fo I hope they are neither improper, nor altogether inelegant in verfe; and, in this, Horace will again defend me. Et nova, fictaque nuper, habebunt verba fidem, fi The inference is exceeding plain: for if a Roman poet might have liberty to coin a word, fuppofing only that it was derived from the Greek, was put into a Latin termination, and that he used this liberty but feldom, and with modefty; how much more juftly may I challenge that privilege to do it with the fame prerequifites, from the beft and moft judicious of Latin writers? In fome places, where either the fancy or the words were his, or any other's, I have noted it in the margin, that I might not feem a plagiary; in others I have neglected it, to avoid as well tediousness, as the affectation of doing it too often. Such defcriptions or images well wrought, which I promise not for mine, are, as I have faid, the adequate delight of heroic poefy; for they beget admiration, which is its proper object; as the images of the burlefque, which is contrary to this, by the fame reafon beget laughter: for the one fhews nature beautified, as in the picture of a fair woman, which we all admire; the other fhews her deformed, as in that of a lazar, or of a fool with diftorted face and antique geftures, at which we cannot forbear to laugh, because it is a deviation from nature. But though the fame images ferve equally for the Epic poefy, and for the hiftoric and panegyric, which are branches of it, yet a feveral fort of fculpture is to be used in them. If fome of them are to be like thofe of Juvenal, Stantes in curribus Æmiliani, heroes drawn in their triumphal chariots, and in their full proportion; others are to be like that of Virgil, Spirantia VOL. I, mollius E mollius era: there is fomewhat more of foftrefs and tenderness to be fhewn in them. You will foon find I write not this without concern. Some, who have seen a paper of verses, which I wrote last year to her Highness the Dutchefs, have accufed them of that only thing I could defend in them. They faid, I did humi ferpere, that I wanted not only height of fancy, but dignity of words, to fet it off. I might well answer with that of Horace, Nunc non erat his locus; I knew I addreffed them to a lady, and accordingly I affected the foftnefs of expreffion, and the fmoothness of measure, rather than the height of thought; and in what I did endeavour, it is no vanity to fay I have fucceeded. I deteft arrogance; but there is some difference betwixt that and a just defence. But I will not farther bribe your candor, or the reader's. I leave them to speak for me; and, if they can, to make out that character, not pretending to a greater, which I have given them. And now, Sir, 'tis time I should relieve you from the tedious length of this account. You have better and more profitable employment for your hours, and I wrong the public to detain you longer. In conclufion, I muft leave my poem to you with all its faults, which I hope to find fewer in the printing by your emendations. I know you are not of the number of thofe, of whom the younger Pliny fpeaks; Nec funt parum multi, qui carpere amicos fuos judicium vocant: I am rather too fecure of you on that fide. Your candor in pardoning my errors may make you more remifs in correcting them; if you will not withal confider that they come into the world with your approbation, and through your hands. I beg from you the greatest favour you can confer upon an abfent perfon, fince I repofe upon your management what is dearest to me, my fame and reputation; and therefore I hope it it will ftir you up to make my poem fairer by many of your blots; if not, you know the ftory of the gamester who married the rich man's daughter, and when her father denied the portion, christened all the children by his firname, that if, in conclufion, they must beg, they should do fo by one name, as well as by the other. But fince the reproach of my faults will light on you, 'tis but reafon I should do you that justice to the readers, to let them know, that, if there be any thing tolerable in this poem, they owe the argument to your choice, the writing to your encouragement, the correction to your judgment, and the care of it to your friendship, to which he muft ever acknowledge himself to owe all things, who is, IN ta ei when N thriving arts long time had Holland grown, Crouching at home and cruel when abroad : 2. Trade, which like blood fhould circularly flow, And feem'd but shipwreck'd on fo base a coast. 3• For them alone the heavens had kindly heat; 1 In callein quarries, &c. It is a notion with fome people, that precious ones are drops of dew, condenfed and hardened by the warmth of the fun, or by fubterranean files. 4. The : 4. The fun but feem'd the labourer of the year; Each waxing moon fupply'd her watery ftore, To fwell thofe tides, which from the line did bear Their brim-full veffels to the Belgian fhore. 5. Thus mighty in her fhips, flood Carthage long, 6. What peace can be, where both to one pretend? (But they more diligent, and we more ftrong) Or if a piece, it foon must have an end; For they would grow too powerful were it long. That each seven years the fit must shake each land: Where France will fide to weaken us by war, Who only can his vast designs withstand. 8. See how he feeds th' Iberian with delays, 9. Such deep defigns of empire does he lay O'er them, whofe caufe he feems to take in hand; And prudently would make them lords at fea, 10. This faw our King; and long within his breast E 3 11. His |