A SIXTH BOOK TO THE COUNTESS of Pembroke's ARCADIA. WRITTEN By R. B. of Lincoln's-Inn, Efq; Sat, fi Bene; fi Male, inimicum. LONDON: Printed in the Year M.DCC.XXIV. TO THE READER. T O trive to leffen the greatness of the attempt, were to take away the glory of the action. To add to Sir Philip Sidney, I know is rafhness; a fault pardonable in me, if custom might as well excufe the offence, as youth may prefcribe in offending in this kind. That he should undergo that burthen, whofe mothertongue differs as much from this language, as Irish from English, augments the danger of the enterprize, and gives your expectation, perhaps, an affurance what the event A 2 muft muft be. Tet, let no man judge wrongfully of my endeavours: I have added a limb to Apelles's PiEture; but my mind never entertained such vain hopes, to think it of perfection fufficient to delude the eyes of the most vulgar, with the likeness in the workmanship. No, no, I do not follow Pythagoras's opinion of Tranfmigration: I am well affured divine Sidney's foul is not infufed into me, whofe judgment was only able to finish, what his invention was only worthy to undertake. For this, courteous Reader, let it fuffice, I place Sir Philip Sidney's defert (even in mine own efteem) as far beyond my endeavours, as the most fault-finding Cenfor can imagine this Effay of mine to come fhort of his Arcadia. Vale. R. B. THE |