POETICAL PRECEPTOR;

OR, A

COLLECTION OF SELECT PIECES

ADDISON,

AKENSIDE,

ARMSTRONG,

* DUKE OF BUCK

INGHAM,

THE

COLLINS,

CONGREVE,

EXTRACTED FROM THE WORKS OF

THE MOST EMINENT ENGLISH POETS.

COWLEY,

COWPER,

DENHAM,

DRYDEN,

DYER,

GARTH,

GAY,

OF

POETRY;

AND CALCULATED FOR THE USE, NOT ONLY OF SCHOOLS, BUT OF PRIVATE GENTLEMEN.

THE SIXTH EDITION;

CORRECTED, IMPROVED, AND ENRICHED WITH THE ADDITION OF MANY NEW PIECES.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR W. J. AND J. RICHARDSON; WILKIE AND ROBINSON; G. ROBINSON; F. AND C. RIVINGTON; SCATCHERD

AND LETTER

MAN; C. LAW; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME; AND LACKINGTON AND CO.

PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST EDITION.

IN consequence of the promise I made in the

Preface to the POLITE PRECEPTOR, I here take the liberty of presenting the Reader with a Collection of Poetical Pieces, which, as far as I am able to judge, is better calculated for the use of Schools, than any other book of the kind that has yet been offered to the public. In forming this Collection, I had two objects principally in view. The first was, to admit no piece that contained any sentiment or expression inconsistent either with the principles of morality, or the rules of delicacy, convinced as I am, and have always been, of the truth of the Roman Poet's observation, that the greatest reverence is due to a child, and that nothing should be exhibited to his view, or uttered in his hearing, that has the least tendency to vitiate his taste or corrupt his heart. But not only have I guarded against the insertion of any immoral or indecent pieces; a thing, that has not been sufficiently attended to by some Editors of similar collections: I have done more; I have carefully endeavoured to select such pieces as contained the most excellent precepts of morality, the strongest exhortations to virtue, and the most powerfu