lay the Pattern of a Christian Hero. And as Tasso gave

to a Prince of Italy his choice, whether he would command him to write of Godfrey's expedition against the Infidels, or Belisarius against the Goths, or Charlemain against the Lombards; if to the instinct of Nature and the imbold'ning of Art aught may be trusted, and that there be nothing adverse in our Climat, or the fate of this Age, it haply would be no rashness from an equal diligence and inclination, to present the like offer in our own ancient Stories. Or whether those Dramatick Constitutions, wherein Sophocles and Euripides reign, shall be found more doctrinal and exemplary to a Nation. The Scripture also affords us a Divine pastoral Drama in the Song of Salomon, consisting of two Persons and a double Chorus, as Origen rightly judges. And the Apocalypse of Saint John is the majestic Image of a high and stately Tragedy, shutting up and intermingling her solemn Scenes and Acts with a seven-fold Chorus of Halleluja's and harping Symphonies: and this my opinion the grave authority of Pareus, commenting that Book, is sufficient to confirm. Or if occasion shall lead, to imitate those magnifick Odes and Hymns wherein Pindar and Callimachus are in most things worthy, some others in their frame judicious, in their matter most an end faulty. But those frequent Songs throughout the Law and Prophets beyond all these, not in their divine Argument alone, but in the very critical Art of Composition, may be easily made appear over over all the kinds of Lyric Poetry, to be incomparable. These abilities, wheresoever they be found, are the inspir'd gift of God rarely bestowed, but yet to some (though most abuse) in every Nation: and are of power, beside the Office of a Pulpit, to inbreed and cherish in a great

People the seeds of Virtue and publick Civility, to allay the perturbations of the Mind, and set the affections in right tune; to celebrate in glorious and lofty Hymns the Throne and Equipage of God's Almightiness, and what he works, and what he suffers to be wrought with high Providence in his Church; to sing victorious Agonies of Martyrs and Saints, the Deeds and Triumphs of just and pious Nations, doing valiantly through Faith against the enemies of Christ; to deplore the general relapses of Kingdoms and States from Justice and God's true worship. Lastly, whatsoever in Religion is holy and sublime, in Virtue amiable and grave, whatsoever hath Passion or Admiration in all the changes of that which is called Fortune from without, or the wily subtleties and refluxes of mans thoughts from within; all these things with solid and treatable smoothness to paint out and describe. Teaching over the whole Book of Sanctity and Virtue, through all the instances of Example, with such delight to those especially of soft and delicious Temper, who will not so much as look upon Truth herself, unless they see her elegantly drest; that whereas the Paths of honesty and good Life appear now rugged and difficult, though they be indeed easy and pleasant, they would then appear to all men both easy and pleasant, though they were rugged and difficult indeed. And what a benefit this would be to our Youth and Gentry, may be soon guess'd by what we know of the Corruption and Bane which they suck in daily from the writings and interludes of libidinous and ignorant Poetasters, who having scarce ever heard of that which is the main consistence of a true Poem, the choice of such Persons as they ought to introduce, and what is moral and

vicious

decent to each one, do for the most part lay up Principles in sweet Pills to be swallowed down, and make the taste of virtuous Documents harsh and sour. But because the Spirit of man cannot demean itself lively in this body without some recreating intermission of Labour, and serious things, it were happy for the Commonwealth, ifour Magistrates, as in those famous Governments of old, would take into their care, not only the deciding of our contentious Law-cases and Brawls, but the managing of our publick Sports and festival Pastimes, that they might be, not such as were autoris'd a while since, the provocations of Drunkenness and Lust, but such as may inure and harden our Bodies by Martial exercises to all warlike skill and performance; and may civilise, adorn, and make discreet our Minds by the learning and affable meeting of frequent Academies, and the procurement of wise and artful recitations, sweetened with eloquent and graceful enticements to the love and practice of Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude, instructing and bettering the Nation at all opportunities, that the call of Wisdom and Virtue may be heard every where, as Solomon saith, 'She crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the Streets, in the top of high places, in the chief concourse, and in the openings of the Gates.' Whether this may not be, not only in Pulpits, but after another persuasive method, at set and solemn Paneguries, in Theaters, Porches, or what other place and way may win most upon the People to receive at once both Recreation and Instruction; let them in authority consult. The thing which I had to say, and those intentions which have liv'd within me ever since I could conceive myself any thing worth to my Country, I return to

crave excuse that urgent Reason hath pluck't from me, by an abortive and foredated discovery. And the accomplishment of them lies not but in a power above man's to promise; but that none hath by more studious ways endeavour'd, and with more unwearied Spirit that none shall, that I dare almost aver of myself, as far as life and free leisure will extend; and that the Land had once infranchis'd her self from this impertinent yoke of Prelaty, under whose inquisitorious and tyrannical duncery, no free and splendid Wit can flourish. Neither do I think it shame to covenant with any knowing Reader, that for some few years yet I may go on trust with him toward the payment of what I am now indebted, as being a work not to be rais'd from the heat of Youth, or the vapours of Wine; like that which flows at waste from the Pen of some vulgar Amorist, or the trencher fury of a riming Parasite; nor to be obtain'd by the invocation of Dame Memory and her Siren Daughters, but by devout Prayer to that eternal Spirit, who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and sends out his Seraphim, with the hallow'd Fire of his Altar, to touch and purify the Lips of whom he pleases; to this must be added industrious and select Reading, steady Observation, insight into all seemly Arts and Affairs; till which in some measure be compast, at mine own peril and cost, I refuse not to sustain this expectation from as many as are not loth to hazard so much credulity upon the best Pledges that I can give them. Although it nothing content me to have disclos'd thus much before hand, but that I trust thereby to make it manifest with what small willingness I endure to interrupt the pursuit of no less hopes than these, and leave a calm and pleasing Solitariness, fed with cheerful and con