RESENTS.

lish.

c'd:

vrit,

umns,

volumes, rage,

ge.

SHALL then my kind
And boldly rob me of
To ev'ry art my gen'ro
To music, painting, po
'Tis I celestial harmony
When fix'd to strike the
Ito the faithful canvas h
Each bright idea of the p
Behold from Raphael's sk
Such heav'nly scenes as c
O let me now aspire to hig
Ambitious to transcribe you
Nor thou, immortal bard, my
Accept me as the servant of
Then shall the world my won
And all mankind your match

*See a letter to Mrs Pilkington, Jan + Quills of the harpsichord.

LL then my kindred all my glory claim,
boldly rob me of eternal fame ?
ev'ry art my gen'rous aid I lend,
music, painting, poetry, a friend.
I celestial harmony inspire,

en fix'd to strike the sweetly warbling wire. † the faithful canvas have consign'd

h bright idea of the painter's mind;
old from Raphael's skydipt pencils rise
h heav'nly scenes as charm the gazer's eyes.
et me now aspire to higher praise!
bitious to transcribe your deathless lays:
· thou, immortal bard, my aid refuse,
cept me as the servant of your Muse,

en shall the world my wondrous worth declare, all mankind your matchless pen revere.

See a letter to Mrs Pilkington, Jan. 1, 1732-8, in Vol. XII. Quills of the harpsichord.

and all; re and your ll of fare. ladies, edis; gale;

o make a full

easure in blood, times as good: her health: es or wealth.

II. page 65.-N.

HUW

173

PREFAC

I HAVE been long of opin more general and greater mis sequences through the comme the wrong judgments they ar their own talents. I knew a st London, a great frequenter of hen a fresh newspaper was bro seized it first, and read it aloud zens; but in a manner as little standers-by as to himself. Ho learning expose themselves, b Course on those very parts of s ey are least acquainted! It is ery other qualification. By the m ho deal in rhymes, from half a which come out every minute, there don; half as many coffeehouse orat e hundred poets in the city and he clergy; forty thousand politic sand five hundred profound sc ention the wits, the railers, the sma tics; all as illiterate and impuden hore. What are we to think of th

a used to call Mr Pil. his lady fair."-N. aich were published at as distinguished by her

earned young lady, who 's mother), who used to clamation against eating

1732.

PREFACE.

AVE been long of opinion, that there is not a general and greater mistake, or of worse conaces through the commerce of mankind, than ong judgments they are apt to entertain of wn talents. I knew a stuttering alderman in n, a great frequenter of coffeehouses, who, a fresh newspaper was brought in, constantly it first, and read it aloud to his brother citibut in a manner as little intelligible to the rs-by as to himself. How many pretenders ning expose themselves, by choosing to dison those very parts of science wherewith are least acquainted! It is the same case in other qualification. By the multitude of those eal in rhymes, from half a sheet to twenty, come out every minute, there must be at least undred poets in the city and suburbs of Lonhalf as many coffeehouse orators, exclusive of ergy; forty thousand politicians, and four nd five hundred profound scholars; not to on the wits, the railers, the smart-fellows, and ; all as illiterate and impudent as a suburb What are we to think of the fine-dressed

in every sentence, dea fit for a rational n; perpetually congeography, even of London hath eleven uppy kind, for one e two-thirds of ours e now naturalized: l exceeds ours in the ne; and what is more ere is not one distinducation, who makes polis, unless the Londefective; whereas zen of their own edufor half a winter tomore, but give place the constant progress nly allowing for the

It

WHEN beasts could spea
They still can do so eve
seems, they had religi
As much as now we find
It happen'd, when a plag
(Which therefore made th
The king of brutes (to ma
Of quadrupeds I only mea
By proclamation gave con
That every subject in the
Should to the priest confes
And thus the pious Wolf b
Good father, I must own w
That often I have been to
I must confess, on Friday la
Wretch that I was! I brok
But I defy the basest tongu
To prove I did my neighbo
Or ever went to seek my fo
By rapine, theft, or thirst of

the universal folly in alents; by which the

E time very much in fashion, carers of them by the same

The Ass approaching nex
That in his heart he lov'd a
A wag he was, he needs mus
And could not let a dunce al
Sometimes his friend he woul
And might perhaps be too se