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POEM S,

BY

SEVERAL HANDS¿

Published by D. LEWIS.

Primum ego me illorum, dederim quibus effe Poetas,

Excerpam numero.

Hor.

LONDON:

Printed by J. WATTS. M DCC XXVI,

ENGLISH

OXFORD
LIBRARY

...

To the Right Honourable

THE LORD

Charles Noell Somerfet.

My LORD,

T

HIS Collection of Poems, which with much Gratitude is paid as a Debt to All who have been pleas'd to encourage it, I beg Leave to

prefent to Your Lordship from my particu lar Devotion, over and above that Juftice

by which it is due to You in Common with others and I am not without Excufe for the Freedom of this Addrefs, if to have had a peculiar Eye to Your Approbation, through the whole Course of the Work, gives me a Title to Your Patronage.

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I know not whether I have here the good Fortune to offer You many Things, whofe Life and Sprightliness may feem to be calculated to please Your Youth; but fuch a Regard will, I hope, appear to have been every where preferv'd for all that is either Sacred, Moral or Decent, as cannot fail of being agreeable to Your Virtue; and the not offending againft Religion and good Manners is, I am fure, in Your Account, fo neceffary a Qualification to Poetry, that without it all others would be infufficient.

You were yet at School, My LORD, when I receiv'd those Impreffions of You, which

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which would make me fear, did I not my felf deteft it, to approach You with any thing that is profane or licentious; and will always give me that Paffion, for a Share iny your Regard, with which we pursue the Favour of the Ingenious and the Good. It is not then hard to imagine with what Deference and Affection You

are a

attended at the University; where Your Difpofition is the fame, and Your Accomplishments greater. May You contique to gain by Your own Merit the Obfervance and Diftinction You have been hitherto unwilling to owe to Your noble Birth alone, and fecure an univerfal Esteem by the only Right that can make it folid and permanent.

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I must earnestly intreat You, however the Book may acquit it felf to Your Judgment, to indulge me with Your usual Goodness the Employing this Opportunity to fhew the Refpect and Honour A 3 which

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