VIRGIN MUSE. Being a Collection of POEM From our most Celebrated ENGLISH POETS. M S Defigned for the Use of Young Gentlemen and Ladies. A T сноо To which are added Some Copies of Verfes never before Prin- By JAMES GREENWOOD, The SECOND EDITION. LONDON: 4 Printed and Sold by J. WYAT at the Rofe in St. Paul's Church-yard; の STR To Mrs. EMMA CHILD, Daughter of the Honourable Sir Richard Child, of Wanted, Baronet, and Knight of the Shire for the County of Effex. To Mrs. SUSANNA CHILD, To Mrs. ANNE CHILD, Daughters of the Honourable Sir Cefar Child, of Woodford-Bridge, Baronet. To Mrs. ELIZABETH HILLERSDON, Daughter of William Hillerfdon, Efq, Knight of the Shire for the County of Bedford. To Mrs. ELIZABETH GODFREY. Daughter of Peter Godfrey, Ef, Member of Parlament for the City of London. To Mrs. ANNE PERRY, Daughter of Mr. Richard Perry, of London, Mer; chant. To Mrs. ANNE MILNER, Daughter of the late Mr. Ifaac Milper, of London, Merchant. To Mrs. ELIZABETH LINGARD, Daughter of John Lingard, Efq; one of the Judges of the Sheriffs-Court. To Mrs. JUDITH BUTLER, Daughter of Mr. James Butler, of Camberwell, Merchant. Young Ladies, I Ntruction and Delight being the chief End of Poetry, I believe the following Collection will be judged no improper Prefent. The Virgin Mufe Hies therefore to you, Ladies, begging the Protection of your Virtue and Innocence; which, if A.2. if you fhall be pleased to grant; being fo Armed, She may fecurely appear abroad. For, what Armour can be brighter or ftronger than Virtue? or what fafer than Innocence? I fhall not undertake to reprefent fo great a Variety of Graces and Accomplishments that are now fhining, and increafing in you, I refer my felf to the ingenious Pen of your Favourite Mufe,in the foltowing Copy; which I hope will be taken for no Compliment, but a Prophetick Description of each of your Growing Virtues. May you fo daily improve in every Good and Commendable Qualification, that, if each Contending Mufe of the Nine fhould fingle out her Lady to employ their feveral Excellencies on, they may make choice of your Virtues for their Subject, and your Perfons for their Seat and Residence: I am, LADIES, Your most humble Servant, *The Virgin, P. I. James Greenwood. THE I Shall make no Apologies for the folliving Under taking, and if it be found Useful and Entertaining, it will need nome. A Book of this kind has certainly been wounted, fince you will hardly find arry Collection of Poems, that you can prudently put into the Hands of the Youth of either Sex: For you will meet with fomething that is either Shocking is Good Manners, Difficult to be Understood, or very Trifling and Silly. I have therefore had great Regard to introduce nothing here, but what is ftrictly Modeft, and truly Poetical; and as for the difficult Places, they are made very eafie and intelligible, by the Help of Notes, and a Large Index, explaining every hard Word. I have endeavoured to make it a compleat Book for the Teaching to Read Poetry: The Poems confifting of Verses of different Meafures, have all the chief forts of English Verlification. Two Objections are likely to be started: The one is, That fome things may feem Soft and Youthful. As to that; the Poems are defigned for Youth, whofe Age naturally requires what is Chearful and Pleafant, and must have Entertainments and Amufe- ments given them in their own way, provided they be Innocent, and Mannerly. For, after all, (det A 3 Perfons, you |