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beautiful and inftructive Frontifpieces. And, that thefe Volumes are thus elegantly adorned, without making any other Advance in the Price, than what unavoidably arifes from the additional Number of Sheets, is owing to the Generofity of my honoured Friend, Sir THOMAS DRURY, Bart. who, at his own Expence, furnished thefe coftly Gopper-Plates, engraved by one of the finest Hands in the Kingdom: A Favour, which I take a very peculiar Satisfaction in acknowleging, not only as it is a fignal Honour to the Author and his Performance; but as it is alfo a pleafing and cuthentic Proof, that Christianity has its Patrons in the Superior Stations of Life; that there are Perfons, who think it no Difgrace to their diftinguished Rank, and ample Fortune, to countenance every, even the weakest, Attempt to promote the Interests of true Religion.

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As for the MONUMENTAL Plate, having confidered moft Things relating to it fo largely (fee Page 34.) Ifhould have faid nothing of it in this Advertisement, had it not been to lead my Readers to remark what feems to me an important MORAL, fuggefted in the ARMS of the two Families, not expreffed in the Monument itfelf, but purpofely inferted here.-It will on the first Inspection be obferved, that the Ef

cutcheon

[v]

cutcheon is rent in funder, to intimate the Diffolution of the near Relation once fo happily fubfifting. The Fragments fall to the Bottom of the Plate, as Things comparatively of very fmall Confequence, and the Motto, SUBLIMIORA PETAMUS *, has not only a fine Reference to the Device of the Family Arms to which it is annex'd, but may be confidered as standing in a beautiful Connection with that Celestial Crown placed at the Top:-placed at the Top, as the GREAT SUBLIME OBJECT, TO THE PURSUIT OF WHICH All, who may in future Generations bear those ARMS, and All, who now bebold them, are by thefe elevating Words affectionately invited.

LET US PURSUE SUBLIMER OBJECTS.

A 3

The

[vi]

The FRONTISPIECE

Prefents the infide View of a Church-The Floor, the Pillars, and the Walls, are interfperfed with fepulchral Stones, and funeral Infcriptions-On one Side, is the Monument of an Infant, adorned with an Urn, with a weeping Statue, and infcribed with the following Epitaph

NASCENTES MORIMUR, No fooner born, than dead.-On a more elevated Tomb, and under an Affemblage of military Weapons, is pourtrayed a Warrior; fuppofed to be mortally wounded, expiring in the Attitude of Adoration, and with the Spirit of that noble Line,

O! fave my Country, Heav'n! fhall be thy laft: A Youth, beholding the Reprefentation of this gallant Patriot, feems to be ftruck with Admiration, and charmed with Delight. A Minifterdiverts his Attention to an Object of infinitely higher Dignity, and greater Wonder. If the Hero died PRO PATRIA, In Defence of his Country: CHRIST died PRO INIMICIS, For the Salvation of his Enemies. An Inftance of fuch difinterested, diffufive, and divine Benevolence, as makes all that Heroes have atchieved, and Patriots fuffered, dwindle into Nothing, and fcarce deserve our Notice.

On

MEDITATIONS.

IN these lov'd Scenes what rapt rous Graces shine,
Live in each Leaf, and breathe in every Line.
What facred Beauties beam throughout the whole,
To charm the Senfe, and steal upon the Soul!
In claffic Elegance, and Thoughts-his own,
We fee our Faults, as in a Mirrour, fhewn:
Each Truth, in glaring Characters expreft,
All own the Twin Refemblance in their Breaft:
His eafy Periods, and perfuafive Page,
At once amend, and entertain the Age:
Nature's wide Fields all open to his View,
He charms the Mind with fomething ever New:
On Fancy's Pinions, his advent'rous Soul
Wantons unbounded, and pervades the Whole :
From Death's dark Caverns in the Earth below,
To Spheres, where Planets roll, or Comets glow.
See Him explore, with more than human Eyes,
The dreary Sepulchre, where Granvil lies:
Converfe with Stones, or monumental Brafs,
The rude Inferiptions,or the painted Glass:

To gloomy Vaults defcend with awful Tread,
And view the filent Manfions of the Dead.

To gayer Scenes He next adapts his Lines,
Where lavish Nature in Embroid'ry fhines:
The Fefsmine Groves, the Wood-bine's fragrant

Bow'rs,

With all the painted Family of Flow'rs:
There, Sacharifla! in each fleeting Grace,
Read all the tranfient Honours of thy Face.

With equal Dignity, now fee Him rife
To paint the fable Horrours of the Skies:
When all the wide Horizon lies in Shade:
And midnight Phantoms fweep along the Glade:
All Nature hub'd—a folemn Silence reigns,
And scarce a Breeze disturbs the fleeping Plains.
Laft, yet not less, in Majefty of Phrase,
He draws the full-orb'd Moon's expansive Blaze;
The waving Meteors, trembling from on high,
With all the mute Artillery of the Sky:
Syftems on Syftems, which in Order roll,
And dart their lambent Beams from Pole to Pole.
Hail mighty Genius, whofe excurfive Soul
No Bounds confine, na Limits can controul:
Whofe Eye expatiates, and whofe Mind can rove
Thro' Earth, thro' Ether, and the Realms above:
From Things inanimate can direct * the Rod,
In juft Gradation, to afcend to GOD.

Taught

In Allufion to the Cuftom, of fhewing curious Objects, and particularizing their refpective Delicacies, by the pointing of a Rod.